Painting with Cats

Why is it, that even my stealthy approach to access my painting supplies is accompanied by the thunder of padded paws, an instantaneous appearance accompanied by the sloshing of paint water, a skidding gatorboard and paintbrushes flying? My little tuxedo cat, Saz, has arrived on the scene. “I’m here! I’m ready to drink your paint water, chew on the tip of your paintbrush, and hey, look what happens when I step in this puddle of burnt sienna!” Sigh

Ok, kitten now downstairs wreaking havoc. Time to get in a few washes while I can. I’m working on a watercolor painting of aspen leaves, inspired by the onset of autumn, cooler temperatures, and changing foliage. Done in a technique I’ve enjoyed success with lately, negative painting, images are carved out of the background in successive layers of paint. As the background darkens with further glazing, leaves of various hues appear, some with lost edges which help to engage the viewer, making the piece more interesting. The unpredictable qualities of watercolor paint on wet paper are what make this technique interesting – turning happy accidents into beauty.

I started this piece with a wet, stretched ¼ sheet of Arches 140 lb watercolor paper on which I’d drawn a simple branch of leaves. Randomly dropping in pigment, I then wipe away paint in my previously determined center of interest. My palette consists of a triad of raw sienna, burnt sienna and cobalt blue. The colors mix on the wet paper. When dry, I begin glazing the background with like color, occasionally carving out a leaf or branch. Letting dry in between washes, I continue to carve out more shapes, letting the previous layer suggest where a leaf might be hiding. At some point, I introduce another hue to add depth and luminosity – in this case, permanent rose. Surrounding my focal point (where the paint was wiped away originally), I darken the value of the background to provide the most contrast in value, leading the eye to this area. Once I’m satisfied with the composition, I begin to paint positively, adding details and shadowing to the leaves and branches, lending a semblance of realism to the piece.

All that’s left is to brush off the lingering cat hairs, self-critique the elements of design and technique, sign the piece and wrack my brain for a title. Oh yea, then go play with the kitten.