Painting 'vertically'.

Typical set-up, with an A1 reference image on the wall and a 20x16" painting. At Cuminestown.

I've been busy with a number of watercolour demo/workshops for local art clubs this year and have had a lot of fun with them - and one upshot has been often having to paint with the paper vertical (or very near it) so people can see from the back of the room. Some painters do choose to paint this way, but I'm usually much more laid back (so to speak) preferring to have the paper at about 20 degrees or so. Another constraint is having to paint with the paper as high as I can manage, so usually about head height in front of me, which can make arm movements a little bit less controllable.

At Cullen

The steeper angle significantly affects how washes behave and how 'on-paper mixing' works (or doesn't). Applied paint can't be too wet as beads overcome surface tension and succumb to gravity which at best makes tone control difficult or can results in breakouts and runs. Preserving white paper can be trickier as a result.  Drying is also far faster as paint thins out on the steep paper if it can flow at all, so timing for edge control becomes very tight.  Add to that that rooms are generally on the warm side and timing to paint any damp effects becomes a bit of a race.   Each time I've tried to adapt how I paint from the previous experience and some of the forced style changes are obvious to me, but maybe not all negative.  Applying thicker paint, picking subjects with dominant verticals, and thinking hard about brushstroke directions and immediate edge management have been my solutions so far. The look I get is plainer and looser with less texture, so I can tell a painting I've done as a demo from my usual plein air (which is itself a bit looser than indoor work).

At Banff

I've been relieved that the subjects most often requested have  been streetscapes (and one or two castles) which has helped as they fall into the 'dominant vertical shapes' category.

In the end, I've found the experience has really helped me focus on making each brush stroke more considered and deliberate, and also on being bolder about just 'going for it' with the trickier elements. After all, I might as well demonstrate what happens when it doesn't quite go to plan -just like in the real world!

These are some of my recent 'vertical watercolours', warts and all, all on W&N 140lb CP  20x16"

Eilean Donan Castle 22x15"

Whitehills Drying Green 20x16"

Forglen Hall 20x16"

Old Aberdeen High Street 20x16"

Old Aberdeen High Street (again) 20x16"

Old Aberdeen High St (again, again, and twice) -both 20x16"

Tanhouse Brae, Culross 20x16"

Monymusk House 20x16"

Sunny street from a supplied photo, no idea where! 20x16"

Blue boat from a photo by Nils Danielson 16x20"

The things I like about real time demonstrating are the dialogue and coping with mistakes and errors on the hoof, and having fun regardless -showing that they aren't the end of the world or even necessarily the end of the painting. I can only hope the audience were having as much fun as I was!

Happy painting!