A Study in Watercolor Techniques

Part of the fun in watercolor painting is experimenting with other materials that can be used while painting with watercolors. This study was done while I was taking a watercolor painting class at YVCC in Yakima. Though I have pencil writing all over the borders, lines, holes, and extra paint swatches, I love the still-cohesive painting of a barn.

I love barns. I discovered this barn out in the outskirts of the Chickopee, Massachusetts, area. The only thing I couldn't convey while painting the barn was extreme humidity. UGH.

Some materials I played with were pastels, liquid starch, salt, ink, splatter, colored pencils, wax resist, plastic bags, alcohol, and gesso.

To do this study, choose a photo of something you would like to paint. Fold it or draw lines dividing it into 10 rectangles. Divide your watercolor paper with the same number of shapes. Paint each section of the painting using one of the watercolor techniques. I found that I had to work on areas that were not touching and allow each to dry before painting right beside any one area.

Found a great frame at Hobby Lobby.

It was a blast. Though student art, I love the final painting.

Three-Eyed Baby Jesus Returns

The three-eyed baby Jesus is back!

Tell the truth, I forgot that our classroom nativity set had a three-eyed baby Jesus. Last year, the second and third graders discovered our special Jesus right off the bat.

In kindergarten, it may have been even faster. Suddenly. Cries of, "Baby Jesus has three eyes?" and "Why does Jesus have three eyes," and "I want to see!" rang through the classroom. Don't let little kids fool you. They are KEEN observers of things not normal or different.

"Well," as I struggled to recall last year's excitement. Looking for a link to our learning, I plugged ahead. (Due to our extreme focus on books - authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., I took that tactic.)

"Sometimes, artists make mistakes. Just like sometimes we don't do things exactly like we want. You know...blah, blah, blah. Illustrators, people, kids mess up what they are working on."

They hung on to my words like I wished they did every day. "So I think Baby Jesus has his nose in the wrong place."

Silent contemplation. That doesn't happen much in a kindergarten class. Then life went on as usual. Back to normal.

Until I noticed that the stable had now become a moving vehicle for all nativity figures. Bible characters sat silently in terror as 5 year-old boys drove them around the carpeted floor, locked inside the half walls.

Time for my question. "Where is Baby Jesus going?"