Hostage Negotiations (10×7-inch Transparent Watercolor Fish Caricature)

After a few insect paintings, I thought it was time to mix things up again, and this collection of caricatured fish accidentally made it to the top of the to-do list. Here’s how it managed to weasel its way to the top of the heap…

I typically paint on blocked watercolor paper. If you buy blocks of paper, the stack of sheets are sealed together tightly with some sort of glue on all four sides. One of the big advantages to this is that you don’t have to stretch the paper before you paint on it, which can be a hassle. With blocked paper, once the painting is done, you slip a thin blade between the sheets and separate off the top layer. The just-finished painting comes off easily, revealing another pristine sheet of white watercolor paper ready for action. Call me crazy, but a nice, clean sheet of hot pressed watercolor paper is a beautiful thing—endless possibilities lie there!

While working on my recent leafhopper painting on a block of Arches paper, I had a mishap. While peeling the frisket off, the entire top sheet delaminated and pulled off. Amazingly, the painting didn’t rip. That Arches paper is strong stuff! Unfortunately, the next sheet got paint smudges and drips on it. Sadly, it was no longer fit for a serious painting, but I didn’t want to toss it. It was perfect for a “lesser effort” with some caricatured fish, where a little imperfection wouldn’t ruin the whole thing.

I have a huge stockpile of ridiculous looking fish sketches to choose from, so I selected a few that seemed to work together. In my mind the hermit crab had grabbed the scallop with questionable intent. The green fish had a horrified, befuddled look on his face, and the yellow fish… well, I’m not sure if his intentions are totally aboveboard either. They just seemed to work together, allowing the viewer to try to figure out what was going on. These paintings are a lot of fun because there are no rules. I can go crazy with colors and shapes, and as long as it looks okay in the end, I’m set.

I might have to do another one soon!