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Inspiration * Ideas * Instructions

Watercolor for you © July 2014 July

BRING LIFE INTO YOUR

Mixing Complements vs Optical Complements

Watercolor Tips & Techniques Lighting Tips

Issue 3 Issue Keep your eye on the Horizon - the importance of a horizon line in your . The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the copyright holder.

Jim Black , creator and owner of Watercolor For Me And Jim’s Watercolor Gallery

Copyright 2014 BRING LIFE INTO YOUR GREENS

Do you have all the greens you want (no not the kind in your billfold)? Greens are probably the most challenging of all colors to mix. Do your attempts to make result in dull, grayed mixtures? Or, do your greens become thick and chalky from over-mixing? Even when a bright green is finally attained, does it seem too artificial for a green?

Sadly, some watercolorists solve the problem by avoiding the use of green altogether. But if you skirt around greens with substitutes, then you are missing out on some distinctive coloring. The secret to conquering greens is the choice of and the sequence in which the colors are . mixed. Greens made with are not as luminous Lets start with a mixture of PG18 as greens made with Aureolin yellow PY40. and Aureolin PY40.

Best pigments to mix green: I recommend that you start with Aureolin yellow (yes, I know it is expensive) but it is very transparent and offers many advantages over say a cheap yellow like Yellow Ochre PY43. Greens made with this yellow will not be as luminous as a green made with Aureolin yellow).

Showing Ochre to be opaque & Aureolin . transparent The mixing sequence and ratio now become vital to counteract the cool effect of Viridian

The next step is to slightly modify, or "naturalize", the intensity of the basic mixture. Add some red - but only a small touch. Again, the ratio is important. If you use too much red, the green will become dull.

Try these : Rose Madder Genuine, Permanent Rose, Red, added to the basic batch of vibrant green (made with Viridian and Aureolin). See how easily the mixture is transformed into a natural landscape green. Rose Madder Genuine is very transparent, and the green mixture always remains transparent without danger of becoming mud.

If you need a very cold dark green, Permanent is a good choice. Why? That red is a very cool red because it contains .

As you can see, it is not always the colors used but the way they are used.

For colorful greens, develop a habit of adding yellow and green together first, then Here is a group of other transparent with naturalizing it. their pigment code number. Winsor yellow

PY154, Winsor PY175, Transparent Yellow

PY150, New PY153 (Substitute for

Aureolin).

If you do not use Winsor &Newton , just look for the given pigment codes on your tubes.

The names maybe different, manufacturers can call their colors any name they wish, but they cannot change the pigment code color.

Welcome to the land of confusion. Just use the pigment code and you will be fine.

Lets start with a mixture of Viridian PG18 and Aureolin PY40 For an inventory of even richer, deeper greens, use the same mixing procedure but substitute Dip your brush into Aureolin yellow and mix it with Winsor Green for Viridian. Because Winsor Viridian before continuing. Try to keep this mixture Green has more carrying power than Viridian, it as luminous as possible. This basic batch of color is gives you very transparent darks. It also stains transparent, warm and bright - too bright, actually, the , but since most darks are added as for many greens found in nature. the watercolor is completed, the dark areas are already known. Since Aureolin yellow is transparent, it will not muddy the darks. This time, establish a vivid basic mixture using Aureolin Yellow and Winsor Green. Make a middle value mixture using light red, With the exception of Rose Madder Genuine, followed by darker mixtures with Cadmium Red add different red pigments, as before, to and with Indian Red, which yield yet more greens. naturalize the green. (Because Winsor Green is highly saturated and stronger than most For the absolutely darkest green possible, add pigments, it would be foolish to mix the Alizarin Crimson. Although the transparent weaker Rose Madder Genuine with it.) Aureolin Yellow has little effect in deepening the dark mixtures, it will enrich the result and prevent the greens from looking lifeless. THIS SHORT REPORT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU FOREVER!!!

Most books get this wrong

I am about to change the way you look at and think about color.

This much you already know, pairs of complementary colors serve as two functions. 1) for making neutrals. As the two colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel march across the wheel to meet each other, they produce some very interesting neutrals.

2) You can use them for visual color enhancement. You have been told for the last few hundred years to place complements next to each other to make colors appear even more brilliant.

You have seen the examples in books of the two squares painted with the same color and one surrounded by its complement to illustrate how it looks a little more brilliant. there is no doubt that it does.

