Evolution of the Pod

Techniques: Ink, Watercolour, and Form Abstraction

In the Evolution of the Pod series, my primary focus was to explore the dynamic interplay between ink and watercolour, utilising their contrasting qualities to reflect the organic and transformative nature of the pod motif. Working on handmade paper, I used the lightly textured, absorbent surface as an integral part of the visual experience, allowing the medium’s natural behaviours to influence the final outcome.

Watercolour serves as the foundational element throughout the series, chosen for its fluidity and capacity to suggest natural, biomorphic forms. I applied washes with a gestural, spontaneous approach, creating gradients that bloom across the paper wet in wet, echoing the organic growth processes depicted in the paintings. I intentionally allowed colours to bleed and overlap, letting the inherent unpredictability of watercolour guide the shapes. This process mirrors the idea of evolution itself in away—forms that appear to emerge in random ways rather than being strictly composed. The paper’s texture often interacted with the paint in unexpected ways, resulting in subtle, textured gradients that enhanced the sense of life and movement.

At times, I employed more controlled watercolour techniques to layer depth within the pod forms, balancing areas of translucency with saturated colour fields. This layering technique allowed for a sense of volume, giving the pods a three-dimensional quality. I also utilised lifting techniques to create highlights or softer areas, adding visual contrast while retaining the medium’s luminosity. The choice of specific hues was deliberate—warm tones like reds, oranges, and yellows evoked energy and life, while greens and darker hues suggested natural growth. By using these colours in combination, I aimed to capture both the vibrancy and the underlying tension of the pod’s transformation.

Ink (both acrylic and spirit) , on the other hand, provided the structural counterpoint to watercolours fluidity. I used it both as a fine line and as a bold, gestural element. The fine, crisp lines often traced the pod’s contours, giving definition to the otherwise loose, flowing forms. These lines sometimes took on a geometric quality, hinting at structure within the organic form. I saw these ink lines as representing the inherent tension between form and formlessness, structure and chaos. At other times, I used more dynamic, expressive strokes to imply rupture or release, reinforcing the sense of the pod breaking open or expanding. I also used both types of ink with watercolour to create a granulating effect  within the pod colour field.

One of the most spontaneous elements in the series is the use of ink splattering. By flicking or dropping ink or watercolour onto the surface, I introduced an element of chance, trying to give a feeling of uncontrolled energy of growth or dispersal. These splatters became symbolic of seeds scattering or life bursting forth, contrasting with the more contained forms of the pod itself. I deliberately varied the density and direction of these marks, allowing them to organically interact with the surrounding washes.

The contrast between the smooth watercolour areas and the sharp ink marks not only created visual interest but also aligned conceptually with the series’ theme. The juxtaposition of controlled line work and spontaneous splatters speaks to the unpredictable nature of evolution—how life can be both orderly and chaotic. I wanted each piece to feel like a moment within an ongoing transformation, where the pod’s shape is never static but always in flux.

Through the  integration of ink and watercolour, I aimed to create compositions that are visually dynamic while conceptually cohesive. Each technique contributes to the narrative of growth, struggle, and release, with the handmade paper itself grounding the work in a tactile, organic context. In this series, I sought to balance structure with spontaneity, allowing each medium to contribute uniquely to the evolving form of the pod.

In my previous post I mentioned that I had produced some short ‘Cut-Up’ text poems  to accompany these paintings these can be seen over at my IG feed, but below are  more examples.

Rootburst in orange pulp—
sap pressure behind the black crown,
spore-line nerves flicker in scribbled bloom.

Vascular chaos hums in ink,
a husk splits,
releasing chlorophyll ghosts.

This is seed-language:
germinate / rupture / repeat.

The aching core
Pod spills
Life ruptures
Roots grasp
Stem snaps
Spore dust billows into bright green.
Silence.

Graeme Webb May ©️2025