Watercolors the way I like them

Joseph Chiang demonstrates his wonderfuly, fresh, free flowing style, embrassing realism with an oriental softness that I admire very much.  Check out the link to his video here.

Keeping the Paint Fresh

Although I admire very realistic scenes and paintings, I don't especially like to paint so exactingly. I would rather take a photograph to capture those details that I see. I like the feeling my eye gets watching the colors run on the paper, its like eating different fruits, they are so pretty and taste so sweet. For me, watercolor shouldn't be so predictable. I prefer a little serendipity. When I take a walk, though I may look at the same scene that I saw the day before, it still is not the same. Something always changes, and that's the fun of it. Of course I like to capture something definate of the element of what I am seeing or feeling or imagining, to articulate, if you will, those impressions, but I don't let those definitons dominate. It was a great folly of mine, when I first began to paint, to overwork my painting. I muddied up many. To let go of the feeling that everything had to be "picture perfect" helped tremendously with letting the paint have a little will of its own, so the two of us work together, the paint and me. The brush joins us together and becomes an extension of my mind and eyes. Remember, small brushes only produce tight, restricted paintings. To let the paint have fun, use a bigger, softer brush and loosen your hand. Then come in to do the details and defining with flat, riggor, and smaller brushes. Above all, don't be afraid to make mistakes.