But most Artists are misinformed about the actual colors of complement . They know all about opposites on the color wheel ,which we shall call MIXING COMPLEMENTS , but nothing about OPTICAL COMPLEMENTS.

This is where the Victorian Theory about complements falls apart. This theory is in all the books I have ever seen, and for that matter ,you have ever seen.

Mixing Complements vs Optical Complements

Optical Wins

Ogden Rood in his book "Modern Chromatics" 1880 named the correct colors of the complementary pairs, which he called "Contrast Colors". This was the first mention of Optical Complements .

Not many took any notice of his findings. And Artists, today, still do not.

Years later, Doctors of Ophthalmology, studying diseases of the eye and visual system, started I am betting the farm that you have always been looking at a phenomenon known as “simultaneous taught the complement to Blue is Orange. It is contrast”, which is related to how the eye works. the mixing complement, but not the best choice for vibrant color. Then there was Ellen Marx, with her book You are now going to throw out "Mixing "Optical Color and Simultaneity. Complements" for bright color contrast and start using "Optical Complements“.

The book is very HEAVY reading. At least it was for In other words, the brain/eye sees color a little me, when I started reading it in 1984. differently than previously thought.

I wonder if that was the main reason that every Optical Complements, used for color enhancement, book never mentions the findings of are pairs of colors that make each one appear more modern day scientists and the Marx book, and still vibrant when they are painted contiguously (i.e., rely on Victorian Thinking. Blue will appear more vibrant if placed side by side with the color. YELLOW (the Optical complement of After reading it many times ,it slowly began to Blue). While Orange is the Mixing Complement to make sense. At one time I took the book to my Blue. trusty Ophthalmologist. He confirmed both authors knew what they were writing about. But the books were not for the lay person. The good news is that, if you use the right optical complements (in place of the old mixing complements ) in your they will be more I am going to do my very best to explain to you exquisite and dazzling than ever before. how to make colors in your painting really “pop” ,neither authors used that word…… Oh well ! Only use mixing complements for great neutrals. But, do not use as you have previously, side by YOU ARE GOING TO THROW OUT THE OLD IDEA side or in the close proximity of the subject OF MIXING COMPLEMENTS AND START USING matter. THE BETTER MODERN WAY OPTICAL COMPLEMENTS. Optical complements do a much better job when surrounding the subject Optical Complement and Mixing Complement of Colors

Color you are using OPTICAL COMPLEMENT MIXING COMPLEMENT Prussian Blue PB27 Raw Sienna PBr7 Quinn Burnt Orange PO48 Phthalo Blue RS-PB15.1 Cadmium Yellow PY 35 Cadmium Orange PR108+PY35 Phthalo Blue GS-PB15.3 Ochre PY42 Cadmium Scarlet PO108 Cerulean Blue PB35 Winsor Orange PO62 Burnt Sienna PBr7 Manganese Blue PB33 Winsor Orange PO62 Burnt Sienna PBr7 Blue PB29 Transparent Yellow PY150 Indian Yellow PY153+PO62 PB28 Cadmium Yellow PY153/PY35 Winsor Orange PO62 Phthalo Green PG7 Thioindigo Violet PR88 Permanent Alizarin Crimson PR206 Viridian PG18 Cadmium Scarlet PR108 Red PR254 Hookers Green PG36 Violet PV23 Winsor Red PR254 Sap Green PG36+PY110 Dioxazine Violet PV23 Thioindigo Violet PR8 Winsor Lemon PY175 Cobalt Blue Deep PB74 Ultramarine Violet PV15 Transparent Yellow PY150 Winsor Blue/R.S. PB15 Winsor Violet PV23 Winsor Yellow Deep PY65 Winsor Blue/R.S. PB15 Ultra Marine Blue PB29 Hansa Yellow PY3 French Ultramarine PB29 Ultramarine Violet PV15 Scarlet Lake PR188 Turquoise Blue PB15.3 Cerulean Blue PB35 Permanent Rose PV19 Winsor Green PG7 Phthalo Green PG36 Cobalt Violet PV49 Yellow Green PY175 Green Gold PY129 Perinone Orange PO43 Winsor Blue PB15 Cerulean Blue PB35 This is a group of weeds that I spotted while walking in a meadow. After taking a photograph and enlarging it, I was surprised at the amount of color and detail in a 1” diameter petal. So you can follow this painting as I paint step by step, this is how it will look at the 20% stage.

