I have fallen in love with a new kind of art material. (This happens to me often.) It is called Yupo. It isn’t really paper. It’s actually a kind of thin white plastic. I love it for watercolor abstracts. I can wet it completely or selectively, and then let one or two colors run where they will. I let it dry, use a wet sponge to wipe off the passages I don’t like, and then add more. It is a very spontaneous and joyous way to work.

Chartreuse Abstract Watercolor Background Stock Photo 84285301 : Shutterstock.

In a way, it is like writing a first draft of a novel during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). You can let the material take you wherever it wants to go, and then, later, go back and rework the parts that don’t fit.

The link leads to a vibrant piece I did in almost pure chartreuse. My dad, a California Scene Painter and amazing watercolor craftsman, would roll over in his grave. He hated that color as much as I loved its outlandish French name. If you want to see more of this series, they are all on Shutterstock.

After a long pause, spent writing, I have returned to painting and have found my voice as an artist. This is reflected in my latest work, The Saddlehorn Series. Sometimes, I still do pieces like this for warmups. I submit photos of them to Shuttertock and other stock sites. Graphic designers use them as background elements.
Yupo is expensive, so I wash the watercolor off and reuse most of them. (If you want to try this technique, the fact that you can re-use the “paper” makes it even easier to make a mess. You have nothing to lose.
While you’re here, take a look at my Saddlehorn Series. It continues the thread I started when I was still in college with the hilarious “Walnut” and continued with the Walnut Canyon Series and The Bridge Series. Here’s the link: https://lindaarmstrongsportfolio.wordpress.com/

- Making (Another) Mess for Your Soul’s Sake
- A Man with a Stuffed Owl and Other Characters
- My Bridge Series
- My Angel Series
- Make a Mess for Your Soul’s Sake Part 1
I usually do not leave a comment, however after browsing through a ton of remarks on this page Autumn Snow…
Sure, that would be fun. Which subject/s did you have in mind?
Have you ever considered publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog based on the…
This particular blog features posts about my original artworks on Zazzle, a Print on Demand site. Plagiarism is not a…
Aw, thanks :-). I’ll do that when I have time.