I am by nature a very controlled artist. I stay within the lines and the lines I create are always straight (even when I wish they weren't). So it is somewhat ironic that watercolor is my medium of choice. But what I love about watercolor is that it forces me to let go of my controlling nature. I have to let go of my role in the process and trust the water and paint to create a beautiful and imperfect variety. I am always captivated by the way watercolor can create different tones within seemingly simple one-colored images. It adds an unexpected texture with an ethereal touch.
One of the first steps to creating the Animal Alphabet Theme was to choose the color palette. Once I was happy with the chosen colors, I created a chart for myself so that I could remember the formulas I used when mixing each color. I am very loyal to the Gansai Shinbi Japanese watercolor paints. The colors included in the set are gorgeous on their own and continue to create brilliant colors when mixed together.
