Written by Hello fellow artists. My name is Carole Hunnes-Nielsen. I am a watercolor and watercolor batik artist. My home state of Michigan is where I find my inspiration. The changing seasons each have their own beauty and the great lakes have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Nature and color are the most important elements in my work.
I grew up in a family where education was very important. The question was never if I would attend college. The question was only where. I had always wanted to be a teacher. In high school, I decided that I wanted to share my love of art with others and become an art teacher. I have had a life-long love for art. I attended Western Michigan University and earned a BS degree in Art Education. My area of concentration was in ceramics. I continued my studies and earned a MA degree in Education.
I spent thirty years teaching high school art. I was the only art teacher at the high school so I taught in all mediums. I loved the variety of work I did but as a busy teacher and mom, I did not have the time to devote to my own artwork.
I retired in 2010 and now have time to grow and learn as an artist. As a teacher, I developed a love of working with color and watercolor in particular. I began my watercolor journey by studying color theory. I thought that if I spent one year studying color that I would know it all. I have since learned that it will be a lifelong study. I also am continually working on my drawing skills. I enjoy trying new techniques, ideas, and materials.
Since retirement, I have been in many juried and solo exhibitions. I have won awards for my watercolors and watercolor batiks. I belong to several artist organizations and I also enjoy teaching watercolor batik workshops.
I use Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith watercolors. My paper is Arches 140lb. cold press. When I am doing batiks, I use rice paper. I have also been experimenting with a variety of mulberry papers, colored papers, and papers with various fibers and textures. My favorite go to brushes are DaVinci petit gris pur brushes in a size 6 and 3.
A few years ago, I was asked to judge a watercolor show. They had several watercolor batiks. I thought this looked like a new challenge for me. I couldn’t find much information on this technique so I learned through much trial and error. I think teaching myself watercolor batik helped me to work without any preconceived ideas and allowed me to truly explore the process. I have had a blast learning this! The technique has helped me develop my process and style of painting and improved my traditional watercolor paintings.
My process involves much planning. Because watercolor batik is a resist method of applying melted wax on paper, the painting must be planned as there is no going back after the wax is applied. I have since applied this planning process to all of my paintings.
My first step in planning a painting is to find inspiration. Most of my inspiration comes from my surroundings and my own photographs. I also paint from my imagination. I make many practice drawings to study the subject.
I feel that if I know my subject I am able to be looser in my drawing and painting. I try several compositions both vertical and horizontal. I plan the focal point and eye movement. After my composition is planned, I create a value plan using Payne’s gray.
When I am satisfied with the value plan, I do several color studies. I first make swatches of colors to see what happens when those colors mingle on the paper. I then do a small sample painting so I can plan out the steps in my process. This helps me to make sure I am getting the values correct and allows me to see what kind of a feeling my colors will create. I do all this planning in my sketchbook.
My sketchbook has become a record of all my studies and paintings. When a painting is complete, I go back to my sketchbook to record the date I finished the painting, the title, the size, what kind of paper it is painted on, and the colors I used. I usually let a painting sit for a while before I have decided it is done. Recording this information, allows me to come back to tweak the painting knowing what colors I used.
When I am finally ready to begin the painting, I then proceed to make a light sketch on the paper in graphite. I paint in layers. Since I have a value plan, I know where my whites are. I paint the entire paper my first value, saving the whites by painting around them. I like to paint wet and let colors mingle.
I then paint my next value saving the whites and some of the first value. I layer the paints as I feel this gives my painting more depth and creates luminous color. I continue to paint around the values I want to save, painting light to dark, large areas to small, starting with big brushes and working to gradually small. The area of greatest value contrast and detail is my focal point.
I use this same process for creating a watercolor batik. The difference between watercolor and watercolor batik is that the batik is on rice paper and each value is saved by painting melted wax to create a resist. The wax is removed in the final step.
I will often paint the same subject more than once, trying different color schemes. I will also try a painting in traditional watercolor and then create it again in a watercolor batik. I love bright colors and I love working large. Working large frees me up to paint loose and not focus on small details. When working with batik, I love to splash on wax in unexpected areas to create surprise results at the end.
I love that I now have the time to be a part of the art community in my area and online. I have learned so much from others and sincerely appreciate everyone’s generosity to share. I will always be striving to improve to be a better artist. There is so much to learn. I will always feel challenged. I am an artist in progress, always learning.
