What do you get when you mix an architectural illustrator with a Plein Air Artist? You get a mixture of the most creative and detailed paintings of all time. You would think that sketching architectural drawings and blending in watercolors would be like mixing oil and water. However, Barbara Tapp has found her niche in using these two skills simultaneously.
An architectural illustrator’s main goal is to create images of an architectural project to communicate design ideas to customers or groups of people. The renderings are usually two-dimensional and portray a graphical picture of the project. This is obviously done with a pencil or pen. Extend this picture with the color, depth and atmosphere of plein air painting and watch the transformation. A house becomes a home, feelings overtake landscape and ornate objects suddenly gain realism.
Barbara Tapp was born and raised in Australia. Her childhood was spent swimming and sailing around the Sydney Harbor. Perhaps it was the respect for the mighty sea or a growing connection with nature and the water, but Barbara began to paint. She taught herself how to capture the docks, the boats and the splashing waves with watercolors.
She received a diploma in interior design at a school of higher learning and expanded her education to include architectural illustrating. The two skills of plein air painting and architectural illustrating naturally flowed into one and the result was stunning.
All of Tapp’s watercolors are done outside. The natural light and angle of each idea is reflected in the shading and layers of pastels. For example, the 10” x 7” painting called “Still Hauling” captures the realism of a tired working truck against the floating indiscreet surroundings. Emotions such as memories, relief and satisfaction play with the viewer as the eye rolls over the scene.
“High and Dry” portrays a crumbling boat that has seen its last days, but still offers an emotional beauty of the past. Not every painting of Tapp begins as an illustration and her ability to switch from one to the other is amazing.
As a signature member of the California Watercolor Association and the California Plein Air Painters, she has received numerous awards spanning the last four years, such as the People’s Choice Award at Los Gatos Plein Air Festival and First Place in Watercolor at the Division Shelter Cove Plein Air Competition.
Barbara now lives near Berkeley, California where her love of the coast can still be enjoyed. After spending 30 years as an architectural illustrator and providing paintings for the Karen Brown Travel Guides, she now feels free to continue her journey of discovery into the plein air painting world.
Look for Barbara’s exhibitions in and around Berkeley and San Francisco and marvel at the style and detail that she is able to bring to life. And for more views of her creative work, see: https://barbaratappartist.com.
