Fragile, luminous intensity

Watercolour painting requires particular attention and concentration (so that the white of the paper retains its power), qualities that are hard to find in everyday surroundings. In this course, we aim to devote five days to watercolour painting, free from distractions and within a community that further encourages focused work. The aim is to allow the water to blend with the pigment on the paper. The brush is the tool that brings the artistic vision to life. Over time, this also brings peace and clarity to the mind. This is particularly important for watercolour painting, which is comparable to Chinese ink painting. We build up the watercolour painting layer by layer. It is often surprising to see the unique colour tones that emerge in the process. The colours begin to glow and vibrate when the white raised areas of the paper remain visible. As with any other technique, it is important not to lose sight of the unity of the picture. Watercolour requires careful planning, as – unlike in oil painting – it is no longer possible to paint over areas with white, nor is it possible to apply a great many layers on top of one another. The colours flow into one another, creating distinctive edges and areas of transparent colour. Watercolour is often suspected of being a ‘saccharine’, ‘cute’ form of landscape painting. We aim to ensure that watercolours possess just as much power as oil paintings, but with that special radiance Watercolour painting is often suspected of being a ‘saccharine’, ‘cute’ form of landscape painting. Our aim is for watercolours to possess just as much power as oil paintings, whilst retaining the distinctive luminosity and lightness that are characteristic of this technique. Even today, there is still scope to develop watercolour painting further.