"When dawn spreads its paintbrush on the plain, spilling purple... ," Sons of the Pioneers theme for TV show "Wagon Train." Dawn on the mythic Santa Fe Trail, New Mexico, looking toward Raton from Cimarron. -- Clarkphoto. A curmudgeon artist's musings melding metaphors and journalism, for readers in more than 150 countries.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

A better bucket--vivid watercolor lessons

A better bucket
One of the lessons that is finally soaking into my painting life, and I hope my life this year--is to be more vivid.
I should have learned that from Frank Francese's watercolor workshop here last June, and indeed it helped some.
But when I was posting paintings of December Christmas cards, and most recently, the bucket for the bucket list article yesterday, I've found myself computer-enhancing the paintings, which makes them more vivid. I tried it on the bucket, and then decided to just use the original.
But then I painted a better bucket...much more vivid. This one is not computer-enhanced. 
Watercolor tends to "dry down" and lose some color,  and my landscapes tend to be earthen colored, because of growing up in New Mexico. I try to achieve impact with contrast, but it's time to change.
Here's to a vivid year.

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