Sunday 24 July 2011

Bright Colours on a Hot Weekend


This weekend, the weather was quite warm, although not as hot as it had been at the height of the heatwave last Thursday. I wanted to use really bright colours when I was working on my ATCs for next Saturday - perhaps because I associate hot summer weather with vivid reds and pinks and greens and yellows. I bought some inexpensive tempera paints and decided to try them. When I opened the little jars, I found the rainbow of colours so pretty - almost like ice cream colours. 


Alas, the tempera paints were not very pretty when I painted with them. They were streak-y and seemed almost dull when applied. So I put them away and took out my trusty water colours and guache. After I had set them up, I thought they were just as bright and colourful as the tempera. 


The water colour and guache worked very well and I got all my little ATCs painted for next weekend. It was fun! This is what my drawing table looked like as I was working. Luckily, my studio wasn't impossibly hot inside - only about 32 degrees (Celsius).  


When I went outside later in the afternoon, I was impressed by the sky with its classic white clouds. I hope more clouds roll in and we get rain. My garden is really unhappy with the drought-like conditions and I notice the ground is all cracked with the dryness. But in the meantime, seeing this sky felt like a postscript to an afternoon full of colour. 

1 comment:

Knatolee said...

We could really do with a good, soaking rain. I don't see anything in the forecast though.
By the way, I hung your painting that I bought at Art Fayre in my bedroom, near my reading chair. I can see it from our bed and I love looking at it before I got to sleep at night and when I wake up in the morning. I really love your art!