Unveiling #29: “The Independence of Watercolor”

Knowing how last week went with my watercolor study, I decided to buy two less expensive watercolor pads since I ate up all my good paper last week! Interestingly, I found it to respond to the techniques I am applying better than my expensive paper! Hmmm? However, this week I was reminded why watercolors turn me into a control freak…it’s because letting them do their own thing is scary!!  You have to ‘trust’ that the paints are going to create something beautiful.  And if you saw my pile of ‘not so beautiful ones’ from this week, you’d know the odds are not in my favor!!  Haha.  I have mastered trusting God when I have no control, but trusting paint is a whole lot riskier to me!  God is trustworthy, but paints?? Not so much.

Because I am working ‘wet on wet’ (wet the paper first, then brush paint on top) for these washes, when I put the paint here, it goes there!  I finally finished and LOVED my 12^th attempt (one entire pad) this week.  I sat it aside as I made notes for this post, and when I looked over two minutes later it had totally changed…and not for the better. That flesh-colored blob on the right was smaller and defined in the way the two colors were separating. When I looked over, the colors had blended and spread. Since I am working with wet paint on wet paper, until it is dry, it will continue to spread and do its own thing with no respect to what I want. See why I like control!?!? Haha.

I really am enjoying how much I am learning about this medium that I’ve worked with for close to 35 years. Crazy, right?! One of the biggest lessons I am learning is how timing is everything concerning washes and creating water stains. Too wet or not wet enough dramatically changes the results. There is a very small window in which to work such magic.

If I can get past being scared and intimidated, which are rooted in my need for perfection and control, I know I will feel free. It’s okay to mess up.  It’s okay to fail. …especially when working on cheap paper. Haha! All kidding aside, this practice is teaching me that risk is what yields results. Wow!!! If you missed my post which explains this year-long challenge, please read You’re Invited To The Unveilings.