David Ralph

It is my pleasure to share my abstract watercolor paintings with you, and the creative process and vision by which I create them. But first, I’d like to give you a little background. I live and work in Greenbelt, Maryland — a suburb of Washington, DC — with my 2 kids. I work as a graphic artist at a local printing company, and try to work on my paintings in my spare time.

Most of my concepts for a painting begin with an idea that strikes me while walking. The idea ruminates for a while in my mind where color choices, value and composition begin to take form. Then, I prepare a miniatu...

It is my pleasure to share my abstract watercolor paintings with you, and the creative process and vision by which I create them. But first, I’d like to give you a little background. I live and work in Greenbelt, Maryland — a suburb of Washington, DC — with my 2 kids. I work as a graphic artist at a local printing company, and try to work on my paintings in my spare time.

Most of my concepts for a painting begin with an idea that strikes me while walking. The idea ruminates for a while in my mind where color choices, value and composition begin to take form. Then, I prepare a miniature first sketch and pencil out values, jot down the hues that might work for each shape. Two or three additional sketches improve the composition into its final form, and then I transfer the sketch to the watercolor paper and begin painting.

My most recent series of paintings involve the female figure. The female figure — with its pleasing curves, lines, shapes and dimensions — is something that appeals to me at its most basic and instinctual level. In these images, I’ve attempted to abstract and distill those curves, lines and shapes which make up the female figure to their most elemental and geometric levels — and in the process, capture the true essence of the beauty I find in the female figure. To me, the composition is the key. It reflects my inner sense of design and visual appeal. Through repetition of shape, contrast in value, balance of color, variation in size, and use of texture and pattern — I attempt to communicate my vision and passion for the subject I’ve chosen to paint. My goal is to make every shape a separate entity that compliments the whole, and I strive to put my heart and soul into every line, shape and curve in my figures. I hope you can see this in my work.

Currently, I’m exploring sport themes and hope to have a series completed in a few months. The style is going to be similar to the female figure themes.

Thank you.