A few years ago I took a watercolor course at Coastal Carolina University, and learned how comfortable I was using resist (liquid masking fluid) to preserve lighter colors as I added paint, then applied more resist, layer after layer, on thick watercolor paper. Each layer had to dry before adding the next, and it wasn’t until the end, after I rubbed an eraser over the whole surface, that the final image was revealed beneath the resist.
A few weeks ago I felt inspired to do this again, but this time with India ink in place of gouache, plus graphite. I accidentally bought dark brown ink, and so went back to buy deep black ink so I could do the first image here (“It’s Saturday Again,” 39″ x 27″ framed). This piece depicts my husband, Richard, relaxing in his beach chair. I used graphite for shading his face, arms, and pants — you may have to look closely to discover his arms hiding amid the splashy design of his shirt. The rich, permanent black ink was reserved for the star of the show — his sunglasses and shirt — and the virgin white paper shows in the reflections on his shades, his beard and hat, and the splash of his shirt.
I used my mistaken purchase in the study shown below of the dunes along the path by our condo, with Waties Island beyond. Here, the wash of brown ink suggests flowing grasses, graphite highlights their texture and lends depth, gouache adds a tint of color, and the white paper reveals the cloud and form.
UPDATE September 11, 2025: “It’s Saturday Again” is showing through September 17, 2025, at the annual fall art show & sale of Seacoast Artists Gallery, where the portrait won an Honorable Mention! Stop by 3032 Nevers St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
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