Joye Moon, Wisconsin Watercolor Artist, Demo at Artist and Display 11/16/08

Joye Moon, http://www.joyemoon.com/ , did an excellent Watercolor demo yesterday. There were also copies of her book, "Exploring Textures in Watercolor" by Northlight books, http://www.fwbookstore.com/category/s , was available to buy and have her sign. Her exhibit based on her book at Gail Steinhilber Gallery at UW Oshkosh just closed November 9, 2008. There is also an article about her in the december issue of watercolor magazine. You can see her yearly newsletter, exhibits and workshops online at her website.

She uses Maimeri paint from Milan, Italy. It's highly pigmented and they refine the gum arabic a second time before they use it. http://www.allbusiness.com/services/museums-art-galleries-botanical-zoological/4355113-1.html , http://italianartstore.bizland.com/store/maimeri_artisti_oils.html , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoO7pv1Cc7U , http://www.lindacoulter.com/About%20Paint.htm .

Joye uses Richeson Premium Watercolor Paper, 140" cold press. http://www.richesonart.com/products/pages/prmwcpaper.html

First she gets her supplies ready for phase one:

• She tears her wax paper into shapes. Wax paper has a line that runs parallel to the selvage edges.
• She pulls her plastic wrap to make "happy" stretch marks
• She opens up and pulls apart to make more organic shapes of Kerlix's 100% cotton Kendal surgical gauze
• She lines up her salts; Epsom, table and popcorn; largest to smallest
• Her isopropyl in a bottle with eyedropper

Then she wets both sides of her paper with very well with a large brush

Then she lays down her wax paper, plastic wrap and surgical gausze in relationship to a flow of movement.

Then she adds color:

• big brushes to small
• thin colors to thicker
• light colors to darker

Then she applies the salt

Then the alcohol drops

If paint not moving under plastic she may lift and spry more water underneath.

Then she lets it dry over night.

In phase 2 she paints the negative space, starting with thinner color to establish the shapes. Hard edges can be softened with a wet brush. She uses a thirsty brush to pull color. Again lets it dry overnight.

In successive phases she continues to work the negative spaces using thicker colors. She always uses tip of brush to keep nice edge by rotating the paper. To subdue an area she may spritz with water. To paint rocks, she makes some randomly placed and sized rectangles in a shape then connects them. The triangles can be the mortar or shadow between the rocks.

She showed how you can paint a shape with fresh water, than used sandpaper to make crumbs to fall onto the water and color it.

She generally works on several paintings at once. Her technique looks very fun, free flowing and creative.