What is not important need not be defined

One art in photography and watercolor can both be impressionistic. Photography by its capture realistic until it hits a computer or a darkroom. Watercolor seems to be more dependent on the impressions of the artist rather than the detail since it starts with a blank page.  Great impressionistic photography transcends this detail limitation and becomes impressionistic through the vision of the photographic artist. Not all of a scene needs to be in sharp detail. Many photographic artists prefer to work in black and white for the purpose of making the work more impressionistic. The viewer must translate a black and white image away from its color heritage of our eyes.

Watercolor philosophy in the form that I am attempting may be approached up by stating that what is not important my be suggested not defined. A line, a wash, a suggested object my include a released blurry spot is acceptable and supported in watercolor. Its called an eye release.

As a beginner I wanted to capture the house, the tree, the rocks. An impressionistic artist looks at shape cohesion, value contrasts and rhythm. The subject that focuses the attention can be defined as recognizable detail, but that which is not to be focused upon, is less defined and requires less precision. This is what makes this media so interesting,

I am currently working on a new kind of media. The paper is hand made in India. It is thick and it has a wonderful rough texture. There is a sense of absorbancy that makes this media fun. Its almost impossible to "lift" or take pull pigment out of the paper. It will also soften any wet lines. It makes my work softer around the edges. It also takes to pen lines. In retrospect it is the reciprocal to the water media plastic paper called Yupo.

Yupo has little absorbancy. Paint sits right on top of it. While artists can layer with it, care must be taken as too much pressure releases the paint on top and gets you right down to the white in a hurry. Some artists my use tissue paper to pull layers of color off and to provide textures and contrasting stains over its extremely transparent base. Its certainly not your mother's Arches paper. Yupo is a difficult media to extract individual detail, as is my Indian media challenge.

Art is an adventure.

: ) Pat