Mondrian in Rice Field

Yesterday I was invited to do Watercolor painting demonstration for Artist Round Table in Santa Rosa CA. The room was very big and around fifty artists including many watercolorists attended my demo.

I will show the process of the painting on this blog.

First soak the watercolor paper in distilled water for over 10 minutes and stretch the paper with staples and tape down on an Art Board.

After stretched paper is dried completely, draw the image. Especially when I paint a big painting, I draw the image on a tracing paper then trace on the stretched watercolor paper using graphite transfer paper. That is the way I don’t mess up the watercolor paper.

This painting I painted background to forward. So I painted sky first.

Then this one.

549. Mondrian in Rice Field process Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

Then this one,

549. Mondrian in Rice Field process 2 Watercolor Painting by Mariko Irie

Then this one,

594. Mondrian in Rice Field process 3 by Mariko Irie

Then this one

549. Mondrian in Rice Field process 4 Watercolor painting by Mariko Irie

Voila!

594. Mondrian in Rice Field process 4 Watercolor Painting by Mariko Irie

I photographed this image, when I was in the village where is surrounded by Japanese Alps. It was on my morning walk in the last November. The front of this image is a rice field, which was harvested, cleaned and turned soil. I wonder that these lines were on purpose for farming process or somebody just played. To me these lines in this field like a design of Piet Mondrian . So I named “Mondrian in Rice Field”

Thank you for attending my one-hour and half demonstration at the Artist Round Table. They had a camera behind my shoulder, showing what I was doing on the big screen and head microphone. It was great, awesome.

You were wonderful audience, gave me good questions and nice words. I had a great time with you.

Several people want to take my workshop. I’m trying to find the room in Santa Rosa area for my workshop, and when it’s scheduled, I will announce. I hope to see you again.

My next workshop “Luminous Watercolor” is scheduled at the Mendocino Art Center on July 6^th & 7^th 2013. More information, please visit at http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org/Summer13/Irie.html

They are offering 5% early bird Discount through March 31.

Happy painting!