Now you can see why I showed you the previous image as a guide. Use drawing gum to mask out the seed pods. Draw in the position of the “flowers” and leaves. Wet only the background, then “dropped in Ultra Marine Blue along with Perm Rose. Just letting the colors go where they please on the wet paper.

This is an enlarged image of a seed pod, also showing you the faint lines for the petals. When I first saw the weeds, there was only two in number, so mother nature was rearranged into a group of five as shown. I hear this all the time from students, I do not know what to paint.

Problem solved! Just look down at you feet ,indoors or out.. I once had a lady take a photo of her carpet, enlarge it, copy and produce a very colorful half sheet painting.

No more “I do not know what to paint” from her. She moves stones and rocks around, paints fire logs with weeds growing around. Just paints around the house.

Stay where you are this very minute, stop what you are doing. SEE things around you for the first time, all your life you have just been “looking”, taking things for granted. I am betting that’s why your drawing may be a little weak, you have never stopped to SEE things. Don’t believe me ,go ahead draw the front of your car, with out looking.

Use a transparent yellow with just a touch of Cerulean Blue painted in the background for the leaves. Also, define the edges of the petals. Here is a list of transparent yellow pigments.

P.Y175, P.Y150, P.Y154, P.Y140, P.Y153., Using one of these numbers with any make of paint, you will have Transparent Yellow. Just a group of weeds growing ,but greatly enlarged.

Remove the Frisket (Drawing Gum) and mix Permanent Alizarin Crimson P.R206 with Winsor Green P.G7 painted in the seed pods. Continue to paint the leaves.

Use Perm Rose P.V.19. The brush strokes are slowly lifted as they come down the petal. Do not go dark too quick. Paint down from the seed pod then lose the edge by lifting the brush.

Using the same paint, form the edges of the petals. It also will gave you the impression of one petal overlapping another. Start to darken the greens around the petals. Note: If the leaves had been “detailed”, the eye of the viewer might have been distracted from the main story, the wild flowers. This preliminary painting came out well, so I will turn it into a large studio painting. SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

Grains of salt applied to the painted surface, you MUST wait almost for the glisten to evaporate then throw the grains of salt on. Damp paper, knife pushes paint aside showing the white of the paper.

If the paper is wet, the knife will form an indentation in the paper A round brush was double and the paint will flow loaded with blue on one into it leaving dark lines. side and red on the opposite side.

This is a back run, or blossom, caused by This is a dry painted area trying to apply water and a damp Magic Eraser or paint to a damp rubbed over the surface. surface. Although , it You can see it has can deliberately be removed the paint used to produce almost to the white of deliberate marks for the paper. Most food foliage. The best way stores sell Magic Eraser to do this is to drop in the cleaning products small drips of water area of the store. onto a damp painted surface.

This is why I will never buy paper from a store. If the sheets are not in the original wrappings from the paper manufacturers, there are finger marks where store employees and would-be customers have touched the sheets. HORIZON LINE IS ALWAYS AT YOUR EYE LEVEL

The importance of a horizon line is well demonstrated in the paintings shown.

In this painting, the horizon is low and the foreground shallow, making the sky the predominate motive and therefore the center of interest.

In this picture, the horizon line is placed high and most of the sky is eliminated making the foreground the dominant note of interest.

Do you think one painting is better than the On both images above ,Drawing Gum was other? applied to save the white of the paper. That is where the waves will be as they come ashore. I might say , it is just a question of the painter’s emphasis and graphic intuition.

Never , never place the horizon at your eye level – WHY?

You create two paintings so to speak, confusing the viewer. The paper above the horizon line was wetted, to receive Ultra Marine Blue ,Perm Rose, and just a touch of Burnt Sienna. With very little brush work , I just let them do their own thing, so to speak, then let it dry. The same blue was used for the horizon.

With the high horizon the sky colors would be reflected into the fore ground.

Just a mixture of Burnt Sienna and Greens. Brush was held almost parallel to the paper and pushed up the paper hairs first. The hairs split to form nice texture around the edges. Note the point of the land on the far left, it does not touch the horizon. If the points “met” the horizon would move inland and destroy the look of being far away.

