Laura2.5 x 3.5 inches
Watercolours on 300gsm Smooth Arches paper
When I first got back into art in a big way a few years ago, I mostly worked with watercolours, and I think of all the wet mediums, it is still my favourite (although I have a long way to go in mastering it). This portrait of our eldest son's girlfriend was done quickly, as I was trying to decided whether to offer commissioned portraits in watercolours.
I am currently working on a commissioned illustration, which I started again for the fourth time, (this is partly why my blogging has been so sparse in the last week or two). Part of my frustration in working with watercolours is finding the perfect support to work on. Whilst most watercolourists seem to produce beautiful paintings on traditional surfaces, I find even the smoothest papers don't allow me to paint the way I want to. So after unsuccessfully trying to do my illustration on Rtistx panel, 600gsm Smooth Arches Paper (not smooth at all!) and then Colourfix paper; I then thought I would try the new Canson Mi-teintes Tex which is actually a pastel paper. This surface is perfect for what I am trying to achieve. I used to work predominantly on Fredrix watercolour canvas, and whilst I found this a fabulous surface to work on, I also found that because I work in miniature, the texture of the canvas gave my prints a grainy appearance that I wasn't satisfied with. The Canson Mi-teintes Tex accepts watercolours in much the same way as the watercolours canvas, but gives a smoother finish, and at only $1.60aud per sheet, it is also extremely affordable. Fingers crossed, I will complete the illustration in the next day or two and will keep you posted :)
