HAWTHORN ON PAINTING

This modest little book,  approximately 51/2 x 8" - 91 pages, was brought to my attention by the late Charles Reid. I can't remember the exact circumstances not that this matters. Hawthorne was an acclaimed art teacher who died in 1930. The book is from students notes collected by Mrs. Charles W. Hawthorne originally published in 1938, and republished in a Dover edition in 1960.

This is isn't a 'how to' book more a philosophical and general discussion, although including how to  consider all aspects of painting. Some subjects are covered briefly and  how you should approach them.  Watercolour actually only has 8 pages. Charles Reid has related many times how he came to paint in watercolour. He was a teacher at Famous Artists School and taught oil painting. One day he was asked to do something in watercolour which they were deficient in as far as teaching was concerned.  He had no real direction or advice on how to proceed so adapted his oil painting methods to watercolour. He always said much of what he taught was unusual and against the orthodoxy with regard to watercolour, and I've no doubt he consulted Hawthorns book.

A few of the things Hawthorn said:

"A good watercolor is a happy accident - if you qualify the statement by saying the greater the artist , the oftener the accident happens"

"Do them as you do oils.  that is try to get contrasts. Don't be afraid of the medium - put down what you see as spots of colour rather than as form. 

"use cheap colors, if you will, but buy good paper - fifty per cent and more of your watercolors depends on the paper you use. Work very wet and don't be afraid of the colors running into each other "

"Don't make them too precious - don't bother about the object but make spots of color against each other in relation. Color makes the form - Manet did it with spots of color, spots of color together telling as one."

They are just examples but you can get the general drift. He certainly wasn't a fan of super realism.

Having done several workshops with CR together with his books and DVDs I can see how he was influenced by Hawthorn.

Should you be interested in following this up Amazon have the Kindle edition at £5.69 and the paperback at £5.99. I'm sure some other booksellers could obtain copies.