Fresh Paint
ChrisLockwood
Withitsflower-filledgardens, iconic lily pond and pretty
pastel-colouredhouse,it’s hard to resist the appeal of
ClaudeMonet’soldGiverny home. Yet such abundance
ofbeautifulsubjectsalsomakes it hard for visiting artists
topickwhattopaint.
Thatis,unlessyou’rePortfolio Plus member Chris
Lockwood,whohadnoproblem narrowing it down for her
recentwatercolour,PinkWalls, Green Shutters. “I love
flowersandI loveFrenchwindows and I love the colour
turquoise,”theartistexplains. “So, you’ve got the pink
house,withtheturquoiseshutters and all the climbing
roses.It wastheperfectsubject for me.”
Easelsarestrictlybanned from the grounds of the
Impressionist’sformerhome, so Chris waited until she
hadreturnedtoherCambridgeshire studio to get her
watercoloursout.Although, after a rough sketch in pencil,
thefirstmarks– a fewbroken lines and dashes to indicatethe windows and veranda – were made with a black
waterproof pen. The next step was adding masking fluid,
something the former fabric designer recommends doing
with a ruling pen or the end of a straightened paper clip
to achieve fine lines, such as the branches and stems in
Pink Walls, Green Shutters.
Despite these details, Chris took a spontaneous
approach to the painting as a whole, particularly with the
rose vines and wildflowers in the foreground. “I was able
to spatter [the paint] and make it quite loose, with lots
of calligraphic, expressive lines,” she says. “I wanted to
create busy areas with flat, plain areas. It’s good to have
a contrast in watercolours.”
So, what’s the secret behind this approach? “I work
quite quickly and use quite a big brush,” she reveals.
“I like my number 10 sable. If you have a very fine brush
you can’t be so loose.”
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ABOVE Chris
Lockwood,
Pink Walls,
Green Shutters,
watercolour on
p ap e r, 61 x 67c m