Shaking It Up – Views from The Artist’s Street

Shaking it up

Views from The Artist’s Street

Canyon Dawn               Watercolor on Yupo

  Tright here is consolation in mastering a creative medium—usually taking years, perhaps even many years, to change into fluent sufficient with our supplies and instruments in order that we will specific ourselves with confidence and fluidity. We come to see them as outdated dependable associates whom we will belief with our tenderest artistic notions. Nevertheless, after a while carrying on efficiently on this mode, we will really change into too snug and slip dangerously near repeating, in variations maybe, what we all know how you can do greatest. That is thought-about a fascinating achievement in nearly some other occupation, however not artwork.


   Each time we sense that we’re doing a little bit of sleepwalking by means of our work, we attempt to shake it up in some way. There are numerous totally different methods for this. It may be helpful and enjoyable to attempt to work in an unfamiliar medium or maybe on a brand new type of floor. Attempting one thing new adjustments the way in which we have now to answer the supplies and in so doing, adjustments the way in which we take into consideration making artwork. It may problem our notion of what’s attainable for us. All good issues. 

   I had been working for many years in watercolor utilizing primarily Arches paper and located that my method to portray was getting drained. I made a decision that this was the time to tackle an unfamiliar portray materials and see what would possibly come of it. The fabric I selected is bought beneath the identify Yupo, and has gained a following amongst watermedia painters specifically. It’s product of impermeable polyester and can maintain watercolor washes, however can be washed off clear with water. I knew of Yupo, however had ignored it till I noticed a number of the marvelous work my pal and grasp watercolor painter Mark Mehaffey has been producing. “Wow, that appears like enjoyable, and I have to have enjoyable with portray!” was my first response. Certainly, should you watch any of Mark’s Yupo movies, he’s having enjoyable. (Take a look at a few of Mehaffey’s newest Yupo summary work here).

Waterlilies                    Watercolor on Yupo

   I ordered some Yupo, which is available in a pair totally different variations, and commenced portray on it. For anybody used to the way in which cotton paper behaves with watercolors, overlook nearly every thing you recognize. On Yupo, washes puddle, pool and blend collectively in utterly other ways. Strokes don’t mix collectively properly in any respect, so the floor has a really calligraphic look. When you’ve got your desk on a tilt, as we do with conventional watercolors, then the washes of coloration all slowly run downhill to an enormous muddy pool on the backside. Excellent! A problem was what I needed and now I had an enormous one. I’m nonetheless experimenting with this bizarre stuff and I’ve to report that it’s enjoyable to work with exactly as a result of I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m going to get, if something. You’re seeing a few of my experiments right here. Better of all, it is rather straightforward to right—simply wipe off with a towel, and voila! clear Yupo, able to go once more. No worries of ruining costly paper – simply freedom to play. Attempt it your self, you could discover it’s precisely what you’ve been searching for.