Mixed Media or Not?

As i get back into my painting after a hectic spring, there are two areas of discussion with other painters that i will address over the next couple of weeks: Mixed Media and Sketching as a Means to Reduce Tightness (or some other title later). they are both related for me for the following reasons:
1. the use of another medium with watercolor, such as pen and ink, crayon, pastels, etc. can turn into a crutch for the painter that prevents the use of watercolor in problem solving. for example, in the early years of painting, i was unsure and lacking in confidence regarding the addition and use of darks in my watercolor. i used pen and ink hatching and scribbling techniques to add darks base layers of watercolor. nothing wrong with that approach and the ink delayed my confidence and understanding of using, making and locating darks in a watercolor composition.  i suggest that beginning painters set aside the mixed media and focus on the strategies and tactics of watercolor. to complete the example, once i discovered the introduction of staining colors into base washes and colors, the avenue to rich darks began to show direction.  stains can be overpowering and when used with restraint, can deepen and enrichen basic colors. stains i commonly use are winsor green, alizarin crimson, thalo blue and even some purples and violets.

another distraction for me in mixed media is the dominance of the added medium. many sketch with pen and ink and add a watercolor wash, lighter in value. to me, this weakens the watercolor expression especially with the ink as (using black) the lines pop out too often as borders rather than as integral shapes with the watercolor. as an old pen and ink sketcher, i can attest to the lure and dominance of India Ink. in painting, we deal with shapes not lines; with edges that are merged, interlocked, soft and hard. line work using ink and sometimes colored pencil can lock in shapes, creating a mosaic affect rather than an integrated composition. opinions vary and this is my experience--experiment.

2. as i switch back into a painting mode this summer, i intend to focus on sketching as a way of loosening up my approach, decreasing the serious or precious tightness in some paintings. i will experiment with sketch value/composition studies (i still do these as a matter of course for every watercolor) and quick painting studies (i have drifted from these a bit in my impatience and have jumped into the larger paintings quickly--maybe prematurely although i love painting large and loose).  based on discussions i have had with other painters, it is time to revisit the quick sketch and the sketch without significant pencil guides.  more on that in two weeks i hope.

keep painting, RK