Monday, October 7, 2013

TRYING THE ACRYLIC INK + WATERCOLOR TECHNIQUE

Barbara Sailor gave a demonstration last week to our local watercolor society and everyone enjoyed it.  I think several of the members are going to try this - and I wanted to try it, too.  

So - here's what I've done so far...





First, I picked a photo (I hope this one works out.  Barb usually works with photos that have a limited palette in the same family - like green hostas or pink peonies.)



Then I drew it out on tracing paper and traced my drawing onto the watercolor paper with graphite paper behind my tracing paper.  



Once the drawing was on the watercolor paper (140# cold press Fabriano), I got out the Pebeo Drawing Gum (which Barb uses, too) and drew around areas with the drawing gum using a wooden skewer.  My drawing gum was a bit gummy but since this was just a trial painting, I used it anyway.  

I made sure the drawing gum was dry before taking out the acrylic inks (using one red, one yellow, one blue and a sap green).  I put some water in the bottom of glass jars and then dropped in acrylic ink from the bottles, thinning the ink even more.  (This is how Barb does it, thinning the ink and not using it straight from the bottle.)













The next step was to take a large wash brush and wet the paper completely, going over it a few times to get it really soaking wet.  Then using the acrylic ink + water mixes, I dropped the color on in places, not really keeping within boundaries but putting the color where I wanted it, based on the photo.

After the paper is dry, I will go in with watercolor paints only and paint over the base coat and colors.  That's next - and I'll show that later...

So come back later and see if this works using this color palette.

Go over to Barb's blog to see the painting she began at the meeting and finished beautifully!!!  WOW!






7 comments:

Carol Blackburn said...

It looks very interesting Rhonda.

mimi boothby said...

where is Barb's blog?

Mimi Boothby said...

I am really having trouble leaving a comment on your blog. I can't read the letters very well that want me to prove i am not a robot. This is my third try.

I have no idea where Barb's blog is either.

Autumn Leaves said...

Can't wait to see how this comes out, Rhonda. Looks awesome so far...!

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Oh so yummy, this technique stuff! You rock!

Debbie Nolan said...

Rhonda - this looks like so much fun...must give this a try - isn't it nice to have some new technique to do to get the creative juices flowing? Hope you have a wonderful day.

RH Carpenter said...

Carol, it is a different technique - can never have too many of those in your toolbox, even if it's not something you'd use all the time :)

Mimi, click on the link (on Barb's name in the first sentence) and it will take you to Barb's blog.

Sherry, didn't have a chance to work more on it yet - class time and a demo intervened - but will return with the watercolor to finish it soon.

Pam, I'm just doing what I'm learning from others but thanks :)

Debbie, do give it a try if you have a few acrylic inks around, and see what you think.