The Rebel

This past Monday, February 20, 2023, the wife and I participated in another water color painting class. This time we painted roosters. Generally, the instructions had us using Antwerp Blue, Paynes Gray, Quinacridone Gold and Windsor Red. The first image was the completed rooster on the instruction sheet. Much of the rooster was to be blue in color, and the wife did not like the idea of painting a blue rooster, so my red-haired Rebel used more of a earth-tone color motif.

Final rooster on the instruction sheet

The red-haired rebels rooster is really quite nice, with well accomplished tail feathers, waddle, comb, not to mention the main body and the way the colors turned out using the salt technique. For part of the breast of the bird, you scatter some salt on a damp, but not too wet or too dry water color on the paper and it crystallizes giving a pattern to the water color. It is really quite interesting. 

The Rebel's rooster

My rooster, on the other hand, lacks refinement and detail. No matter how light I tried to paint, I could not get the feather technique correct. Look at my initials compared to my wife's, both done with the same sized small brush. However, I did receive a compliment of sorts from the instructor on my use of salt as she wondered if I have water colored much before. One look at my tail feathers would have given the answer. But, the salt technique on my rooster I think was enhanced by accident. When you desire to not have a hard edge to a water color, you wet the surface. I used the brush and water to wet the surface. Of course, part of it I wetted too much, so I took the edge of a paper towel and put it on the paper to let it soak up some of the water with the paint. I think this allowed channels to form and which gave part of that salt appearance, but seemingly with more a channel appearance. 

Author's rooster

My wife was the most rebellious person in the class doing a completely different color rooster than prescribed by the instructions. Although it looks more like roosters I have seen, because I don't know if I have ever seen a blue rooster. Water color painting can be forgiving with the right techniques and delicacy of hand. The more water, the less harsh the color and the more it spreads. Even though my wife was the rebel she was also the teacher's pet, getting many compliments on her use of color and her techniques. The instructor appreciated her rebelliousness. I would have done a different color, but, I lacked the confidence to approach on what colors to use. I even used the wrong blue for a while and that is why parts of my rooster has a hint of green.

My channel technique, above the legs

What I do know, is the more I do this, the more my appreciation for artists grows. For example, the red-haired Rebel knows what she is doing. Technique is one thing, and it certainly helps, but an eye for color is just as important, if not more important, in this method as technique. If the colors don't work, I don't think a painting can be saved by technique as it is the colors that first catches the eye. 

Showing more detail of the red-haired Rebel's rooster