More flowers...and joining the Ohio Watercolor Society

  As I amble along the shores of the Little Miami River here in OH, I often come across things I simply must paint,,,,now!  I've made a painting of the Spring Beauties that emerge first in the brown mud and bracken of winter.
 

'First Spring Beauties' wc - Libby Rudolf

  I've decided to rejoin the Ohio Watercolor Society so that I can submit a few paintings for their annual competition.  It is somewhat stressful, submitting work to organizations, hoping that the judge sees the excellence in your painting...the spirit/essence that you have endeavored to capture.  I wonder if this one will catch the eye and heart of the judge.  Even if it doesn't, I still love it.

Painting flowers with Hake brushes

  I took a workshop recently with S Korean artist Buong-Kil Joung. He worked with wide Hake brushes, sweeping color onto the stretched watercolor paper and adding multiple layers to refine the shapes and colors.
  In his last demo, he did an exquisite painting of the 'lowly' yet intricately beautiful thistle. We all thought that he must surely have used miskit to retain the crisp whites of bristles. However, he showed us that he brushed in the main shape structure and continued to cut in with a succession of color to find the bristle shapes...negative painting.
It is inate for us to paint positively, not the shape around or in between the object. I am consciously trying to be more aware of the relationship of positive/negative space now...
  Here is my latest piece...fun!

Flowers for today. WC....L Rudolf