Water Lilies 1

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Water Lilies 1 watercolor by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, watercolor by Amy Crook

This whole piece was an experiment, but I’m really happy with the results. The electric blue ink of the pen I used originally dissolved completely in the drops of water that beaded up on the paper, and the rocks of salt I put in the center of each little spiral did as well. Then the water took a full day to dry, the salt crystallizing back out onto the paper to form the three-dimensional baby blue “flowers.” I went in afterward and painted in the lily pads around each flower, letting the paint smudge and dissolve a bit of the salt, giving the whole thing an impressionist, watery feeling.

I liked it so much I’ve framed it to put on my bookshelf, and started another, similar piece with more color.

Water Lilies 1, 7″x5″ pen & ink, watercolor, and salt on watercolor paper.

Water Lilies 1, progress 1, by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, progress 1, by Amy Crook

Above you can see the water beaded up, the blue ink swirling up into the drops, and the salt crystal hiding in the middle of each. Below, the result a day later, when the water had completely evaporated, leaving salt and ink in a new configuration.

Water Lilies 1, progress 2, by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, progress 2, by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, progress 3, by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, progress 3, by Amy Crook

Above you can see how the paper is gently warped, and the salt crystals rise up above it in robin’s egg blue and rich, watery green. Below, a shot of the piece in its frame, all ready to be hung on the wall, put on a bookshelf, or to decorate your desk.

Water Lilies 1, framed watercolor by Amy Crook

Water Lilies 1, framed, by Amy Crook

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Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Daily Art, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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