Weekly BobBlast Issue 394

What a Mess! - Part One

Welcome Back to Another BobBlast!

So you’ve painted a mess… Now what??

I’ve painted my share of turkeys! So now you have a choice. You can gesso over the entire surface and start over, or you can continue with this painting, turning it into a completely different one!

One of the most popular assignments in my Loosen Up Workshop is painting loose and juicy flower bouquets. Today's demo begins with loosely splashed colors on watercolor paper. Start off by splashing and making a big mess. Make sure it’s wet - I use paper towels to put the colors down.

I am not using a specific color combination - I am going for the gusto, with loose, abstract splashing. I keep my brush, paper towels or fingers moving quickly with pure color, avoiding making mud.

You’re making a mess - not mud. When your mess has dried, choose a color scheme and paint the part that is NOT a bouquet of flowers. I generally paint my negative space with an opaque color or a color mixed with a lot of white gesso. I make a significant amount of this color - sopping wet.

Next I emphasize the light source and exaggerate the darks and shadows. Put color everywhere - the vase, the flowers and the background are all colorful splashes!

For me, a painting is never finished - it just stops at interesting places!

Guatemala is on our 2022 workshop schedule!

Join us for this amazing trip…

Interested in hearing more? Contact Kate for a zoom invitation!

We have online workshops coming up!

Painting the Abstract Figure

Undraped and Costumed Model