Semi-Abstract Watercolor on Aquabord (World Watercolor Month, 28/31)

| Laura (Createarteveryday)

This is another painting I put to the side when I had a run of decent painting days, in case of a drought like the one I’ve run into lately.   🙂    I always enjoy painting on Aquabord by Ampersand, because it is such a forgiving surface.   You’re painting on what amounts to a textured hardboard surface, so you never have to worry about buckling or curling paper when you hit it with the water, which is great when you like to work wet into wet, as I do.    This is M. Graham watercolors on a 6″ square of Aquabord:

072816

I painted this on a good watercolor day, which is to say I knew when to put the brush down and stop fiddling.    I could correct some things about this one that still bug me if I had more time.   Which is something else I love about this surface:  no matter how long ago it was painted, you can always go in with a damp Q-tip or a damp paper towel and gently “erase” areas you don’t like (usually) back to the white surface and have another go.   This can sometimes be very useful when working in watercolor, a transparent medium, particularly for a beginner such as myself. I’ve even been known to run the board under a running faucet and gently rub the paint off with my thumb. Although Ampersand doesn’t recommend this. 🙂

My fellow art supply addicts will be happy to know that orders of $45 or more will ship for free at Blick if ordered through 11:59PM Central time tonight!   (Purchases from these links will help support my site.   Enjoy and thank you!)   I can already hear the weekend whistling a happy tune.   I hope you are too, and that the breezes are refreshing in your part of the world today.   Peace.

 

 

 

46 thoughts on “Semi-Abstract Watercolor on Aquabord (World Watercolor Month, 28/31)”

    1. Thank you, Sharon, I am so glad you enjoyed it! You inspire me every time I even think of you, much less see your work. Your colors are just bold and fabulous and say “I am HERE!” with every stroke. Reaching for my shades just thinking about it! 😎😎😎

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  5. Your paintings always carry such big scenes and big ideas for me. Maybe I’m reading in. Probably. But this suggests the curvature of the earth and a peek beyond. Are you sticking that stuff in there or am I just a transcendental viewer? I absolutely love this. I want to create like you create, Laura.

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    1. Kirk I want to imagine and write the way you do. We inspire each other. No pressure, but your comments re what you see in my abstracts really amaze me. If you were my marketing manager, I could be a stellar seller lol! Your imagination and the way you express yourself rocks and we all wish we had your vision. To me, abstract art is really more about the viewer and what he or she brings to the painting, which is why your comments are among my favorites!

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      1. Thanks, Laura. It must be amazing to hear back about what people see. Still, I cannot help but think of big forces–huge forces–guiding your hand as you abstract (that can be a verb, right?).

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        1. I guess it can be a verb! Sounds good to me. Re: the big forces – are you talking about God? Sometimes I think that abstract painting is what I’m meant to do, at least now, and whenever something comes easily and turns out, yeah I do think that God was behind it, to be honest. I think God blesses all of us with gifts and talents. Maybe it took me over 45 years to discover mine. Do you ever feel this way with your writing & photography?

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  10. Oh I am glad that you painted some magic and came out of that drought…..I never have tried Aquabord, I am too happy with my wc paper, maybe one of these days I’ll give it a try. Love your painting, beautiful color and feeling 🙂

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  11. Oh gosh, the colours merge beautifully, I really need to try this bord, I now have one just scared to try, why oh why, when you gave me so many reasons to buy. 😀😀😀😀😀 I think it was the expense, worried about how to fix it at the end if it turns out ok? Any advice?

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    1. Rebecca, if you don’t like it, remember you can rinse it. Re: fixing, there are spray acrylic sealants that work. Golden makes some, Krylon, there is a Swiss co. that I can’t remember their name, but brushing on a fixative would be a no-go due to you would lift the painting very easily. This is why a clear spray-on is recommended. I think if you go to my blog and type Krylon in the search, you’ll probably find the post where I mention this, it’s probably been May or June, I think June when I did. Let me know if you can’t find it. There are numbers, and I can’t remember which ones, apparently they make many of them.

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  12. I really like this. I feel as if I’m traveling in a hot air balloon over the countryside. And yes Laura, I’m sipping a nice glass of red wine. In the picture, not at noon! Ha ha 🍷

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

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    1. Wow, Snehal! You should try Aquabord if you really love this. This one – I fiddled too much, but honestly you could do a painting like this in just a couple of minutes, assuming you leave it alone and don’t fiddle with it when you’re finished. Really glad (and surprised) you like this so much! Thank you!

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      1. I would have written more, but our internet connection has been in and out all week. Needless to say, I really loved this one… sort of a bird’s eye view of the world with all those rich colors. 🙂

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