What was Edward burra's technique?

Answer 1

Edward Burra mainly used watercolour. His friend Mary Aiken, wife of the poet Conrad Aiken recalled:

"… I learned a lot about his technique, which turned out to be rather like fresco painting when a fresh section of plaster is applied to the wall, and work has to be finished completely before the section dries. Ed pasted together sheets of fine Whatman watercolour paper until he had the size that suited the painting which was already a fait accompli in his head, or 'minds eye'. He always worked sitting down with the paper flat on a table. […] Next, he drew in pencil as much as he could conveniently reach, using very little shading or indication of what was to be dark, and what light. Then he painted, using small plates or clam shells to contain the colours, and a large plate to mix a bit on - though he seldom seemed to mix much. I once had the courage to ask him what liquid he mostly used (he had a jar of water to clean his brushes, of which he had far less than most painters I've known) and he looked up at me sideways with the inimitable Edwardian leer, and said 'spit'. Once one knows that, it is easy to see why his rendition is so deep, opaque, more like egg-tempera. Section by section he finished the painting, never retouching or changing in any way the already completed part to adjust it differently to the latest part he was working on. Et voila! Finished! "

For more about Burra's technique see the monograph 'Edward Burra' by Simon Martin, published by Lund Humphries, 2011. There is a link to this book in the related links section, but you may want to check your library. There is a major exhibition of his work at Pallant House Gallery, website also linked below.