Please follow me on Facebook and have a look at my website. Thanks Charlie at Doodlewash for allowing me to share my love of art with others. Thank you to my friends and family for all of the support you have given me. It gives me so much joy to see my work hanging in your homes. A very special thank you to my husband for all of your continued support, being my chauffeur and never complaining about all of the mess I create in our home.
Carole Hunnes-Nielsen
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The vibrant colours and combinations are wonderful
Thanks so much Rod
Your paintings are beautiful and an inspiration!
Thanks Mary
Absolutely beautiful ❤
Thank you you so much Meenakshi
Beautiful 🙂! Some of your paintings look like oils or acrylics, such a wonderfully unique look for watercolours!
Thank you Hana. I wish you could see the originals. Most are very large.
Beautiful paintings! Thank you for explaining your process. I need to try to follow your methodical approach!
Thanks Fantine. It helps me so much to think it through before I start.
Beautiful colors
Thanks so much June
Another fantastic read. I enjoy reading about your teaching and your work. I live in Michigan too!
Thanks Jean. Michigan gives us so much inspiration with the change of seasons and beautiful landscape.
Carole, your art is absolutely some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Your inventiveness shines in every painting. I love the way you experiment with batik watercolors, allowing the paper to carry part of the image. Your colors are vibrant and everything seems to breathe. Wonderful to see your work. I’m glad you retired so you could do THIS.
Thanks so much Sharon. I too am glad I am now retired and have the time to paint. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments
I really like your work–bold color statements, but with a softness.
Thank you Jessica. I really appreciate your support.
My favorite is the gladiolas! Beautiful!
Thanks Lori. It’s one of my favorites too. I planted them just so I could have them to paint.
Carole, your colors explode! Just looking at your work makes me feel happy.
That is so wonderful Sandra. Thanks so much! im so glad it brings you happiness. That is my goal.
Love your bold, beautiful colours: they sing! The batik paintings-well, I want to touch them!
Thanks Susan, I wish you could touch them! There is nothing better than being able to see the original painting.
I love your watercolor batiks. I didn’t know WC could achieve batik effects.
Thanks Sharon, I really love to batik. It’s my favorite technique. It is time consuming but so worth it. I love the end results.
Your Batiks are wonderful!!!
I admired your planning process.It teaches us how to make a proper plan to loosen our watercolour.
Thanks Nay, Planning really helps so much. When I think it through, it gives me time to make changes and improve my ideas before I start.
An beautiful, vibrant fusion of Batik and watercolor!
Thanks so much Carol
Gorgeous work and the Batik is wonderful. Totally new to me! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Paula
Thanks for sharing a bit of your process. I love your beach scenes, the crashing waves are amazing and the colour in your last picture of the leaves makes my heart jump!
Thanks so much Marianne for your wonderful comments.i truly appreciate it.
my gosh, what a beautiful flower.
Thanks so much Jennifer
Your work is gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing your process. And watercolor batik!! I had never heard of it but it is fantastic.
Thanks Ellie. I love the batik process. It is so much fun. I’m glad you like my work.
you really do create absolutely stunningly beautiful work. I can see the attraction to batik, I used to make pysanka, Ukranian eggs and working with color and wax is a joy.
Thanks Jennifer, I have never tried pysanka but I saw it being done a few weeks ago. It is an interesting process and I loved the beautiful designs in their work. Yes, working with wax is a joy. I love it!
Beautiful and vibrant paintings! Thank you for sharing and inspiring us!
Thanks Katherine. It has been a pleasure to share my love of art.
These are gorgeous. I thoroughly enjoyed your take on land/seascapes.
Thank you Aswin. They are one of my favorite subjects to paint.
WOW!!!!
And the other things I’d like to say are already said above.
Thanks so much Janneka. I am so blessed by all of the wonderful comments.
Beautiful pieces! I especially love the forest scene towards the bottom of the post. 🙂
Thanks Jill. Fall in Michigan is a beautiful inspiration.
Thank you for such a fascinating guest blog, Carole! Your work is so full of rich colour and texture – it’s glorious! I agree with your thoughts on Michigan – I’m originally from there too. 🙂
Thank you Yvonne. I appreciate your wonderful comments so much. Michigan is a beautiful place to live.
Awesome art Carole!!! As always…. I love to see it!
Thank you so much Agnes. You are so sweet!
Michigan is perfect for an artist’s inspiration!
Yes, it certainly is! I love it.
Thank you Rod