BEGINNING A VERY WET ON WET LOOSE PAINTING

The following reference is one found on Pinterest by someone else. I wish I could give credits to the artist, but I don't know who it is. 

So the request was to do some kind of very loose painting, similar to this. I felt the best way to start was very wet.

So items needed: paper and paint (I have a gift for the obvious)

A piece of glass, or plexiglas, or cookies sheet or gator board, something non-porous a little larger than your paper;

a towel or something to catch dripping paint

large brush (good opportunity to use you mop or quill)

PART I

Step One: spatter some miskit and let it dry

Step Two: Wet (Soak) both sides of the paper, either by spraying or running under water

Set it on your plexiglas or board. It will stick all by itself. 

(the purpose of the board is to support the wet paper while you are working on it)

Step Three: Mix three paint colors for your base. I used Turners Indigo, Indian Yellow, and Coral. 

I sort of wish I'd used a blue and a yellow that made prettier green, but this is what I used on this one. 

Step Four: With a large brush, start at the top and add color. I started with blue, added some yellows, then some reds, and a few spots of purple on the bottom. I had the board on a slight SLANT to allow the paint to move downward. I picked up the board and moved it sideways to make the paint move a different way. This part is probably the most fun, just allowing the colors to run and blend. You can also use a pipette to drizzle some more color. If color looks too blobby (I'm sure that's a technical term) use your spray bottle to move the paint.

The towel (Or I use a "doggie diaper") is there to soak up any drips in this first phase.

When you are happy with the blend of colors, set the painting flat to dry.  Because the paper is soaking wet, it will take a lot of time to dry. 

If you want to speed up the drying process, lift the paper off the board and hair dry BOTH SIDES of the paper. 

PART II

When the paper is completely dry, think about how you want to compose you painting. The first time I did this, as in the sample painting, I was sort of copying the general idea, keeping the horizon high, as if you are looking up a hill. In this one, I wanted to change thing a little with a lower horizon line.

I rewet the the top of my paper where I want to put some distant tree (or other objects, like hills,etc.).

So to keep something distant you use 4 ways. Things in the distance are COOLER, LESS DETAILED, SOFTER EDGED, and LESS SATURATED IN COLOR (grayed down).

So I added some trees in the distance with some purples and blues. I actually worked upside down so that the "trees" would run down the page a bit. (The purple I used was cobalt violet). Then that has to dry. 

Below is my first try with this picture. You can see I kept it looking as if you are looking up a hill. Those purple trees in the background were the first things I added after the initial wash had dried.

I will show the finishing process next week, but will just give a basic summary here.

I paid attention to those subtle lines that criss cross down the hill, gradually getting farther apart, giving you a feeling that there is a trail getting more distant as it goes up the hill. I lightly penciled in those lines, or trails if you will.

After painting in the purple background, I wet the area at the top of the hill about 3 inches up, and applied pthalo blues and yellows to creat some greens, some blues. Notice they are more hard edged now, especially where they meet the ground, and a a bit softer on top, but not as soft as the background purple trees.

I 

One at a time I wet the crisscrossing lines and dropped in color to create the feeling of rolling hills. I was still using pthalo and yellow for greens, adding some magenta here and there. When all that was dry, I brushed in some grassy stems with a small brush and did some spattering of magenta an purple.

On the one above I did not save any whites with miskit, which I regretted later. 

TO GRID OR NOT TO GRID....

GRIDDING A DRAWING

Before going into the WHY of gridding, I'm just going to walk through how I do it.

Gridding is a way of copying, enlarging, or shrinking an image, usually a photograph. I am inherently lazy, so it cost me some time to figure out how to save myself time. I created grids of different sizes (you can download patterns from different web sites, but I created mine on Xcel.) I printed them on overhead projector transparencies. (These can only be printed on one side, and most only on an inkjet printer. Can even print in color)

These transparencies make it so I don't have to hand draw new grids every single time I need one. I can place the small grid over the image I want to enlarge or examine. 

Then I tape TRACING PAPER over the larger grid and draw directly on the tracing paper.

After I have finished the drawing, making whatever changes I want, I will then transfer it to my watercolor paper, either with saral, or, more likely, with my light box.

OTHER WAYS TO USE IT

You CAN grid a still life or something you are drawing from life.  I tape the grid to a piece of plexiglas and prop it in front of me so I can see the object. Trying to photograph the transparency/plexiglas/flower was a bit much for my camera, so it's blurry. 

Below you can see my grid on the plexiglas, then the vase behind it. This helps me get proportions and placement of petals more correct. 

