Fall Colors in Acrylic on Paper

I’m back home from overseas again in time to catch the last of the fall colors–coppers, golds, ochres, and dark rose–still glinting in the bright sunshine as I make my way past a nearby lake.  This is the sort of scene I typically try to capture in watercolor.

Illustration: “Last Days of Fall,” Acrylic on Bockingford watercolor paper, roughly 9″ x 12″ by Black Elephant Blog author

This time, though, I’m determined to paint with acrylics in something of a “watercolor” style on watercolor paper, as I can see examples of such work by an artist whose work is exhibited in a gallery near this lake. (Hers is more abstract with other media included, such as alcohol inks,as well.)  So back at home, it’s time for this experiment.  As with watercolor, finding the right amount of water to achieve the best look is a challenge but it’s surprisingly easy to use acrylic paints on paper.  I’ll have to keep trying this out.

Marching for Science

Illustration: “Marching for Science on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C.” (2017), acrylic on 12″ x 16″ canvas by Black Elephant Blog author

On a rain-slicked Saturday afternoon this past weekend–on Earth Day and March for Science Day–tens of thousands of people walked patiently and enthusiastically down Constitution Avenue holding up signs affirming the importance of science and facts. It was a scene that would have been impossible to imagine (especially:  to imagine even as necessary) only a year or so ago. The spirit of the people seemed high, despite the constant drizzle and occasionally stronger rain. It was a sea of umbrellas; and the biggest challenge for me was to keep my umbrella out of other people’s way.  All around us, scientists, teachers, doctors, and children made their way towards the U.S. Capitol on an otherwise mild Spring day.

The colors and atmosphere of this historic event seemed to call for an effort in the new acrylic paints I’ve just started trying out.  Using several photos of groups of people passing in front of the National Archives afterwards, I found that trying to capture the reflections on the wet pavement was a fun challenge.  In some ways, the scene seemed easier to capture in acrylic than in the more familiar (for me) watercolor.  I’ll now have another medium to choose from in the future.