painting
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1 Table of Contents Let’s Get Started! 3
Tools Materials 4 History 5 Useful Terms 6 Sketchbook 7
Techniques Practice 9 Mark Making 11 Color Wheel & Color Mixing 12 Watercolor Techniques 13
Inspiration Etel Adnan 14 Wolf Kahn 16 Georgia O’Keeffe 18 Lourdes Sanchez 20 Alma Thomas 22
Projects Brushstroke Abstract 24 Kaleidoscope Colors 26 Watercolor Trees 28 Watercolor Landscape 30 Flowers from an Insect’s View 32 Color Field Resist 34 Abstract Landscape 36
About Us & Resources 39
2 Let’s Get Started!
You are an artist! All you need are your feelings, a few art supplies and a story to tell!
Who is an artist? There are many ways to be a creative person. Do you know someone who likes to play an instrument, knit, take pictures, garden, write poetry, tell stories, sing, cook, build things, or sew? All of these activities and more engage the creative part of the brain.
How to use this kit: This kit was designed to inspire creativity! It includes art supplies, tech- niques and projects to get you started. We encourage you to use materi- als that you already have, but the kit already includes enough materials to make fabulous art.
You are an artist! You can paint whatever you want with the supplies. You can paint a dragon or your favorite food, a flower, or a robot. Maybe you don't feel like painting one day, but you find a really cool leaf; put it in your sketchbook! Write down your favorite song lyrics or journal the events of the day. The possibilities are endless and the choice of what and how to paint are yours.
3 Materials at’s in wh th e art kit?
containers for water paper towel/ napkin pastels
watercolor set
sketchbook
brush
straw
watercolor paper
postcard
4 History
Watercolor paints are made of pigments (colors) that are held together by a binder that can be mixed with water, such as gum arabic. Some of the pigments are found in nature in the form of plants or minerals, and others are manufactured in a laboratory.
One such natural occurring pigment is the vibrant red derived from the cochineal insect. This red color is called carmine. Mesoamerican people in Mexico have been using the bug as a source of pigment (and as medicine) as far back as 2000 BCE.
The newest color discovered in the past 200 years is a manufactured color called YInMN Blue, or Mas Blue, after the ingredients of Yttrium, Indium, and Manganese. The color was discovered by Mas Subramanian at Oregon State University. Unlike other shades of blue, YInMn Blue is non toxic and does not fade when exposed to oil and water. Blue pigments have histori- cally been difficult colors to create.
Historians believe that people have painted with watercolors since the time of Paleolithic cave paintings. However, it was during the 18th century that watercolors became popular. One common use was for illustrations in botanical guides, a practice which continued into the 19th century when John James Audubon made his watercolor bird field guides.
What is special about watercolors is that they can be done anywhere and anyone can use them whether you are just starting out or are a professional artist. All you need are watercolors, a brush, paper and water.
5 Useful Terms
Abstract Art: Relies on shapes, colors, line, and/or mark making to communicate an idea but is not concerned with depicting a familiar or recognizable object. Advance: To appear closer to the viewer (foreground). Analogous Colors: Colors next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous colors appear to glow when placed next to each other. Background: Refers to things that look far away. Bleeding: When one color runs into another. Color Field Painting: An American abstract painting movement from the 1950's and 1960's which focused on large areas of a single flat color. Color Interaction: The idea that color changes depending what color is next to it. Color Wheel: A circular chart that shows how colors are related to each other. It is a tool artists use to remind them how to mix and think about colors. Composition: Literally means "putting together" and refers to the way visual elements are arranged within a work of art. Complementary Colors: Colors opposite each other on the color wheel. They will intensify each other when placed side by side. Cool Colors: Greens, blues and purples. Dry Brush: A scratchy or textured effect resulting from a mostly dry brush dipped in paint. Foreground: Refers to things that look closer to the viewer. Graded Wash: A wash that transitions in value from dark to light. Graded Wash with Two Colors: A wash that transitions from one color to another. Landscape: Natural scenery which may include nature forms such as bodies of water, fields, moun- tains or trees and may also contain buildings or people. Layering: A wash painted over a dry painted area. This technique is used for adjusting color or making a color darker. Lifting: To remove watercolor from the surface of a painting. Recede: To appear farther away from the viewer (background). Resist: The technique of covering some parts of a page with an oil pastel and painting over the entire paper surface with watercolor. The area with the oil pastel will resist the watercolor. Warm Colors: Yellows, oranges and reds. Wash: An even layer of paint that covers an area. Wet on Dry: Painting wet color onto a dry surface. Wet on Wet: Painting wet color onto a wet surface.
