I had taken a picture of goldfish in a pond a few years ago and liked the colors and movement in it. This is different subject matter for me, having never painted water and fish before. As detailed as I am, it is impossible to get every nuance of the water and its reflections. And, as is often said, working from a photo also has its limitations.
I used the sedimentary color of cerulean blue for the water at the bottom to give the effect of sediment at the bottom of the pond. It is a heavy paint and sinks into the valleys of the paper. To paint the reflections on the left side, I masked the water "holes,” wet that side and dropped in dark color from the top fish lightening it toward the bottom.
However, there was a problem removing the frisket, which had never happened before. For some unknown reason, in some small areas and one larger area, it would not come off. I tried scrubbers and a “magic eraser” to no avail. The only way to remove it was to scrape it off with an X-Acto knife, which of course damages the paper’s surface. That spot took the paint and somehow seems to blend in, but it bothers me because I know it is there. I do not have the patience to do it over, but perhaps will try a similar composition.
Overall, the resulting painting is decent, but not good enough as an exhibition entry. At least, I am painting and learning.
Golden Pond, Watercolor, 14” x 10”, ©Johanna Cellucci