March 20, 2010 - Day 222

Ink and watercolor on 320gsm Coventry Rag Vellum White

As I started to put the ink in it really reminded me of trees reflecting in water so I continued with that idea. In the end I decided to go with a sunset blue, pink and purple watercolor wash.

March 19, 2010 - Day 221

Ink and watercolor on 250 gsm Folio hot press watercolor paper

The next lesson in my chinese brush painting book is Chrysanthemums and I was too intimidated to attempt to paint them. I am going to be really busy for the next couple of days so I don't think I will challenge myself with the Chrysanthemums until Monday.

In the meantime, I am going to go back to the ink on wet paper paintings that I was doing a couple of days ago.

March 18, 2010 - Day 220

Ink and watercolor on 250gsm Folia watercolor paper

Next lesson in the book "Chinese Brush Painting Techniques" by Stephen Cassettari is bamboo. This subject is deceptively simple. In reality it took a LOT of practice to even get this result. I found it very hard to create the leaves let alone make them look natural. I am finding that the less I think about it the better the painting becomes.

March 17, 2010 - Day 219

Ink and watercolor on 140lb Lanaquarelle hot press watercolor paper

Today's chinese brush painting of plum blossoms didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. For such a simple design this was really difficult to paint. The branches are supposed to be almost dry brushed but I found it hard to get the right consistency of ink/watercolor to create the effect.

I am also finding it hard to keep the background white. I have this insane urge to fill all that empty space with something. More leaves, flowers, twigs or at the very least a background color.

March 16, 2010 - Day 218

Ink and watercolor on 140lb Lanaquarelle hot press watercolor paper

Thought I would try my hand at chinese brush painting. I had to make do with what I had since I don't have colored inks and I don't have the traditional brush. I ended up using watercolor in place of colored ink and a small round brush instead of the traditional chinese brush.

This was my second attempt at the orchid painting lesson in the book Chinese Brush Painting Techniques by Stephen Cassettari.

March 15, 2010 - Day 217

Ink and watercolor on 140lb Lanaquarelle hot press watercolor paper

I started today's painting by trying to create a pen and ink portrait but I messed it up. I didn't feel like starting another painting so I tore up strips of masking tape and placed them randomly over top the portrait. I then applied a coat of india ink. When the ink was dry I applied a wash of green watercolor. I kind of like the effect but I can't see myself creating a whole series of these paintings.

March 14, 2010 - Day 216

Ink and watercolor on 140lb Lanaquarelle hot press watercolor paper

Getting bored with this style now too. On the plus side though I really like the Lanaquarelle paper. All the paper I have been using is 140lb but the Lanaquarelle feels sturdier and stronger than some of the other ones I have been using since I started the ink and wash paintings.

I don't know where I want to go with the ink and wash paintings. I really love the absolute blackness of the india ink but I don't like fiddling with line drawings. I like the looseness of the last 4 paintings but hate that they have no subject. I don't know how to create high contrast representational paintings in india ink.

I will have more time over the next 3 days to experiment. Maybe I will come up with some new ideas.