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| Stromness Harbour 5x7 gouache by Michael Chesley Johnson |
Set up painting on the street, and you can bet you’ll be asked a few questions. Invariably, while on this trip in Scotland, I have been asked if I’m painting in watercolor. When I respond that I’m painting in gouache, I expect puzzlement, but strangely, that has not been the case. When I start to explain that gouache is a form of opaque watercolor, I get an immediate nod of understanding. “Oh, yes, I can see that now, “ said one gentleman as he took a closer look.
One of my readers has asked to see a photo of my setup for this trip. I did post a short essay on it before I left (which you can read here), but now that I have been painting with it in the field for three weeks, I have pared things down. The photo shows my basic kit: 15-pan Caran D’Ache set, a Pentalic watercolor journal (140lb paper), a trimmed-down yogurt container for my water plus a strong magnet to hold it tight to the gouache kit’s metal lid, a couple of clamps, plus a French easel palette to clip everything to--and that’s it. It’s a small bundle I can carry in one hand anywhere. I do usually stuff it in my backpack, as I bring along a few other items: a short roll of paper towels, a few watercolor pencils, a gardener’s foam knee pad to sit on, plus water to drink and snacks. And, of course, a poncho in case things turn wet.
And it has indeed turned wet! We’ve had beautiful, sunny moments in Orkney, but we’ve also had the equally-beautiful smattering of drizzle and mist. I did not come to Scotland for sun but for the Scottish mood, and I am enjoying all of it. The other day, when it was blowing particularly hard and wet--a steady, 50 mile-an-hour wind--we took the foot ferry over to the Island of Hoy to hike and explore. Our 6-mile round trip to the Old Man of Hoy took us past ruined stone cottages, over boggy heath and onto particularly wind-pummelled hilltops, but it was a perfect time.
Now we have one day left in Stromness, followed tomorrow by a flight to Glasgow and one night there before flying back to Halifax, and then the drive to Campobello Island. Although I plan to write up more thoughts on this trip, when I get home I’ll be quite busy with workshops, articles to write and, of course, some Scotland paintings to paint for the trip’s patrons!
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| The basic kit. How much simpler can you get? I have used only about half the colors in this set. |
