Advancing with Watercolor: Patterns with Brushwork "The Bookstore"

BRUSHWORK - PATTERNS AND BRUSHWORK

Continuing to look at subject matter in terms of brushwork, we now look towards complication – subjects that are visually complex, especially in the details can often be rendered more successfully by identifying a pattern and using brushwork to replicate that pattern to create a readable and spontaneous rendition of a complex subject.

This week we are looking at a bookstore, becoming evermore, rare, and hard to find these used to be around every corner, and most of us have a sentimental connection with a bookstore. I found a bookstore in a small village north of Boston that sold used books primarily. Typically a bookstore is slightly disorganized and slightly unkept, this adds

appeal in terms of character . But once we start to think about painting, this we can easily become overwhelmed. This is where I start to use the idea of patterns to help me to render such a subject.
What do I mean pattern?

Well, in this case, it’s a book, and it becomes a pattern when there’s many books, side-by- side, or on a vertical stack, neatly arranged or slightly disorganized it’s still a pattern. And so I look for the general shape of a book to help me, and then advance to thinking about Brush work that will render these books.

Once I’ve developed a vocabulary of strokes that helped me to render the shape of a book and then of books, I feel much more confident in adding shadows colors to the scene. And once a certain level of confidence, emerges brush strokes will have more energy and connection to our inner joy.

Over time the brush becomes the extension of the your hand, and ultimately of your heart -