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Friday, October 7, 2011

Playing with Watercolor


A week ago I joined a mixed media painting class. We started out on watercolors, a medium I haven't worked with very often and don't have much experience. So I thought I just play around with it a little bit, and I had a lot of fun! In the above picture, I sprinkled salt into parts of the darker blue and love the effect - to me it looks a little bit like ice crystals.


Same here; and I also just flicked the brush with orange color a little bit to get the little splashes. Another effect I really like. Many of you probably think now "Oh come on, nothing new" - it sure is not, but I have re-discovered it and enjoy it. It always surprises me how much I actually forget. So many techniques I once learned and then they wander off in the very back of my mind and go dormant.

Here I used a white crayon and drew those swirls on drawing paper, then soaked the paper with water and balled it up. After I had flattened it out again I covered it with watercolor - really nice how the color seeps into the crevices. The wrinkled effect is also something I thoroughly like. I think though that it works better with darker colors.


Since it is Friday I'm linking this to Sneak Peek Friday and Paint Party Friday. If you want to see more amazing artwork, please visit these wonderful artists and get inspired.

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33 comments:

  1. GlorV1October 7, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    Nice job Carola! It's a great idea on the sprinking of salt. It's been a while since I've done that. Looks great. Happy PPF!

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  2. UnknownOctober 7, 2011 at 8:41 AM

    I love all these effects- it really emphasizes the magical quality of creating ad playing around WHILE you create doesn't it! If you stop my PPF, take note of the night sky background....I don't talk about in my post, but to get that effect, I did a really intense purple-blue wash, let it dry, then spritzed water over it. Let that sit several minutes, then patted it off with a paper towel....I went back and added tiny dots of white to finish it off.
    I LOVE playing with my art (love playing with my food too for that matter ;))
    Happy PPF,
    Stephanie

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  3. CindyOctober 7, 2011 at 8:47 AM

    I for one am not very "fluent" with watercolors, so I appreciate the accompanying discussion with these photos...that salt crystal shot grabbed my attention over at Studio JRU!

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  4. DarlaOctober 7, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    It is fun to push the medium and see what you can do with it other than paint on a brush isn't it?

    Like them all.

    Darla

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  5. CarissaOctober 7, 2011 at 8:57 AM

    Oh I love it! So pretty :)

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  6. Joni NickrentOctober 7, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    oh, how fun...love the different textural effects you've achieved and the beautiful color! POP ART MINIS

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  7. Jodene ShawOctober 7, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    Carola, how fun to be trying something new! These are fun! Thanks for visiting my blog ~ so glad to remind you of happy memories with your dad!

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  8. YvonneOctober 7, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    I love watercolor and love your experiments. These stand well on their own but also would make great backgrounds. Keep up the good work with WC.

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  9. AnonymousOctober 7, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    It's so much fun to rediscover techniques and just have fun playing! Can't wait to see the out come. Sounds like a very fun class indeed. Happy PPF. :-)

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  10. Kay L. DaviesOctober 7, 2011 at 12:01 PM

    Love the "ice crystals" made of salt. Great idea. Another idea to pass on to my brother and sister-in-law for their kids and also for her classes.
    So glad you are enjoying your art.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  11. stephOctober 7, 2011 at 12:07 PM

    this is so fun!! love the salt texture effects...enjoy your experiments!! happy weekend!!

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  12. JenniferOctober 7, 2011 at 1:25 PM

    You said, "It always surprises me how much I forget." Me, too, Carola! Love the salt technique.

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  13. HeARTworksOctober 7, 2011 at 1:40 PM

    I love playing with all sorts of techniques and materials! And there are so many! This is great and even if I've heard of it before, I haven't tried it yet!

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  14. AnonymousOctober 7, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    Carola, I especially like the paintings with the salt. I have taken a few classes/courses of watercoloring and I just can't seem to retain what I need to do to make the paintings look right. Maybe that's why some people take classes all their lives. I don't know. Your blue and purple one is really striking, and the color combo of the second salted one is awesome.
    Faye

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  15. Sally HOctober 7, 2011 at 2:17 PM

    three beautiful backgrounds! I really love the first one - such beautiful rich colours

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  16. carlareyOctober 7, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    Watercolor is so much fun to play with. I never get tired of it. Love this new direction your are exploring.

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  17. AnnaOctober 7, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    looks like fun

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  18. ginaOctober 7, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    What fun! I teach a water color class for kids and will have to try the salt effects with them. Love your colors!

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  19. peggy aplSEEDSOctober 7, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    wow, the effect of salt on watercolor is wonderful. i've read about this technique a number of times but i've never tried it. i always forget. maybe i'll do it now!

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  20. Jaime HaneyOctober 7, 2011 at 10:51 PM

    so fun to experiment and re-discover! I'm with you and am amazed at what I've forgotten over the years. You look like you're having fun discovering all these great techniques again. Beautiful!

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  21. AnonymousOctober 8, 2011 at 1:07 AM

    Cute... snow flake effect! Way to go SALT....let alone tasting good, you can now make things look good too!

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  22. MandyOctober 8, 2011 at 5:41 AM

    Really lovely...i think i may have to try salt..the effect is wonderful...xxx

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  23. Bren Graham ThebeauOctober 8, 2011 at 6:43 AM

    Yum! love the pages you shared, great textures, enjoyed my visit.

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  24. Silvia(Barnie)October 8, 2011 at 9:03 AM

    Tolle Hintergründe hast du gezaubert. Die Knittertechnik mag ich sehr, geht mit den Distresskissen megagenial. Der Effekt mit dem Salz sieht toll aus.

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  25. MelisaOctober 8, 2011 at 4:26 PM

    All fun techniques and it's nice to be reminded of them.

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  26. Tracey FKOctober 8, 2011 at 11:38 PM

    I love the spurt of creativity that comes out of taking a class, and I love playing with watercolours so much. The colours are just so pure and the results so magically uncontrollable at times... love it and glad you are having fun with it. Trace xx

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  27. Lesley EdmondsOctober 9, 2011 at 2:23 AM

    I love the effect the salt has on the watercolour. Beautiful.

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  28. Jennifer {Studio JRU}October 9, 2011 at 2:20 PM

    What a great technique. It does look like ice crystals... that is so neat! I think it is great to take time to play with techniques like this. Find effects that you like and have fun! :)

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  29. Daniele ValoisOctober 9, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    NICE!!!

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  30. GeckostoneOctober 9, 2011 at 4:51 PM

    Wow , my salt never comes out that good! These are awesome! Love the crinkled paper too!

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  31. Ginnie HartOctober 10, 2011 at 12:57 AM

    The watercolor medium is perhaps my favorite for painting, Carola, but I've never tried it myself. Good for you to experiment with it like this. You could actually inspire me. :)

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  32. DebbieOctober 10, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    I love salt effects in watercolor! You can also use it with acrylics -- the effects are very similar. I really appreciate artists who show their works in progress and experimentation. Very inspiring!

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  33. EVAOctober 12, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    Very cool effects. I especially love the salt - I must try that!

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