Just as I was getting ready to test watercolor on the Super Deluxe Sketchbook, something happened which gave me the perfect subject . .
I was very sad about the bird, but very happy with the way the page handled the illustration. It was painted quite wet with pan watercolors and there was very little buckling even on the edge of the page. No more than you would expect with most watercolor notebooks.
Of all the art mediums, watercolor is the one that scares people the most. Other paints pretty much stay where you put them, but watercolor has a mind of its own. It co-paints with you, sometimes going with your plan and sometimes not.
Frustration comes (and I know that many of you have experienced watercolor frustration), when you are constantly surprised by what the paint chooses to do, because about half of what it does on its own looks pretty bad.
The key is to learn about the medium and its quirks, and then you have at least an idea what might happen – and how to avoid the undesirable possibilities.
You will never totally control watercolor, but you can at least lead the dance.
I have scheduled another session of my watercolor workshop, Drowning Your Inner Critic in Watercolor, for a start date of September 16.
This is a workshop in which feedback is given by me. Not mean stuff – just the reasons why this or that probably happened. We also learn some things about perspective and creating the illusion of a third dimension on two dimensional paper.
I was so pleased by the work done by students in the last session that I want to share a few samples. Feel free to praise them in Comments if you are so moved. All four of these folks said they really had no comfort with watercolor when they signed up for this workshop!
Here’s a surrealistic landscape by Jerrie Hall . . . brilliant in many ways
And here is a different style entirely – a floral painting by Tyanne Angle . . . which shows off the delicate transparency of watercolor.
E J (Winna) Mordasky is a wonderful artist anyway, but she wasn’t comfortable with watercolor – which all changed for her during the workshop . . .
And Linda Saltmarshe created one of the most inviting garden paths I have ever seen . . .
These are just a few of the wonderful pieces that were produced by the 24 students in the last session. And everyone enjoyed the sharing and support of other class members.
I don’t think I have ever met an artist or aspiring artist working in any media, who does not own a box of watercolors (at least one)! Nobody can resist those jewel-like little pans of color.
But, very few of these same folks ever use their box of watercolors because they tried a time or two and couldn’t figure out what to do with the mess they made. Most decided watercolor did not like them or something.
If you want to know what to do with your little box of watercolors, join us in September!
Signing Bonus . . .
Two of the first 12 students to sign up for this workshop session will win one of these workshop-appropriate prizes by random drawing:
Made by Hand Book, this, linen cover, hard-bound, beautiful watercolor journal has pages that lie flat and have the same texture on both sides (a rare thing in watercolor sketchbooks). Size is 10.5″ by 8.25″. Retail value os $30 (30 sheets/60 pages)
OR
My favorite Robert Simmons Sapphire synthetic sable paint Brushes – both a #4 and #6 (retail $22)
Hurry and sign-up and one of these two prizes can be yours!
http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/onlineworkshops/watercolor.html
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