Lobstertraps . . .

"It's hard to use the line but you play with it." -David Dewey

Lobstertrap Stacks

by a house along the Rockland Harbor Trail
at the foot of Mcloud Street, Rockland, Maine
sketched on July 17, 2017
14" x 10" (w x h), Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, and
Winsor & Newton watercolors, selected for light fastness and most
permanence, and Uniball waterproof fade proof ink on 140 lb. Arches
cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
$310 USD including frame and shipping

"And this one (below) has panache." -David Dewey

panache, noun
1. a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair:
2. an ornamental plume of feathers, tassels, or the like,
especially one worn on a helmet or cap.

I hope David means the first definition. -Bruce

"That's a framer." -workshop participant exclamation

Lobstertraps in the Making

by a house along the Rockland Harbor Trail
at the foot of Mcloud Street, Rockland, Maine
sketched on July 17, 2017
12" x 9" (w x h), Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, and
Winsor & Newton watercolors, selected for light fastness and most
permanence, and Faber-Castell chisel point pen with waterproof
fade proof ink on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold press
fine grain 100% cotton extra white watercolor paper
$260 USD including frame and shipping

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

David Dewey
Watercolor Workshop
Day 1, July 16, 2017

1

David Demos

Bruce McMillan Sketchbook

8" x 4.5"  (w x h), Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, and

Winsor & Newton watercolors, selected for light fastness and most

permanence, and Uniball waterproof fade proof ink on 140 lb.

Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper sketchbook

NFS

The following quotations by David Dewey
during the demo morning.

2

"That's such a great color.
That really is the color. Seeing the colors
next to each other, that's the point."

"When you're making a painting you're saying,
'This is my house, not yours.'"

"Where do you begin with a painting?
You start with the framework. Where you
place it is your choice. Engage the eye.
Engage the whole space."

"Look at Hopper's windows.
They're all windows, but they're all different."

3

"Draw the essential platform first.

Start with the simple shapes, economy. Then paint into it."

"Shadows want to be bright and luminous.

Shadow is warm and light is cool."

4

"All color is warm at its brightest point."

"Color expands and contracts; it seeks its own space."

5

"Those lobster buoys (yellow and red),
I'm not going to paint every little one, just
a poke. There are dozens of buoys, so you have to
make a little poem about them so it doesn't over-detail."

6

In the afternoon David got excited when he saw the scene

where Ruth and I were painting, behind the green house,

and joined us on Mcloud Street to paint another sketch.

"I'm moving the puddle around to get the shapes."

7

"Economy, you can't do it all, little notes,

a visual selection as you go along, so

the few make it look like

it's all there." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 

What Wasn't Painted

Fog banks, flowers, sea,

boats moored, tied by painter's lines,

not anchored artists.

text and photo © 2017 Bruce McMillan