MEDIA OPTIONS: ***Please just use these for reference but substitute your own paints or pencils. There is no need to match mine exactly. Ask me for ideas if you are having trouble substituting colors. All watercolor pencils are Albrecht Durer by Faber-Castell unless I specify something else on the list.
Watercolor Paint washes for Onion
MAPLE TRIO
Goal: to pair dry graphite or brown colored pencil for definition and detail with vibrant, autumn watery washes.
You can choose one dry media (Graphite or Colored Pencils) and one wet media (watercolor paints or pencils) for washes if you want to try my technique.
DRY MEDIA OPTIONS: Graphite Pencil 2H or 4H or a combination of Prismacolor Burnt Ochre (a warmer orange-brown) and Caran d’Ache Olive Brown (cooler greener-brown)
WET MEDIA OPTIONS:
Watercolor Paints: Aureolin, New Gamboge, Quinacridone Gold, Quinacridone Red, Quinacridone Pink, Burnt Sienna, Sepia, and Sap Green
Watercolor Pencils: Light Yellow Glaze, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Dark Cadmium Orange, Pale Geranium Lake, Fuchsia, Burnt Ochre, Derwent Inktense Dark Chocolate, and Earth Green Yellow
ONION
Goal: to pair graphite pencil for contour, definition, and texture with soft washes for low intensity color and interest.
DRY MEDIA OPTIONS: 2H or 4H Graphite pencil and an HB or B. You can also just use the colored pencils if you prefer.
WET MEDIA OPTIONS:
Watercolor Paints: Aureolin, Quinacridone Red, Sap Green, Cobalt Blue, Light Red, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna
Watercolor Pencils: any lower intensity watercolor pencils or complementary colors will work fine. I’ve just included my swatch for ideas. You don’t need to use all these. On my swatch ideas I’ve listed Cream, Ivory, Burnt Ochre, Raw Umber, Olive Green Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Middle Purple Pink, Derwent Graphitint Juniper, Earth Green Yellow, Light Green, Light Yellow Glaze, Helio-blue Reddish.
*Again, you definitely don’t need all these colors, I’m just showing color combination suggestions, which I’ll show in class. You can just pick a few.
AUTUMN LANDSCAPES:
Watercolor Paints: Aureolin, New Gamboge, Quinacridone Gold, Sap, Quinacridone Red, Light Red, Burnt Sienna, Cobalt Blue, Winsor Blue Red Shade
Watercolor Pencils: Cold Gray I, Cream, Dark Flesh, Fuchsia, Red Violet, Burnt Ochre, Raw Umber, Derwent Inktense Leaf, Derwent Inktense Bark or Dark Chocolate
Permanent Colored Pencils: Derwent Colorsoft Grey Lavendar, Colorsoft Cloud Blue, Prismacolor Terra Cotta, Prismacolor or Verithin Goldenrod, and Prismacolor White.
PAPER: I will demonstrate on white watercolor paper Arches 300 lb Hot Press and on Tinted Sanded UART 600 grade Pastel Paper. You can substitute your own white or tinted paper. If you have any questions, just let me know.
I love autumn leaves! I placed these maple leaves in a simple arrangement and just enjoyed painting warm watercolor paint washes for the autumn color. I added watercolor pencils for a bit of texture. This painting can easily be done using either media alone, and I will demonstrate each. You can then choose your media.
Upper: Watercolor pencil and graphite first stage Lower: Watercolor pencil and graphite second stage
Watercolor Paint washes and graphite first stage
Watercolor wash and pencil stage #1 and stage #2. I will continue in class.
Onion after class
Different demo close up of textured skin after class. See above for finished version.
I loved the subtle color and texture on this onion, which began to sprout in my pantry. I let the leaves grow so I could use it as the basis for a painting. I will demonstrate using a hard graphite pencil (a 2H or 4H) to convey the texture of the onion and completing the piece by adding color in watercolor pencil or watercolor washes for subtle, muted low intensity coloring on the onion and brighter fresh growth on the leaves.
Watercolor paint with watercolor pencil accents
WATERCOLOR PAINT with WATERCOLOR PENCIL ACCENTS
The following shows my step-by-step process. I began with a sketch. I masked some of the grasses, followed by a series of watercolor washes (or use watercolor pencils). I continued with accents using watercolor paints and watercolor pencils (or just use one or the other media).
I altered the photo quite a bit but used it as an inspiration for this piece. I wanted to focus on grasses in the foreground on the lower right and give them subtle detail with muted autumn color. I added a backdrop of water as in the photo and a line of trees, as in the photo, but chose to add a bit of autumn color in my tree line. I also choice to alter the composition a bit by showing the edge to the water on the left.
This painting uses primarily watercolor washes. I added some fun detail on the grasses with a combination of watercolor paints and watercolor pencil. I will demonstrate using each media so you can choose your favorite for your painting.
Beginning of washes and placement of grassy areas on sanded pastel paper
Watercolor pencil and watercolor paint on pastel board
I chose to use more watercolor pencil in this but also used a bit of watercolor paint in initial washes.
My paper is a sanded pastel paper by Uart in 600 grade. This paper is great with watercolor pencils and also accepts enough water for some watercolor paint washes.
This paper is tinted. You can easily choose to do this project on white paper or on any tinted paper as long as it accepts a bit of water. Stonehenge tinted paper is a fine choice, but I would limit the amount of water you use on that to just the amount necessary. Choose your tinted paper carefully. Experiment with how it would look with the colors you want to choose for your piece. It’s surprising how much of a difference the tone of paper can either enhance or take away from the overall look of your piece. Just take a little scratch piece or corner of your paper to try some color and see how these look together.
You can choose to do this using either watercolor paints or watercolor pencil alone. I chose to use a combination but I’ll talk you through using each, so your media is just your choice.
The watercolor paints and watercolor pencils I will use in my demonstration
Initial stages of the pheasant painting in watercolor paint and watercolor pencil
PL McGahan Art
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