Some Paint Tests and Thoughts

Every June there has been a facebook thing where they ask watercolour painters to post 30 paintings in 30 days. I only go on facebook once a week at most, so I didn't post there very often but still did more than 30 paintings. In fact I was averaging 40 paintings a month so 30 seemed a bit low, but the main idea was to challenge yourself as an artist. In the past I had some stretches of time where I was not painting much so I understand the kind of 'painters block' that can occur and maybe initiatives like that are okay. For something different, I thought about doing 30 black and white watercolour paintings using just lamp black (PBk6), graphite grey (PBk11) and phthalo blue red shade (PB15). Here is a small test of that restricted palette, it really tests your skill at producing values without much colour. 

Black and Blue Palette Test, watercolour 8 x 10" Fabriano Artistico, May 2022

 

 

On the weekend I attempted the Farine Five Roses mill at night and came up with good results. While on location I had to figure out how to paint the red neon sign and tried a dark indo blue sky (PB60) with a mix of pyrol red (PR254) and benzi orange (PO62). Unfortunately I didn't have pyrol orange (PO73) on my palette at the time. The pyrol orange is by Winsor and Newton, it is called Winsor Orange Red Shade. In the test painting shown above, which I just did on our kitchen table/studio, I used indo blue plus varying amounts of pyrol orange in the sky, and mixed pyrol orange with pyrol red for the neon sign. The black interior of the sign is lamp black with perylene maroon (PR179). Next time I am out painting neon signs at night I think I have it figured out!

Farine Neon Sign Test, watercolour 8 x 10" Fabriano Artistico, May 2022