Wednesday, October 24, 2007

A full sheet in the works..........

Step #1 Harstine Isl. Bridge - Nancy Van Blaricom Step one.. pencil lines and first washes
This is a full sheet watercolor I started some time ago. Just saying that makes me think I should write the date I start a new piece on the back. Not knowing the exact date, you should just take my word, it has been some time ago. The painting will be of the bridge to Harstine Island on a foggy day. The fog is pretty thick. You can't see much of the bridge or the Island. Only the beginning and some of the boat ramp this side of the bridge. In the first photo you see I have laid down a few very light washes of an indigo mix on top of my pencil drawing. At this stage, seeing the drawing on the paper, I wonder if the composition will work. It looked fine before I got it on the paper. The ususal self doubt is starting to take over.
Step #2, Harstine Isl. Bridge - Nancy Van BlaricomSecond stage - a few washes plus some large shapes.

In this photo you can see numerous light washes have been added since the initial drawing and washes, helping to give a foggy look to the painting so far. I have started giving shape to a few trees and the structure of the bridge. At the boat landing, this side of the bridge, I will need to pay close attention to so that it doesn't take on too much weight.
I'm hoping by posting these photo's and blogging about this painting, I'll start working on it. I have noticed before that after I start a painting those doubts come as to "can I paint this?" etc. I need to learn from this and just let the doubt come and then move forward ... after all it's only paper and watercolor.

2 comments:

  1. I think you're right on track, Nancy! I took a water color class back in Maine and found it to be really challenging.

    I always love being able to see the pencil sketch underneath a water color.

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  2. This looks like a great start. I have a photo of the Santa Monica pier with it's ferris wheel in the fog that I've wanted to paint forever and have made several attempts but no success. One of my favorite watercolorists, Birgit O'Connor (birgitoconnor.com) does what she calls atmospheric landscapes that are often very beautiful fogscapes.

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