Sunday Secrets #41

  This entry was originally posted on Sunday, October 28, 2012

Dragon Alley

Poured Watercolor

21x29"

 

Today's Sunday Secrets comes from a class that I am currently teaching.

It is about my poured watercolors.

 

The question is, "How do you know where to pour?"

 That is a good question. 

There are a few things that I take into consideration when I start a pour.

Among them are:

Where is the light coming from?

What color palette do I want to use? 

Do I want to try to match the colors to the ones in the photograph or use a different color chord?

 

Then I will also take into account that our eye is drawn to warm colors in a painting and the cool colors will recede.

I usually start with my warm colors and pour them in the direction that the light is falling across where I want my focal point to be.

I will pour my cooler colors around most or some of the edges of the painting.

This gives it a vignette look that helps draw the eye to the focal point.

 

Since I usually only use 3 colors, I try to pour them in the direction that will help them mix into the colors that I want and am happy with.