Started in November and finishing mid December, these exercises became an addiction! I started in one book 200 gsm paper, made another with mixed media 300 gsm paper, then actually bought a watercolour 300 gsm book, all because I wanted to see if there was any difference. I was very tempted to get more paints etc but didn't as I have quite enough! I am considering the Neocolour II water soluble crayons though.

This is the first attempt at choosing colours from a photograph of peonies, and then colour swatching. First on the 200 gsm book and then on some 300 gsm mixed media paper stuck in the book.

multimedia experiments - image 1 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 2 - student project

Added in a blue:

multimedia experiments - image 3 - student project

I had a bit of a struggle deciding on colour schemes. I had a palette of left over gouache paint, and chose pink, lilac and green to make this set of layering. Seeing all the colours on the plate seemed to make it easier. I did swatch the matching materials for the top layers.

multimedia experiments - image 4 - student project

I decided to use some walnut ink I made a few years ago with phthalo blue.

multimedia experiments - image 5 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 6 - student project

Everything got quite dark!

multimedia experiments - image 7 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 8 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 9 - student project

Decided to go back to colour.

multimedia experiments - image 10 - student project

Wanted a softer colour range:

multimedia experiments - image 11 - student project

These last four paintings were in the A5 watercolour book.

My first attempt at using masking tape:

multimedia experiments - image 12 - student project

This was my take of the square large painting by Kate: I was thinking of the fledgling gannets who take their first flight off a high cliff and referred to in the NZ artist Colin McCahon's "Jump Series". Leaping into the unknown... I just love jug and mug shapes. I was a little nervous about deciding on a more contextual work.

multimedia experiments - image 13 - student project

Back to brights:

multimedia experiments - image 14 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 15 - student project

And then paler again.

multimedia experiments - image 16 - student project

multimedia experiments - image 17 - student project

A lot of experimenting, 77 (A5 and A6) pages! I hope I have learnt something. In fact I am sure I am more confident. I just love colour, but it is hard to be really pleased with the finished article sometimes. I have not done larger works yet - need to get some paper...

Thanks very much Kate for making this class! One of the best!

Celia Wilson

Painter, paint maker, printmaker

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