Same remarks here, except a beech area was formed with Burnt Sienna. Worked on the in-coming waves With a 1” flat brush, held vertical and with a very dry brush that contained very rapid strokes, the indication of a blue, pulling the brush in the palm tree was painting in . The brush direction of the wave . must have sharp edge to pull this off.

Put your finger over the boat and grass growing (bottom left) and notice how top heavy (leaning to the right) the picture looks. Now, remove the finger and the balance is almost achieved. A rock, in the far corner, would help the picture . Remember to keep the balance of any painting. Finished Painting

Put your finger over the boat and grass growing(bottom left) and notice how top heavy leaning to the right the picture looks. Now remove the finger and the balance is all most achieved, a rock in the far corner would help the picture . Remember to keep the balance of any painting. WHY CHOOSE A COLOR SCHEME

Lets look at some popular color schemes:

Secondary Color

Tertiary Color

Primary Colors : Yellow, Blue, and Red, as shown on the color wheel, have a warm and a cool of each color. Example: the Blue primary Colors for you to consider color has Ultramarine Blue as a warm color and Cerulean Blue as a cool color. So the other two Warm Yellows are: Indian Yellow, New Gamboge primary colors Red and Yellow both have warm and Cadmium Yellow Medium. and cool colors (six colors total ). Cool Yellows: Lemon Yellow, Winsor Lemon .

Warm Reds: Cadmium Red Light, Winsor Red, Secondary Colors : Green, Orange and Violet. Permanent Red. These are produced by mixing two primary colors Cool Reds: Permanent Alizarin Crimson , together. Example: Green is mixed from Blue and Permanent Rose. Yellow primaries. Of the Secondary colors, we have three in total. Warm : French Ultra Marine, Phathalo Blue Cool Blues: Cerulean, Antwerp/Prussian Blue. Tertiary Colors: These are produced by mixing a Secondary Color with a Primary Color . Example: mixing Orange (secondary color) with Just applying colors in a haphazard fashion , or just Red (primary color) produces Orange-Red. “winging it”, is not the way to convey the essence Violet mixed with Blue is Violet-Blue. of your message to the viewers of your work. Green mixed with Yellow is a Green-Yellow. You You must understand the concept behind a basic will find there are four more color color wheel and the variety of color schemes combinations giving you a total of six colors. found on it . These schemes will help you decide which colors work best together. Notice the pattern in the color wheel, it is Primary Color, Tertiary Color, Secondary Color, Moderation is the key here. Rules and principles Tertiary Color, Prime Color, then starts all over can be broken intelligently. The rules are a good again. place to start, but can restrict your creativity. On the other hand, spontaneous selection of random colors will lead to a very harsh ugly color selection. Learn how to select color schemes

Now paint in the Primary Colors : With these colors energetic, direct, and/or RED,BLUE YELLOW. bold statements can be made.

Draw lines with a black waterproof from You can mix all three to neutralize (make the spindle of the clock to 12 o ‘clock. Likewise, Gray) or, placed side by side, to make a bold from the spindle to 4 o’clock, and also 8 dramatic statement. o’clock.. Always let one of the prime colors be Place the yellow primaries at 12, warm color to dominate. The other two will be happy to act the left of the line, cool yellow to the right of the as supporting colors. line. To make the painting bright and exciting, At 4 o’clock, paint a cool Blue above the line place the three colors next to each other as and a warm Blue below the line. often as possible without mixing them together. At 8 o’clock, paint a warm Red above the line and a cool Red below the line It is possible to add a few secondary colors . that do not overwhelm the color scheme. You now have a set of warm and cool Primary colors. Now paint in the Secondary Colors

Lets start mixing a secondary color of The Secondary Colors adapt Orange using a warm Yellow - New themselves pretty well to nature. Do Gamboge, which is on the left side of the not fall into the trap of always painting line at 12 o’clock and a warm Cadmium Green grass or Orange autumn trees. Red Light which is above the line at 8 o’ clock Never the less, do not be afraid to stray If you look carefully they are both in the a little. Be creative, reflect Orange and same quadrant area. When you have Violet into the Green grass ,or Green mixed these two colors together, paint and/or Violets into the Orange looking them at the 10 o’clock spot on the clock. autumn trees. Try this, Green trees with a Violet cast shadow on the grass Now make a Green, using the yellow right mixed with a hint of Orange. of the line at 12 o’clock, with the blue above the line at 4 o’clock. Paint this Green at 2 o’clock.