6 6 exercises projects. and sketchbookUse the for painting possibilities are endless. record orfeelings. thoughts their The favoritetheir some visualormusicalartists, like artists studies. Some to make listsof travelsniques, document ormake nature sketchbook to experiment withnew tech- Sketchbook: mightusetheir Anartist decorate
sketchbook write your and name contact informationcontact glue anenvelope 7 photos, etc. such asnewspaper clippings, magazine, to store collect and inspirational items cover) inorder backple, onthe front ofthe envelope into your sketchbook (for exam- funstepAnother an ortaping isgluing returned to you. youbook islostand would like itto be contact information sketch incasethe - sketchbook,ed the your your and age, sketchbook year with the along you- start putting your insideofyour onthe name wayAnother to your start sketchbook isby making ityour own. rate your sketchbook isagreat and step in painting are great ways to creatively deco- sketchbook. Stickers, drawing, collage, and and/ordecorate back front the ofthe sketchbook. way One to getstarted isto toIt canbeintimidating anew start Getting started:
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Sketchbook content:
Sketchbooks have endless possibilities, they can be used for journaling, sketching, collaging, or a combination of the above. Below we have listed some ideas on how to use your sketchbook:
∙ practice mark making
∙ make your own color wheel Step 4: ∙ practice color mixing ∙ practice watercolor techniques ∙ record the events of the day ∙ list three things you are grateful for each day ∙ write your favorite song lyrics or book quotes, draw how they make you feel or what they remind you of ∙ collect inspiration
The importance of the sketchbook is that you make a habit of using it daily.
Challenge yourself to do a full page a day, or a half page a day. It can be as simple as writing a check list or as complicated as a full page drawing.
If you fill up the pages of your sketchbook, add pages by taping or gluing extra pages in.
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8 Practice
Explore Your Materials The next few pages are worksheets to help you explore your materials. Things to think about while exploring:
∙ What do you like about this exploration? ∙ What do you find challenging? ∙ What do the explorations make you think of? ∙ Write down your thoughts in your sketchbook
Get More Ideas What do the materials look like/smell/feel like? What does this exercise make you think about? Describe what you’re creating... I wonder what would happen if... you added...? you used this other material? you turned it upside-down? you made it even bigger, smaller, taller, flatter? Go on a collecting expedition and find items that are interesting to you and can be attached to paper. Places to look: Recycle bin: old magazines, paper, wrapping paper, cardboard, wrappers all have possibilities. Your room: anything in there you have been meaning to get rid of but haven't? What's under your bed?
Outside: weeds, flowers, leaves and sticks can lend themselves to artmaking.
Anywhere you can think of!
9 Looking at Artwork As the audience and viewer your impressions, thoughts, and feelings are important. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to looking at art.
The following questions can be applied to any artwork whether you are at a museum, looking at a fellow student's artwork, or even viewing and reflecting on your own art!
Look carefully at the art. Notice what interests you. Consider these ques- tions: ∙ What are 5 things I see in this artwork? ∙ What is going on in this picture?* ∙ What do you see that makes you say that?* ∙ What more can you find?* ∙ What emoji would I use to express how this artwork makes me feel?
You can also ask yourself: ∙ What thoughts or feelings pop into your head when you look at this picture? ∙ List the colors you see. ∙ What materials do you think the artist used? ∙ What are the people wearing? (Glasses, accessories, clothing, etc.) ∙ Is there a background? What is going on? Describe what is in the background.
How to make a postcard Making a postcard out of a painting or drawing can be a fun way to share your art with someone. Sometimes, you can buy blank postcards that you can paint or you can make your own.
Your postcard will have 2 sides, the side with the artwork and the side with the address. On the address side, you will need a place to write your recipient’s address and place a stamp. The rest of the area can be used for a note or more artwork.
