Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi

Are you still having fun with these? I love doing these for warm ups when I get into the studio.

One of the characteristics of watercolor as a medium is that it can be very unruly. This is code for: OMG. I can't make it do what I want it to do!!

You're not alone in that frustration. The trick is to work with the medium and to let it surprise you.

The knack of finding the perfect in the imperfect is a Japanese philosophy called wabi sabi. It's a good philosophy to have when working with watercolor.

Watercolor Meditation: WABI SABI Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is to help look for the perfect in the imperfect.  It's easy to judge our efforts as unsatisfactory when we are learning or when things spin out of our control.  It's easy to focus on what we don't like or what didn't turn out instead of what is beautiful or what did turn out. Wabi sabi is the Japanese philosophy of finding the perfect in the imperfect. Watercolor is a perfect way to explore this idea. Take a deep breath and relax. Gather your materials: You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series. Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper: Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper. Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities. You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing. 6 x 6 inches or so is a nice size. Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating. If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead. [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.]  Brush: Any watercolor brush will do. Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.]  Water jar: To clean your brush in. A recycled food jar is great. Pint sized is great.  Salt: Any kind, any size. MEDITATION: WABI SABI Choose four colors. Any four. It doesn't matter if they 'go together'. Remember how beautifully the Opposites worked together in the last meditation? Make puddles of each. Thick or thin - like cream or tea. Start with one color and drip it or brush it in three places [big or small, you choose] Clean your brush and do it again with another color. Three places. Touching or not touching the first color. Clean your brush and do it again with the third color. Clean your brush and do it again with the fourth color. OBSERVE how they mix and mingle. CHOOSE: Do you want to stop here and let it dry?  Do you want to drop more paint on in places?  Do you want to drop plain water on in places?  Play. Find the places that make you unhappy. Look at them closely and look for what is beautiful about them.  Look for the perfect in the imperfect.  Let it dry and look again. Watercolor can really change as it dries. Find the perfect in the imperfect. Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today.  I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day.  If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me. See all of my classes here. The other meditations in this series: Meditation #1: Observation Meditation #2: Flow  Meditation #3: Resistance Meditation #4: Obstacles Meditation #5: Opposition Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers

Watercolor Meditation #3: Resistance

Hello,  Lovelies!

Tomorrow is DECEMBER, which I can't really even begin to believe.  This year has been so crazy full of things that I still feel upside down.   Isn't July 4th next week?  I'm not ready for deep winter!

I'm feeling some resistance to the whole idea of the roller coaster ride that is the holidays around here.  Soooo - I have a fun watercolor meditation all about resistance.

Resistance is futile, but resistance can also be beautiful!

Watercolor Meditation:  Resistance Take a deep breath and relax.  Breathe in.  Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe.  You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is examine the patterns created by things that resist or disrupt the flow.  We're going to use salt as a resist. Gather your materials:   You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series.   Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper:  Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper.   Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities.  You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing.  6 x 6  inches or so is a nice size.  Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating.  If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead.  [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.] Brush:  Any watercolor brush will do.   Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.] Water jar:   To clean your brush in.  A recycled food jar is great.  Pint sized is great.  And for this activity, you'll need: Salt:  Any kind, any size.   Table salt, epsom salts, sea salt, rock salt.  MEDITATION:   RESISTANCE Swish your brush around in the plain water.  Get it nice and wet. Choose your favorite color and make a puddle of that color in your palette.  Light or dark, doesn't matter.   Lay some of that color on your paper. Now make another puddle of a color you love.   Lay some of that color next to the first color on your paper.   Doesn't matter how.  Watch them mingle and FLOW. OBSERVE how shiny the paper is when it's really wet and how the shine begins to dull as the water soaks into the paper. Pull out your salt and sprinkle a bit on the dull wet areas and on the shiny areas.   Set it aside flat and in a few minutes come back to see the patterns forming.   Let it dry completely, then brush off the salt to see the results.   Use your imagination - Do the patterns remind you of frost, or flowers, or leaves, or feathers...? Now play. You can't do it wrong.  Lay down the colors and drop the salt in the damp areas.   What's happening on the paper?   Two things:  As the salt dissolves, it creates a resist which pushes the pigment away. In addition, salt draws the water to it, creating little puddles which make patterns as they dry [more on that below]. One more thing... Other things can disrupt the flow of watercolor also.   This is a picture of a backflow, or bloom.   This type of resist happens when there is a very wet puddle surrounded by damp, but much less wet areas.   As the surrounding areas dry, the water is pulled [wicked] back into them from the puddle. The water from the puddle re-wets the paint and pushes it aside as it soaks into those areas.  Blooms make beautiful patterns. Look back on your previous watercolor meditations and see if there are any blooms. Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today.  I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day.  If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me.

See all of my classes here.

The other activities in this series:

Meditation #1: Observation

Meditation #2: Flow 

Meditation #3: Resistance

Meditation #4: Obstacles

Meditation #5: Opposition

Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi

Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers

Watercolor Meditation #4: Obstacles

This year I've thought a lot about obstacles.  Things that get in my way.  Sometimes  it's other circumstances and people;  sometimes it's me and my emotions.  I like this activity because it clearly demonstrates that obstacles don't have to stop the flow.  The flow just gets redirected for a bit. And that can be a beautiful thing. 

