Hollyhock Beach

Disgruntled with some of the results of my painting and the fact that I had ruined a book, I went back to watercolours. I was not in a good mood. I was feeling frustrated and my painting was weak when the instructor suggested that it could not be improved because I was using watercolour. There is something deep inside my psyche that will not permit me to roll over and play dead. Just tell me I can’t do something and watch me find a way. I looked at the foreground again and I had to admit it was very poor. No balance, no depth, no contrast. Sigh. I looked around for a solution. There were some smaller trees just on the edge of the beach and the grassy knoll upon which I was standing. I looked at the pile of driftwood and decided that it needed some deeper hues. Taking my brush loaded with pigment I slapped in the tree carefully painting around the sprigs of grass that I had drawn. Much better. The light was too soft. Taking some more darks I developed the shadow areas within the wood. Before it dried I dropped in another strong colour and watched it mingle and pattern. Lovely. Who said watercolour cannot be fixed? I think I will go back to acrylics.