In addition to making transprencies, you can also just print out grids and draw straight on them, any size you want. If you want to, you can take your photograph, make a copy, then run it through the printer again, printing a grid on top of it. (if you are not trying to preserve that photo)

Lots of ways to make it easier for yourself.

TO BE HONEST: I mostly save gridding for two things: portraits that have to be totally accurate; and checking my own work for correct angles, comparing sizes and shapes on my drawing to my reference, or getting correct perspective when drawing from life. (Ex: in class we checked the head of a bird by laying a grid over it and noticed it wasn't the correct shape.) Also if the pattern is super complex, and it has to be accurate.

There is something about looking at your picture through squares that helps you see better. Or is that just my brain?

WHY GRID INSTEAD OF JUST ENLARGING YOUR PHOTO?

Most of the time, especially if I'm in a hurry and accuracy is not necessary, I do that. No shame in that, especially if it is my photo and I've made my own adjustments to the composition. However, gridding forces you to really look at the details and nuances in a picture. If you trace, you are likely to trace the shadow of something rather than the object. On a tree, no big deal. On someone's face, it is. Also, in tracing, you are more likely to trace everything, important or not. Gridding makes you make decisions about what you really want in that composition.  

It is also making you DRAW. It will make you better at seeing, comparing, and drawing. So I don't promote one or the other, but if your goal is to draw better, gridding is a good way to start.

BEE PAPER REVIEW

LOOKING FOR A LESS EXPENSIVE PAPER ALTERNATIVE FOR "PRACTICE"

I've spent some time looking at different reviews of different papers, hoping to find SOMETHING that students can use "just for practice" or "just for color testing." I am hooked on using the best, and get frustrated when using other papers. But I understand the cost of good cotton rag paper can be daunting. So I continue to look for a paper that will give a good watercolor experience without breaking the bank. I've been reading about Bee paper, and decided to give it a try.

Below are some of the results of my trials.

This Bee paper is 140 pound, 100% cotton rag, and is archival, so that was a promising start. I ordered a pack of 50  6" by 9" sheets from Amazon Prime for $13.99, the same price as a 12-sheet pad of Arches 9 x 12. (So you get about double the amount of paper). It does come in 22 x 30 sheets, but I have not tried that yet, for reasons I'll get into.

I tested for eight different qualities that I ask for in a paper:

1. How smoothly does the paint flow onto the paper?

2. Can I do wet-into-wet techniques?

3. Does it lift well, without tearing or pilling?

4. Can I use glazing techniques?

5. Can I do large, smooth washes?

6. Will it take masking fluid or tape?

7. Does the color blend cleanly on the paper?

8. How much does it warp or buckle? 

POSITIVES:

I did like how the brush felt on the paper, and I could do some wet-into-wet IF it was not over a large area. Flowers worked nicely. I had no problem glazing - although I only tried three layers. I think the colors looked clean and vibrant on the paper. I like the SMOOTH texture of the paper. It also is a very SOFT paper. 

NEGATIVES:

I didn't get smooth washes over a LARGE area. (which is why I didn't get a larger size to try). 

When I tried lifting, the paper tends to "pill" up, even though I use a very soft lifting brush. It was better when I used lifting prep on the paper. It won't take a lot of punishment . I tried blue painters tape, and it came off fine without tearing, but it did not like masking fluid. Maybe it was the brand. Also, you can only paint on ONE SIDE. The other, smoother side is streaky and doesn't absorb the paint as well. It is advertised as 140 pound, but it doesn't feel as substantial as, say Arches, Frabriano Artistico, or Heritage. It seems to absorb the paint a little faster, so it's hard to soften an edge. 

WOULD I RECOMMEND BEE?

Actually, I'd say yes to that if it suits the way you paint. I think it's fine for making cards (I still haven't tested it in a printer) and small paintings that don't take a lot of punishment. You have pretty good control over the paint. You could also use it with water color pencil or pen and ink, since the paper is smoother than many. It would be a handy size for making sample pages of paint or practicing strokes, since the paper feels and reacts to the brush like the good paint. It's a good way to keep your brushes wet without a huge paper expense. 

But would I start a painting that I plan to put in a show? Probably not. 

If you like using sketchbooks, Bee makes one that is 100% cotton rag--but again, you can only use one side of the paper. Not a problem for a lot of people

ELEMENTS OF ART: SHAPE

The definition of SHAPE is a line closed in on itself. It can be geometric (measurable), like squares, circles, triangles, etc. Or it can be ORGANIC, or free-form.

The area between, around, below your shapes is SPACE. Sometimes we think of it as the NEGATIVE of the shape.

