Why pigment names do not guarantee identical paint
The name on a watercolour tube describes only part of what reaches the paper. Three paints called Burnt Sienna reveal why pigment codes, recipes and a test wash all matter.
Independent thought. In print.
Paper & Pigment
Sketchbook pages, everyday color and drawings that leave room for a wobble.
Words by Alma Reed
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The sizing that changes a watercolour wash
A wash depends on how long water and pigment can move before the paper takes them in. Sizing sets part of that interval, but the sheet's surface and the paint matter too.
The wonky teacup stays. Perfection can piss off.
The cup in the drawing leans as though it has received disappointing news. Its handle is larger than the handle on the table. The rim is an ellipse with an independent political agenda. I considered
Three paints beat my enormous shopping list
I owned enough paints to make choosing a color into a separate activity. The collection looked wonderfully promising until I sat down to use it. Then the possibilities became a reason to postpone the first
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