Watercolor 101 | Paint

Welcome to watercolor 101! Today is all about watercolor paint. 

Watercolor is an aqueous medium which means the paint is 
water based and activated by water.

Contrary to what you may think, 
it is fairly easy to work with and very easy to clean up. 
I recommend that you buy the best that you can when 
selecting any of your materials. Having great materials 
to start with makes all the difference in the world.

I like to use tube watercolor paint. 
I buy the smallest tubes because the binder, gum arabic, 

will separate with age. The paint will cake up 
and be impossible to extrude if it's really old,

so I prefer to squeeze as much as I can into the wells 
of my palette where it will be used up. 

A bit of rudimentary advice: squeeze and roll the paint 
from the bottom of the tube. 

If you've gone to the trouble of buying really good paint, 
you won't want to waste a drop. 

There are so many great brands of paint to choose from. 

I use good old fashioned Winsor & Newton artist grade 
watercolor paint. My metallic colors are Winsor & Newton 
artist grade gouache, an opaque watercolor. 

Artist grade paints contain a full pigment load and 
therefore produce a rich, brilliant color. 

There is usually a greater palette of colors 
to choose from as well.

Which colors to buy? 
My palette is an evolution of color and changes all the time. 

Choose colors that you like to work with and 
remember you can mix and blend many more colors 

and soften or intensify them with more or less water. 
Listed below are some colors I often work with: 

deep yellow, yellow ochre, brown ochre, burnt sienna, 
sepia, burnt umber, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, 
neutral tint, payne's gray, mars black, chinese white, 
olive green, hooker's green, sap green, cerulean blue, 
phthalo turquoise, prussian blue, silver and gold gouache.

My palette is a John Pike palette. 
I've had it for over twenty years and it has served me well. 

It has large paint wells with a slightly beveled edge 
which helps to keep the paint contained. It also features a large mixing area which is perfect for blending colors and creating washes. It comes with a storage lid that also serves a secondary palette. Every once in a while I soak my palette in water and 

thoroughly clean out the wells of old paint.

 For day to day care, I simply wipe the mixing area clean 
with a damp rag,add a big drop of water to each paint well 
to soften the paint and I'm ready to work.

Here are a few places to shop for watercolor supplies:

Dick Blick, Pearl Paint, Utrecht, Daniel Smith

Do you have any questions about watercolor paints and palettes? 

I really encourage you to experiment and see what works for you! 

Next week 101 is all about brushes.

Watercolor 101 | Paper

Paper is your foundation for painting and as with your paints and brushes,
great materials are a must. Most watercolor papers are mouldmade papers
manufactured from pure cotton rag,which is a naturally binding,
archival and absorbent material that makes a great sheet of paper.
Watercolor paper is finished with gelatin sizing which further binds the cotton fibers
together and helps to stiffen the paper so that when you paint with water,
the sizing moderates the absorption and the paper doesn't
fall apart while you are working. Arches is my favorite brand of watercolor paper.
 I love it. It's like butter! That said, there are so many great makers of paper
as well as some very fine boutique handmade papers too.
Try different papers and find what works for you.

***
There are three basic surface finishes:
Hot press paper has a very fine, smooth finish and cold press paper has
a textured surface, sometimes referred to as the grain or tooth.
Rough is a very grainy paper with a lot of tooth. The choice is yours.

What does the weight mean? For the purpose of painting, you need only know
that the higher the weight, the thicker and more substantial the paper will be.
Paper is measured in pounds per ream or grams per meter.
A typical ream of paper is about 500 sheets of paper and sometimes more,
so the weight actually refers to the how much the entire ream weighs.
Watercolor paper comes in several weights, the most common being: 90, 140, 300 Lb.
A 300 Lb. paper is considered a heavy weight paper and
it is very resilient to water saturation, holding its shape well.
It is ideal for larger work, however it is also very costly per sheet.
***

I prefer to use large individual sheets of paper which I order in bulk.

