Mark Stewart Watercolor Forum

littlekeylime · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 6

I know the answer is going to be different for everyone, but once I tried to do watercolor, I got really frustrated. In school, every art project came easily to me and I was happy with the results, but since I've tried to learn watercolor (in my thirties), my art looks like an infant did it! I'm just wondering how long it takes to get better, or notice improvement, and what's the best way to learn? I study other works and what puzzles me the most is where the artist started. I can usually see a wash in the background, but never know where to go from there...

Just sending a request for help out from a watercolor newbie!

Thanks for any tips!

tazz · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

littlekeylime - change and improvement comes in fits and starts(it's somewhat unpredictable), but it is more akin to a marathon than a sprint. I began experimenting with watercolor in 1976. No one taught me I just studied paintings and read books. I think it is important initially to understand how to apply washes and how they will react with each other . . . don't be afraid to make lots of mistakes. Attached is a small 7"x9" watercolor I did in 1978 or 79 when I was learning the wash process. The lighter washes were applied first and allowed to dry . . . somewhat, and then the darker colors were added. The darker passages of reds and blues were applied applied after the initial light washes and were mixed directly on the paper - allowing some accidents to happen. The painting is a landscape of an area around Hempstead, Texas.

littlekeylime · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 6

Thanks, Tazz! I love your picture. Especially how the blues and reds blend. Excuse me for being really thick here! But what would you call the light washes? The blue in the sky and the super light sand color? Then did you put in the darker mid-range sand wash? Sorry, I'm just really excited to get some help!

tazz · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

The following image was done during the same time period. I had learned how to tone down my colors to be more in line with reality and to tighten up a bit and make trees look more like trees, the road looks more like a road and some architectural detail occurs at the top of the hill. What's important to keep in mind is that the process of paint application, which looks much free-er in the "Rolling Hills" painting, informed me in the "Farm Up the Hill" piece. The same basic painting process - lighter washes first applied freely, then apply the darks, then the details - is still the same process, but the style is evolving even during the period of a year. It just takes steady practice and a willingness to experiment and make mistakes (and not worry about them!).

tazz · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

littlekeylime - applying additional color into a lighter wash that hasn't dried yet can be fun - or a diseaster. I will frequently apply a light wash and then apply other color before the first wash is dry. With practice and experience you can develop a feel for how to do that. It will add variation to the washes which adds visual interestto the painting, but more importantly is more like reality. If you study a real setting and squint your eyes (fuzzing up a lot of the details) you will see a broad array of tonal variations in the setting you're observing, and responding to these variations in the painting makes it more successful.

littlekeylime · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 6

Squinting my eyes is a wonderful idea! I hadn't thought of that...I have tried to add color to a wash, but it must have been too dry because I got sharp edges and it wrecked the whole effect I was going for...can I ask, when you apply areas of color in wet on wet, what sort of brush do you use? I bought a nice $50.00 round sable (12) today by accident (was in the wrong bin) but decided to keep it. It holds a TON of water, but I still haven't mastered how to apply the colors without hard edges showing up...

I'm embarrassed to be asking such simpleton questions, but really appreciate your advice...I've taken a class and watched dvd's for instruction, but I think I've got to just learn most of it on my own by trial and error, like you said. I've still got to work on not being afraid, as I'm terrified I'm going to waste paper and paint on lousy work!

Michelle
Littlekeylime

tazz · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

I've attached a picture of my work area (the main table only). Your #12 round sable brush is great for big areas of wash on large 22"x30" sheets of paper - but I think it's too big for most smaller pictures in the 12"x16" range or smaller - but don't throw it away. In the picture you can see my three primary brushes to the left of the small painting I was working on. They are . . . a 30 year old 1" flat horse hair, a Series 7 Winsor & Newton #8 round red sable, and a small #3 or #4 red sable. I buy large 22"x30" Arches paper sheets and cut them to size. I usually staple the paper to a thin wood panel (like masonite) to help the paper stay flat when I get it fully soaked.

The initial washes are usually performed with the large flat brush. After the first wash is applied and allowed to dry from wet to damp, I wll then introduce other colors as needed - usually with the 1" flat or the #8 round. This application usually has to contain more color than water because it will feather and bleed into the first wash and loose intensity as it begins to dry.

When I started painting 30 years ago, I too was afraid of wasting paper. What I suggest doing is to by 22"x30" - 90 lb sheets of paper (I recommend Fabriano, Arches or Winsor & Newton) and cut the sheets into 6 or 8 smaller pieces and experiment in the small format. You will feel free-er to experiment and make mistakes. Once you blow 3 or 4 of them - let them completely dry and turn them over and practice some more on the back side. I have many many paintings that have been sold and the owners aren't aware that there is another painting on the back side. Once you gain some confidence you can cut larger sheets and work in a larger format. The little painting that you see in the attached picture is only about 6" x 8" and I painted it loose - meaning that I didn't fasten the paper to anything . . . I just laid it on the table and started painting.

I also keep a scrap piece of watercolor paper handy to perform experimental strokes before applying it to the real painting. For instance . . . if I have an initial wash that's almost dry and I want to apply some other color, I will dip my #8 in the color and test my stroke on the adjacent scrap paper to see how it feels before I apply it to the actual painting. Sometimes I "feel" that the brush may be too loaded with color and the "test" stroke allows me to eliminate some of it before placing it into the painting. If you don't have any scrap watercolor paper . . . almost any paper will do - like a paper towel or a piece of ordinary typing paper. Hope this is helpful.

littlekeylime · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 6

Thank you. Your advice is extremely helpful. Cutting the paper down to size is a great idea. Much less stressful. In one of my classes, the instructor had us just use a size 14 for our entire painting, so I learned very little about brushes. Very disappointing. Is there any special care needed for the expensive sables?

Looking at your last picture, did you do any masking on it? And do you stretch your paper before stapling it to the masonite or just staple it dry...? I was also told that it isn't necessary to stretch the paper, but I don't like it when mine buckles. Makes it difficult to paint...

Are there any books you recommend for a beginner?

Thanks again...

tazz · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 10

The only books that I can recommend are books about actual artists in history, and you could go to any museum book store (Barns and Noble is usually thin on stocks in this category) and find some about the art of Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, John Sargent, Andrew Wyeth. Charles Ried is also a very good contemporary painter and he has a number of instructional books that you might find interesting. Most of these things can be purchased on Amazon.com. The very best thing is to see actual art, so watch for exhibits in your area or scope out exhibits that exist in places to which you are traveling.

Care for sable brushes - just rense out all the color each time you finish a painting session. Letting them dry with color in them will make them stiff to use the next time and I believe that warming up a stiff brush will weaken the hair, causing it to break off prematurely.

I used to stretch the paper before attaching it to masonite - but now I just lay it down and staple it loose. I'm not bothered by the rippling of the paper.

I've never used any friskit to mask off areas that I want to leave light or white. It sometimes takes a great deal of patience, but I simply work around the areas that I want to leave light. The problem with doing this is that working around the reserved lights with multiple washes sometimes creates an overworked edge bordering the light area - which can be distracting. My solution is to apply the dark wash(which defines the outline around the reserved light) with as dark a wash as I can. This will force me to be bold and quick . . . which can really make the painting work . . . or totally mess it up. Here again one must not be afraid to make mistakes. Developing a skillful hand is improtant for a painter and learning how to work around the reserved lights will certainly develop that skill and will make you a better painter in the long run.