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Watercolor Batik by NicolasSimmons

Many people have remarked that certain paintings I do have a “batik” look to them. This appearance is owing to a technique I stumbled upon years ago, by accident. Watercolor is the easiest vehicle for encouraging accidents to happen, but of course gaining control over them is another matter. This demonstration will illustrate another way of utilizing the unpredictable properties of the medium in a reliable way.

The technique is excellent for creating the illusion of depth, and also for creating interesting textures. I’ve used it in several variations of the painting I’ll do here: a koi fish. My model is a fish that has more than done his duty; I first photographed him at the Winterthur koi pond, and the subsequent drawings I made have served as the foundation for about thirty paintings. They have been good sellers for me – this guy is in more homes than cable TV!

This painting will only be a half sheet (15″ x 22″) so it will go quickly. The drawing at right is the basis for the composition, and I’ll add some plants in the background.

The paper is 156 lb. hot press Arches, and I did not gesso it or do any other surface preparation. I don’t stretch paper, as it’s never seemed necessary to me. If it buckles, I spray it lightly with water, and let it dry under a heavy piece of glass.

The paint can be straight watercolor or acrylic watercolor* – it doesn’t matter, but of course once dry, acrylic is totally permanent.

* Acrylic watercolor is acrylic paint thinned with water.

I started by lightly painting the background around the fish and plants. Masking would simplify this step, but I have found the variations in color and value achieved by the “old school” method enhances the effect I’m striving for.

The colors I used were phthalo blue mixed with raw sienna (a great underwater combination), prussian blue, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, quinacridone gold and red. After I painted each section, I dropped in water to create some action. “Blooms” or “crawlbacks” are something people often try to avoid, but I like them because they scream “watercolor!”

The water portion of the background – essentially an underpainting – is done, and ready to be “batiked.” However, I’d like to get the rest of the picture underway, and it might be best to first demonstrate a simpler version of the batik technique.

No pictures!

Doug



My website http://dougelliot.weebly.com/indx.htm

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