Now make a Violet with a Blue below the line at 4 o’clock and a Red below the line at 8 o’clock. Paint this Violet at 6 o’clock. Now paint the Tertiary Colors

Now you are going to paint Tertiary colors. These colors are formed by using one primary color with one secondary color. And those colors are???? ….I’ll wait here while you list them……….yes, you got that right – primaries are Yellow, Blue, and Red. Secondary colors are Orange, Green, and Violet.

Tertiary Colors are Orange/Yellow, Orange/Red, Green/Yellow, Green/Blue and … You figure out the last two!!!!

Primary colors are at 12-o-clock, 4-o-clock, and 8-o-clock.

Secondary colors are at 2-o-clock, 6--10- It will not help a whole lot if you just o-clock read this stuff, without digging in and The color schemes are Red\Orange trying once in a while. mixture, Red\Violet, Yellow\Green, Yellow\Orange , Blue\Violet, Blue\Green, Remember, you can read book after for a total of six mixtures book on how to ride a bicycle, but you will never learn to ride until you get on We now have Tertiary Color Schemes. These can be composed of two sets. One set one. Yellow/Green, Red/Orange and Blue/Violet. The other set will be composed of This was painted by a student to illustrate a Yellow/Orange, Red/Violet and Blue/Green. Secondary Color Scheme Just as you would with any of the other schemes, one color must be dominate. Use the other two for contrast or mix them to mute.

Let’s take the last set, Yellow/Orange , Red/Violet and Blue/Green. Choose Blue/Green to dominate. Yellow/Orange, Red/Violet, Bit players (taking on secondary roles). So with Blue/Green we know it will be predominately a cool painting. Red/Violet would work in relief from the Green, and possibly, some good contrast. TIPS and TIPS and all kinds of painting TECHNIQUES

THE CHARACTER OF A LINE

The character of a line is as varied as your imagination. Artists can take advantage of the fact that every line has two sides.

One side might be hard-edged, while the other is soft-edged. I often use this varied-edge application when painting. The hard-edged side will describe a shape. The soft edge eases out to a vignette.

A line divides space. It describes an image and tells us how it relates to its surroundings. Two lines that become closer in the distance tell us that there is depth in the painting. A soft line conveys an easy peacefulness or restfulness.

My favorite way to use lines in a design is to create movement. Dramatic linear markings that swirl, skip, or glide across a painting take a viewer on a visual rhythmic trip.

Sometimes, I use a combination of marks to activate an emotional response and to direct an eye path at the same time. Lines do not have to do all the work, however. Combine them with shape for an effective attention-grabbing design.

IMPLIED LINES

Implied lines are also effective. Rather than describing an entire shape with a line, rely on the viewer's imagination to carry a line. Offer just enough information to get your point across

SIGN WITH A LASTING IMPRESSION.

The final stroke an artist adds to his work is the signature. It is an important part of the creative process and should not be a casual after-thought.

Your signature will live with your work for its duration. It gives value to your art. Evaluate the placement of your signature within your painting. Also, consider the style with which you make your mark. Size is a factor. A signature that is too large will distract from the art. APPROACH: IMBEDDED IMPRINT

Choose this method for a signature in a white or light area of your painting. Wet your paper with clean water in the area you choose for your signature. Then, onto the dampened area, brush a stroke of non-staining color (preferably one that continues the color scheme of the painting).

Using an ordinary ballpoint pen that is empty of , quickly sign your name. Rinse, or spray off, the stroke of color and you will find your signature is permanently imbedded into the paper in a color that complements the painting.

HOW TO FIX A BUCKLED PAINTING

Occasionally, a painting will buckle to the point that it's difficult to and frame. To solve this problem, be very careful not to let any water get onto the painted surface. Re-wet the painting on the reverse side, by this I mean DAMP, not gallons of water flowing around.

Lay it between multiple, large sheets of clean paper (blank newsprint used for sketching, works well for this), place a stout board (foam ,plywood etc.) on top and weight it down with some heavy books or objects until it dries. Weight it evenly (it may take a day or so).

Try this fun project: (Now that you have got the idea of weighting a painting down)

1. Get 10 to 20 plastic bags (type you get at a grocery store) and roll each bag into a ball, then set them aside. Mix up four or five colors.

2.Wet a least a quarter sheet of watercolor paper (half works well). Apply the paint any way, any direction, anyhow.

