Painting Watercolour using a Wet-in-Wet Technique

Last summer I made this time lapse video of painting a watercolour using a 'wet-in-wet' approach. That means painting onto wet, cotton paper using wet paint!

Today I added a voice-over to the video. The sound isn't great because I didn't use a microphone - just the built in one in my imac. Still, if you crank up the sound, I think you'll be able to hear it OK.

Working "wet-in-wet" is so intriguing because the dampness of the paper, which is made of cotton, creates a softness, a luminosity and an unpredictability as the paint colours mix together and change.

My inspiration came from a small monoprint I made using the watercolour on plexiglass technique that I've recently written about. I projected it onto a full sized watercolour sheet. Then I traced around the colours using a white oil pastel crayon and applying a lot of pressure on the paper. That line of oil or crayon will create a barrier for the watercolour and will work as a resist.

This is the original monoprint that I drew my inspiration from.

Using a mechanical aid and working from an existing piece of art were departures for me - it kind of felt like cheating. What I learned from it is that I could focus on the actual painting because the colours and composition were already worked out.

I'd like to try it again now during winter while I wait for flowers to grow.

Here is another example of enlarging a sketch onto watercolour paper. This is a sketch I made on location at Brier Island a few years ago.

Brier Island's Big Pond.

The resulting enlarged watercolour.

Here is a very short video of the painting process. It works best if you paint watercolours from light to dark.

Why don't you give it a try?  It's interesting to work on a piece that is so much larger than the original. 

Monoprinting with Watercolours

This coming Saturday I'll be teaching a workshop at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on the techniques that I used in my pieces that are on display in the show. (The class is full and there is a waiting list!!)
Here is a video tutorial showing how to make a watercolour monoprint. It is so much fun to do …… give it a try!

Tradition & Innovation- an exhibit that invites the viewer to think about print-making as an evolving art form- opens in the Community Room, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Western Branch, on January 5 and continues until February 26, 2012.  An opening reception will be held Saturday, January 7, from 2 until 4 p.m.

Works are from the two print shops in South West Nova Scotia: La Manivelle in Church Point, where innovative, non-toxic methods are explored  and Th’YARC Print Shop in Yarmouth where etching is a traditional technique often used.

Print makers represented include Cecil Day, Ruth Rideout,  Denise Comeau, Bonnie Baker and others who have worked at one or both of the studios over the past decade.

Four workshops, tied to techniques in the show, will be given over the course of the two-month exhibit.

Tradition and Innovation art show

Pink and Orange. Monoprint by Flora Doehler, 2011

Two of my pieces will be in a printmaking show that opens tomorrow (Saturday) at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia - Yarmouth branch! I just finished them last week and framed them a few of days ago. The show includes work from printmakers at two South West Nova Scotia studios. One is in Yarmouth and the studio I use, Le Manivelle, is in the basement of Saint Anne's University in Church Point.

Iris. Monoprint by Flora Doehler, 2011

This is the description of the show:

Tradition & Innovation – an exhibit that invites the viewer to think about print-making as an evolving art form- opens in the Community Room, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Western Branch, on January 5 and continues until February 26, 2012. The opening reception will be held Saturday, January 7, from 2 until 4 p.m.Works are from the two print shops in South West Nova Scotia: La Manivelle in Church Point and Th’YARC Print Shop in Yarmouth.
Print makers represented include Cecil Day, Ruth Rideout, Denise Comeau, Bonnie Baker and others who have worked at one or both of the studios over the past decade. 

Iris - detail

The title ‘Tradition & Innovation’ describes the way in which traditional print-making techniques are used as well as the evolution and discovery of new methods of creating images. At the exhibit, viewers will be introduced to a variety of techniques, some old, some recent, and some recent extensions of traditional methods.
Four workshops, tied to techniques in the show, will be given over the course of the two-month exhibit.
The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Western Branch is located at 341 Main Street, Yarmouth; gallery entrance is from Alma Square.
Gallery hours: Thursday – Sunday . Noon – 5:00 p.m. Information: 902 749-2248

It's VERY exciting to exhibit with accomplished artists and I'll tell you all about it when I get back from the opening. I also want to share with you the technique I used.

Scenes from the Garden - Paintings at the Mym Gallery

Scenes from the Garden. Showing September 24 - October 12, 2011.

I am showing a selection of paintings of my garden at the ARTsPlace Gallery in Annapolis Royal starting today. It's a great feeling to see my work on display in such a sun-filled space.

That Day in the Garden. 30" x 36"

The Gallery is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9 - 4 pm., and on weekends from 1 - 4 pm

I will be at the Gallery on Saturday, October 8th from 1 - 4 pm, after the last outdoor Annapolis Market of the season. Please drop by!

Here is a video of the work in situ!

And here are photos of all the paintings. Clicking on the images will enlarge them.

Crocosmia. 7" x 9"

 

Blue Horizons. 10" x 12"

 

The Dancers. 10" x 12"

 Dahlia and Nicotiana. 9" x 12"

I added black and white photos of my flowers to the display to give the viewer a sense of the setting I'm in.

 

The Studio. 9" x 9"

 

Flowers in a Blue Jug. 11" x 14"

 

Red Gladiolas. 9" x 9"

 

The Blue Jug. 9" x 9"

 

Iris Seed Pods and Zinnia. 11" x 14"

 

Gladiolas. 9" x 12"

 

Joe & Tansy. 9" x 9"

 

Cordelia's House. 22" x 22"

 

Nasturtium. 9" x 12"

The price list for the paintings is here. 

Paintings can be purchased through the Gallery or you can contact me at flora.doehler@gmail.com.  

Painting Zinnias in September

I have a little art show coming up in a few weeks at the Arts Council in Annapolis Royal and I am moving around my garden painting the September flowers for the show.

Zinnias, marigold and golden rod replaced the iris and bergamot.

 The paintings are small, for the room is tiny. I am painting each scene twice using first watercolours and then acrylic because I think it will be interesting for viewers to see the same scene using two different mediums and approaches.

 These photos show the watercolour steps I went through in painting the zinnias.

...and this is what the acrylic painting looks like so far:

acrylic painting 11" x 14" by Flora Doehler.

 I am so enjoying spending this time with the beautiful colour and blooms in the garden and listening to the birds while I paint. And being under a bit of pressure about it is a good way to keep on task!

Printmaking with Foam and a Ballpoint.

Tulip print and printing block.

I have always loved printmaking. Maybe I have in my blood. My father was a Linotype operator and my mother was a writer and an artist who painted with oils and pastels.