Yupo Workshop ahead

First off, this paper is not purple/blue/violet although it kind of looks neat that way.  It is just a fluke of how I tweaked it in iPhoto in an effort to help the "contrast".  In actuality at this point it is just graphite on stark white Yupo paper. This fairly large (half sheet of wc paper size.)

Those of you who have used watercolor on Yupo know the CHALLENGES of it.  It is a slick plastic surface and takes you way way out of the normal watercolor techniques.  

I am totally a fan of George James techniques in this technique and have all his videos.  BUT Carol Ann Sherman is coming to Leesburg, Fl and so I bought HER video and have been watching it in preparation for the March 26-27 two day workshop.  

Her style is quite a bit different than James although she uses some of the same tools.  In any case since it is such a short workshop I wanted to have my drawings transferred to the Yupo paper IN ADVANCE so I can spend more time listening, watching, and thinking about the application of color and paint.  

One thing Carol does is put down a fairly hard line of graphite in her drawing with no attempt at erasing it. It becomes part of the painting.  AND because she puts down a ton of paint on this surface one needs a fairly dark line in order to "find your way" again.  Her first thing to do is cover the entire paper with a fairly opaque layer of paint.  Then she "eats out" the white areas.  

I am going to put together two different drawings on the Yupo and also bring several smaller blank sheets for experimentation.  I took the photo reference for this at the Lakeridge Winery Music Fest (Clermont, Fl) last winter.  I was able to sneak around behind the band and take this rather unconventional perspective!

I'll be posting the creative process as it goes along.