Write a note Leave this side or more for the address artwork and stamp
* These questions are Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS) questions. 10 strokes! or apiece ofpaper withrepeated brush- page ofyour awhole filling Try sketchbook make? lightest Whatisthe shade? darkestWhat isthe ofcolor shade you can color paper? onthe canyourHow stillput brushbe and dry your brush? What happensifyou alotofwater add to brushdifferently. the holding Try brush? What happensifuseadifferent ofthe part wavy/straight thick/thin hard/soft short/long toIt helps make alistofopposites: What kind ofbrushstrokes canyou make? experimentingTry withyour paint brushes. expressive ormeditative orderly. and or Mark making canbefree piece ofart. dots,marks,lines, patterns ortextures ina Mark Aterm Making: thatrefers to any brushes cando.brushes Explore whatyour watercolor setand
mark making 11
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rm red + yellow = orange a w
blue + yellow = green
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color mixing
In your sketchbook or on another piece of paper make your own color wheel!
+ = rm a red yellow orange w
+ =
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red blue purple color mixing 12 watercolor techniques
wash graded wash
wet on dry graded wash with two colors
wet on wet layering
dry brush lifting
Try these watercolor techniques in your sketchbook or on another piece of paper!
∙ Can you make 10 different marks with watercolor? ∙ What happens if you paint with watercolor over another art material? ∙ What happens if you make a texture rubbing with watercolor? Tip: Try painting on a textured object and pressing it to your paper. ∙ What happens if you paint on a piece of paper you found on your collecting expedition? ∙ Can you think of two of your own experiments? ∙ Which experiments do you like the most?
13 Title: To the Coast Year: 2017 Artist: Etel Adnan
Background: Etel Adnan was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1925. She has lived all over the world in her long life and experienced many things, some of them sad. Painting from nature is her way of feeling better. She does it everyday, like exercise. For several years she lived in Sausalito, CA near Mt. Tamalpais. The mountain became her inspiration and she spent many hours observing and painting it in all kinds of weather and different times of day. Now that she lives in Paris she still thinks about Mt. Tamalpais and paints it from memory.
Look carefully at the art. Notice what speaks to you. Answer these questions:
What are 5 things I see in this artwork?
What is going on in this picture?
What do you see that makes you say that?
What more can you find?
What emoji would you use to express how this artwork makes you feel? (circle one or more)
14 Etel Adnan To the Coast, 2017 15 Title: Luscious Red Year: 2014 Artist: Wolf Kahn
Background: Wolf Kahn immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1940. He studied with the Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hoffman and later worked as his assistant. His vibrant landscapes blend Realism with Color Field Painting. Kahn was heavily influenced by the paintings of Hans Hoffman, Henri Matisse and Mark Rothko. He painted the shapes and colors he saw in the Vermont landscape where he spent the summer and fall for most of his life. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City.
Look carefully at the art. Notice what speaks to you. Answer these questions:
What are 5 things I see in this artwork?
What is going on in this picture?
What do you see that makes you say that?
What more can you find?
What emoji would you use to express how this artwork makes you feel? (circle one or more)
16 Wolf Kahn Luscious Red, 2014 17 Title: Pineapple Bud Year: 1939 Artist: Georgia O’Keeffe
Background: Georgia O'Keeffe is known for her ability to simplify and capture the essence of the objects she painted, which included flowers and other objects from the natural world like rocks and bones. She would draw an object many times, with each version becoming simpler. The stark landscape of the Southwest was a big influence on O'Keeffe's work, which led her to eventually leave New York and settle permanently in New Mexico.
Look carefully at the art. Notice what speaks to you. Answer these questions:
What are 5 things I see in this artwork?
What is going on in this picture?
What do you see that makes you say that?
What more can you find?
What emoji would you use to express how this artwork makes you feel? (circle one or more)
18 Georgia O’Keeffe Pineapple Bud, 1939 19 Title: Untitled Year: 2014 Artist: Lourdes Sanchez
Background: Lourdes Sanchez was born in Cuba and now splits her time between Brooklyn, NY and Merida, Yucatan. She works with watercolor and ink, often focusing on geometric shapes and subjects from the natural world like flowers. Lourdes knows that ideas for art can be found anywhere, sometimes where you least expect it. She says in an interview with Design Sponge, "“Inspiration” is a nonstop stream, really, that can be anywhere at any time."
Look carefully at the art. Notice what speaks to you. Answer these questions:
What are 5 things I see in this artwork?
What is going on in this picture?
What do you see that makes you say that?
What more can you find?
