Watercolours using gum arabic and ox gall

A familiar sight, a cup with tea, that is accidentally used as paint water. 

Just to show that you are not alone 😛...

Last Aquarellista session was dedicated to the use of gum arabic and ox gall medium.We did a simple but good looking exercise, to see how to use gum Arabic as masking fluid and used ox gall to improve the strength and attachment of the paint. There are still a lot of challenges out there, but it was fun and a good start and the paintings have really worked out well!!

Sonya painted with watercolours only for the 3d time yet was brave enough to participate in this experiment. She covered 2 circles with gum Arabic, then added a background colour, washed away the circles and then filled the round white spaces with a melon and a tomato. I am impressed with the result. Look at the detail - amazing!

Like Sonia, Vanessa used gum Arabic to mask two circles. She filled them with an aubergine (seen from the back) and an onion. How fan-tas-tic is that onion!! Well done!

 Randi painted on Thursday, she used the gum Arabic to make circles and then added a fabulous, dark background. After she washed away the paint from the gum, she replaced the white spots with sunflowers. Who look at you 😳

 Michele did not finish her watercolour. It is quite ambitious with not two but fie objects... The tomato  and  baby pumpkin are already very good - and you'll see the rest next time! 

Sonia returned on Thursday to create another melon and look at that!! She totally nailed it, it is juicy and sweet and very real.

Breathtakingly beautiful, these two round objects. They were painted byMarie-Jo. With the help of ox gall for the smooth green flow in the apple and a little gum Arabic for the tiny white dots.

Anna Karin used the gum Arabic for the big stones and their reflection. She is still experimenting and the effect of the additives is not too evident; but I must say that (although I don't quite understand it) I totally love this painting, which proves that talent always wins!

Judith used both additives and achieved such a poetic beauty in the landscape above.

The painting below was created on a paper that was treated with gum Arabic - the lines are so much more defined and sharp

Very impressive and exiting sundown in the sea. A piece of modern art, painted with a base of gum Arabic and the clever brushstrokes of Sylvie D.

 Judith returned on Thursday and continued her search for the optimal deep and soulful expression in colours and shapes. It keeps getting better!

In the meantime...

Celina continued her research for painting 'negative spaces' . Typical working from white to darker, in many layers. The effect is awesome! She also worked on her bridge. It is almost finished, only needing a couple of explanatory tweaks!

And last but not least: