Another in the jazz in paint, still life series, watercolour. charcoal and ink.

A3 Khadi paper, watercolour, charcoal and ink, variations on a theme

I've done a series of variations on this theme from the same original objects. Using sketches done from life I've then simplified, moved things around on the paper, played with patterns and in different media, rather like the way musicians plays with a theme, creating variations and counterpoint.

I'm exploring the ways that still life can interest me as I don't find doing conventional set ups do.

This one started with tinted watercolour washes, in a variety of greys that I mixed, developed with charcoal and white and paynes grey acrylic inks, with a little white oil pastel.  It's fun to work within a limited colour range like this.

The Khadi paper is interesting to work on.  It's pure rag, heavy and quite absorbent so the paint doesn't sit on the surface as with some papers.  The paper is curling in the photo as it was still damp but it is actually square straight edged.

 
A previous variation (original arrangement was done by a friend, pretty but conventional, hence the lemon, which I would never have put in!   for colour it worked beautifully but was somehow so incongrouos ).  This one was done with Art Bars as part of my involvement in testing them during development, Derwent went on to buy it.  The colours have been played with a little but are close to the original.  After this I experimented further with moving the objects more, changing colours entirely, losing the lemon! and playing more with the patterns.

If you look at the Still Life tag in the right hand column, you can see digital experiments and other sketches where I worked on earlier variations and ideas.  Prints of these digital images went into my sketchbook,. along with original sketches and are now a useful base for the beginnings of this ongoing project.  Sketchbooks are gold mines!

So ... I've explored this series of objects enough for the moment and have started on another. so more later ....

Pleases feel free to comment.

Comments

Unknown said…
Your work is so creative and expressive! And your process is part of the artistry. It's so evident in the finished piece that the whole artmaking experience has been valued and honored. This piece is awesome!
1:29 pm
vivien said…
Thank you :>) that's so encouraging! This series is am experiment so I never know quite where it is going to end up when I start!
2:50 pm
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