Two Fish After Ando Hiroshige

Watercolour detail after Hiroshige print

This is the second detail from the same Ando Hiroshige woodblock print. The prawns in my previous post were at the top of the print. My handmade watercolour sketchbook is too small for the whole composition of most of Hiroshige's prints. I tried to work a bit faster with this one so it is much more obviously my work, not Hiroshige's. There is one more of his famous fish prints I must do and then I'm thinking I might try a bit of Japonisme of my own - inspired by Hiroshige, of course.

Speaking of Japonisme, through a comment on my previous post, I discovered a blog called Japonisme by Lotusgreen. If you are into beautiful things - paintings or objects, treat yourself by paying Lotusgreen a visit. And don't forget, if you want to know more about this journey into Japanese Art, you'll find it all on Making a Mark.

Flowers and Fishes Japanese Style

After Ando Hiroshige - 14cmx19cm watercolour sketchbook

I am loving the exploration of Nineteenth Century Japanese art by Katherine Tyrrell on her blog Making a Mark. Katherine is well into this journey while I am still nibbling around the edges of her wonderful links. Yesterday Katherine posted a beautiful coloured pencil study of a trout after Joseph Crawhall, one of the western artists influenced by the Japanese in the Early Twentieth Century.

Yesterday, being Good Friday, was obviously the day for fish because I discovered Ando Hiroshige's Grand Series of Fishes and fell in love with this strange but beautiful combination of flowers and fishes. I imagine these prints also influenced Joseph Crawhall all those years ago.

I have decided to devote the folded watercolour sketchbook I made from instructions posted by Nina Johnannsson to my study of Japonisme.


If I manage to fill the whole book, I can open it out into a single full watercolour sheet of paintings. The paper I used is rather heavy as it is inclined to keep springing open with a mind of its own. Next time I will try a lighter paper. But thank you Nina, I love it!

Still life with fish

watercolour 24 x 32 cm

I seem to have a thing for fish lately. It could have something to do with the amount of laps I'm swimming. Actually it has more to do with paying almost 10 euros for this sea bass for my dinner. At that price it needed to be painted!

If the colours are a bit wild it's because I have been dipping into Shirley Trevena's book, Vibrant Watercolours.

I also actually did a thumbnail sketch before I started this still life to work out the composition. It's pretty busy, I know, and I do have one regret. I don't think I'll point it out.

Killing Me Softly

Watercolour & White Oil Pastel - Canson CP 7"x9.5"

It's okay, I haven't gone mad! I've been trying to draw and paint now for about two years. I've been extremely preoccupied with different mediums and techniques and struggling to get control of a watercolour brush and that elusive substance - water. At the back of my mind has been a secret fear - I'm not say anything. I'm trying to paint something beautiful, sometimes ending up with something pretty, but I'm not saying anything!

This week my wonderful friend Sally (Author/Artist) sent me a photo from a fish market. She didn't say anything either - just emailed me a great photo. I decided to accept the challenge to paint this dead fish because of the wonderful colours. Then I found myself saying something. I can't eat animals with big brown eyes, and beyond that, have a lot of guilt about the creatures I do eat. Okay, maybe I am going mad! So, I've finally said something, like it or not!

Yesterday, I spent the morning making value charts of all my W&N watercolour tubes and turning them into a colour chart on a split ring. I saw this wonderful idea on someone's blog and apologise for not being able to remember who's it was. If anyone can help me I'd be most grateful, I'd like to say thanks because this is the most helpful colour selection tool I've ever discovered.

What made this really easy was my John Salmon brush Charger. I took a little pure paint directly from the tube, painted a square, than charged the brush from the base for the next lighter value and so on. I bet you thought the Charger was another of those gadgets I'm notorious for collecting and discarding!