I also use watercolor paper blocks from time to time,
the blocks come in a variety of weights, finishes and sizes.
A block is a stack of pre-cut paper sheets, gummed or bound on the edge with tape,
which holds the sheets together and prevents the paper from cockling as you work.
After you are finished working and your painting is dry,
peel the paper from the block,and voila!
A fresh new sheet of paper is underneath.
***

Cockled paper occurs from saturating paper with water and paint.
Sometimes the paper dries unevenly causing everything from slight warping
to a very puckered and buckled paper surface. It is not a flaw.
It is simply a part of working with the medium and I think it has a certain charm.
However, too much cockling can be distracting from the painting itself and
 you can avoid much of it by using a high quality, heavy weight, properly sized
watercolor paper or stretching your paper before painting.
Personally, I prefer to use a heavy weight paper and
avoid the extra work and preparation.
Let me know if you have any question!

Here are a few places to shop for watercolor paper:

Dick Blick, Pearl Paint, Utrecht, Daniel Smith, New York Central Art Supply

Next time 101 is all about washes.

Watercolor 101 | Wash and Wait

So, you've assembled your materials.
Paint? check. Brushes? check. Paper? check. Water? check.
It's time to dive in with a little painterly exercise to get comfortable with watercolor.
Today is all about washes, which are essentially transparent glazes or
layers that you can build upon to create your paintings.

Honestly, I don't consciously think about what I'm doing when I'm painting.

I'm not pondering what type of washes to make, for me, painting is an intuitive process.

However, I wanted you to see what different washes look like and how to achieve them.

I would recommend using a large brush to paint washes. A round, oval or mop brush will do.
Get a stack of paper, lots of water and mix up a big soupy pool of paint on your palette.
Choose a color that you love. Remember to use enough paint so that you have a nice rich color.
Don't be afraid of the water, this is watercolor after all!

Flat Wash

Charge you brush by rolling and swirling it through your paint until it's loaded up sufficiently.
Prop you paper on an ever so slight angle and create horizontal strokes across the paper,
the paint will naturally flow downward and pool or bead along the bottom edge.
Repeat each stroke across pulling that bead into your next brush stroke.
Recharge your brush with more paint when necessary and keep repeating until you have
created a large rectangle. Try not to go over the same area twice.
Wick away that last bead of paint by blotting your brush dry and drawing off
the excess paint so that it doesn't backwash. Set your paper down and let it dry.
You should have a fairly even, flat wash covering your paper.

Graded Wash

Mix a slightly deeper, darker color on your palette.
Charge you brush by rolling and swirling it through your paint until it's loaded up sufficiently.
Prop you paper on an ever so slight angle and create a horizontal stroke across the paper,

the paint will naturally flow downward and pool or bead along the bottom edge.

Don't add more paint. Instead, dip your brush into clean water each time you stroke across the paper.

Adding water naturally dilutes the intensity of the color and creates a graded wash. 

The watercolor will flow downward from dark to light.

Again, wick away that last bead of paint by blotting your brush dry and drawing off

the excess paint so that it doesn't backwash. Set your paper down and let it dry.

Wet into Wet Wash

Follow the steps from the flat wash above.
While the paper is still wet, disperse the same color or introduce new colors
randomly into the wet paint and let it the paint flow in all directions.
Soft, billowing washes are created this way.
Set your paper down and let it dry.

Dispersed Wash

The dispersed wash is very similar to the wet into wet wash,
only you start with clean, clear water washed over your paper.
When the paper is very wet with clear water, flow random strokes of paint into it.
Let the paint swirl, blend, and disperse in all directions.
Tip and move the paper around to further blend the paint.
When you like what you see, set it down to dry.

***
 Wait for your washes to dry. I can't stress this enough.

If you don't wait with watercolor, you will often be faced with a murky, muddy mess.
Knowing when to stop gets easier as you get more comfortable with the medium.
Less is always more with watercolor. So my advice is to wash and wait.

These basic washes can be combined and layered, so have fun experimenting!
 If you have anything to add or have questions about washes, do post comments below.
Next time 101 is all about mark making and brush strokes.

