Zan Barrage – Friday Night Guest Jan. 24, 2020

Our January 24th Friday night presenter was artist Zan Barrage who demonstrated using watercolours. He began by making the statement that as artists we are NOT recorders, but instead poets. Our jobs as artists is to make a statement, a narrative. With that in mind, designing and composing is the process. Our colour choices come after the design and are part of our expression as artists. Zen believes that the painting process itself is really just mechanical. The creative voice has already spoken prior to that point.

Speaking strictly technically about watercolours, in particular, he stressed three principals: always work back to front; top to bottom; and light to dark. He likes to cover the whole paper to start, working at an angle and always maintaining a good bead of paint to prevent drying marks and to have a continuity of colour. Zan believes that you need to have an imaginary 1″ to 2″ around the frame where nothing of interest should exist.

In the end, as he built up his darks, he stressed that as you add more and more detail make sure you don’t end up changing your narrative.

Excellent advice to all of us…knowing when to stop!!!!!!!!