6:06 PM: today followed a similar pattern of work as yesterday. i made a small creek inspired watercolor, then cut it into small curviliniar pieces and put them together with pieces of other previous watercolors, maps and other pieces of (mostly painted) cut up pieces of paper and paper palletes. i prepared a 19 1/2” square piece of board and set to work.
the problem i ran into was that i was, on some level, trying to re-create what i did yesterday. we all know that doesn’t work. so the result doesn’t yet reflect the certaintly and freshness of watercolor/collage 130. id o like it however, and it doesn’t need a lot to get there. but if you compare the two, BELOW,
it’s a goodway of contemplating the question:” what makes a composition work?”
BELOW: yesterdays watercolor 130 on the left, and todays watercolor 131 on the right. in todays composition, the discreet pieces of paper glued to the surface appear to be flying haphazardly through space. nothing terrible about that, but it’s not singing harmoniously, which was my intention. your eye goes to one piece, then on to the next, etc. whereas in watercolor 130, your eye experiences one harmonious flow, then begins to discern the punctuation points, where suddenly a drum beat kicks in, or the horns take over from the strings. i love comparing visual art with music.
so can i correct this while maintaining the spare aesthetic i’m currently cultivating?
