I have tried a new paper, once again. I ordered it through my friend, Dissengallery Blog’s art store located in her blogroll. The paper is another Cartiera Magnani and is described as “Toscana acquerello”. It is 140 lb. rough paper. I have tried the 140 lb coldpressed here , here and here. Once again, I am impressed with it’s brightness and how the color is magnified. I like these papers, very much, for quick watercolor sketches where many layers are not applied. The surface is a little harder and the pigment lays more on top allowing for scumbling and shaping the image. I approach these paintings much like I do a drawing only with a brush. I like the wet look it offers when washes meet washes evidenced here by the dark area that the cat is peering into. The foliage was rendered by my applying a flat wash of green and yellow, allowing it to dry and then painting in a camouflage-like pattern using darker green and burnt sienna. After that pattern dried, I went back in with a wet brush and scumbled those colors around and into one another taking care not to disturb the pattern completely. I painted the cat much like a drawing and toned her, first, with a staining wash of blue and then added the color. This is not to say that the paper can not be pushed furthur. I have pushed the cold pressed furthur here. I found that I had to plan the colors well as I knew I would pick up the previous layer with subsequent ones.
The pad is small, 9 x 12, and I usually don’t work smaller than 12 x 16, so I will reserve this paper for small compositions and portraits of this nature. It is a nice activity from my larger paintings.
It is important to note that I receive no compensation for sharing my experiences with this paper. It is purely my views and what I experience using the skills I have acquired.