Continuing on the theme of mark-making, I've started actively looking for everyday or recycled items I can use to make unique marks in watercolour.
 |
The mark maker
|
This is the end of our cherry season so I'm gorging on these glorious fruits at the moment. The container my cherries came in provided two different mark-making opportunities.
1. The holes in the lid (one can be seen in the centre of the photograph)
 |
| Lifting off through the circle cut out in the lid |
Pressing the lid down hard on the paper, over watercolour paint, and lifting off firmly with a brush creates some very atmospheric circles in your work. In the plain blue version, the paint was damp when the lifting off happened - this created cauliflowers in the paint which, depending on the subject, could provided added texture.
The second was done on a dry combination of Perylene Maroon and Indigo. The result on dry watercolour is more predictable and controlled.
 |
| Just Add Paint |
Ridges across the width of the plastic packaging create a pleasing rhythm. Paint was applied to the plastic which was then pressed down:
 |
| Onto dry paper |
Fence posts? Staircases? Or just a great abstract rhythm.
 |
| And only wet paper |
Where it diffuses beautifully into soft colours on the left. A combination of wet and dry paper create a more textured, random looking result, as can be seen on the right of this page.
Now the next step is to use these in a final painting.
Happy experimenting, everyone.