SO, the question is: Does the artist see MORE shape than other people, or LESS? Or does the artist just know how to SIMPLIFY and DIRECT THE EYE with shape?

Sometimes you are stuck with shapes that are not themselves very interesting by themselves. Here are a few ways to make your shapes a little more interesting and unified.

Think of your picture as a good story. Would you give away the ending at the very beginning? No, you want the mystery to unfold and keep you interested. So you can do the same thing with the shapes in your picture. The human brain WANTS to have to work to enjoy the picture. You make it work when you DON'T spell out every little detail.

Take three basic shapes.



Give them some dimension, then a shadow, and now you have 9 individual shapes.
I've spelled it all out for you. Kind of boring.



Below I've taken the 3 basic shapes and shown 3 ways to make them more interesting. From left to right are: wet into wet charging color; gradual transition of color (shading); and texture on the triangle. Much better than flat color.

So in the one below, I've MERGED the shadow shapes, so that instead of 9 shapes, I have only 7. MERGING SHAPES is a great way to simplify and make shapes more interesting. PLUS, bonus points for making the human brain do some of the work.

In this one, I've taken MERGING a step further, merging the shadow of the egg shape with the triangle shadow. Now I have only 6 shapes. (The shadow on the left of the rectangular prism plus the side of it; the yellow top of the prism; the front of the prism; the egg shape; its shadow merged with the shadow of the pyramid; the front of the pyramid)

Below are a few more ways to add interest to your shapes. 

Top left: make the NEGATIVE space around your shape interesting.

Bottom left: Have a variety of EDGES: 

Edges can be SHARP, FIRM, SOFT, OR LOST. In the shaded oval, you see all of these. Sharp (razor sharp between object and background) and hard (firm--definite) lines give definite edge to a shape. Soft edges (think a kitten's fur) indicate form and gradual change. And lost edges blend into the surrounding space. You can see a white lost edge at the right tip of the oval and in the dark undershadow where you can't see where the egg ends and the shadow begins. (also causing a MERGED shape)

On the right you can see how overlapping another shape over the rectangle (the tree and the bush) can make the shape appear more interesting...or at least less boring. And I've used repeated shapes in the walk up to the house, making them go from large to small, to guide the eye toward the front of the house. 

EVALUATING THE SHAPES IN MY OWN PAINTING

When self-critiquing (is that a real word?) here are some questions to ask yourself about your shapes:

1. Are there opportunities to connect (merge) shapes and simplify?

2. Are my negative shapes interesting?

3. Do the shapes direct to the focal point....or are they drawing the eye away toward the edges?

4. Is there interest within some of the shapes?

5. Is there variation? 

6. Is there balance in my shapes?

7. Do they feel unified, or does it feel random?

8. Do I have a boring shape too close to the edge of the picture?

Here are some short little youtubes. I was happy to see Stan Prokopenko making a 12-minute video on the subject. Have to say, he's my favorite drawing instructor.

The Basic Elements - Shape Value Color Edge - YouTube

And these to 10-minute videos are pretty good too!

Good Shapes - 10 Minutes To Better Painting - Episode 4 - YouTube

Merging Shapes - 10 Minutes To Better Painting - Episode 1 - YouTube

Elements of Art/Principles of Design

I hesitated to post this, because it looks kind of boring. But if you want to know a little more about elements and principles of art, there are a few youtubes I found helpful. Confusing at times, but helpful.

Here are a few youtubes you might try to learn a little more about the elements and principles of art and design. If you look at enough stuff, you'll notice that not all educators agree on the exact principles and even elements. Often it depends on the audience, whether it is for design classes, fashion, engineering, architecture, etc.  ALL element lists, however, have line, shape, (some include form with shape, some make them separate), texture, value, space, and color. Some add point, size, or direction.

Principle lists vary more. Most include emphasis, movement, unity, balance, pattern (or repetition), contrast.  They may add proportion, harmony, rhythm, or other properties.

Elements of Art and Principles of Design
This is nearly an hour long, but a simple but thorough exploration

https://www.youtube.com/-R18bjGoU2k

Below is a 31-minute power point. You will notice that they include "point" as an element of design,
which is not true of most lists of elementss of design. However, this is a power point with engineering students in mind.

https://youtu.be/Wxq4Hnw0Ukw


Similar but 7 minutes: principles of design

https://youtu.be/HJXoUHisICM


a great 2-minute synopsis

https://youtu.be/ZK86XQ1iFVs


The one below breaks it down into only 5 principles , but includes some of the others usually included (such as repetition, gradation, contrast, radiation) as sub-principles of rhythm. It includes unity as part of harmony. It's only about 7 minutes long.

https://youtu.be/ZDcd5PdrttQ

A LITTLE ABOUT COMPOSITION

Below is a link to Tim Packer's video about Composition. There are three in all, if you care to see them, but this first one is my favorite. I like his comparison of art to music: singing in the shower or singing for an audience. I also like his comparison of composition to a "dance" that we provide to keep the audience interested.

