This is today's loose copy of John Varley's open-air watercolour techniques - part of the background of his north Wales, Cader Idris painting from 1822.
www.google.com/search?q=john+varley+watercolour+cader+idris&safe=strict&rlz=1C1BLWB_enGB548GB548&sxsrf=ALeKk00h81WfjFZtJaSlWJYxqgiFKWAExQ:1614891762602&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiG0vDOxJfvAhU8URUIHZPND6IQ_AUoAXoECAQQAw&biw=1309&bih=714#imgrc=pDnuS03M24ndNM
www.google.com/search?q=john+varley+watercolour+cader+idris&safe=strict&rlz=1C1BLWB_enGB548GB548&sxsrf=ALeKk00h81WfjFZtJaSlWJYxqgiFKWAExQ:1614891762602&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiG0vDOxJfvAhU8URUIHZPND6IQ_AUoAXoECAQQAw&biw=1309&bih=714#imgrc=pDnuS03M24ndNM
John Varley (1778-1842) was a contemporary of Turner and similarly practised in working outdoors in scenes of natural beauty, such as Snowdonia. This British style was influenced to Claude Gellee (Claude Lorrain 1604-1682) who, in the early 17th century, painted 'atmospheric' contemporary Roman landscapes featuring classical buildings and ruins:
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-a-view-in-rome
Michael Spender, in his 1987 RWS book, 'The glory of Watercolour', describes how Varley and others developed an almost formulaic approach to - and a fashion for - 'tourist watercolours' of 'romantic' landscapes.
Against a backdrop of a pale ochre sky, Varley applied thin ultramarine washes of increasing intensity until he could 'frame' the view with figures and near silhouettes of trees in the foreground. By dragging a wet brush over existing wet paint, fine graduations of colour give the impression of distance.
I will return to this in future blogs.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-a-view-in-rome
Michael Spender, in his 1987 RWS book, 'The glory of Watercolour', describes how Varley and others developed an almost formulaic approach to - and a fashion for - 'tourist watercolours' of 'romantic' landscapes.
Against a backdrop of a pale ochre sky, Varley applied thin ultramarine washes of increasing intensity until he could 'frame' the view with figures and near silhouettes of trees in the foreground. By dragging a wet brush over existing wet paint, fine graduations of colour give the impression of distance.
I will return to this in future blogs.