In the Jean Haines book, she says she uses Saunders Waterford 300# rough paper a lot - I don't have that and wanted to get right into playing and trying out the exercises in the book so...
I had a problem with the paper not wetting enough or staying wet long enough because its Arches 300# hot press paper (eighth sheets).
Oh, well. Will try it again on 140# or 300# rough when I get some. Just ordered a few sheets of 300# cold press from Plaza Art Supply in Cincinnati. (If you are in the local Cincinnati area, they are having a sale = 60-70% off a lot of things until October 6, I think.
Haines paints very lightly, too, and I'm putting down a lot of pigment on my paper - perhaps need a bit less in the first go-round. All of these are done without drawing (as she does all her work, I think). However, I'd like to go in once and leave it, so I don't really mind that my starts are much darker and richer than her starts.
These are just studies/practice pieces so I'm using both sides of the paper and won't do anything more with these. (Don't copy artists work from their books or from a workshop and then sell it as your own!!)
So far, I am liking the book, but find fault with a couple of things.
Anytime anyone tells me to NEVER do something, I think, "Why? Just because that's your opinion?" So she tells us never to use black or brown in watercolor painting. I know artists who use both - and quite well - so that's just her opinion.
She also claims she "discovered" the technique using cling wrap + salt together. Hmmm....since I've seen the cling wrap thing going around for years and the salting your painting while wet going around for years, too, I kind of doubt that she discovered that. But then, discovered for herself after it had been around a few decades = I guess that could be what she means.
I don't think the book is for absolute beginners - they may be lost and not understand the way she lays down her colors on the paper and how wet she gets her pigments so they run and merge together on the paper. But if you've been painting a while, you'll like this (especially if you want to try to loosen up a bit). She has an older book out and a DVD - might get the DVD sometime.
If you like wet-in-wet (although Haines paints wet on dry paper), and juicy loose styles, you'll like Ewa Karpinski's book, too (she just has the one book out although I can't remember the name right now.) I have it and it's lovely with lots of exercises and fun things and information. I really love wet-in-wet watercolor painting and want to keep trying to get closer to that than where I am right now. (We all want to change, don't we? Less weight, more money, looser watercolors, better clothes, healthier bodies, etc.! I guess it's human to want something more...)
I had a problem with the paper not wetting enough or staying wet long enough because its Arches 300# hot press paper (eighth sheets).
Oh, well. Will try it again on 140# or 300# rough when I get some. Just ordered a few sheets of 300# cold press from Plaza Art Supply in Cincinnati. (If you are in the local Cincinnati area, they are having a sale = 60-70% off a lot of things until October 6, I think.
Haines paints very lightly, too, and I'm putting down a lot of pigment on my paper - perhaps need a bit less in the first go-round. All of these are done without drawing (as she does all her work, I think). However, I'd like to go in once and leave it, so I don't really mind that my starts are much darker and richer than her starts.
These are just studies/practice pieces so I'm using both sides of the paper and won't do anything more with these. (Don't copy artists work from their books or from a workshop and then sell it as your own!!)
So far, I am liking the book, but find fault with a couple of things.
Anytime anyone tells me to NEVER do something, I think, "Why? Just because that's your opinion?" So she tells us never to use black or brown in watercolor painting. I know artists who use both - and quite well - so that's just her opinion.
She also claims she "discovered" the technique using cling wrap + salt together. Hmmm....since I've seen the cling wrap thing going around for years and the salting your painting while wet going around for years, too, I kind of doubt that she discovered that. But then, discovered for herself after it had been around a few decades = I guess that could be what she means.
I don't think the book is for absolute beginners - they may be lost and not understand the way she lays down her colors on the paper and how wet she gets her pigments so they run and merge together on the paper. But if you've been painting a while, you'll like this (especially if you want to try to loosen up a bit). She has an older book out and a DVD - might get the DVD sometime.
If you like wet-in-wet (although Haines paints wet on dry paper), and juicy loose styles, you'll like Ewa Karpinski's book, too (she just has the one book out although I can't remember the name right now.) I have it and it's lovely with lots of exercises and fun things and information. I really love wet-in-wet watercolor painting and want to keep trying to get closer to that than where I am right now. (We all want to change, don't we? Less weight, more money, looser watercolors, better clothes, healthier bodies, etc.! I guess it's human to want something more...)
8 comments:
I so love that top landscape, Rhonda. The trees on the right side are so dreamy!
Thanks, Sherry, that's my favorite part, too :)
Rhonda - I think both of these studies look wonderful. It is fun to do wet into wet painting but it does seem harder to be sure what kind of outcome you will get. Who am I kidding even painting wet on dry doesn't always yield good results either (LOL)! I have read that book by Eva but I can't remember it either (see great minds think alike). What I love about all this though is your generous spirit in sharing your experiments and honest thoughts. Thank you friend.
Thank you so much, Debbie. You are too kind! I know Ewa's last name begins with a K and I should just go and get the book from my art room, but I'm answering emails right now so maybe later! ha ha
That landscape is very beautiful, Rhonda. The colors you used are in a perfect concordance.
Thanks so much, PS :) Hope you are having a wonderful autumn week.
I like what you're doing. And I agree totally with what you said about artists saying "never" do something or use a particular paint.
I've seen artists say never use black, never use brown, never use white, you must stretch the paper before you use it.
For me...it's whatever works to achieve what you want.
I agree, Carol. I used to believe all that "never" stuff but make up my own mind more now.
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