Life's Path

Story and artworks from Jan LaBonne, Watercolor Academy student

I'm enjoying the watercolor lessons very much and feel like I'm learning a lot.

This week I completed a new painting called "Life's Path." I tried to incorporate some of the principles that you are teaching. I still overwork paintings and make many mistakes. I tried to line the figures in a good balance with the horizon moved up a bit from its center location, moved figures, and added balance on the left. I used warm and cool contrast as well as light and dark contrast. I used complement colors: orange and blue, violet and yellow. I used more detail in the foreground and less in the background. The green foliage was mixed from blue and yellow, and obtained gray from UM blue and orange. I allowed the merging of yellow, orange, and lime green in the foliage. I did not use black and preserved white.

The sunlight is coming from behind so foliage and figures are lit. To preserve the foliage and the figures I did use masking fluid so I could add the background and underpainting first with the path in place. I didn't know how else to accomplish the effect. After adding some brown lines on the border of the path and adding specks with the toothbrush, I messed up the path which was gray at the beginning. I reworked and smudged it. It is now more brown which I don't like as well but I was trying for texture.

Thanks
Jan LaBonne

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