a splash of bright

From last Thursday's life drawing session.

The figure's done with Portfolio water soluble crayons.
The background, Cheap Joe's watercolor, "indigo"
On 11 by 14 inch sketch paper.

Cheap Joe's is rather cheap. This "indigo" is from a tube of his 'American Journey' line of 'professional' watercolors and the only thing indigo about it is the name on the tube. The color is about as close to indigo as New York is to Tokyo.

Often watercolors aren't light fast but this one wasn't even tube fast. When I bought it, some years ago it came out of the tube some shade of a black hue, -not indigo. here, on this little rendering, I just wanted a dark background for the figure so I picked this tube of paint. I was quite surprised to find the indigo, that was really a shade of black, had changed, over time in the tube, to a rather strange brownish violet. Oh well…..

Subsequently I no longer shop at Cheap Joe's, if I need art supplies from on line I shop mostly at Blick's.