"100 SLC Porches, No.15"

"100 Salt Lake City Porches, No.15"- watercolor on 8.5" x 11" paper

I did most of this porch at watercolor painting class last night learning a new style of "Pouring It On".  Colleen first showed examples photos of the "Pouring It On" style of paintings.  The first examples she showed were from the painter Lian Quan Zhen.  He does a method of pouring watercolor that's more of a Chinese Watercolor Pouring on Style.  Next, she showed paintings from Leslie Redhead who does a pouring on method that is one color at a time.  Both of the styles of pouring watercolor were amazing.  I especially loved the building scene paintings done by Leslie Redhead.

Out of necessity, Colleen said we will limit this month's watercolor painting class to the Chinese style of pouring on.  The one color at a time does not work well in a class situation because it needs more time.  There is a waiting for one color to dry completely before you pour another color.  But she did suggest that we try this style as homework. 

Next, Colleen did a demo of the Chinese watercolor pouring on style.  She had all ready drawn and masked off the white areas of ducks in a pond.  She then mixed 3 paints in separate cups; one blue, one red, and another yellow.  She misted the sketched/masked off paper with her spray bottle.  Then, she poured the blue in the area of the painting that would mainly be blue.  Then, she poured with the yellow paint cup the areas that would be yellow or possibly green with overlapping of the blue.  She took her fingers and moved the paint around on the paper to mix in certain areas.  Also, dropping some of the paint in other areas for spots of green or yellow.  Next she poured on the red paint in areas that the red would be.  Then, took her fingers again and moved paint around on the paper mixing.  She also took a straw and did some blowing through it to move paint around showing the different effects.  Then, she took some paper towels and absorbed some of the extra paint. 

As the painting started to dry Colleen showed us how we could do interesting things to the painting as it dried.  She showed how we could take a thirsty brush and pick up paint to almost make pale white areas with gentle edges; unlike the harsher edges that masking achieves.  She also put salt (both table & sea salt) on the painting.  Then, there was an application of saran wrap to make subtle effects.  I was getting excited by all of the possibilities~!

I then started my own pouring on painting.  I had all ready drawn and quickly did a bit of masking while I mixed my 3 cups of paint.  When it was time for the actually pouring on I quickly discovered that it was harder than it looked!  I ended up with a bit of a psychedelic mess!  But with some work and some wet to dry painting, I finally ended up with the above painting which was a pleasant surprised.  But I think this is going to be a learning curve type of thing.