Monday, September 12, 2011

The learning continues!!!

I had sent Ona some photographs and we chose the one of the church in Portugal as the first one to start working with. This is the reference picture;

I painted the first one as I saw it on the reference and it was a total mess! I thought I would brighten the colour of the red and make the picture darker, more twiligkt hour sort of thing but the result was awful. I also made the mistake of using paper which was obviously not meant for watercolours. I mixed too many pigments on the palette which resulted in big spaces of muddy colours!!!! Since I am recording my learning process, I need to post the mistakes.....so here is is
The next version of the picture was a little better as I spent a little time thinking about it and also remembering what Ona had wanted, to use the picture as a reference only and not try and paint everything literally.I changed the paper and also did a larger picture. I have realised that I really don't like painting small pictures! The second picture is better than the first....

2 comments:

  1. Brinda, I actually prefer the mood of your first painting. There are more lost and found edges, and I like the thought of the church being a 'beacon of light' in the enveloping darkness. Just MHO. Hugs

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  2. I like both of them, and like the intensity of that red roof. You do learn that the paper is really important.

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