What is Watercolour?

A floral watercolour taking shape from an interesting first wash

This has been a wonderful week where for the first time in months I have been able to dedicate my studio time to painting for me, from my heart, working on what I feel like and when I feel like it. 

Behind the scenes on Monday there were final decisions to make on my new book "Atmospheric Watercolours". Then there was the need to catch up on the many emails awaiting replies. I do  try to reply personally to every single message but at times this seems impossible. Even so it is part of who I am to want to communicate with other artists and friends old and new who like my work. 

I love hearing from the beginner to the most seasoned and professional of artists because we all share one thing in common,our passion for watercolour.  But having said that it really is so amazing what can be classed as "Watercolour". To me it is any painting that has been created using a product that goes by this name only. It has got a reputation of being the most difficult of mediums to work in which is probably why over time acrylics are now so popular. But the joyful experience of seeing magical interaction of watercolour pigment and water, watching them flow, merge and form patterns is  simply incredible to observe.

Today I worked on dark effects studying just how far I could go without killing the light I so love. It would have been far easier to opt for simply  allowing  an ink to run through the backgrounds. As this would have given me the darkness I was hoping to aim for in one of my pieces. But that seemed like "cheating" so I stuck to my principles and worked only in the watercolour that I love and adore as a medium.

The studies are coming to life in a really exciting way and the effort of working solely in one medium,pushing myself to explore and never be satisfied is so rewarding.

I just wish I had  forty eight hour days and  ten day weeks to enjoy all I want to enjoy whilst painting.There just  never seems to be enough time!

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