Watercolor 101 | Brushes

Brushes are your tools for painting.

 Using the best quality brushes will yield better results. 

So, how do you choose? Your selection will be made by these four factors:

medium, material used to make the brush, shape and size.

First, you need watercolor brushes. 

Oil, acrylic and craft brushes are made for a 
different purpose and are not suitable for watercolor. 
I prefer to use kolinsky red sable brushes made from 
the soft tail hairs of the siberian weasel. 
They are expensive brushes but well worth it because 
the natural coat and taper of the hairs holds the paint 
really well and they maintain their shape 
and point much longer with proper care.

If you prefer not to use animal hair 
or would like more economical brushes,there are 
wonderful synthetic watercolor brushes 
that you can use as well.

Brushes come in all different shapes and sizes. 

You will want to be able to make a variety of marks 
from very large washes to fine little details. 
Brushes are numbered to correspond with size 
from small to large. Every brand is slightly different.

Honestly, you really only need five brushes to get started.

It's nice to have more, but they are not necessary 
and you can always add to your collection. 
I would recommend starting with one large round or 
oval brush for big washes, one large or medium flat brush 
for washes and painting a straight edge,
one medium pointed round and one small pointed round 
for finer brush strokes,and a rigger or liner brush, 
which makes a beautiful fine line.
The rigger is my favorite brush. 
I have them in several sizes. 

Every brush has this basic anatomy: 
a handle, a ferrule, and a brush head.

When looking for a brush, these three parts should fit 
tightly and seamlessly together. A new sable brush head 
will be stiffened with gum arabic to hold its shape

and it will need to be rinsed in cool water before using it 
for the first time.The hairs should not appear 
misshapen, frayed, split or crooked.

With proper care your brushes will last a long time.
I have ruined quite a few brushes over the years 
and my dog has chewed a few handles much to my dismay 
(see the picture above).
Here are a few tips for keeping your brushes in good condition:

Don't use your brushes for anything but watercolor paint.

When you are working, gently mix your paint by swirling 
and rolling the brush through it, don't smash the tip 
into the paint or it will quickly fray and lose its shape. 

Don't leave your brushes soaking in water as this will 
loosen the handle and ferrule, not to mention 
that the brush head will become misshapen.

I rest my brushes on a little rolled up rag next 
to my palette while I am working.

Rinse your brushes in cool water when you are finished 
painting for the day. Remove paint residue from the brush 
and ferrule and tease out any loose hairs. Pat dry and 
reshape the tips of your brushes with your fingers.

Store your brushes in a container or rest them on a 
ledge or in a brush holder so that the brush heads 
are not resting against or touching any surface.

You can also use a brush soap or a very mild soap 
to thoroughly clean your brushes, but you don't want 
to strip the oils from the natural brushes 
by doing this too often.Synthetic brushes are less 
fragile and a little easier to clean.

Places to shop for watercolor brushes:

Dick Blick, Pearl Paint, Utrecht, Daniel Smith

Do you have any questions about watercolor brushes?

Experiment and see what works for you! 

Next time 101 is all about paper.

Watercolor 101 | The Way I See It

Every painting I create is different. I work one way for a while, for months, 

maybe years and then one day things just shift a little or sometimes a lot. 

Quite honestly the change is not always a seamless transition. I don't know why. 

Sometimes it's the subject matter or the materials that dictate working a certain way.

Maybe I get bored and it is simply time for something new. 

All I know for sure is that it keeps things interesting and keeps me from becoming stagnant. 

The way I see it is that you have to be an explorer and follow the visual tangents. 

So many of you asked questions about how I work,
and I thought I would try to reply to some of them today. 
As you read my answers, there are always exceptions and 
while I may work one way today I could very 
easily approach things differently tomorrow.

***

Do you have a sketchbook? 

Yes, I keep a sketchbook, but I have to admit that I do not use it very often. 

I draw in it, paint in it, paste into it and save fragments of torn up paintings in it. 

