September 22, 2021 – Walking in Dappled Light Study 1, #Watercolor on Paper; 1st Paint Lay-in with Masking Fluid

At 9×12 on 140lb x watercolor paper, I was able to use my brushes fairly effectively where I wanted them, and applied some Turner masking fluid (with a thin palette knife) “fairly” easy.

And yes, some foot proportions are off a bit, lol, and her back blouse almost looks like it’s the front, but all in not too bad toward my primary priority – quickly achieve some degree of dappling look.

Once the masking fluid comes off though, it could be very different, and I know I won’t be able to re-create the same exact look and feel in her hair, back and right back leg. That’s what happened with x below left, and, totally destroyed the image below left.

But – and importantly so for me, I can see that —

• working a figure in a 9×12 space works for me
• strategically placing masking fluid can give me a look I’m looking for
• my use of said masking fluid can and will improve – I’m assuming of course 🙏 😊
• having an image of what the with-masking fluid image looks like gives me an edge toward re-creating “some” version of those same effects when the dried masking fluid’s removed
• not having an apparent light source visible did not and does not mean a dappled light depiction won’t work!

Losing “The First Snow” (above, right side image) because the peel-away of masking fluid ripped away so much of the image, maybe ’cause I’d worked in so many layers over so many days, was a real set back in terms of using masking fluid, and my resolve to work with it, but I’ve tinkered with it, like with The Earth is a Garden, and now, with Walking in Dappled Light Study 1.

But the potential of what I see using masking fluid, more judiciously though,, is worth the learning-curve-risk.

Why?

Because it wasn’t “just” luck (though that’s always a factor with me 😊), it was also experimentation, effort, evaluating, and maybe that brought me more luck ☺️

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So my plan for Walking in Dappled Light Study 1 is to next remove the masking fluid, then see what if anything I want to change, ie, sharpen/change/soften any newly exposed edges and/or add pigment back into the now whitened areas of the now newly exposed watercolor paper.

Another more recent stab at again using masking fluid was with Barton Creek Poster on paper (see below). I’d continued working on the poster a bit after the initial layin of colors over the masking fluid, creating variations I called Lush & Dappled, then removed the masking fluid.

I don’t want to do that here with Walking in Dappled Light Study 1.

This is 1) more a study, and 2) I don’t know what if any further paint added might be for naught. So tomorrow it’s time to remove the dried masking fluid – and we’ll see how that comes out 😊

Stay well everyone!

Good to be open to new ideas, and good to recognize how far to test that idea with what one’s already accomplished – regardless whether it’s the expected or surprise result! It’s still one’s own creativity ☺️

Adan

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Thanks again, everyone! 😊

Adan

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