Then Came Easter

Two years ago my journey into watercolor began. 

I learned from watching free Youtube tutorials. The first few months were spent in acute frustration. I just could not get the hang of it. I was used to drawing with pencil and charcoal, media with which I could control. I had no control over watercolor; it controlled me. My watercolors looked like overworked kindergarten finger paintings. With each fail, I sent a Snap to my kids vowing I was done with watercolor. 

I didn't quit though. I stubbornly pressed on as I picked up the brush again and again, determined I was going to master the medium. Most times I ended up having a tension headache and wasting expensive watercolor paper.

But then came Easter. I was thinking of Jesus, how He willingly suffered a brutal, ugly death and then rose victoriously over sin and death. I felt compelled to paint something that would represent both facets of His being. Majestic power and absolute humility. 

I decided to paint the lion and the lamb which is a reference from Revelation 5:5-6. It pictures Jesus as the conquering Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain for our sins.

As I painted, it felt like an act of worship. I had a tiny sense of what God must feel towards His creation. The next morning, Easter Sunday, I looked at the painting and noticed that a splatter had created a perfectly shaped tear beneath the lion's eye. It was unintentional, but the tear seemed to symbolize God's love and compassion for us. 

The Lion and the Lamb was a turning point for me. I tentatively posted the painting on Facebook as well as a blog post behind the meaning of it. I was surprised when a friend asked me to do a watercolor of the lion and the lamb for her as well.

I haven't stopped painting since. Sometimes I still agonize over a painting, but the frustrations come less often. I've steadily improved and am learning to paint more loosely, unafraid of the outcome. I've also learned to trust the nature of watercolor. When I'm unhappy with how a painting is turning out, I leave it overnight. More often than not the watercolor has transformed to something quite beautiful the next day. 

There might be a lesson there about letting go of our control and allowing God to transform us. Easter's coming!

The first Lion and Lamb painting
Easter 2018

Painting Recklessly

I spent all yesterday attempting to paint my granddaughters. By the end of the day, my neck was sore and I had several pieces of high-quality watercolor paper I will turn over to use for scrap.

Watercolor is unlike any other medium. It has a mind of its own. Try to control it too much and you'll end up frustrated with a slight pulse behind your right eye.

The trick is to direct the paint and not control it. Easier said than done. 

I'm not too interested in painting inanimate objects or landscapes. I like doing faces. I've been successful using watercolor to paint animals, but painting people is another story. I know there are techniques to paint people in a more impressionistic style. I'm going for that, but so far I have just made muddy messes. No matter how many washes I lay down their skin looks pasty and the person is in serious need of a blood transfusion.

I'm better at painting animals in a loose style. Listening to music helps. I put on a little Amy Winehouse, Lauren Daigle or Jack Johnson and go for it. Except for the background, I don't do washes. I load up my brush with wet paint almost the consistency of toothpaste. I work quickly doing bold strokes and then softening the edges with a wet brush. I do take care with the eyes, nose and mouth. If I get the features right I can capture their expressions.

Some of the best results I've had are when I paint fast, almost a little recklessly.  Here are two of my favorites I did in less than 30 minutes. Sloppy but I like 'em.