Yes, I tear up a lot of paintings. All the time. You should see my shredder. It's very colorful.

Do you paint from life, photos or both? Where do you find inspiration?

Sometimes I paint from life, create a little still life from bits of nature that I have gathered. 

I take lots of pictures as you know, but I don't often work from them directly, they just inspire. 

I gather snippets of inspiration from everywhere. I love patterns and color, 

vintage field guides and herbariums. I visit museums. I love pop culture and fashion. 
I read a lot. Words tend to inspire images the most for me. 

All of these things get jumbled in my head and influence my paintings. 

I'm obsessed with pinterest right now and arrange all of my pins by color.

Do you sketch with pencil under your paintings?

No, not usually. Every once in a while. I usually just go for it. 

I let the washes take me in a direction. I sometimes don't know what the painting is going to be. 
Sometimes I know precisely what I want to do, but watercolor isn't an exact medium, 

so things hardly ever turn out as planned! Working spontaneously keeps things fresh 

and in the moment. That said, I will be drafting a bit more for surface pattern designs 

I am working on right now, so it depends on the project too.

Please tell us about your calligraphy. Does the typeface have a name?

I just love calligraphy, lettering and handwriting and like to incorporate it into my work, 

Old letters and ledgers with elegant penmanship make me swoon. 

My lettering is done with a dipping pen, black ink, and quill type pen nib. 

It's not a particular typeface, just my handwriting which is slightly exaggerated. 

It's not true calligraphy at all. I'm also left handed, so If I can do it, anyone can. 

Changing the angle and the pressure creates beautiful lines and 

makes any old handwriting quite pretty, I think.

I hope this watercolor series has been helpful.

Don't be afraid to take risks and make mistakes. Enjoy your adventures with watercolor!

Please post any questions you have below.

Watercolor 101 | Make Your Mark

It's time to get out your brushes and make your mark!
Gather up an assortment of shapes and sizes and mix up a big wash of soupy paint.

Load up your brush with paint and use the whole brush from tip to base and stamp with it.
Each brush will naturally create a different mark due to its unique shape and size.

Practice making strokes with your brush.
Start with the stamping action and then draw your brush in random directions.

Make short strokes, long strokes and swirling strokes.

Create calligraphic lines by change the pressure on your brush.
Start with a light hand and just use the tip of your brush,
then add weight and pressure to change the width of your line.
Lift the pressure off your brush to make a thinner, finer line.

Note the difference in the marks you can make by working with a dry or wet brush.
With a dry brush the bristles splay out and separate, creating a textured mark.
A wet brush will create a more even flowing brush stroke.

Paint simple shapes and forms in both positive and negative.
Try different brushes, layer your brush strokes and add in washes.
I'm sure you will come up with your very own marvelous combinations!
If you have any questions post them below.

Ask Me

I'm often asked about my watercolors, the materials I use and how to use them.
I'm thinking of starting a little Watercolor 101 series here in my drawing room.
Here are some ideas: paint, paper, palette, brushes, how-to techniques,
where to buy art supplies, care - best practices, framing and display.
Whether you are an artist, collector, just having fun or simply curious,
is there something that you would like to know? Ask me.

Watercolor 101 | Be Fearless

It would be easy for me to say,
"Follow steps one through ten and voila! You have a painting!"

Only paint by numbers works like that. I can share the basics but the rest is in your hands.

You have to fearlessly jump in and start somewhere.
I'm doing just that with a series of new paintings.

Actually, these are not watercolors. I'm using gouache and only gouache.
I've never done this before.

The paint is so rich and saturated with pigment. It feels different to me.

I have a brand new palette of  bright, bold colors and I'm just diving in.

Looking through some old painting notes, I had scrawled the words: paradise and parrots.

It was enough to get me started. I still love my soft greys and muted palette,

but I wanted to step away from my go-to colors and try something new.

I have no idea if these paintings will fully develop into something.

I'm not in any rush. I'm just enjoying the journey.

I hope you will too!