Watercolor Artist – October 2019

ArtistsNetwork.com 41

Meet the Artist

CharlesReid(1937–2019)passed

awayinJune2019.Theaward-

winningartistspecializedin

watercolor.Hetaughtclassesand

workshops,andexhibitedhiswork

inboththeUnitedStatesand

Europe.Visitcharlesreidart.com

formoreinformation.

5. CONNECT SHAPES

So many students separate elements
in their paintings according to the
subject. In reality, yes, a boat is one
thing and water is another thing, but
painting isn’t about reality; it’s about
perception. Distinct objects may be
perceived as one shape when their
values are similar.
One of my “usually true” rules is
that a painting with 75-percent large
shapes and 25-percent small shapes
will be more eff ective than a painting
with 25-percent large shapes and
75-percent small shapes. Busier, fus-
sier paintings tend to be less eff ective.
A good way to make larger shapes is
to connect areas of equal value. WA

Simplifying the

Value Shapes

In this initial sketch,

I concentrated on

the white boats and

their white refl ections.

There were obvious

connections between

the shapes, regardless

of the different subjects.

Complicating

the Scene

We all want too

much when painting

a fi nished piece.

I was intrigued by the

water ripples in The

Center for Wooden

Boats—Seattle, but

I wish I’d left the

water as simple as I’d

made it in my sketch.

The shapes here are

more separate, each

object more distinct.

Because the shapes

are broken into

smaller pieces, the

scene is busier.

This article is

based on an

excerpt from

Charles Reid’s

Watercolor Basics,

a new North Light

Classic Editions

10th Anniversary

book, to be

released in

December.