For a genre of landscapes, watercolours
is a major if not the only meduim of expression. Be it on locale or
in studio, a landscape painter will definitely consider watercolours
as a contender. And in that context he also knows the inherent 'modus
operendi' of painting in watercolours!
Let us question this whole process and
what it means to final outcome.
Normally, while choosing it over , say
oils, we have decided that it will be..... transparent, washes, leaving
white and black from the palette and white of the paper is to be
shown through. Regardless of individual styles, and method of working
we all consider these rules as given. So the choice of medium is
limited by these conditions and also the final outcome. This also means
the size of the work will be smaller and palette 'fresh'. This
also points to the prior conditioning of artists mind towards what
and how of a 'watercolour landscape'.
In this blog we have questioned many
beliefs in landscapes after we have began the work... means while we
work! Now the question is of beginning and how it influences the
work. We talk of 'purity' of watercolour medium and the 'rules' we
have enshrined over the years. It is to be noted that watercolorists
of other genres are not so rigid. With changing times, society has
changed and so are surroundings. But we still seek out freshness and transperancy and flows. Does it not limit our expression from the beginning?
When we decide that all these 'rules'
are not the yardstick of purity but our passion and spontaneity with
which the landcape, especially on locale, is painted, then horizons
expand. We say we paint the scene 'realistically' but we know that we
can never reproduce the thousands of greens in one tree let alone the
whole jungle! We insist on leaving white of paper in faith that it
can reproduce the whites in the scene! And keen observation will show
the hundreds of shades and intensities of white which are so different from white of the paper. And the famous
disdain towrds black! Then how do we reproduce the darkness and how
to go beyond 'normal' limits of contrast? This 'prescribed' contrast
also results in non usage of white. And the most important law of transparency!
I always ask, who decides ? The medium decides how I should paint or I as an artist decide how I 'use' the medium to
express myself? Do I use watercolour or watercolours use my skills?
The whole lot of traditional ides of choice of
watercolours and inherent question of 'purity' needs to be challenged if we
are to move with the times. Freshness not in colour paltte but in our
thoughts and expression!
