During the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic I didn’t go to my studio where I make oil paintings and instead started using some watercolors I happened to have at the house. Below are some of the watercolor landscapes I did this spring when I could only really get around in my north Brooklyn neighborhood.
Although I prefer oil painting, watercolors are fun too and I can make a finished work of art a bit faster than I can with oils. I’m not very experienced with watercolors and overall I’d say I have no idea what I’m doing when using them but I feel weirdly OK with that. The only “rule” I’ve made for myself is to paint one layer only and not to fuss with anything. It’s hard not to fuss and let things be, but I think it’s a good discipline to learn both in painting as well as in life.
Now that the virus cases have gone down in New York I’m starting to go back to my studio and picking up my oil painting practice again. But hopefully I’ll keep making watercolors too since they’re fun and I think they might help me further my drawing skills.
