-Why have artists throughout history created landscapes? How have concepts surrounding landscape painting changed over time?
Landscapes have been used throughout history as maps and documentation for what is around us. Without developed photography, paintings of landscapes are the closest thing to realism. Things have changed in landscape from basic form, to realism, to more of telling a story. There are so many variations to this art form.
-How did you address themes related to "exploration" in your artwork? How does your landscape convey a place that is significant to you? Explain.
In my artwork, I conveyed exploration not only in a physical sense, but in a mental sense. My artwork is something out of a fantasy of mine. This place is significant to me because it is somewhere that always shows up in my dreams. It is place I always dream of going, and so it is some place that I would love to explore and experience, if only.
-Describe the key components of "landscape". How are these elements visible within your landscape shadow box?
The key components of landscape are a background, mid ground, and foreground. In my artwork I incorporated that, with the sky as my background, the castle as my mid ground and the clouds and waves as my foreground. Every piece is very visual so you can see all of them.
-What four watercolor techniques did you use? Where are they evident in your painting?
I used epsom salt to add starriness and texture to my city scape. I used rubbing alcohol as the pattern or texture of the dirt and land underneath the city. I did layering with purple for the clouds. I did blending to do the gradient pattern on the sky in the background.
-Overall, do you enjoy using watercolor as a painting medium? Do you prefer watercolor or acrylic?
Overall, I absolutely love watercolor as a medium. It is such a nice, light paint, and it is so easy to layer colors seamlessly again and again. And I like how you never have to throw away watercolor paints because it hardens over time and you can just add a little water and it is good to go again. It's just the best paint ever.
