This was quite an exciting exercise. I think I could use this technique again later on. I still had difficulties finding a single subject to explore, and so tried out different ideas.

I started with abstract experimentation using light and dark green oil pastels and then applied an indigo wash from very light to quite dark values. The oil pastel was used both linearly and as broader textures. I wanted to have a mixture of effects of light over light, light over dark, dark over light and dark over dark tones. I think the result looks interesting (ca. A3 size).

Then I used wax resist for a bouquet of flowers, with an alizarin crimson red first wash on top. Afterwards I applied more washes, more wax, oil pastels and gouache to work out the flowers, and a wash with Payne’s grey to darken the background. (48 x 38 cm)

I proceeded with a self portraits in transparent wax resist on white paper. I destroyed the first one because I had added so much additional media that nothing of the original effects remained and I did not like the result at all. I made two more self portraits in wax and laid light washes over it, but then wasn’t courageous enough to apply additional media. Self portraits seem to have a dark magic to them and I wasn’t ready for further experimentation with abstraction on this subject. (ca A3 size)

Instead, I made another attempt with a different subject and chose a pineapple. Again starting with a transparent wax drawing on white paper, then adding light washes in yellow, red and green. Then some linear elements using coloured pencils, and intensifying the yellow and orange tones with oil pastel marks. Finally I added shadows with a watercolour wash. (ca. A3 size)

Guided reflections

Describe your experience of working ‘invisibly’

Working invisibly was very strange at first, because there was hardly any visual control over the  marks placed on the paper. Laying a wash on top revealed surprising results. I left the two self-portraits as they were to remind me of the pure effect. Over the three different subjects (flowers, self portrait, pineapple) I began to feel a little more confident and began to appreciate the looseness of the approach.

What have you learned in this exercise about new approaches?

I think I learned that it takes me some time to tune into a new technique and that changing subjects seem to help exploring a technique’s potential, for example by inspiring me to make different kinds of marks. In particular for the transparent resist approach, I found that it works best with a rather loose style of washes and other media.

Can you see how you could apply what you have learned in future?

Working transparently is a nice way of introducing an element of chance and unpredictability into a watercolour painting. It works very much in contrast to the classical, very analytical approach. I could apply this approach when I want to create paintings that have a more spontaneous and experimental feel to them.

What is your assessment of what you have produced?

I think I’ve made an interesting start into the new technique and I liked how it resulted in quite expressive paintings. This is remarkably different from some of the very controlled and worked out paintings I produced in parts 3 and 4. These experimental paintings also work nicely as mixed media images, because the additional media take up a more prominent role without overpowering the watercolour effects.