Gallery

Like Found Feather I and Found Feather II (elsewhere in this Gallery), this little watercolor was inspired by feathers found on walks near my house. The other two feather pieces were painted on a bright white opaque paper; this one boasts a pale buff colored Japanese paper notable for its translucency and a soft texture that echoes the feathers' minute fibers. The two feathers on the left of this five-feather clump have distinct hairs, which resulted from using very little water with the paint; the middle feather's hairs appear as a mix of distinct lines and more blurred areas, which occurred after picking up more water in the brush. The two feathers on the right show how the blurring became even more pronounced, obliterating the feeling of separate hairs in some areas and giving way to interesting pools of pure paint interacting with the paper. Unlike a traditional watercolor paper, which absorbs water well and stands up to repeated paint applications, this delicate paper presents a great challenge: its thin delicacy allows almost no water absorption, so paint must be applied with far greater sensitivity and control.