Friday, September 30, 2016
Master Watercolorists Demos : Alavro, Keiko and Mary
Alvaro Castagnet
The Passionate Painter in Havana - Part 1: Alvaro Castagnet
I just want to watch him paint while splitting a pitcher of sangria with him, don’t you? He travels all over the world, working in plein air.
He has such an amazing sense of composition and value that he can just whip these masterpieces out.
And now for a totally different approach...
Mary Whyte also makes masterful watercolor pieces. But her way of researching and meticulous application, I do not think could be anymore different...and yes that image is a watercolor, NOT a photograph!
Artist Mary Whyte’s Labor of Love
In this video you see her working on a series she calls, Working South, based on Southern jobs that are going out of date.
Mary Whyte
Lastly this artist demos the whole process and it is great to see it develop. Note how much the color lightens up as it dries!
Keiko
Just click on the title of the videos to see them yourself. Would love to hear what you think of both of these artists and their approaches, particularly if you find it influences your own way of approaching watercolor!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Setting The Tone.
Another great class! We had so much fun that I forgot to take any photos! But I am remembering to put up my tonal reference photos for anyone who wants to use these for any extra practice...
and the best thing is, I made them large enough, that you can even do a transfer directly from your screen onto tracing paper!
Enjoy....
First off, the cube.
The cube is the best place to start, using only hard edges...
Now combining the two forms with different lighting sources...
The extra challenge, putting it all together and dealing with the erosion texture on the nose...
and the best thing is, I made them large enough, that you can even do a transfer directly from your screen onto tracing paper!
Enjoy....
First off, the cube.
The cube is the best place to start, using only hard edges...
Then the egg, with its rounded surface makes us introduce soft edges and value transitions “turning the form”.
Now combining the two forms with different lighting sources...
Facial plaster casts from Michaelangelo’s “David”
The extra challenge, putting it all together and dealing with the erosion texture on the nose...
And a final study, this is from a photo I took last Spring and then popped into a tonal filter. Thinking I am going to use hard/found edges on the flowers and soft/lost ones on the back ground...
Happy Painting!!
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Great Start!!
Wow! Impressive work from everyone coming right out of the gate....
So glad we got to breeze through these studies
Since it led to these amazing pieces!
Nice crisp edge on the left of that vase, Susan. Bravo!!
Incredible sense of form and action Mac!
Okay MaryAnne got a huge head start, but WOW those tones and composition!
Betsy is making realism look easy! I want to pick up both of those tubes!
Other "Bookend" Betsy shows us her fantastic still life rendering skills
Great tonal still life study MaryAnne!
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Welcome! Material List & Vendor Lists
Hi. Thanks for stopping in. This blog is to be an additional resource for those in my class at the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia USA or any watercolorist who happens to stumble across it...
Obviously we are still in construction mode here but I wanted to make this a useful resource ASAP...
Vendors in the Richmond, Virginia area...
Obviously we are still in construction mode here but I wanted to make this a useful resource ASAP...
Some of Last Spring's Class with their works
So here we go...take a deep breath! It's the materials list and it is long...Not because you need all this stuff but I put in some notes to help you make your purchasing decisions. VisArts people feel free to email/text me if you have any questions...
Happy Shopping!
Materials for Introduction-Intermediate Watercolor
Visual Arts Center
Kathy Calhoun-instructor
*can bring just very basics italicized to class the first
time so that you can see and demo other supplies before purchasing
Paper-
-Strathmore Watercolor Paper Block
11”x15” cold pressed
*can bring other watercolor
paper but also bring a solid board to tape it onto
Paints-
-Watercolor paint that comes
in tubes
Daniel Smith brand is some of
the best
Windsor Newton brand is good
Reeves Brand from AC Moore is
inexpensive
Color Palette
-since this class is mainly
focusing on value, at the least get one
color that has a good contrast to your paper. But if you want to explore color…
Basic Color Palette (primaries + black +
some earthtones)
Ultramarine Blue,
Quinacridone Red,
Hansa Yellow,
Lamp Black,
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna. Or close variations of them as
the art store you shop at might advise
More Developed Color Palette
-add these colors
(secondaries, cooler primaries, and “modern” pigments)
Cobalt Blue,
New Gamboge,
Phthalo Blue-red shade,
Phthalo Green-blue shade
-White
plastic or ceramic palette (or any watercolor palette with at least 12
small wells or indentions to hold puddles) with several medium size wells to
mix colors in. Traveler’s size that folds is a fine
Liquid Mask
(sometimes called “frisk”)
Windsor Newton Art Masking Fluid for Watercolour
Brushes
At least one of each – ½” to 1” flat,
round, liners and angular. Get ones that feel good in your hand and you
think will do a good job of covering the paper. The numbers for brushes generally get bigger
as the number gets larger.
My preferred sizes...might want yours to be “in the neighborhood”
1. #4 or bigger round*
2. ½” angular brush
3. liner (sometimes called rigger) # 1 or 2 for detail work
Ground
-Masonite board (about 12”x16”) if working on loose paper. You can
find one about this size with clips at AC Moore and Plaza.
*If you really want to
splurge...synthetic squirrel quill mop made by Princeton Neptune line. Brush load release is very sensitive to hand
pressure-great for going from a wash to fine line in one stroke.
Miscellaneous but still important
-Pencil and white or kneadable eraser..no pinkies allowed in class.
-Sketchbook good size is 9”x12” or some
blank paper to make rough sketches on
-2 water containers (plastic, preferably clear) that can hold at least 2
cups each
-paper towels
-Masonite board (about 12”x16”) if working on loose paper.
-Painter’s tape ½” wide or wider
Plaza Art Materials 927
W. Grace St. Richmond 359-5900
Plazaart.com near
VCU in the fan
Very knowledgeable staff,
wide variety to supplies. This is the best place to find the hard to find or
newly developed art supplies. Only place for Daniel Smith paints and Squirrel
Mop brushes
A.C. Moore 9744
Midlothian Trnpk. 323-8360
Acmoore.com
Check their website to find
locations in the Richmond area.
They often will have big
coupons (40%, 50%) off so look on-line before you go.
Michael’s 16007
Midlothian Trnpk 897-7140
Again they have several in
the area, as well as on-line coupons.
Not quite as well stocked as AC Moore.
VCU e2 Bookstore 1111W.
Broad St 828-1678
Hobby
Lobby check
on-line, locations in Short Pump and Midlo
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