Episode 8: Carrie Waller
For the next two episodes, I’m talking with watercolorist Carrie Waller.
I’ve divided the episodes up into two parts. In part A Waller talks about being OK with finishing paintings slowly. She explains how she uses color- like puzzle pieces- in her work. And she shares the method she uses to bypass those ugly middles stages that can demoralize so many of us.
In part B we get into the specifics of glass, the importance of art friends and why sometimes you just need to take one of those technical art classes. It’ll pay off later big time.
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In the episode, Waller mentions the fantastic show: Artists Helping Artists
In PART A Waller talks about:
1:13 What Waller loves about watercolor
2:20 What attracts her to still-life
2:23 How decided to get good
6:18 The importance of structure
7:38 How she found her way of working
8:43 The biggest challenges she faced when learning to paint
11:36 How long it takes to do a single painting
12:17 Taking risks
12:52 Inner thinking
14:01 Her process
20:15 How she found her process
22:26 How she gave herself permission to paint at her own speed
24:02 Deciding how much of the world to let in
25:39 What she plans before she paints
26:43 What she figures out in photography
29:17 The biggest challenges she sees with composition
30:40 Where someone can start with composition
32:34 How she approaches color
36:40 How she mixes on the paper
38:13 How abstracted shapes become objects
40:02 Value
In Episode 8, Part B we discuss:
1:29 The mistakes people make painting glass
3:10 How Waller lays down color
4:38 Edges in glass
6:14 Learning to see
8:11 The importance of good composition
8:52 Composition
10:15 The dangers of jumping into painting
12:16 How to have a strong sense of light
13:00 What needs to be accurate in your light
13:54 Needs to be in the photo
14:56 Having everything before moving on
15:59 Focal points
17:04 Drawing
20:49 Architects and painters
21:45 Artist friends
25:15 Suggestions for how to get good at art