WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS: More Ways to Use the Square

Here are examples of 6 more ways to use the square in your drawing and painting:



1)  SMALL, SQUARE, SEPIA-TONED PORTRAITS --

The above two portraits were painted on watercolor paper, and were each 12" x 12".

These next two portraits of Native Americans were painted on 8" x 8" Aquabord --

The following two portraits were painted on paper, with watercolor, and enhanced with watercolor pencils and charcoal . . . 

2)  MOSAIC PATTERN -- In these "Legs" paintings, the lower half of each painting is a field of colored squares, which looks like a tile mosaic pattern . . .

I've also super-imposed the grid pattern over the kids . . . 

The above two paintings are hanging in a Colorado hospital, in the pediatric ward; and the next three paintings are in a Fort Worth hospital . . . 

3)  LARGE BLOSSOMS on SMALL CRADLED AQUABORD SQUARES --

These square Aquabord panels are "cradled" (mounted on a wooden box).  They are about 2" deep, and the sides can be either painted or stained, so the paintings don't have to be matted and framed.

These little square paintings look great individually, or hung as a group, as above.

I sometimes continue the square theme in the background . . . 

4)  "PRISM" PAINTINGS -- The Grid is super-imposed on the subject.  It's painted realistically, but each square is a little different than the one next to it.  I like the contrast of the geometric shapes with the organic shapes. . . 

5) A SQUARE IN A SQUARE IN A SQUARE -- Inspired by Joseph Albers' Homage to the Square series of paintings.  Instead of square fields of color, I've implied the squares and filled them with veggies and fruit --

   

6) A SQUARE WITHIN A PATTERNED SQUARE FRAME -- 

 . . . and the pattern is also made up of squares.