Watercolor Meditation:  Obstacles Take a deep breath and relax.  Breathe in.  Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is to show you how the water just flows around obstacles.   Watercolor is wet, so anything that is dry is an obstacle.  The paint will flow with the wet every time.  Gather your materials:   You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series.   Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper:  Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper.   Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities.  You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing.  6 x 6  inches or so is a nice size.  Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating.  If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead.  [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.] Brush:  Any watercolor brush will do.   Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.] Water jar:   To clean your brush in.  A recycled food jar is great.  Pint sized is great.  MEDITATION:  OBSTACLES Choose a color or two and make puddles in your palette. Swish your brush around in the plain water.  Get it good and wet. Brush that plain water to make three circles on the paper.   The dry areas in the middle of those circles are your obstacles.   Keep your circles dry and paint in the areas between the circles.  Tilt the paper and watch how the color flows around the obstacles.  Add colors or water as you wish and watch them flow. That's all.  Very simple.  We'll use this process again later in the Meditation series.   Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today.  I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day.  If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me. See all of my classes here. The other activities in this series: Meditation #1: Observation Meditation #2: Flow  Meditation #3: Resistance Meditation #4: Obstacles Meditation #5: Opposition Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers

Watercolor Meditation #2: Flow

Happy Thanksgiving!   You are one of the things I'm most grateful for.  I hope you can squeeze in a moment of peace and quiet today.   If you need an excuse, here's another meditation. I hope you had fun last week with the first of my Watercolor Meditations on Observation.  This second one is about going with the flow.   I need that today!   Ok, I need that a lot of days. Watercolor Meditation:  FLOW Take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is to enjoy watching paint and water move down the paper and mingle. You're creating your own waterfall. Gather your materials: You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series. Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper: Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper. Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities. You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing. 6 x 6 inches or so is a nice size. Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating. If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead. [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.]  Brush: Any watercolor brush will do. Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.]  Water jar: To clean your brush in. A recycled food jar is great. Pint sized is great.  Paper towels or plate to catch drips and things as they flow. MEDITATION:  FLOW Swish your brush around in the plain water. Get it good and wet.  Tilt your paper or prop it up so that things can flow down the paper. You can hold it over a plate or paper towel to catch drips if you like.  Starting at the top of the paper, brush the clear water on and OBSERVE it as it FLOWS down the paper.  Get your brush wet again, choose your favorite color and get some of that paint on your brush. Don't worry about how much. You can't do this wrong.  Put the paint in the water at the top of the paper and watch it flow down the paper.  Try it again in a different place. Keep your brush wet.  Try it again with just clear water. Get your brush wet, touch it to the top of the paper and let the clear water flow down the paper pushing the paint aside.  Now play. You can't do it wrong. Try it with a lot of paint to get dark colors and just a little to get light colors. Every once in a while you can let plain water flow down the paper, too. When you're done, lay it down and let it dry. Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today.  I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day.  If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me. See all of my classes here. The other activities in this series: Meditation #1: Observation Meditation #2: Flow  Meditation #3: Resistance Meditation #4: Obstacles Meditation #5: Opposition Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers

Watercolor Meditation Bonus: FLOW-ers

I hope you've been having a terrific time playing around with watercolor over the last few weeks and that these meditations brought you some peace, calm and focus during this crazy time of year.

I know the name of this last meditation is a pun, but it was a way to remember the purpose of the meditation so you won't get caught up in the stress of trying to paint perfect flowers. 

The point is to play.  Let things flow.  Just watch and see what happens. Look for the wabi-sabi.

Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers Remember it's all about relaxing and letting things flow. Take a deep breath and relax.  Breathe in.  Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is to put a few of the previous activities together in a fun way.

Gather your materials:   You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series.   Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper:  Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper.   Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities.  You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing.  6 x 6  inches or so is a nice size.  Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating.  If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead.  [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.] Brush:  Any watercolor brush will do.   Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.] Water jar:   To clean your brush in.  A recycled food jar is great.  Pint sized is great.  Salt: Any type, any size.

MEDITATION:  Painting FLOW-ers We're going to use the activities you played with in the other meditations to make a flower. Remember, it's all about the FLOW.  It doesn't have to match anything you see in real life.  This is just for fun. Choose two similar colors for the petals: 2 reds/pinks, 2 blues, 2 yellow/gold/oranges... Paint a circle with clear water, leaving the center dry, just as you did in the OBSTACLES meditation. Enlarge the circle with paint,  leaving the outside edges irregular, like petals.  Alternate your colors, leaving some lighter places and some darker places. Choose a color for the center:  Yellow, orange, purple, blue.  You can't choose wrong. Put some of that color into the center.  It's OK if flows into the other colors as it did in the FLOW and OPPOSITES meditations..  This is just for fun. Now sprinkle some salt into the center as you did for the RESISTANCE meditation.  Let it dry.   Play.   Try it with different colors.  In the photo at the top of this section, I used a pink and a red for the petals and yellow for the center.  You can see the puddles on the sides and how the yellow  blended right in to the side. This is what it looked like dry:   Here are some others that I've played with: Oranges & yellows with a purple center:  [The purple changes as it blends.] Reds with a dark blue center, still wet: Once they are dry, look them over and find the perfect in the imperfect as you did in the WABI SABI meditation. This is the joy of watercolor.

Thank You Thanks so very much for spending some time with me today.  I hope you've used these meditations to relax and put some calm in your day.  Please feel free to forward them to anyone who will enjoy them. If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me.

See all of my classes here.

The other activities in this series:

Meditation #1: Observation

Meditation #2: Flow 

Meditation #3: Resistance

Meditation #4: Obstacles

Meditation #5: Opposition

Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi

Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers