Watercolor Working from a Concept, Incentive Retirement

I think that one of the reasons I am enjoying watercolor art so much is that it is very conceptual.

There is the beginning concept that involves that idea of a finished painting. It can be the motivating factor in your thinking as you start to put this painting together.

After this concept is finalized, I enjoy the sketching aspect. This brings down to reality what the painting subject matter could be.

The next conceptual piece is picking up shapes and seeing that there is something that unifies the concept. This is level of painting that I am currently engaged. Shadows tie with objects. Consistent color that moves through the painting. The challenge is to move this into values and contrasts. They can then be unified and the painting can move the viewer's eyes from one part of the painting to another. This is a very sophisticated concept and is a challenge for me in the painting arena.

As washes go on the painting, in watercolor they almost always go from light to mid to dark. There is plenty of negative space painting that occurs as the painting gets to completion.

By any measure, this can really become a passion.

Happy Thursday out there. Its graduation night for many of the high school students in the district.

The high school district (my previous employer) has seen fit to offer nearly the same retirement incentive to the teachers. It looks like many who had regrets that they had not signed on for last year's incentive, are taking the leap and signing on to retire this year. This is the ultimate game changer for school budgets. Their is definitely more harmony among the staff then what most districts are going through with their layoffs and rehires as August approaches.

Last year's incentive retirees saved the district over 2 million. I wonder what this year's will yeild.

: ) Pat