Some More Little Things I’ve Learned

Here are some more little things I’ve learned over the past year.

A collage of paintings on vellum, including acorn, Douglas fir cone, and a hairy Wild Ginger blossom.  Vellum is translucent, which causes a glowing effect in paintings when seen in person, but doesn’t show up well in digital images.

• Since graduating from SBA two years ago, most of my work has been on vellum, but I rediscovered the pleasure of watercolor washes on paper while working on a commission this autumn. For those unfamiliar with vellum, it is a type of parchment made from calfskin in the same hand-crafted manner developed in the middle ages. Paint remains on the surface of vellum, resulting in luminous, deep colors.  Painting on vellum requires much patience because you have to use very little water or the paint lifts off. While I still enjoy painting on vellum, I find wet-in-wet washes on watercolor paper are perfect for silky smooth flower petals and shiny leaves. On the other hand, the organic color and look of vellum and dry brush technique is well suited to textured subjects, like dried leaves, nuts and roots. Both surfaces have their advantages so I’ll go with the one I feel is best suited to the subject I intend to paint rather than always painting on one surface or the other.

A collage of paintings on watercolor paper, including a pansy, California primrose, and Camas blossom.

• The heavy, thick…and expensive…300 lb (640 gsm) 100% rag watercolor paper is worth the investment. Not only is there no worry about buckling, but the surface is much hardier so can take lifting and multiple washes without roughing up the paper fibers at all. I find Fabriano Artistico paper a delight to paint on, particularly in the 300 lb. weight.

Fabriano Artistico 300 lb watercolor paper and Kelmscott vellum–they have a very similar thickness and feel although water and pigments behave quite differently on each.

• Framing takes a lot of expertise, and framers earn what they charge! I did some of my own framing over this past year and boy was it hard–I have acquired a new respect for framers. Although there was nothing easy about any part of the process, for me the biggest struggle was getting the specks out from inside the frame–it sounds so simple but proves to be so hard and time consuming. For each one I got out, another one seemed to fly in! If anyone has a successful technique for this, please let me know! I was surprised at how much trouble a few specks can give…

Framed limited edition prints of my work–finally speck free!

• Dried subjects offer the luxury of time…they will sit there and wait…while a living plant moves around and changes continually until it finally wilts away! I started this dried leaf painting last autumn and have been working on it off and on ever since.  As you see, I’ve used a fairly large piece of vellum, providing a lot of ‘air space’ around the leaf.  I have plans for the space which will be revealed later.

Work in progress painting on vellum of dried Bigleaf Maple leaf

Now if I can only avoid squashing my delicate dried leaf before I finish, all will be well!