Midnight, Ink Stained Face of Watercolor

An ‘Experiment.’ I love experimenting with paints!  Testing. Researching watercolor papers,  watercolor brands and colors, oils,  acrylics and mediums.

Its a surprise,  this rolling the dice.  Could it be an addiction?!

I’d prefer to say I’m on a Long, research mission.

 

 

Midnight,  Ink Stained Face of Watercolor

 

1000’s of color recipes, test strips and techniques litter my art studio.

I love the thrill of it.  And here is yet,  Another art technique experiment.

Testing some new color combinations and techniques. Pulling them together, for the sheer pleasure of it.

Simply, to see ‘what happens.’

 

 

 

Perhaps, I am  thinking about …. Midnight.

 

 

 

 

Midnight

 

ink stained sky

the face of

infinity

beyond our grasp

 

galaxies winking mocking

magnets all the same

 

we seek    we gaze

at the ink stained sky

with its mocking twinkling

glittering lights

 

just

beyond our grasp

 

 

 

 

 

The Inspirations

 

I’m definitely thinking about Midnight.

Contemplating, really.  That is what art is.  Its about 80%  thinking and about 20%  doing.   We often act as if its the other way around though.

 

The Muse of Inspiration 

Perhaps my 1:30am early wake up,  counts as Midnight.

The sky was beautifully inked in lovely indigo, indanthrone and lunar black.

The Muse awoke me?  Maybe.  I was not amused at that hour. Nor, could I get back to sleep at all.

I was Up. For the day. Thank you, Miss Muse.

 

 

 

The stars  were certainly out.

They stayed out and  very bright and shiny.  I watched them until  they vanished into the predawn sky.   Its really odd the things you notice when you’re awake at those hours.

And as they vanished, I wondered what colors might I use to create the deep, near black.

 

 

As you might remember,  I am quite partial to The Neighbor’s glorious roses.

Glancing across to the neighbor’s side, past their fence, where their gorgeous rose garden lay. Basking in the full moon of the winter solstice.

It looked so intriguing their pale pink flesh set against the depth of night.

 

 

    3 Faces of  The Day,  Watercolors    had me wondering also.

Another…. Face to Watercolor?

How about Midnight… jolly good!

By this time, it was close to 4am,  and seeing how there’s no way I could go back to sleep then, I planned.  Made notes.  Recipes.

I think its great to make such good use of time awake, don’t you?!   ok,  so I am lying through my teeth.  I would much prefer to have been sound asleep.  But whats the point of whinging?  Thats what I thought!

 

I could easily do a post on Midnight.  I certainly have many, early pre dawn hours put in. Easy peasy.

 

 

 

 

 

Materials Used 

 

• Daniel Smith  Indigo watercolor
• Daniel Smith Indanthrone watercolor
• Daniel Smith Lunar Black watercolor
• Winsor Newton Permanent Rose
• White gouache
• Old toothbrush for splatter
• Wooden skewer for lines
• Saunders 100% cotton,  Cold Press  watercolor paper

 

 

 

Process

1.   mixed the background color to the right deep dark tone
2.   tested this,  on a Saunders CP paper
3.   having mixed a plentiful surplus,
4.  painted a smooth, flat, even, solid, no lines,  wash all over
5.  let it dry,  for   3-4 hours   til    ‘scratchy dry’
6.  mix up the rose with white gouache
7.  test it on the same test sheet above, Over the previous dark wash
8.  see, there is a reason for Test Strips!
9.  adjust the color/tone as needed
10. use old toothbrush to fine splatter & large splatter
11.  use skewer to draw into if desired
12.  don’t fiddle
13.  let dry
14. start a Second image straight away, to Stop the fiddle urge

 

My 2nd Image,   Part II  of  Inked Stained Face of Watercolor will be upcoming later in the week… stay tuned.

 

 

 

Posts I Recommend as Follow ons

 

Midnight of Eidolon 

Indigo Blue, Prussian Blue, Gold paint using your imagination 

Indigo Blue, Indanthrone:  Blue paints   

Imagination   Filaments of Time and Space

Inspiration is Everything