Here's the Wash Version

'Honey Creek- Misty Morning' (wash)

A reader reminded me recently that I hadn't followed up with the last version of the Honey Creek paintings where I've been experimenting with the effect of wash techniques. So here it is, the version which involved a 'wash', where early on in the painting, after blocking in major colors and lines, I liquified the pastel with mineral spirits, and brushed it in with a bristle brush. This creates a semi-translucent underpainting. After this dried, more pastel was applied on top.

And for comparison, here's the first version, which was created with dry pastel only (no wash). I'd enjoy hearing from you about the look and feel of the two versions, and if you sense that the wash technique affected the look of the final painting. Comment replies are welcome!

"Honey Creek- Early Spring" (no wash)

With and Without Wash

No Wash

With Wash

O.k.- so here they are- both paintings are photographed in the same light so that they are directly comparable. I'd love to hear from viewers about impressions and observations about the look and feel, similarities and differences, between the two paintings. If the 'comments' button doesn't work, you can send your comments to my email (alice@alicekelsey.com) and I'll post them. What do you see?

By the way, the difficulty which I experienced in comparing the images the first time that I posted them (see June 2 blog entry) in the end was a helpful reminder about how lighting affects the colors in photograph of a painting- comparing the Wash painting in this entry (photographed with halogen 'daylight' bulbs) and the previous entry (studio sunlight and daylight florescent lighting) shows profoundly different colors. The real painting looks like the photo above.