Dabbling on the Deck

Had a lot of fun messing around on a gessoed canvas board out on the deck yesterday; the weather was perfect for it. Blue skies, no humidity, friendly warm temperatures.

The canvas board wasn't as suitable for markers and water colors as paper, but I didn't expect it to be.I played around till I got bored and then wet it with the hose till the colors ran together and puddled; certain marker colors clung to the surface better than others. I rolled the colored water this way and that never letting it fall off the board. Then I began blotting, wiping and lifting the moisture with paper toweling shaped into stubs,thinking Q tips and sponges would be handy. Brushes not so much. When I went as far as I wanted, I set it out in the sun to dry. The sun too would add its touch. Evaporation from the heat would leave some more interesting shapes in the underpainting.

This exercise was typical additive and subtractive painting. Add color, remove it, add some more. But not today. Today I'm going yachting out on lake St Claire. I'm hoping for calm seas.