Handprint

In yesterday's blog I mentioned in passing one of my all-time favourite art websites "Handprint Watercolors." I first found this site while making some obscure technical search about paint pigments. Let me explain, I am a chemist - this stuff is important to me.

My blog, that you are reading now, is my journal, and so I was interested to read the almost poetic journal section of the Handprint website - the first pages in several ways record my own experiences of learning to paint from books, how my lack of technique and knowledge took away the pleasure in painting, how I bought many more supplies than I needed (perhaps in the mistaken belief that if I owned enough supplies I would become and artist).

But the thing that draws me back and back again to this site is the effort which the author has gone to, to prove to himself the various qualities of paints and papers and brushes; the arduous cataloging which has gone into this site; the well presented opinions on techniques, and books and choice of palettes and so much more. This is a treasure trove of information, written for his own use, with no time limit imposed (not for some target demographic, due for a publishing deadline), and shared freely with anyone. Even incomplete this site is better value than many of the books I own. Thank you Bruce MacEvoy!

I see that the author has also recently started up the "Handprint - Painting a Day" blog. As of this moment I cannot imagine me completing a painting a day, first - I have a day job, second I have a family, third I have an XBox360. My wife and I both have a dream of retiring early and spending our time travelling and painting, then it might happen. In the meantime I will try to ignore most "Painting a Day" blogs - but this one, I will probably visit many times as I continue my journey learning art.