This was an experiment. Not all experiments work out well, but that’s half the fun; not knowing if it will, or it won’t. The day I started this painting I realized too late that I would need some masking for the cotton in the field. I live in the country, so driving to a store wasn’t even a fleeting consideration. I rarely use masking so I had none. Boldly, and might I say, wrongly, I chose wax. Candle wax. It repels water doesn’t it? Why not? Well, first of all, it was a challenge to place the drip, and my hand seemed always in the way of the flame. Dangerous, but I finally got it done. The hardest part came when the painting was finished and I had to remove the wax. Glad it was a small painting. I was ultimately successful in removing all the wax and was satisfied enough with the painting to frame it.

Southern Barn

Another watercolorist’s words, but oh so true. I smiled when I read this, remembering how frustrating I found this in my early watercolor years. The paint doesn’t always stay where I put it. I anticipate this behavior now, and even encourage it, painting wet-on-wet. The paint will continue to travel across moistened paper and to mingle with any other colors it touches along the way. It is one of the loveliest things about watercolor, that it continues to change even after I’ve stopped pushing it around with the brush. The key is knowing when to push and when to stop and watch.