The Hazards of Scaling Up

Ruffled Feathers ll, the small work I would like to duplicate.

I look at a 7.5” X 5.5” painting that was pure magic. I was playing (one of watercolor's most valuable learning tools) with 2 new pigments. I would love to do this again – but big, really really big. Like, as big as the table big. What could go wrong???

Nearly everything. But we can give a go, right? First let's trouble shoot.

1. Aspect Ratio – the proportion of length to width. Imagine looking at a 5 X 7 photo and planning to paint it on a 12 x 12 sheet. Hopefully you realize that something has to give. The 7-inch length will have to be cropped or the 5-inch width will have to expand – or something in between, but the design will have to be adjusted. Here's the part you may not consider – even rectangle to rectangle – you might have to adjust.
2. The size of your tools. The .5” Dagger Striper I used on the small piece will not give the same result on this monster I am planning. In fact, I can't even find a Dagger Striper as big as one inch... I will need to use another kind of brush.
3. The movement of your arm vs the movement of your hand. The first painting was achieved with a flick of the wrist. I will have to use my whole arm this time.
4. It's just not the same – you may not get it right the first time, or the second, or the third... In fact, you will most likely not duplicate the smaller work. Keeping the expanse, the correct level of damp alone will be a challenge. Especially if the first one was unplanned and a result of experimentation. I will have to practice....

Below you can see the first and second try. The first was an exercise in seeing what I got wrong. The biggest problem is that I was thinking too hard. That was necessary for the first try. I am trying to duplicate something else, so concentration is necessary. Sadly, the over thought resulted in over-work.

The second try was better. However, the original was light and airy, the second try was too contained. The edges all curled in on each other. The bright spot, literally, was the addition of a Pearl EX pigment to the sepia. I loved the sparkle and that lead to other experiments and more play.  You'll see where this lead in a future post. 

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First attempt, over-worked.

Second attempt - before the Pearl Ex pigment was added to the sepia.

2nd attempt with Pearl Ex pigment.