Splash 17: Inspiring Subjects

146 Pages·2016·53.21 MB·English

by  Rachel Rubin Wolf

ART REFERENCE/WATERCOLOR
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Rachel Rubin Wolf is a freelance editor and artist. She has
edited and written many fi ne art books for North Light
including Watercolor Secrets; the Splash: The Best of
Watercolor series; the Strokes of Genius: Best of Drawing
series; The Best of Wildlife Art (editions 1 and 2); The
Best of Portrait Painting; Best of Flower Painting 2; The
Acrylic Painter’s Book of Styles and Techniques; Painting
Ships, Shores and the Sea; and Painting the Many Moods
of Light. She also has acquired numerous fi ne art book
projects for North Light and has contributed to magazines
such as Fine Art Connoisseur and Wildlife Art.
OLD FORT FARM
S James Scott Morrison
Watercolor with gouache on Arches
P Splash 16" × 20" (41cm × 51cm)
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A
“Ponder the beauty of all
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things and you will discover
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I n s p i r i n g significance at every turn.”

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–L. S. Eldridge, p91
7 Subjects
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H
E A revealing gesture, a brilliant quality of light, a particularly

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perfect bloom … this volume of Splash is dedicated to
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S those glorious sparks of inspiration and the stories of how
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129 artists fanned them into some of today’s greatest

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F watercolor paintings. The emotional connection between

W subject and artist resonates in these pages, delivering the
A caliber of art and insight that has made Splash a
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perennial favorite.
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• 135 paintings, reproduced in large, juicy color
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L • A diverse range of styles and subjects, including
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still lifes, portraits, city scenes, animals and
WATERLINE DANCE R
landscapes
Cheryle Chapline
Transparent watercolor on 300-lb. (640gsm) • Commentary reveals the artists’ passions,
cold-pressed Arches approaches and techniques
22½" × 22" (57cm × 56cm) W
O The artists spotlighted inside found inspiration in unlikely
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places. They spotted it in peeling paint, the faces of
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strangers and the view from the kitchen window. They
“Be open to the
found beauty in places as poetic as Paris, and as seemingly
pedestrian as a dilapidated shed. From a hawk proudly
unexpected. Inspiration is US $37.00
T6233 (CAN $47.00) posed against a cloudless, cerulean sky to an everyday
there for the taking.” IISSBBNN--1103:: 19-7484-013--44410239--4X129-8 table setting transformed by light into a kaleidoscope of
53700 THE BEST OF WATERCOLOR color, these are the moments that stopped artists in their
–Cheryle Chapline, p85 N tracks, to create the kind of paintings that do the same.
A EDITED BY RACHEL RUBIN WOLF
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S plas h
I n s p i r i n g
Subjects
BEST WATERCOLOR
THE OF
R AC H E L RU B I N WO L F
EDITED BY
CINCINNATI, OHIO
artistsnetwork.com
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CONTENTS
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1Introduction
6
FRUIT &
2FLOWERS
22
3PORTRAITS
36
4CITY SCENES
60
5ANIMALS
74
6STILL LIFES
94
7PEOPLE
114
LANDSCAPES
136
Contributors
142
Index
143
About the Editor
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
What is the fi rst step in watercolor? Some can come from outside or inside, usually a windshield or a funny-looking cow in a
practical types may say it’s buying materials combination of both. We are designed to pasture. Some artists prefer to play with
or having a good space to work. True enough. respond emotionally to the natural world, watercolor until they fi nd inspiration in an
But once that is done, what motivates us to and so the radiance of light on the earth’s emerging imaginary subject. At times, a
paint? Well, we can all thank Thomas Edison beauty speaks to most of us. But we can also deeply moving experience, perhaps the birth
for a visual metaphor that seems as natural be inspired by things that touch us because of a child or the death of a loved one, drives
as the sun—a light bulb indicating the “light of past experiences or connections, or simply us to express ourselves in paint.
going on,” representing an idea or by unexpected beauty or something curious, These are all responses of the uniqueness
an inspiration. like watching watercolor move and blend of our particular human nature. We breathe
What is inspiration? The word literally on paper. in together, yet exhale with fascinating
means “the drawing in of breath.” And so Why does one painter love painting variety—as we see in this volume of Splash.
Kathleen Lanzoni’s thought on the facing people in daily life, and another artist can’t
page captures it perfectly. get enough of sunlit still lifes? Still others
Inspiration—something that makes us fi nd inspiration wherever they go, whether
draw a breath or takes our breath away— a lovely table setting, a rain-splattered
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PURPLE RAIN COLOR EXPRESSES MOOD
Dieter Wystemp Landscape paintings have been my first love ever since I dove into the world of watercolors
Transparent watercolor on 140-lb. (300gsm) about ten years ago. Purple Rain was inspired by a black-and-white reference photo, but as I
cold-pressed Saunders Waterford often do, I deviated from the colors of the original setting. I was captured by the overall mood
and the sense of imminent rain that the dramatic clouds conveyed, and I tried to exaggerate
10" × 27" (25cm × 69cm)
this feeling by the choice of purplish colors. Because of the wet-into-wet technique, the piece
was done rather quickly, avoiding too many details.
Whatever made you hold your breath or turn your head the first time you saw
it, that is what you should paint! —Kathleen Lanzoni
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BEE MY GUEST CALL ATTENTION TO A CRITICAL ISSUE
Helen Brown This watercolor is part of the Struggling Species series that I painted for the benefit of the Nature
Transparent watercolor batik on Conservancy. While the series included wolves, bald eagles, puffins and monarch butterflies, the
rice paper struggle that most inspires me is the plight of the honeybee. Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat
are heavily dependent upon a healthy population of bees for pollination. These crucial insects deserve
21" × 28" (53cm × 71cm)
our attention and action to restore the well being of their colonies. I live in Oregon where we see
orchards of fruit trees blossom and attract bees to their flowers. My painting is a tribute to these
valuable creatures and our bountiful orchards.
LEMONS AND LIMES EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER LIGHT
Lea Barclay In my twenties I lived in France and the lasting impression of the extraordinary light and the beautiful
Watercolor on paper color of the south will always remain. The depth of intense hues and the incredible contrast that
7½" × 9½" (19cm × 24cm) vibrant light can create gave me lasting inspiration. With this in mind I framed this still life on a hot
summer’s day outside my studio. Having a background in oil painting, I applied a multitude of glazes
of rich watercolor in an attempt to capture the sublime beauty of a summer in Provence. My goal was
to create the sensation as if you could pluck a piece of fruit right from the canvas.
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GREAT GRANNIES INTRIGUING ABSTRACTIONS
Catharine Millar Woods Abstract and representational art intersect in paintings that include crystal objects. I am intrigued by
Transparent watercolor on 140-lb. the abstraction that is naturally created in the facets of crystal and cut glass. When I set up a still life,
(300gsm) cold-pressed Arches I spend several hours photographing different combinations of objects, varying the lighting conditions
and the viewpoint. On my computer I view them as small thumbnails, selecting a few that catch my
21" × 15" (53cm × 38cm)
eye because of their overall composition. The final reference will be a photo that includes eye-catching
abstract areas within the crystal facets. The challenge is to draw and paint what you really see, and not
what you think should be there. Try turning your photo reference and your painting upside down!
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