Greeting Cards [Available Soon]
Copyright 2009 Jean Burman
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci
Leo was right.
Simple is always better.
In everything.
It’s a great CODE to live by!
So why is it so darned hard to achieve?
I don’t know. Do you?
But it seems to me… [in Art at least]… that the simplest shapes… the least detail… the purest colour mixtures… the surest perspective; the more elegant the line… and eloquent the stroke… the better the Big Picture will ultimately be. And it’s the Big Picture we should all be focussing on. In art as in life.
Besides… the devil’s in the detail… so let’s not get bogged down in it!
I’ve talked about watercolour a lot lately. Something to do with painting in a public place [I guess] that invariably leads to the inevitable! [Grin] People tell me all the time how hard it is. Some tried it years ago and soon gave up. Others would like to try but… [insert any one of a number of potential reasons "why not" here]. It surprises me that such a simple medium has earned itself such a complicated reputation.
To my way of thinking there are no rules in watercolour. Just a couple of really simple guidelines.
It’s easy. It’s fun.
Keep it simple/stupid and you can’t go wrong.
1. Use plenty of water – it’s water colour
2. Drop it in… don’t brush it on
3. Allow colours to optically mix on the paper
4. Move the board… let the water carry the paint
5. Use only transparent pigments [to begin with]
that way you can never make mud!
6. Use the bare minimum of brushstrokes
7. Do not dab-dab-dab like an oil painter
[you are NOT repeat NOT an oil painter. Grin]
8. Get in and get out… fast
9. Never [ever] go back!
10. And when all else fails…
in the words of recently made infamous Julia Child…
Never explain! Never apologise!
See? Just like falling off a log.
If only life were that simple… (((chuckles)))
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Lovely cards, Jean.
And these are all good watercolor thoughts. It’s my favorite medium, learned when I was just a kid. I had the good fortune to travel to Europe as a teenager with a school group. Our leader was the art teacher, a terrific watercolor artist, and as I was the only one of the kids who painted I had my own private tutor all summer!
I have two additional thoughts: 1) while you say quite rightly that watercolor is water, I like to say that it’s just color, after all — takes some of the mystique out of it [grin], and 2) regarding simplicity, I like to say that the best art achieves a maximum of expression with a minimum of means.
BTW, I also enjoy drybrush technique, seen so often in the watercolors of Andrew Wyeth and also John Singer Sargent
Yeah… me too. But only after the initial washes are down. Dry brush definitely has it’s place in the later stages. But I hate to see people struggling to fill in shapes on dry white paper with a scratchy brush. That seems way too hard. It’s surprising though how many do. Especially when coming from another medium.
Couldn’t agree more that the best art achieves maximum of expression with a minimum of means. Too right. Minimum effort for maximum effect is definitely the way to go… and not only in art!
Thanks for stopping by John… so glad you liked the cards. They were fun to do. I may do more.
I don’t paint. I just slap colors on scratchy drawings. watercolors of course. Nice cards Jean. roger
Thanks Roger… so great to see you!
How was France?
Your pen and watercolour paintings are f~l~u~i~d and absolutely wonderful! I know because I am lucky enough to have one [in the real]. And there is nothing scratchy about it! LOL
Hey btw… where are your latest from the canal? And how did the exhibition in Chicago go?
I sold two paintings of Chicago at the show. Haven’t worked up any sketches from the canal. I have a 2010 calendar of sketches of jazz musicians if you would like one send me your address. roger
That would be great Roger… thank you so much! Tell you what… if you send me your calendar I’ll send you mine. (And John too). I am two cartoons off being finished with my Universal Artist calendar and hope to bowl it over this weekend. So if both you and John could email me your snail mail addresses I can get them off to you hot off the press. Roger… my address is PO Box 342 Edge Hill Qld. 4870. Can’t wait!
Roger Marz 14788 Robson RD. Bath, MI 48808 USA
Thanks Roger… noted. (Will have one in the mail as soon as I can)
I finished the last two cartoons and the cover illustration last night and now have a complete set of 12 + 1. The cartoons attempt to punctuate the funny quirks of artists everywhere… hopefully bridging the difference between nationality language and culture. As artist we have a lot in common. I mean… who hasn’t rinsed out their brush in their coffee cup? Or had a blank moment or two? Or been asked to paint the improbable? Or received the obvious for Christmas? I am hopeful the idea will float. Fingers crossed.
Hi Jean. If by “John” you mean me, I’d love to have your calendar. I’m at 3352 Mentone Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90034. Thanks.
Of course John. I mean… how many John’s can a girl possibly know? (((chuckles))) It’s been a busy week (and I decided to re-paint August!) but the calendar will be forthcoming very shortly. I’ll give you the nod from here when to watch out for the postman.
Thanks a lot, Jean!
The calendar is in the mail
You’re a champion Roger… thanks very much! I look forward to receiving it.
Will keep you posted on my calendar [just a couple of hiccups pre-publishing]… and when you might reasonably expect to receive it. Grin.
Great post and a great quote by Da Vinci. I’d never heard that before. You could have told me that Coco Chanel said it and I would have believed it. And it’s also been frequently said that Mozart’s music is elegant in its simplicity. It would appear that simplicity has been embraced by the great ones over the years. Thanks for the reminder and I also enjoyed your watercolor tips.
Thanks Kristeena
It does sound very Chanel doesn’t it? My middle daughter loves her (who doesn’t?) She lives by the Coco rule to take something off just as soon as you think you’ve got it right.
It’s a peculiar paradox isn’t it? Simple is incredibly hard to do. Except for the natural born genius’… like Leonardo… Coco… Mozart et al. But who knows how they struggled with it? I guess the real skill lies in knowing what to leave out… what not to say… what not to write… what not to paint. It ain’t easy! LOL
Seems to me that conciseness is the common goal seldom realised. (Clearly)… as it’s just taken me how many words to say that? ahhh I do so love to ramble… (((chuckles)))