Today’s watercolor experiment:
Following my warmup exercise (Warmup and New Brushes), I painted a full size (9″x12″) painting in the style of Corot. One of the authors of the Tate Watercolor Manual*, Tony Smibert, inspired today’s experiment with his 2005 composition ‘After Corot’.
I used the same color scheme as in my warmup exercise: burnt sienna, Payne’s gray, yellow ocher; plus a bit of neutral tint.
I created a mass of trees using my fan brush and Japanese brushes, on the right side of the composition; I kept the left side blank except for a light wash of neutral tint, which I blotted with a paper towel. I used a knife edge to scrape in some ghostly tree trunks in the open space.
Composition in the Style of Corot
9″x12″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block
One can see the spatial balance by superimposing the Yin Yang symbol on today’s study.
Smibert named his 2005 composition ‘After Corot’. I should have called my study ‘After Smibert’; it sounds better than ‘After, After Corot’.
* Tate Watercolour Manual, Lessons from the Great Masters by Tony Smibert and Joyce Townsend
I haven’t tried painted responses, only collage, but I love the idea. I think it makes you really look at what you are copying and that looking is where the learning really kicks in. (K)
It is a little intimidating, increasing proportionally with the fame of the artist. I tried copying Steam, Wind and [something] by Turner. My results were less than stellar but, as you mentioned, it was a valuable learning experience.
I enjoy all your comments, K. Thank you.
j
Love this…
Thank you Liz. I learned a bit about composition from this artist.
J