Pablo Picasso Spanish, 1881-1973

Pochoir begins with the analysis of the composition, including color tones and densities, of a color image. Numerous stencils were designed as a means of creating an image. The stencils were made of aluminum, copper, or zinc and would be cut with a straight-edged knife. The initial layers would be created with watercolor washes and the final marks applied with soft, opaque gouache. This process of working “lean to fat” is the same technique artists used to create oil paintings. The images were further refined in an effort to create the most vivid, colored works on paper. The process of creating these works used a variety of different brushes and methods of paint application to create the finished pochoir.