Watercolor > Patterned Piles

Students create still life subjects of their clothes at home. They are encouraged to use a variety of mark-making techniques to emphasize the various textures and materials within the pile.

Watercolor Paintings: Patterned Pile of Clothes
Paint an abstracted, zoomed-in view of a pile of clothes

Step 1: Photography
-- Look through your wardrobe, stash of fabrics, blankets, towels, curtains, etc-- anything fabric
-- Select a few favorite articles that have patterns / texture
-- Arrange the fabric as a drapery still life-- make sure there are grouping of folds. Add dramatic lighting
-- Take 10 photos of various arrangements. Zoom into the still life-- it's the only subject matter
-- Print these photos and tape them into your sketchbook
-- Present the photos in class. Get feedback from your peers and instructor

Step 2: Create Watercolor Painting 1-- Recreate 1 Photo
-- Select your favorite photo / drapery arrangement and recreate it as 1 full-page watercolor painting in your sketchbook
-- Carefully consider your color choice
-- Take note of your brightest highlighted areas-- use the white of the page for these spaces

Step 3: Create Watercolor Painting 2-- Make an Abstract Collage & Paint It
-- Cut up the 9+ photos that you did not use with the previous painting
-- You may want to print large-scale photos to cut up or print multiple of the same image
-- Arrange the cutouts in your sketchbook
-- Create an abstract collage in your sketchbook that fills the entire page
-- Present the collage in class. Get feedback from your peers and instructor
-- Recreate the collage as 1 full-page watercolor painting in your sketchbook
-- Carefully consider your color choice
-- Take note of your brightest highlighted areas-- use the white of the page for these spaces