Painting a fuzzy background

Besides "the light,"  a characteristic of my paintings are my out-of-focus backgrounds.  I'm asked often how to make this happen.  I this episode I share my thoughts - about working with the paint and brushes to make distinct shapes with soft edges.  it can be tricky!They are more work than some artists want to put into the areas around their subjects, but I find them an important part of the story our paintings are telling.This is a workshop in my series Watercolor Basics and Beyond.  I plan to offer it in segments online coming soon. If you'd like to be notified, you can sign up for my email newlsetters on my website:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com, where you can also see all my art and the workshops I offer, incuding this one!Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

The illusion of light in our paintings is a magical thing.  Using just contrast between dark and light  - and the subtleties of relative shades between, we can create a world.  In this episode, the forth in our series, hear how in response to a short question, I came up with the four aspects of how it is that I (at least) create worlds of light in my paintings. Includes ideas from a post orignally published under the same title "Painting the Light" on May 31, 2017 which can be found  here:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/life-stories/may-31-2017-painting-light/ This page includes photos of example paintings.This is the second workshop in my series Watercolor Basics and Beyond.  I plan to offer it in segments online coming soon. If you'd like to be notified, you can sign up for my email newlsetters on my website:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com, where you can also see all my art and the workshops I offer, incuding this one!Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

In this next stop we head inside - our brains and our perception.  Our brains are brilliant shortcut machines — and when we're painting, that can get completely in the way. This episode is about how we see — or rather, how we can learn to see again, as if for the first time. Shape Shade Color is a practical strategy for those moments when you're stuck in front of a painting and your inner critic is picking apart what you've just painted. Have it help you figure out where to go next. This is the second workshop in my series Watercolor Basics and Beyond.  I plan to offer it in segments online coming soon. If you'd like to be notified, you can sign up for my email newlsetters on my website:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com, where you can also see all my art and the workshops I offer, incuding this one!Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

We begin with color — not as a set of rules, but as a relationship.  I don't teach color theory, I teach color practice.  I can think of  no better way to start - especially if you are starting from scratch, than what I share here.In this episode I share sections from two previously published episodes: The Two Faces of Color, which looks at color as an idea — abstract, personal, full of surprises — and Starting at the Beginning with Paint, which starts at that beginning place -  with a practical exercise:  swatching.It's like a handshake, an introduction to a tube or pan of watercolor.  How can we really know until we see what it does mixed with water on paper?I plan to offer the Get Intimate Workshop online in the next few months.  If you'd like to be notified, you can signup for my email list here:  http://www.lifeinfullcolor.com - where you can also see the description of that workshop and the others I offer.  Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

I made something for you!  My first intentional series of Watercolor Conversation episodes.  They are a visit to the ideas and information I share in my regular workshops.  Teaching from me - right here - for you to take on the go.I arranged them in the same sequence that I teach - as a progression of what I have to say about making watercolor paintings in the way that I do.  For regular listeners, you'll find some of them familiar.  I've re-purposed existing episodes.  There are a number that are brand new, as well. You don't need to listen to them all at once, or in this order, even.  Of course, follow your own curiosity and inspiration.   I'm hoping they will accompany you when you want a little guidance, orientation and encouragement. I plan to offer a series of online, live workshops - coming soon.  If you want to be notified, signup to be on my email list on my website: https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

This is the second episode in this series - all about the water.  Watercolor isn't watercolor without water — and yet it's the water that trips most of us up. In this episode I share three principles I keep coming back to, what I think of as the physics of watercolor on paper. Once you understand them, so much of what this medium does starts to make sense.  This is the first workshop in my series Watercolor Basics and Beyond.  I plan to offer it in segments online coming soon. If you'd like to be notified, you can sign up for my email newlsetters on my website:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com, where you can also see all my art and the workshops I offer, incuding this one!Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

I take a bit of a departure in this episode.  I share my thoughts about a poem called "Mameen" by David Whyte.  When I first read it, this poem reflected for me the remarkable life of my friend Vicki - Dr. Victoria Bentley - and the courage and freedom she lived inside.  Vicki passed away recently, which brought this poem back to me again.  I'm sharing it with you, in memory and appreciation of my dear friend who accompanied me in the early stages of painting, showing my work and teaching.  I'm not sure how Life in Full Color would have come to be without her.  I will be forever grateful.Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...is where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

I share the outcome of this past summer's 92 Days of Watercolor and a project I embarked upon to paint more loosely.  I was inspired by a long-ago painting that came back to me.  The idea came to me that I could paint eleven more paintings in a similar style and make a mini calendar out of them.  When I recorded this I had only painted four of them and was uncertain about the outcome.  I finished the paintings and put together a small calendar I call "Momentos."  You can see - and purchase for yourself if you like - on my website:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/2026-mini-calendar/.The painting that I found so hard ended up the October image.  Here are the other two paintings I mentioned:Blue Door:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/gallery-other-flowers/blue-door-2/Returning:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/gallery-available-originals/returning/Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...is where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

In this episode I share how I find continued value in the way Iain McGilchrist's book The Master and His Emissary reframed my understanding of our left and right brains - not only as it applies to our creative process and working with our craft, but how it can guide us in how we work with artificial intelligence.  No doubt it will be a major aspect of our future.    My original post that inspired this is here:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/journal/art-life-stories/january-19-2016-left-and-right-brain-not-what-we-thought/I tell of  a painting and its evolution, which you can see here:  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/journal/art-life-stories/january-5-2016-the-story-of-a-painting-and-a-video/Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...is where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.

In this - a little bit longer episode - I share the story behind writing my interpretation of The Beatitudes - eight ancient teachings -  for those of us who dare to create.  My wish is to support us in creating with our singular vision and voice.  Then, I share each of the eight Beatitudes.It's a combination of three consecutive journal entries, the first of which I called Supremely Blessed.  https://www.lifeinfullcolor.com/journal/art-life-stories/april-26-2017-supreme-blessings/.  You can see the painting I called Beatitude here too.The teachings themselves start at minute 7:50, if you'd like to jump right there.Cara Brown - Watercolorist - Teacher - www.lifeinfullcolor.com...is where you can find all my paintings, workshop offerings and the entire archive of my writing.