Today’s watercolor experiment:

I resorted to masking fluid again as the starting point for my watercolor today. It may sound silly, but I look forward to the random splashing and the moving and jerking around of the paper to impose some manner of pattern. It inspires me.

Stage 1 – Mask Application

Today, I wanted to see if I could coax random splashes of inks, the same consistency as the masking fluid, into patterns that would complement the negative spaces that would be revealed once the latex was removed.

Stage 2 – Application of Inks

I know that some of my inks are waterproof and some are water soluble. I didn’t pay too much attention to which ink I applied where, even though I knew that I would be flooding the paper with a watercolor wash in the next step. Since the predominant tone of the ink drips is dark (see above), I chose opera rose, a bright ‘fluorescent’ (is says so on the paint tube) color.

I wish I could have preserved the results of my initial stroke of opera rose. The indigo streamed into the pink opera rose with such delicate marbling. I knew it would disperse, but it was lovely to see while it lasted.

Here is the composition with its watery opera rose overlay, after drying:

Stage 3 – Mask, Inks and Opera Rose Watercolor

And the big reveal after removing the mask:

Self Inspiration 6715
12″x16″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

Comment:

I love the glow of the opera rose. It seems as if it comes from behind the ink traces. On the other hand, the white traces left by the masking fluid seems like a flat entity sitting on top of the ink. For now I will leave it the way it is, unless I get another flash of inspiration.