Now place bags onto painted surface, any way etc.... Place weighted board on top of bags. Here is the hard part. LEAVE IT ALONE FOR 4 DAYS . Each and every one of you are going to be surprised with the end result.

Lighting Tips

Frontal lighting, like you get with a camera flash, is the most unattractive, uninformative light for your subject.

It produces a flat, even tone with little or no variation across the surface of the subject and tends to suppress the appearance of form. It disguises and flattens the form by eliminating shadow.

To accentuate form, it is best to avoid harsh, frontal lighting and to use angled lighting, which will produce a gradation in values.

Backlighting tends to accentuate the shape of the subject and often creates interesting abstract relationships, but the form is thrown into silhouette and details disappear into the shadow.

Painting with the light directly behind the subject can result in striking and dramatic images though.

Side-lighting is probably the most revealing and You can use backlighting to produce a strong dramatic lighting. In nature, side-lighting occurs at separation between a subject and the sunrise and , accompanied by long shadows background because the light creates a glow and often some warm colors. The shadows around the subject. created by side-lighting make subjects appear more three-dimensional by revealing form with Backlighting is especially useful in capturing the transitions from light to dark. Side-lighting also translucent quality of flowers and glass. emphasizes the surface texture and tactile nature of the subject. If you are wearing a ring or other piece of jewelry , Do’s and Don’ts: looking at the setting you will realize how carefully the precious gems were set.

The proper setting and cut makes the jewel glow Student's say "yes I got it, I can do that”. and enhances its qualities. When they start painting, all their thoughts and good resolutions fly out of the window. The setting job has to be subtle and not overpower So, over the next few days ,you can make a the jewel-like colors so treat colors that way in your readymade list to stick on your painting painting. equipment or wherever. HOW AND WHY. DO'S Do a tonal first - to establish your A painting filled with exquisite colors that compete values properly. with one another will remain unsuccessful because the viewer's eye and brain become confused and is Do give your audience something to unable to enjoy one color over another. interpret for themselves - they love it! Imagine a famous singer on stage wearing a dazzling Do choose a simple subject - then simplify it outfit only to find the supporting singers also are even more! wearing equally dazzling outfits. Famous singer now disappears into the singing group. The audience is DON'TS confused as to where to look because the singer is Don't overwork your painting - stop as soon not standing out from the group. as your basic message becomes evident. Audience confused...... Singer mad...... Bright colors Don't make your foregrounds too fussy or everywhere.....Painting falling apart. muddy.

PLAN AHEAD AND EMBRACE THE The Pebeo Drawing Gum (frisket) is the only UNPREDICTABLE masking fluid that can, if you wish, give you soft edges. One of the biggest problems with "regular" Watercolors are said to be unforgiving because frisket is the hard edges they leave. once you've applied them to paper, they're difficult or even impossible to change. Not so with the Pebeo stuff, when you apply it to Artists can easily become overly cautious and wet paper, yes wet. Test your particular paper, timid with their paints, which results in a pale, please, BEFORE using it. stiff and unexciting painting. Instead, embrace the unpredictability of watercolors and Want to paint an old textured wall etc., - easy, incorporate it into your painting. apply small blobs of gesso to the surface, and just There's more to the painting process than simply as they start to dry, drag a painting knife through applying paint to paper. To maintain control them leaving an irregular broken pattern. You can over your painting and to give yourself also spatter drawing gum onto the surface, which confidence, plan ahead. If you plan your will give you a pitted look. DRY. Then, paint over painting well, you won't worry about the fact using colors that mix on the paper (not on the that there are no "do-over's" in watercolor. palette). Decide on the structure, values and colors you'll use before you start painting. COMMENT: "That doesn't look like a boat (or a barn, or a tree, or whatever).“ BE PREPARED REPLY : "It isn't a boat (or barn, tree, etc.). It's a If you've ever tried painting on location, you'll painting of one. This paper is much too thin, small know (and fear) the sudden appearance of the and fragile to support a boat." To illustrate this "interested on-looker" hovering at your elbow. point, take your paper off the board and show him This uninformed, and visually illiterate, individual how thin it is. Let him feel it. will honor and enlighten you with his opinions on your particular work and on art in general. COMMENT: ""I have a niece (or daughter or

some friend) who can draw anything. She's He'll ask any number of predictable and irritating really talented." This is to suggest your questions. Uninvited, he will give you his deepest draughtsman ship is a little shaky. thoughts on art.

