In the yellow abstract I did today (see Forward Progress), the first yellow wash was not absorbed by the lines I scratched into the surface of the paper. In my study below, I blotched watercolor onto paper that was already scored, and found the same result: the scratches did not soak up the pigments.

To make the lines visible, I rubbed the paper’s surface with charcoal and then brushed it off. The result is two compositions on one page. I only became aware of the foreground design after rubbing charcoal into the paper.

The goal is to make each design simultaneous independent of each other and depended upon each other.

Abstract with Charcoaled Scratches
7″x5″ 138# Mix Media Paper