Sunflower Stages

Sunflower Stages

12"x9"

Watercolor

on watercolor canvas

This is a rework of a start from many years ago.  I did not have the reference photo, so I winged it.  I am sort of happy with this.  I did go back to get rid of some hard edges that formed with drying.

I don't like to paint on watercolor canvas much.  It is hard to build rich dark color.  I find little brushes becoming a go to tool, because they will not hold much water.  Water does not have much opportunity to soak in like paper, so it pools quicker. 

The good points about this support is that it can be taken back to white without much effort and there is no damage like on paper.  I thought this was not interesting enough, so I hit the piece with a spray bottle and let it drip and run. 

Of course some pigments will drip and run better than others.  Then some pigments are heavy and stay put.  

I will spray this with UV spray and then matt varnish, then frame without glass. 

I prefer regular canvas coated with watercolor ground.  It gets rid of the canvas texture and does not reactivate with water like gesso.  There is a little more water absorbency.

I went with less control on this painting which is fun, and can be very rewarding.  I am still in there pushing and pulling to control the final outcome, but must also go with the flow.