long day

This morning began early, with an email reply discussing one of my favourite "basics" in my watercolour palette. When I want a coolish base to a work I often wash with aureolin yellow. It would seem that tests (800 hours in the sun) show that it is not colourfast, and can leave a brownish caste. I have never had any problems with it, or none that I know of. I also don't leave watercolours in the sun, and always advise that they be hung out of the sun. But now, with the research below, do I have to remove it from my palette? Cost-wise I would be happy too as it is not a cheap pigment. For now I'll just make a note of the alternative colours, and wait and see what is available when I next go shopping.

At risk of seeming to be promoting one brand over another, here are some guides sent to me.

This from Handprint and more from Hilary Page casts doubt over one of my most used colours. Luckily, though, the warmth in the landcape here has had me leaning towards warmer yellows as a base, and I have been using Indian Yellow and New Gamboge.

***

This morning I took the train to Frosinone to speak with students in their final year of high school. Scarily enough I quite enjoyed being back in the school corridors, with all the young energy bouncing around me. I doubt that I would feel the same in a week or two, with preparation and marking as well as a full teaching load. Here the teachers seem to work fewer hours than in New Zealand, but they do teach on a Saturday.

When we returned to Cassino I was ready for the wonderful lunch prepared for us, and was lucky enough to make new friends. It was good to feel at home, relax, even joke a little, as much as is possible in my new language. Oddly enough, although I was supposed to be speaking in English this morning, when students asked questions in Italian it was instinctive to try to reply in Italian. And of course, with all that wonderful food, there were new ideas to try...

My game of Lexulous in Italian on Facebook is another thing altogether. Now THAT is difficult!

Today I am grateful for a warm welcome and new friends in Cassino.