Black Watercolour Paper

Apr 10

If you're stuck moving from point A to point B, perhaps it's time to consider starting from point C. Sometimes, a different starting point is all we need to begin.

The last time I was in Opus Art Supplies, I impulse purchased this tiny pad of Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress 100% cotton watercolour paper in black by Legion Paper. At only 2 x 3”, I was enamoured by its tiny size. If you haven’t noticed, I’m really in love with tiny, beautiful things! For a while, the little pad remained forgotten in my studio. But recently, I've been experimenting with black paper.

This black paper is my point C - a completely new and different place to start painting. The literal opposite of white watercolour paper, it invites a new challenge and new possibilities.

I was so pleased with the tiny landscape pictured above; it was one of those magical paintings that just effortlessly ‘rolled off the brush’, free from the planning and overthinking that can sometimes squash the painting process. I used watercolour, gouache, and Neocolor II pastels for this piece. The opacity of gouache and Neocolors complements the black paper beautifully, while the iridescence of BEAM paints adds a sparkling touch.