**an assortment of gouaches

[Deborah Secor]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2009/23609-DSCN8939.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2009/23609-DSCN8930.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2009/23609-DSCN8933.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2009/23609-DSCN8935.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jun-2009/23609-DSCN8937.jpg
Just having more fun painting, painting, painting. The last two little ones are on Canva-paper, something that a friend gave me. Interesting texture. Not sure it's anywhere near archival--but they are just for fun, so....

Comments welcome. Thanks! :wave:

Deborah

[PETE K]

Hi Deborah, these are very nice. I really like the last one. It looks as if your really taking off in these gouaches. I like what you are doing, very nice.

[Greatblu]

Great job Debra. The colors and contrasts are beautiful.

[LIgirl]

HI Deborah - these are all great, and it is obvious that you are having fun doing them. I especially like the first one--the water.

Betty

[cbcarnell]

All of these are wonderful - I am especially partial to #2 and that wonderful path with the pinks in the dirt.

[Mike_Beeman]

Hi Deborah....was surprised to see this post...like them all but the third and fourth ones seem to catch my eye....ah heck, they all catch my eye...Love the selection and fusion of color!

[JTMB]

All are great, Deborah! #2 is my personal favorite.

John

[Esmeralinda]

Number 2 is also my favourite but there all little gems ! :)

[Deborah Secor]

Seems like #2 wins the popular vote--mine, too, actually. :D I really appreciate your comments.

Mike, are you surprised to find me painting little itsy gouache pieces? I can't imagine why! I'm having a blast doing it. I really look forward to getting my little set out and seeing what comes of it. I find my experience with the landscape translates to this new medium in some unexpected ways.

I want to play with the canva-paper more, as the texture invites some interesting effects, and the white of it appeals more than I expected. I've been so happy with the black paper, which gives an intensity to the contrasts, but I guess I've progressed enough to control the color more on the white now. More experiments needed!

Deborah

[Mike_Beeman]

Deborah...I was really surprised! years ago, in my watercolor days, I really enjoyed working and experimenting with gouache...or opaque watercolor. I would mix gesso in with my paints and work on a pumice covered hot press watercolor paper....the results for me we're exciting and breaking from the norm of traditional watercolor in those days...I remember some people saying isn't it cheating to use the opaque colors...just isn't right:)...I think it was about that time I started experimenting with pastels on worn out watercolors.

Anyway, I like the path you're taking!

[Mick Sunderland]

Just to echo the comments of others. Fun, fun, fun is the name of the game when you have reached the degree of facility with the medium as you have here. All have impact but I also go for 2.

[oldradagast]

There is an wonderful, colorful simplicity in all of these that gets right to the point of the painting. I like them all, though 1, 2, and 4 are probably my favorites.

[Deborah Secor]

So, will someone tell me the truth? IS gouache the red-haired stepchild of watercolor, or have people broadened their definition to include it? Maybe you know, Mike... I've been tempted to post a thread asking this over in watercolors, but I've been accused of starting out with a rather controversial question in other forums before and don't want to rock any boats or ask the same old, same old question again. :rolleyes:

Odd thing, rather fun in itself...erm...well, it seems that despite my lack of lengthy experience or exposure, I'm going to be writing an article for Watercolor Artist Magazine about my little gouaches in the December issue....... I received this assignment at (get this for irony) the recent pastel society convention!

Thanks to you both, Mick and Matthew--nice comments, very helpful. :)

Deborah

[aureliof]

i like the first most of all. Even though it is in landscape format, it gives me a great sense of the vertical aspect of the landscape, the powerful bluffs and their declines are very palpable. Also the atmosphere and light. This would be a lovely subject to paint more and again.
Best,
Aurelio

[Deborah Secor]

Thanks, Aurelio. I was challenged by that image, and somewhat less than satisfied, but I would like to find a way to express it better. I understand the means of creating recession with color and transitional edges but had trouble controlling the medium. I agree that it would make a nice subject to continue to explore. It's a view from the top of our local mountain, Sandia, which towers about 5,000 feet over the city.

[Mike_Beeman]

Deborah..."IS gouache the red-haired stepchild of watercolor, or have people broadened their definition to include it?" I'm not sure anymore...I would think today it would be more acceptable...be an interesting thread!

[Deborah Secor]

I guess I'll be opening that discussion in the Watermedia forum... we'll see!

Deborah

[michko]

I love watching your beautiful work

[blondheim12]

lovely paintings.

love,
linda

[Deborah Secor]

Thank you, michko!

Very nice to hear, Linda. :)

Deborah

[SonyaJ]

Hi Deborah,

I like them all and for different reasons. I'm particularly drawn to #2 and #4, probably because of my fascination/obsession with dirt roads and trails and the "where does it go?" question. Plus, the mountains beckon.

In #1, I really love the small splashes of purple you've got in there. The painting is loose enough that it could suggest many places in the southwest, but when I see it, it reminds me of cliffs within the Grand Staircase/Escalante NM in southern Utah - one of my "happy places" :heart: .

Re the "red-headed stepchild" reputation of gouaches - is it because they are frequently used in commercial illustration and not as much by fine artists? :confused: Or is it because gouache can be blended and isn't as "final" as watercolor once it's laid down on paper, so that gives a perceived notion of requiring less skill to use? I am not knowledgeable (or skilled :lol: ) on most types of watermedia, so I am very curious! I've heard airbrush art often gets slammed for that same reason (I use an airbrush for underpaintings on the equine sculpture I do, but I'm not skilled enough with it to call myself an "airbrush artist").

I've always been more interested in what an artist does with a given media, and his/her skill with it, rather than the media itself. So, no biases on my end!

At any rate, thank you for sharing these paintings, and you'll keep working in gouache (along with your pastels) and posting pics - yes? :thumbsup:

[Deborah Secor]

Thank, Sonja. I've always enjoyed doing 'road' paintings, too. I'll tell my husband it's time to get on the road!

I started a thread over in Watermedia devoted to the secondary status of gouache among watercolorists, and it's been an interesting discussion. Most of us agree that the reasons for the disrespect have more to do with attitude than finished product. Every medium has some drawbacks and some strengths, so the end product is the name of the game.

Yes, I plan to keep on painting in both gouache and pastels! I love sharing work, getting feedback and being inspired by what I see here on WC, so I'm sticking around...

Deborah

[SusanEleven]

Thanks for posting these - its fun for us to see your progression and mastery of the medium. These all have a lot of energy and great color. And congratulationns on landing the article - how fun is that!

[SusanEleven]

Thanks for posting these - its fun for us to see your progression and mastery of the medium. These all have a lot of energy and great color. And congratulationns on landing the article - how fun is that!

[Deborah Secor]

Susan, thanks--but I'm not sure I'm willing to call this 'mastery of the medium' yet! I'm still learning, but really enjoying the journey.

Writing this article may turn out to have challenges I'[m not used to. I usually write about OTHER artists! Am I going to be able to be objective? Do I need to be? Hmmm, well, yes, but what that means is yet to be seen.

Deborah

[Al Skaar]

Hi Deborah - These are great! I like them all but the first one resonates most with me. Congratulations on landing the article! I'll be watching for it.

Regarding your question about the ugly stepchild... Not that there is anything wrong with being a purist but I believe in diversity. The media is only part of the message and if it takes more than one to make your statement so what? Maybe the image you create will be the richer for it.

- Al