Tag Archives: yellow

Watercolor painting – Dry Brush Study – Pear

Leave a reply

Watercolor Painting - Pear

I have finished this watercolor dry brush study with much struggle.  First of all, the watercolor paint when applied to the paper surface was not as easily controlled as I thought.  Direction of the watercolor paint was easily seen and are difficult to cover or made smooth.  I tried to apply the watercolor paint in layer after layer and for some areas, it is too thick and for others, too thin that the bottom color show up.  It could be the choice of paper to use.  I have choosen to use 140 lb cold press watercolor paper for this study but I think a 300 lb hot press might be better.  Sometimes the brush was too wet that the bottom layer was disturbed.  Overall, I found that a control of the amount of water in the brush is most important and so is the weight of the paint brush on the paper. I found that this technique requires lots of patience, time and experimenting.

Watercolor painting – Study of dry brush technique

Leave a reply

Andrew Wyeth "Wood Stove", 1962, dry brush on paper. 35x68 cm

I have recently read an article written by Peter V. Nielsen on drybrush technique. The title of the article is Drybrush – a watercolour technique explored by Andrew Wyeth.  I find it very interesting that Andrew Wyeth divide his watercolor into plain watercolor and dry brush.  He might start with plain watercolor techique but changes partly or fully into this more expressive dry brush technique.  After I read Peter Nielsen’s article and the Wood Stove painting by Andrew Wyeth in 1962, I want to try this myself but could not find much information on the web about this technique.

Watercolor Painting Dry Brush - Pear

Then I found a site by an artist in Trento Italy called Ottorino De Lucchi.   He has develope a  dry brush technique over the years which allows the painting to maintain the brightness of the watercolor.  I saw his paintings on the web and it amazes me with the detail and brightness of it that I want to try it myself.  So I read his article on the technique which he generously share and started with a small study of a pear.  I have started with the dry brush technique he mentioned with layers and layers of dry color right from the palette but the result was needless to say, quite disappointing.  I have put layers upon layers of color to build it up as in Ottorino’s instruction but still I am not happy with the result.  I found that this technique is very time consuming and I have much to learn and to study about this dry brush watercolor technique.  Nevertheless I will try to finish this study in a few days and keep it as reference for my future watercolor technique.  Well, here it is showing my unsuccessful attempt on learning the dry brush technique.  I will write about it tomorrow and show my finish watercolor study tomorrow.

Daily watercolor painting blog – Landscape final

Leave a reply

Watercolor Landscape - in progress

Watercolor Landscape - Final

I believe I have finished fine tuning my landsccape watercolor last night and here is the result.  The first one is the progress and changes I have made earlier and the second one shows the final painting.  I have changed the value of the path by adding more darker tones and also some minor adjustment of colors in the various area of the painting.

Watercolor Painting – Landscape

Leave a reply

Landscape watercolor painting

This 10 x 20 inches watercolor painting has been painted but there is much to be corrected.  First of all there is a new experiment of putting on watercolor using colors without mixing.  I try to use paint out from the tube and put in layers of watercolor paint from the lightest shade to the darkest without any mixing except on the paper itself.  The lighter color was put on first and then when it is dry, the next layer of darker shade.  The paint is not mixed but sometimes diluted with water to achieve a different intensity or value.  As you can see from the rocks on the right, the color is more intense because I have use it right from the watercolor tube.  The trick to this is not to mix any color and wait for one layer to dry before applying the next.

Daily Watercolor Painting – Landscape

Landscape Watercolor - 10 x 20 inches

I have continue with my landscape watercolor painting last night with more accomplished on the lower left corner.  I am trying to use only pure watercolor from the tube on each layer and add either the same color or another color as the layer is completely dried.  To speed up the drying time I use a blower and make sure that everything is taped down before I use it.  Many layers of different color paint has been put on individually before it is all covered up before I go on to the next area.  The final result of the watercolor painting area cannot be seen before the whole area is painted.  So you must keep in mind and remember the adjacent hue and color as well as the light and shadow of the area next to you that has been painted.  Sometimes you just need faith in the final outcome of the watercolor panting.  On the above landscape watercolor painting illustration, I think the yellow green on the bottom is too light and in time I will lower it’s intensity by adding more layer of different value.

Watercolor Daily Painting Blog – Landscape

Watercolor Landscape - 10 x 20 inches

Continuing with my landscape watercolor painting last night.  Did very little in the length of time I spend mostly taping, mixing the right colors and waiting for each layer to dry.  I very much like this watercolor technique although it is really time consuming and eye straining.

Today I like to talk about a watercolor site I found on the web the other day on contemporary watercolor and also devoted to the study of classical watercolor technique of past watercolor masters.  This is the watercolor web site of Nordic Watercolour Museum. The museum is in  Sweden and the museum contains permanent and temporary collections of watercolor paintings, guest studio, children studio and experimental workshop with advance technical equipment for study and research of watercolor.

” Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”

Daily Watercolor Painting Blog – Landscape

Landscape Watercolor - 10 x 20 inches

Continuing on last night with my 10 x 20 inches landscape painting on Strathmore Watercolor Paper.  More layers of watercolor is being put on as mention on the previous blog.  I was searching on the web on the subject of artist business cards trying to get some idea to do my own.  I have come across a number of sites which are quite interesting.  I found an article by R. Garriottt on his own blog on Basic Art marketing Tools: The art business card.  It talks about the basic art marketing tool and gave examples of some of the art business cards from his friends.  Another site is by David Airey on A Few memorable business cards.  He is a graphic designer and has a blog in which valuable design tips are given.  Another site is called Business Card Observer which shows unique business cards from the past and present.  It will give artists a good starting point and many ideas in designing his or her own business cards.  Would also appreciate if you can share your interesting art business card with me and I will try to publish it in my daily watercolor painting blog at a later date.  Email me at dailywatercolor@gmail.com

Painting Blog – New Watercolor Landscape

Watercolor Landscape Painting

Started a new watercolor painting last night after I finished the painting the pebbles.  This is a new watercolor landscape painting on Strathmore 400 series which is a 140 lb Watercolor Paper available at many artist material supply such as Blick Art materials or Cheap Joes Art Stuff.

I have decided to do this painting with mostly splattering watercolor technique.  I started off mixing some light green watercolor paint for the large tree on the top row started on the left side.  With tape masking the rest of the areas I do not want any paint, I begin with painting the top reight area with my watercolor mixture.  Layers are left dry before another darker or different color layer is being put on top.  A variety of color is used and mostly are from Winsor and Newton Artist Watercolor tubes.  Colors used were Windsor Green, Hooker’s Green, Prussian Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Winsor Blue, Winsor Lemon, Winsor Green, Yellow Ochre and Alizarin Crimson.