TUESDAY MORNING ZOOM ART

In our first session we’ll draw daffodils using graphite pencils to explore value, composition, and detail in these delicate flowers. In our second session we will have some fun adding color in a variety of combinations and a variety of compositions. In this second session I’ll demonstrate using graphite pencils, watercolor paints, watercolor pencils, as well as suggest other media as possibilities. You are welcome to work in whatever media you choose. 

Here are some  highlighted watercolor and watercolor pencils I used in the daffodils,  the begonia, and the Robin with the Pansies.  You absolutely can and  should just substitute similar colors in your chosen media.  I just  include these to compare colors as you substitute.  

NOTE: unless identified the watercolor pencils are Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils by Faber-Castell.

DAFFODILS 

Watercolor Paints: Aureolin, Quinacridone Red with Quinacridone Gold for orange or Azo Orange alone, Winsor Blue Green Shade, Sap Green

Watercolor Pencils: Cadmium  Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Dark Cadmium Orange, Pale Geranium Lake,  Fuchsia, Middle Purple Pink (the first row), Light Green, Derwent Brand  Inktense Apple Green, Phthalo Green, Derwent Brand Inktense Sea Blue,  Dark Indigo, Derwent Brand Inktense Dark Chocolate (the second row), and  Chrome Oxide Green (the third row)

BEGONIA ON WATERCOLOR PAPER OR WATERCOLOR CANVAS 

Watercolor Paints: Aureolin, Sap Green, Quinacridone Red, a few touches of Quinacridone Pink and Phthalo Green

Watercolor Pencils:  Pale Geranium Lake, Fuchsia, Middle Purple Pink, Light Green, Dark Phthalo Green, Dark Indigo, and Chrome Oxide

Inktense (by Derwent) Watercolor Pencils include: Apple Green, Sea Blue, and Field Green

NOTE:  I’m spending most of  my time demonstrating using watercolor paint and watercolor pencil  (your choice).  For those who have liquid artist inks already, though,  or for those who want to try, I will talk through and demonstrate  briefly using them.  I’ll also explain their advantages when using on  this unique surface.

If  you do want to try, the inks I will highlight are FW Acrylic Artist Ink  by Daler Rowney in Olive Green and Dr. Ph Martin’s Bombay India Ink in  Yellow Ochre.  I’ll mention a few others, too, but I’ll focus on these  two.  Again, there’s no need to get them unless you’ve been curious to  give them a try anyway.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLY:  I will use a permanent spray fixative when I’m finished to coat it.  I  recommend Blair or Krylon brand or another good archival or UV  protective spray.  You can use satin or glossy, depending on your  choice.

TIPS FOR USING WATERCOLOR CANVAS

--Watercolor  canvas is specially prepared with gesso to help the linen accept the  water-based media better.  Water on unprepared regular canvas just kind  of soaks in and doesn’t show up very well.

--Most  “multimedia canvas” accepts water-based media, so is the same thing.   Just check the label to confirm that it accepts water media.

--If  you want to use regular canvas you can prepare it by coating it with  gesso yourself or you can buy something specifically called “watercolor  ground”.  This preparation will make this surface great for watercolor  paint, too.

--This  canvas comes in a roll or stretched on a board or cradled frame.  I use  a cradled frame, which allows me to paint on the sides, but a board is  fine, too.  

PREPARING THE WC CANVAS SURFACE: 

--I  start with my sketch using a 4H pencil if possible.  I want a nice  hard  pencil because graphite lifts really easily from this surface.   You can start your sketch with basic shapes and refine it on the canvas  because it’s easy to erase with an eraser at this point.  Refine sketch  until you are happy. It needs to be dark enough so it doesn’t all lift  off, so a bit darker than normal.

--Once  finished the sketch, rub firmly with a damp washcloth all over the  canvas.  This will lift any extra graphite before you paint.

--Once the canvas is dry you can begin to paint.

PAINTING:

--The surface is bumpy linen, similar to a cold press watercolor paper, but a bit bumpier.

--The paint takes a longer time to soak in than on watercolor paper, so just be a little patient.  

--The paint dries a bit lighter than it appears when wet.

--Watery paint is more likely to “blob”.  It’s not as neat on boundary lines.  

--I  use watery paint in the beginning but then neaten once dry.  This  initial layer I use to define color blocks and composition because it’s  super easy to lift if I don’t like it.  

--It’s VERY easy to lift paint or watercolor pencil either wet or dry, especially if you are using non-staining paint.  

--If I want to make my boundary lines neater, I simply lift paint along the edge w/a damp flat brush.  

--After the initial wet wash, I stick more to drier paint applications then I pull to lighten. 

