A. Debra R. Schwalm

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A. Debra R. Schwalm

 

Watercolor batik is a loose painting technique using watercolors and melted wax as a resist on thin paper emphasizes an energetic texture and whimsy. 

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Watercolor batik 

“… is like a box of chocolates.

You never know what you're gonna get.”

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I love the journey for the next inspiring image and how I can interpret, embellish and re-invent it. I use my own photography or find images that inspire me. I love nature and live in a very rural area with lots of subject matter from which to draw. When I choose an image, I first observe the drama of the light, color, shadow and reflection. Capturing the light is everything!  

 

Next, I interpret the image by the story or message it offers or can offer. I like to incorporate a sense of magic or whimsy. As well, I visualize the potential image transformation into the batik style. 

After I choose my inspiration, I create a “map” for my batik journey using my laptop to edit and print out various forms of images. I transfer the final image to the rice paper. I choose the watercolors I will use by sampling them on scrap rice paper and deciding how many layers of colors. Basically, there is wax layer and watercolor layer progression from light to dark colors, each time adding wax to reserve the colors. After the wax layering process is complete, the wax is removed and the final art piece is revealed. I get chills every single time I see the final result.

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The artists that most inspire me are Monet for his genius with color and impressionism and Norman Rockwell for his portrayal of the American culture.

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