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# Don's sister Joan......
- URL: https://www.galleryxscarborough.com/portfolio/its-a-watercolour-a-medium-used-by-joy-but-she-preferred-oils/
- Published: 2024-05-10T20:56:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-20T01:14:06.000Z
- Description: Watercolour on paper
- Author: GalleryX Staff
- Tags: Portfolio, Joy MacFadyen

This is a watercolour of Don’s sister Joan, Joy’s sister-in-law. It’s a watercolour, a medium used by Joy but she preferred oils. Watercolours are especially trying when it comes to portaits because it would be hard to correct a mistake as one’s brushtrokes are transparent. This piece actually follows a comment made elsewhere about composition “out one side, out three sides”. It is not a rule one can google and find the history of such a thing. Going out three sides makes sure that the main subject doesn’t look like it is taking the exit. A beautifully rendered piece that Joy adjusted at some point to edit the cigarette held in Joan’s hand. Aparently Joan herself took an early exit from life as she had a shorter life than most, but we have her portrait and she will never get older, a solid characteristic of portraits.

Watercolour on paper. Photo credit: Joy MacFadyen.