Planning Not to Plan

A Winter's Copse
5in x 7in
watercolor on paper
copyright 2013 Rose Welty

Getting images out of your head and onto paper - this is the biggest trick of an artist. To pull from the mind that which is felt and seen without eyes and place it on paper is a remarkable skill. It is where I believe the artist puts herself into the work, where a voice can be heard. It's also what I think makes art irresistible - some art I see takes me to another world, helps me to see things that I wouldn't otherwise see - even if I'm familiar with the subject.

Of course, as I said, this is the trick. So, to try and further my skills in this area, on a regular basis, I begin a piece without planning and just see where it leads as I look at the paper. For this one, I used a piece of paper that I had practiced getting an even wash on (more practice needed - not even close to an even wash). I then stared at the unevenness and asked myself what I saw. I saw a line of trees in the snow, the air heavy with more snow and fog. I then added a bit more detail to pull out what I saw.

I hope in time that these exercises will prove profitable for me. This is similar to a game I have played since I was a child, the doodle game. You begin with a scribble and then draw what you see in the scribble. As a child I used to put down a page of scribbles and then work my way through them. Now, as an adult, I get to share the game with my sons and we have a great time handing over scribbles to each other and seeing what develops.