REPLY: "What's her name?" I've been a After 10 minutes of this, you may be sorely professional artist for 30 years, so I might have tempted to throttle him, but don't. In most states, seen her work in one of the major galleries in physically attacking the visually and aesthetically the town that I'm in. impaired is a felony, (in California, a more enlightened state, it is considered a misdemeanor) If this doesn't work, you can do what I do; pack punishable by serving 20 hours of community up and leave. service teaching painting to the truly untalented. How to control the amount of water on the Short of spattering him with paint, there is little brush you can legally do to discourage the persistent onlooker. Better to face him head-on with answers you have prepared beforehand. Here are some possible answers you could try:

Q: "How long does it take you to paint one of these things?“

A: "Sometimes months, sometimes years. What you see is only the very beginning.“ This might discourage him: "how can one comment on a painting that is only 1% completed.“ If the mop (brush) is wetter than the surface ,the Q: "Have you been painting long?" paint releases smoothly into the surface. If the mop (brush) is drier than the surface, little A:"I started about 10:30.“ pigments will be released onto the surface, the mop (brush) is trying to pick up the water on the Q: "Do you sell your paintings?" surface. A: "Are you interested in buying one?" With those thoughts in mind you would never Q: "Isn't watercolor very difficult?" want to touch a "damp" surface with a "wetter" A: "Almost impossible, that's why we have to sell brush. Stay out of a damp area with a wet brush. them for thousands of dollars." And again, “Are If you need to make corrections wait until the you interested in buying one?" paper is DRY. You will never ,never be able to These are some predictable comments you should hide that circle formed by the water pushing the be prepared for. pigment. Ever try painting texture with Gesso?

A brief description: Gesso is a product with the same base ingredients as , but is STEP 1 - On dry paper, I painted a coat of Gesso more textured, more porous and more absorbent with a bristle brush, in a crisscross fashion leaving than acrylic paint. Qualities that make it suitable many stroke marks. for its intended use as a ground. STEP #2 - Let it dry.

Lets paint an old wall STEP #3 - Three main puddles of fairly thick paint, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red, Paynes Gray, were on Want to paint an old textured wall etc.? Easy, the palette. apply small blobs of gesso to the surface, and just as they start to dry, drag a painting knife through Applied the paint onto the paper using a tilted them leaving an irregular broken pattern. You can board - 30 degrees in a very loose random fashion. also spatter drawing gum onto the surface, which will give you a pitted look. DRY. Then, paint over STEP #4 - When the paint was almost dry, tapped using colors that mix on the paper (not on the on some water spots and applied tissue to the palette). painted surface.

Once the paint is dry, you can lift off the drawing STEP #5 – With a small brush ,wiped small vertical gum and ANY AREAS THAT RECEIVED THE GESSO lines on top of wall. Paint will remove very easily, IF YOU WISH. If you lift too much you can always coat of Gesso will not. Allow paint to soak into the re-paint. paper.

You can re-apply gesso for more texture. STEP #6 - Painted in some foliage.

Samples shown could be walls, rocks, floors, sides of old barns, even the trunk of large trees. Jim Black was born in London, where he studied commercial art and engineering at the Northern Polytechnic School in London. Working as a design engineer, Jim traveled widely and diversified his work.

He and his family moved to the United States where he sought out Masters of Watercolor Medium - notability, Michael Atkinson, Darryl Trott, Tom Lynch and Nita Engle, studying with them in workshops.

For several years, Jim lived in Southern Mexico where he taught at the Art Institute in San Miguel de Allende. Then, five years later, Jim had an opportunity to teach in the U.S.A. where he held on-going classes and workshops year round until he retired in 2010.

Jim started a website, www.jims-watercolor-gallery.com in 2007, which he and his family put together. Jim has become a great success, both as a professional watercolorist and watercolor instructor, but it's helping others improve their skills that he finds most rewarding. Jim has earned a reputation as a First Class Artist and Instructor.

Many of his students have gone on to become world famous watercolorist in their own right - including Beatrice Uribe, who was one of Jim's students from 2002 to 2004 and now has many of her paintings hanging in Galleries all over the world. She is known as one of the best watercolor artists specializing in painting people in watercolor and credits Jim with much of her success. Jim's Watercolor Gallery

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