He emphasizes that composition isn't a bunch of RULES that a group of artists made up. They are, instead, OBSERVATIONS of what actions create predictable responses, that our brains are hardwired to respond to certain things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvJmqVh2vwk

It's only about 11-12 minutes long.

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN: LINE

DEFINITION OF A LINE: 

In art, we define a line differently than in mathematics. Math tells us that a line is the distance between two points, and it has only length, no width. In art, however, it not only has width, but several other properties as well. Some people define it as a point that makes a journey. And indeed, we can use line to help us journey through a work of art. 

Pictured below, with art's definition, lines can be thin or thick; curved or calligraphic (having both thick and thin areas); it can be zig zag or spiral; it can be blurry or even "implied,"smooth or rough.

LINE AND EMOTION

Line can show how you feel about your subject. Very vertical lines appear static or at rest. They imply stability and are used to show dignity, poise, or formality. The vertical lines below remind me of the columns in a government building; trees in a forest; tall buildings in a city; fence posts.

Horizontal lines, shown below, are also a bit static, not much movement going on. Maybe because it feels like you are standing on solid ground, you get a feeling of permanence, quiet, rest, peace, even solidarity. I think of sunsets, calm bodies of water, days at the beach, a southern Texas field of flowers. 

DIAGONAL LINES begin to show more energy. In fact, they can feel a bit unstable, and are used to create tension (not a bad thing), or an exciting mood. I think of waterfalls, mountain slopes, falling, going up or downhill. 

Diagonal lines feel more stable when they meet. When lines cross in your picture, that intersection is sure to be an attention getter. You still get a feeling of action, excitement, but perhaps more controlled. 

Curving lines show movement, like ocean waves, and move your eye through the paintng. 

They change direction and express activity. Gentle, horizontal curves are peaceful. If you painted vertical curves, it might look like seaweed being gently swayed by the movement of the water. 

Zigzag lines seem to feel most unstable, creating a feeling of confusion. They evoke feelings of excitement, nervousness. 

Spirals can feel hypnotic. They draw the eye to the center, and often create a feeling of luxury. 

If you put a zigzag on a horizontal line, as below, it feels more stable. Think rooftops in a town, picket fence post tops. 

PLAYING THE "LINE & EMOTION" GAME

You need 3 x 5 cards and a list of situations that evoke different emotions, such as:

a day at the beach

riding a horse

motorcycle ride

fishing

walk in the woods

waterfall

skiing

skydiving

waiting in line at the store

holding a sleeping baby

splashing in the pool

receiving sad news

mountains

crowded city with tall buildings

falling

kissing/hugging

watching a sunset

riding in an airplane

Pull one of these at random. Then draw, using only line, how you FEEL about that emotional situation. (not shapes, so don't close in any lines). Some people can have totally different emotions about an activity. One person may LOVE skiing; another might find it terrifying. Then compare notes to see how others represented their response. 

 For example, if I had chosen "a day at the beach" my lines might be curved, horizontal lines to suggest rolling waves and a peaceful feeling. Someone else, who finds it more exciting, might draw a spiral for the sun, and some diagonals for windsurfing that they enjoy. Expect these to look cartoonish, because they should only take 30 seconds to do. 

HOW DOES LINE APPLY TO USING DESIGN PRINCIPLES?

On the left you can see line used to show gradation and change of direction. The yellow lines go from thick to thin as they gradually change direction. The pink lines, all the sirectame size, continue the feeling of changing direction. 

On the right, you see line used to create "value," (another ELEMENT) as you would when shading a drawing with tight, close lilnes.

Two ways line shows value: Tightly spaced lines, and cross hatched lines.

Below I've used line at different angles and different sizes to show perspective, as a road with posts on the side, converging in the distance. PERSPECTIVE and DIRECTION are the principles. 

Also, line can be used to direct attention to a focal area, or EMPHASIS, another principle of design. 

In the picture below, I would probably put the emphasis in the area where the lines nearly converge.

Below, line is showing PATTERN, RHYTHM, and VARIETY. A pattern of different sized lines, creating a rhythm, but a variety of sizes and placement. This pattern tends to give the picture UNITY also, another principle of design.