“Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
–Eleanor Roosevelt
Peugot 202 1948
5″ x 7″ Watercolor on Strathmore cold press paper
This painting is a venture into new frontier for me. On Leslie White’s blog, I became fascinated by a technique she was using, creating a pathway of light by leaving that pathway white and painting into it. It’s something she learned from Don Andrews, watching his DVDs. Of course, I rushed right out and bought his book, Interpreting the Landscape in Watercolor.
When I received the book, I was so excited. I tried his suggestion and did a 10 minute value study first. I have never actually done a value study, being a self taught watercolorist. So here is my attempt to find a pathway of light.
He says that we, as the artist, can create the pathway that we like. We don’t have to take the reference at face value. The stuff I outlined is the places I wanted to use to create my path.
There was so much more, like painting wet and softening the edges of the colors and letting them blend into each other. I played with some of that, too. I am not patient, so I dove in before I read any further. I can’t wait to see what else he teaches me, once I actually read the book. 
Eleanor Roosevelt
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
This came out super!! I do remember him talking about the path of light when I took his workshop a few years ago. It is something I need to remember to do.
Thanks, Joan! How lucky you are to be able to take his workshop!! I’m so jealous!
Beth, you have taken this by storm. I absolutely do believe the light brings something special, not there when we don’t use it. What do you think? The truckis special. You have given it character with that lon front end. I like all that evidence of brush stokes you get as you paint on this paper. I really gives a painterly feel.
Thank you, Leslie, so much! I love the whole idea and it all makes so much sense! I can’t wait to see what else I can learn from Don’s book. Thanks for the introduction, too!