feather

Jack’s bean

/ Robert / 5 Comments

This is essentially green yellow brown no. 2. Inspired by a feather from my husband, the split on the left echos the way barbs separate. The shaft is represented by the right hand white curve from base to two thirds up.

The pristine blue ink outline was softened by spraying water onto the still wet Winsor and Newton watercolours.

Early on salt was added to the yellow area resulting in the undulations. After three layers of green and brown, salt was used to develop texture.

I am happier with the way this mixed media abstract painting came out. My husband said it looks like one of Jack’s beans that grew a mighty stalk linking his home with that of the giant.

Green, yellow, brown abstract mixed media

/ Robert / 4 Comments

Quite a while ago, in fact when exactly is vague, I designed a zigzag pattern using a watercolour brush in a painting app on my iPad. Its purpose was specific, the background panel for the title block on this blog.

My husband returned home from walking Stan with the gift of a feather. We think it is from a rainbow lorikeet because of the green and yellow colours. I decided to use it as inspiration for a watercolour.

Being fond of ovoids, I sketched out an idea and painted the first wash. A few more layers followed.

Horizontally, it looked a bit like a misshapen footy ball. In portrait it resembles an avocado. At this point, I sprayed water onto it. A soft outline formed from the wet edge. Rivulets of colour settles in the warped dips of the contorted paper. I added reused salt crystals and left it to dry overnight.

The zigzag pattern remained in the back of my mind during the process.

I added the darker yellow oval, fresh salt and darker areas to the green and brown topped with recycled salt.

I think this is the finished piece.