--I can also lighten with a damp tissue, washcloth, or damp brush.

--Be  careful, watercolor paint lifts so easily you may lift off initial  layers when attempting additional layers.  Just use a light touch and  the previous layers of paint should remain just fine.

--Using  drier paint or watercolor pencils on additional layers after the first  wetter one is an excellent way to get easy neat edges and detail.

--I  like to paint the sides of the cradled canvas.  It’s a cheaper way to  finish a painting and avoid needing to purchase a frame.  Dry brush the  sides or the paint runs off too easily.  You can leave the sides white  if you prefer.

ROBIN WITH PANSIES ON SANDED PASTEL PAPER

Watercolor Pencils (and a select few other pencils):

RED-BREAST:  Burnt Ochre, Prismacolor Permanent Colored Pencil White, Dark Flesh,  Pompeian Red, Cadmium Orange (these are the first column)

DARK AREAS ON ROBIN: 

Ivory,  Cool Gray I&II, Warm Gray V, Prismacolor Dark Brown,Derwent Brand  Inktense Bark (these are the second column),  Prismacolor Permanent  Colored Pencil White and Black, 2H Graphite Pencil

BEAK: Cadmium Orange, Cream

Base Area:

Pansy  colors: Light Ultramarine, Prismacolor White, Middle Purple-Pink,  add-ins  Red-Violet, Light Red-Violet, Purple Violet, Prismacolor Brand  Verithin Permanent Colored Pencil Dahlia Purple(these are the third  column)

Greens: Earth Green Yellow, Light Green, Light Yellow Glaze, Dark Phthalo Green, Prismacolor Grass Green 

Warm browns: Burnt Ochre, Pompeian  Red

Darks: includes Prismacolor Dark Brown, ,Prismacolor Verithin Permanent  Colored Pencil Tuscan Red, (these are the fourth column), 2H Graphite  pencil, as well as the colors I used in the robin and the pansies.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLY:  I  will use a permanent spray fixative when I’m finished to coat it.  I  recommend Blair or Krylon brand or another good archival or UV  protective spray.  You can use satin or glossy, depending on your  choice. 

A support is the paper or board we draw or paint on. In our February classes I’m highlighting a few different supports to achieve a variety of effects and enhance our artwork. Using these supports as well as standard paper for those who prefer, I’ll demonstrate a variety of flowers and a robin to welcome spring this February.

In this class I’ll demonstrate using a watercolor canvas. It’s a great support for watercolor painting, colored pencil both dry and wet, liquid inks, as well as more fun water-based media I’m experimenting with. I will also demonstrate using watercolor paper for those who prefer a standard support.

WATERCOLOR CANVAS

Using  watercolor canvas feels like painting on linen, I'd liken it more to  working on cold press watercolor paper in terms of “bumpiness” than  hotpress watercolor 

paper.  I like it, especially for watercolor paints, watercolor pencils, and  liquid inks.  It works fine for dry media, too, but the liquid media  seep into the bumpy surface nicely.  

It  absorbs water very well but it takes longer to dry than watercolor  paper does.  This allows you to easily remove something you don't like  before it soaks in.

Tip:  after doing my initial sketch I firmly wipe down the whole canvas with a  damp cloth.  This picks up extra graphite and readies the surface to  absorb water better.   Because of this wipe-down, make your sketch a bit  darker than you normally would on paper so you don't lose the whole  drawing when you wipe it down.

Even  after the paint is dry it lifts out of the canvas much more fully than a  paintng on paper.  Ink still doesn't lift out, though, and I find that  graphite doesn't lift out quite as well once you put paint on top of  it.  

I  like to paint the sides and not frame paintings done on watercolor  canvas.  I use the Krylon spray described above instead.  I use multiple  thin coats of spray to protect the painting.  

I use less water than I do with watercolor paper.

I'll use sanded pastel paper  this session, which also can be used with many media. I love it  especially with colored pencil. It also works using a moderate amount of  water which makes it even more flexible.

The type of sanded pastel paper I’ll use is Uart  brand.  It comes in both paper and boards. It comes in only one color  as far as I can tell, which is a muted sandy pale neutral/brown.  The  higher the “grade” numbers indicate how fine the sanded paper surface  is, with 600 and 800 grade being “fine grade”, which is what I use.  The  lower numbers are a rougher surface.  

You  can just substitute any colored paper and the project will be exactly  the same if you prefer.  Some of you have Stonehenge tinted paper which  would be a great surface as well if you aren’t planning on adding much  water. The only difference will be that the Stonehenge won’t be as  blendable.  You can also use watercolor paper or white drawing paper if  you prefer and depending on the media you prefer.  

If interested in any class you can register at peggyart@comcast.net.