A Waterfall Study, Acrylics On Paper

I have been using Golden Paints’ Open Acrylics line of paints now for a while, and because of the extended working, or “open” time of the product, I thought I would try them on paper in a watercolor style. The finished piece is a nice little interpretation of Niagara Falls.

Niagara, 2009, Painting by David Jay Spyker - 5.5 x 8.5 inches - Acrylic Wash, Minor Drybrushing, and Paint on 100% Cotton Cold Press Watercolor Paper

"Niagara", 2009, by David Jay Spyker - 5.5 x 8.5 inches - Acrylic Wash, Minor Drybrushing, and Paint on 100% Cotton Cold Press Watercolor Paper

The bulk of the painting was done on slightly damp to wet paper, but included some minor drybrushing, and some basic acrylic paint layering (particularly with whites and cobalt-tinted whites to achieve a misty look, and to bring back some highlights).

To thin the paints I used a mixture of distilled water, and Golden’s Open Liquid Acrylic Medium. The watercolor paper absorbed the paints very well, but I could tell toward the end that the pores in the paper were starting to get full of acrylics. Also, once fully dry, the paints will not become resoluble, so there is no going back in to blend colors later.

While not traditional watercolors, I think the acrylics performed very well in this application, and I may work on more acrylic washes on paper.

 
  • Subscribe, Connect

  • Categories

  • “Artists today think of everything they do as a work of art. It is important to forget about what you are doing - then a work of art may happen.”
    ~ Andrew Wyeth

  • Recent Posts

  • “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
    ~ Antoine de Saint-ExupĂ©ry
    ~ from The Little Prince

  • “And who will care, who will chide you if you wander away
    from wherever you are, to look for your soul?”

    ~ Mary Oliver
    ~ from the poem, Have You Ever Tried to Enter the Long Black Branches