Monday, December 17, 2012

Experimental Demo


I painted this as a demo in my media techniques class a few weeks ago. I'm not very proficient with watercolors so I decided to combine it with photoshop for a hybrid traditional/digital piece. I really like some of the accidental textures watercolors (or watercolours for those across the pond) provide. The pooling water and pigment dry in some unique patterns that are nearly impossible to generate digitally (unless you have a smoking machine).



You can see that the texture is a little heavy in the original but I was able to "tame" it using opaque layers of digital paint in the final.



What I really wanted to accomplish was the texture in the larger areas...hmmm...I might want to do a few more this way.

14 comments:

  1. I very much like this piece and the textures you were able to get. It's a nice mixed media combo that I may have to try myself.

    And as a side note, I like the owl that reminded me of that 80s movie "Labyrinth" too.

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    1. Ha ha - I thought Labyrinth too :) ...David Bowie!

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  2. Its Awesome!Reflection in the pond is absolutely beautifully captured!

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  3. I like the bleed that you have from one layer into the next. that texture is just something you can't replicate otherwise.

    I agree, there is nothing like the traditional medium. Digital is great, but it is no where near where traditional is. Especially watercolor, which was my first painting love until Casein came around. Oils and I don't talk much anymore. We decided that I'm impatient and it's thick.

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  4. Thanks Yve - yeah - I think I'll experiment with this more... :)

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  5. I think the goal should be to confound the viewer as best as possible...if there is no paint "alchemy" or in other words if it's easily undressed it lacks that special something...

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  6. This is really special. Yeah, the final texture is perfect. Congrats!

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  7. Wow the the layout is awesome, and the owl is pretty special!

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  8. Will, this painting is a gem, it is beautiful.

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