Quick Watercolor Studies

I didn't have much time for painting while I was at the Oregon Coast.  Unwisely, I had brought my good watercolor brushes with me, so I didn't want to let the children use them and could only paint while they were out.  That was okay though.  The gray whales were particularly active and we had a spectacular view, so instead of painting I was whale watching.

I did manage to get three quick pieces done.  These took about 15-20 minutes, if that, including the time for drying and techniques.

I used salt to get the foamy, misty look in this seascape study.

For this second one, I was showing my niece how to do some wet-in-wet techniques, deciding what I was doing after I'd let colors mingle on the page.

This last one was a lesson in how much difference the paper makes.  I used Arches 300 lb for the first two, and this last was done on Strathmore Aquarius II, a much softer, less rough surface than the Arches.  The color is less brilliant, and tends to blend more on the paper.  I got a far different look than I first intended.  One paper isn't necessarily better than the other--you just need to use different techniques.  My study would have been better if I'd taken a different approach.  As it was, it was good practice in knowing your paper.