On Friday I prepared a sheet of watercolor paper, about 18 inches square. Shortly after I started painting, the whole thing was annoying me so I tore it apart without hesitation. Then I could breathe and work unconfined by the patterns I had begun. I kept the broad marks and added details in graphite and watercolor. My intent for working larger is to prepare for several giant canvases I have that range in size from 2x3 ft., 3x4 ft., to one at 5 ft. I'm getting excited to work on them, and other than one big watercolor that I have going (at 4 ft. across), I think it's been since the late 1990's that I've worked on that scale. Yay big! Actually, I can cheer for both working small and large. I like to make small works that are intimate, quiet, emotional, and that draw the viewer in. I'm curious to see if and how I translate these ideas to the big canvases.
