Hi Everyone!

We’re excited to launch Creative Clues, a new monthly feature of Art Starts at Louisville Visual Art. With each new Clue, we’ll provide some pointers to help you succeed and improve.

Creative Clues Showcase

CLUE: RIVER
Deadline for artwork submission is April 28, 2022 at midnight.

HOW TO: Watercolors “Let it go!”

Learning watercolors can be a scary business! There is a lack of control involved with all that unpredictable water. Experienced watercolor artists figure out how to work with that lack of control, by using special techniques such as painting wet on wet, wet on dry, blending and more, which we will talk about, and painting, painting, painting. But most importantly, watercolor artists learn to balance between controlling and freeing their painting medium.

Study our watercolor inspiration below. Look up close at the watercolor paintings of Dean Mitchell and Georgia O’Keefe. Technique-wise, what do you like about their paintings? How do the paintings make you feel?

Dean Mitchell

Dean Mitchell is an African American artist, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1957. He grew up in Florida, and was raised by his grandmother. A graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design, his watercolors depict the poverty of his youth. If you study these paintings you will see, the old dilapidated buildings are painted with respect and care, and his human subjects are honored, have dignity and inner strength. He knows his tools, “watercolors” in depth. “So often a lot of people when they first start using watercolor, they're very extremely careful. If you really want the work to have some emotion and some meat to it, you have to really let it go.” What can you do when you are painting, to “let it go?”

To learn more about Dean Mitchell visit this site: https://kcstudio.org/the-art-of-dean-mitchell-ethnicart-gallery/

Georgia O’Keefe

Georgia O’Keefe was born in Wisconsin in 1887, and died in 1986. Best known for her paintings of flowers and desert landscapes, she was key in the development of modern art in America. The 1920’s was an exciting time for artists. Artists did not just want to show how something physically looked, they were using colors, shapes and brush-marks in different ways to show meanings, ideas and feelings. This led Georgia to develop her individual style – a combination of abstract and realistic. Her way of painting nature with simple shapes and forms helped express art in a way that showed how nature made her feel. She worked in watercolors, chalks and paints. How does a flower make you feel? Besides drawing a flower in a realistic manner, what other ways could you paint that flower?

To learn more about Georgia O’Keefe visit this site: www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/who-is/who-georgia-okeeffe

Watercolor Techniques

Watch this helpful video on Watercolor techniques. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0YEtMVkEYo

Start with drawing six 2” squares on heavy watercolor paper. Have your supplies ready and experiment.

Supplies you will need:

good watercolor paper
brushes
water and water bowl
watercolors
salt
paper towels

Techniques You Will Learn:

Wet on Wet
Wet on Dry
Dry on Dry
Salt on Wet
Blending
Negative Space
Erasing Watercolors

Abstract Watercolors Project (art project design by Janet Britt)

Using any of the watercolor techniques described above, you will create an abstract watercolor painting. After applying your watercolors, don’t be afraid to tear into your project! It is a part of the process.

Supplies you will need:

2 pieces of watercolor paper or heavier drawing paper, the same size – one for painting on and one for a background base
Watercolors
Brushes
Water bowl
Paint rag or paper towels
Salt
Palette or reusable foam plate
Glue or glue stick, or hot glue gun supervised by an adult
Old newspaper or table cloth to protect your painting surface

Spread your old newspaper or table cloth onto your table top. This is a messy project.
Have your supplies laid out in front of you and be ready to “let it go!” Dive right into painting, if you want to paint wet on wet in some areas, wet your paper down here and there. Paint all over the paper using some of the techniques you learned above. Let your colors blend into each other, sprinkle salt if you which, have fun. Go off the edges of the paper. This is a great way to experiment with your new watercolor techniques.
Let your watercolor painting dry all the way,
Rip your painting into horizontal strips. If the white edges of the ripped paper show, that is fine. The white edges will be a part of your design.
Glue your horizontal strips back onto the second background base, overlap the strips, mix up the order of the horizontal strips. Let the white edges be a part of your art work. Be generous with the glue, watercolor paper is heavy and will need a bit more glue to help the paper stick.
Take a clean piece of newspaper or writing paper and place on top of your finished glued art work and rub and press firmly all over. This will help to attach all of your glued horizontal strips to each other and the background base. Enjoy your finished abstract art work.
What does it make you think of?

"The rivers flow not past, but through us."

John Muir

Send in your RIVER artwork

Deadline for artwork submission is April 28, 2022 at midnight.

Content: family friendly (LVA will determine if artwork is appropriate to share online.)
Ages 5 to 105!
Photo Guidelines: here is a nifty link, if you want to learn to take great pictures of your artwork

Consent and Permission: By filling out the form below, you give LVA permission to display your artwork and information in the Creative Clue Showcase. *NOTE: if you are under 18 years old, please have a parent or guardian complete the form.
Address: email artwork to: artstartshere@louisvillevisualart.org
Social Media: you may share your artwork on Instagram: #artwithinreach, #ArtStartsAtLVA

LVA will notify you if your artwork is in the Creative Clues Showcase at the end of the month. artstartshere@louisvillevisualart.org

Send Us Your Artwork

Remember to use your past How To pages to come up with creative solutions for your new clue:

January 2021 - Winter -Thumbnails

February 2021 - Heart - Research

March 2021 - Chair

April 2021 - Spring

May 2021 - Breeze

June 2021 - Light

July 2021 - Together

August 2021 - Trees

September 2021 - Apples & Pears