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Inspiration from Artists Wk 72 : Lewis Cooper Favourite Artists Week.
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Posted
I thought you'd like him Jenny. As much as I admire the technical skill of artists like Steve Hanks, it's this kind of imaginative stuff that hits the spot for me.
Yes Dixie, I quite agree. Intimidating is the word. First I think...why bother...but you soon get over it and start bothering.
Tony, if only that were true...I only remember these people because at the time I found them I saved the name, some images and some info...otherwise they're gone forever.
Posted
Here's a few more. I found this auto painting by Mike Hill and was astounded that it was in watercolour. The painting on the right is by the great American illustrator, he mostly painted his illustrations in oils. This surprised me. Illustrators are often under time pressure and oils dry slowly. But he painted the occasional watercolour.
Having got Mike Hill's name, I looked him up...sure enough, he does use watercolour...here's a few more....
He seems to reserve his hyper realism for the cars, the figures and background are less worked on. Maybe not to everyone's taste, but I love these old cars and his treatment of them. Another example of the mind-boggling way that watercolour can be used.
Having got Mike Hill's name, I looked him up...sure enough, he does use watercolour...here's a few more....
He seems to reserve his hyper realism for the cars, the figures and background are less worked on. Maybe not to everyone's taste, but I love these old cars and his treatment of them. Another example of the mind-boggling way that watercolour can be used.
Posted
Amazing work. I never realised that this 'type' of work, photo realism I guess, could be achieved with watercolour. The first example of Mike Hill's work, the blue car, grill and headlights, is just incredible. I wonder what the 'watercolour purists' think of these artists as they don't seem to incorporate typical characteristics related to the medium in their work. However, not being a watercolorist of any description, maybe the do.
Posted
Amazing work. I never realised that this 'type' of work, photo realism I guess, could be achieved with watercolour. The first example of Mike Hill's work, the blue car, grill and headlights, is just incredible. I wonder what the 'watercolour purists' think of these artists as they don't seem to incorporate typical characteristics related to the medium in their work. However, not being a watercolorist of any description, maybe the do.
Posted
I began this with Jeanne Vodden's watercolours, she's also a tutor and has a good deal of useful info on the net. I'm including some that I found helpful, I hope you find it of interest.
She has a love of Art Nouveau, and Alphonse Mucha's work in particular. This is how she approached a work in his style. I think it's less 'in his style' and more 'inspired' by his style.
Here's another WIP, entitled 'Sister's pride', showing her glazing technique.
Glazing seems a mainstay of her art, also that of Daniel Merriam, I like to use it on occasion and sometimes come unstuck as you saw above where I ended up with the wrong colour.
This has been covered before on the forum, I pretty sure it was Robert saying some colours are already a mix, and if you mix them again you can get some unexpected results. Glazing in expert hands, like Vodden and Merriam, looks luminous.
Here's another WIP, entitled 'Sister's pride', showing her glazing technique.
Glazing seems a mainstay of her art, also that of Daniel Merriam, I like to use it on occasion and sometimes come unstuck as you saw above where I ended up with the wrong colour.
This has been covered before on the forum, I pretty sure it was Robert saying some colours are already a mix, and if you mix them again you can get some unexpected results. Glazing in expert hands, like Vodden and Merriam, looks luminous.
Posted
Goodness Lew what a fantastic selection of artists and their work! I’ve been away for a few days and am just catching up with this. I’m pleased to notice that many of these artists are female. I must admit that the only one I had ever heard of is David Curtis. I met him a few years ago at his exhibition in Broadway in the Cotswolds, and he was very friendly and forthcoming explaining about his working methods etc.. I also have a couple of his books.
It would be difficult to pick a favourite from your choices above, I am taken with many, probably most of them, though some are a little too realistic for my personal choice. However the one by Steve Hanks of the three children playing on the riverside is perhaps my favourite. I do like paintings with a story to them, and many of these do.
I have always said that I’m not keen on watercolours but when I see a body of work like this, I think differently! What I really mean is that I dislike the Victorian style (and older) pale mainly landscapes which don’t inspire me at all, however skilfully done.
The modern use of watercolour that you have shown ,( and some recent choices of Dixie on this thread) shows me that watercolour can be very different to that, with great detail and use of stronger tone and colour, and that I do like very much.
Heck, I’m almost reaching for my WC paints! 🙂
Posted
I'm glad you liked some of them Tessa. I agree with you about watercolours, I've seen a lot that have dull wishy-washy colours that don't appeal to me. I was drawn to these by their bold use of colour.
I have folders of art from the net. I've made a format size file that fits and looks good on my TV. When I come across art that appeals, I save it, stick it in my format file and add the name. Once you have a name you can look the artist up later. Over time you build up a library. Many of these look very un-watercolour like, they could be oils, acrylic or digital (especially the cars above). But I check, as far as I can, that they ARE watercolours.