Procida, Italy IV by Keiko Tanabe, watercolor painting, 14 x 21, 2008.One of the best things about being at Artist Daily is seeing incredible artwork on a daily basis. This is especially true in the area of watercolor painting. I wasn’t too familiar with many contemporary artists working in the medium before I started working here. But I’ve become quite the fan in the last few years, adding numerous watercolor artists to my “watch” list. In the spirit of supporting the watercolorists out there and in a desire to highlight how evocative a medium it can be, here’s a top-five list of watercolor tips for those just starting out, and those who could use a little help along the way.
Load your brush.
When starting out, and to avoid creating a piece that looks overworked, paint with a sure stroke and don’t shirk on color.Melanie the Violinist by Dean Mitchell, 15″ x 10″, watercolor painting.
Go abstract.
To understand what this medium can do, give up control to gain insight. See how the paint and water move, and what kind of effects you can achieve by playing with the water-to-pigment ratio, surface and surface tilt, and color layering.
Don’t forget to sketch.
Like any performer or musician, an artist should explore his or her chosen medium by experimenting in a loose, pressure-free manner. Using larger brushes when sketching in watercolor helps you to concentrate on overarching compositional shapes that every good painting needs.
Find the light.
Watercolorists typically work from light to dark, which means hoarding and protecting those segments of paper where highlights will appear is crucial. Using masking fluid and tape are options, but be mindful of the distinct edges these can leave.Carousel of Paris by John Salminen, watercolor painting.
Consider a limited palette.
When just starting out, a select group of colors helps simplify the painting process and helps you develop your color-mixing skills. Avoid dark browns and opaque colors, because they tend to appear somewhat muddy and dull. Try a warm and cool of each color you want. There are as many techniques and skills to master within watercolor painting as there are in any other medium. To help you accelerate your process and produce the best paintings you can, get a copy of Watercolor 365. You’ll find a year’s worth of tips, fun exercises, troubleshoots and creative advice. The time in the studio will fly by in the best way with this handy guide at your side — brushstroke after brushstroke leading you to your best artistic self! Enjoy!
11 Must Have Watercolor Supplies for Beginners by Matt Fussell Perhaps you’re an experienced watercolor artist, or maybe you’re just starting out. Either way, there are several supplies that I feel are essential. You may not use them all in every painting that you create, but if you’re looking to stock up, here’s what I suggest having in your tool box… 1. Watercolor Paints Well there’s no doubt that you’ll need watercolor paint. But what brand and what type you should use really becomes a personal choice. Let’s look at your options… First, a note on low quality brands of paint. There are plenty of low quality brands of watercolor. Watercolor can be made very cheaply and for the lower quality brands, the price reflects this. You’ll see the price that you pay reflected in the quality of your painting as well. Using low quality paints will just lead to frustration, so my suggestion is stay away from the cheaper brands. Watercolor is produced in two main forms: Tub...
How To Get the Perfect Size Painting For Your Wall CAROLINE MCDONALD 7 COMMENTS It all started with a comment a customer made on our oversized art, Storm Over the Marsh (above). The customer expressed how much she loved the print, only she wished it came in a smaller size. “That was our aha moment,” says our wall decor buyer, Karen. “We have all this great art, typically offered in a single size, and the fact is people’s homes and walls are not one size only.” Thanks to that one customer comment, we’re excited to introduce new sizes for 30 of our top-selling prints and new art. Most of the selected art is now available in three sizes — what we consider medium, large and extra large — but actual sizes vary according to the proportion of the individual piece. “Now’s the time to check back and see if an old favorite is in the size you need,” Karen urges. “We also have some fantastic new art we’re really excited about, too.” This is wonderful news,...
Art Material Glossary Facts in books, information in glossaries, the ability to use them in our heads! If you are new to the arts you may have problems to decipher certain art material terms used in the arts field. Or you wonder what brand to get. To help you along, I added this little glossary as a guideline to make it easier to find the right materials when starting to draw or paint. Save Drawing Materials GRAPHITE PENCILS There are varied types of graphite pencils. When you buy a set, make sure that you get one with a 4h and 2h otherwise buy them single. All brands are really fine. I personally use the Faber Castell graphite and Staedler pencils. Staedler is cheaper and a little lighter than the Faber Castell. Faber Castell are the only pencils with an added inner core strength so that the pencils don't break inside when they fall. SKETCHPAD The paper we draw on is of importance. In my time as commercial illustrator I tried man...
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