What emoji would you use to express how this artwork makes you feel? (circle one or more)
20 Lourdes Sanchez Untitled, 2014 21 Title: Wind Dancing with Spring Flowers Year: 1969 Artist: Alma Thomas
Background: Alma Thomas worked as a high school art teacher for 35 years in Washington DC. Her work at this time was realistic. Once retired she started making the colorful abstract work she is most known for. Byzantine mosaics, Pointillism and the Washington Color School were significant sources of inspiration. Thomas first exhibited her abstract paintings when she was 75 years old. Leading the way for African Americans, women, and older artists, Thomas achieved many impressive milestones, including being the first African American woman to exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Look carefully at the art. Notice what speaks to you. Answer these questions:
What are 5 things I see in this artwork?
What is going on in this picture?
What do you see that makes you say that?
What more can you find?
What emoji would you use to express how this artwork makes you feel? (circle one or more)
22 Alma Thomas Wind Dancing with Spring Flowers, 1969 23 brushstroke abstract
This project is inspired by the abstract paintings of Alma Thomas.
We will use circular shapes to explore color and composition. This project is also a great way to get to know your watercolors.
By methodically painting one small brush stroke after the other Alma Thomas made large and powerful statements about color. Her work teaches us the value of patience and demonstrates the magic of building the monumental with tiny steps.
Tips:
Sometimes mistakes turn out to be gifts! Keep an open mind.
Useful terms: You will need: Abstract Art: Relies on shapes, colors, line, and/or mark making to communicate an • watercolor set idea but is not concerned with depicting a • brushes familiar or recognizable object. Color Interaction: The idea that color • pencil changes depending what color is next to • pastel set it. Composition: Literally means "putting • water containers together" and refers to the way visual • watercolor paper elements are arranged within a work of art. • jar lid, can or another circular object Wash: An even layer of paint that covers (for making circles) an area.
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24 Draw one or two circles by placing your jar lid or can on the page and tracing around the edge of the lid/can.
Fill in your circle/s with a solid watercolor wash. The color choices are up to you.
Choose a color to paint a row of brush strokes around each circle.
Continue painting brush stroke rows around each circle, choosing a different color for each new row.
Keep going until you have filled up the page. The most important thing about this project is to have fun and enjoy all of the beautiful colors working together!
Variation:
Try different arrangements of the solid circles or change how many you start with. You can also play with the rows, having them take different paths around the circles.
How does the finished painting make you feel?
What was the process of making the painting like? Was it relaxing, boring, fun, surprising or something else?
Does your painting remind you of a place, experience or mood?
Looking for some inspiration?
Check out artist Alma Thomas in the u by o to y ght brou ect Inspiration section. proj
25 colors
kaleidoscope added layersadded willreveal. toIt isafungame guesswhich colors the colors below, creating anew color. Each new layer atinted adds lensto the by layering circles over each other. Discover transparency the ofwatercolors darker. for color adjusting ormaking acolor painted area. Thistechnique isused Layering: Awash painted over adry covers anarea. Wash: Aneven layer ofpaint that Useful terms: adapted from Paint for Lab Kids by Stephanieadapted Corfee from 26 • • • • • or toilet paper, and/or jar lids) paper towelscardboard tubes from You willneed: round for objects tracing (such as pencil brushes watercolor paper watercolor set
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y Start by tracing a cardboard tube or other round object in the center of your paper.
Next make a ring of circles around the first circle.
Add an outer ring of circles that overlap the circles in the first row, taking care to Step 4: center each circle between the circles in the first row. The places where the circles overlap is where the colors will blend, making a new color.
Paint each circle in the first row a different color.
Once the first row is completely dry begin the second row. Don't forget to vary the colors!
Once the second row is dry you can add more rows of overlapping circles until you fill the page.
Variations:
Were you surprised by any of the colors the layers made?
What do you like more, adding light colors over dark or dark over light?
Is there a color that stood out the most as changing the color it was layered with?
Try letting one circle bleed into the next with the wet on wet technique.
Looking for some circle inspiration? Check out artist Lourdes Sanchez who paints y ou b to y ght brou ect circles, dots and other geometric forms with watercolor and ink. proj
27 watercolor
trees branches youbranches like? puffs ofairthrough straw the create the DoessteadyChallenge: blowing or forceful straw. watercolors groundblack using a and foregroundthe trees/plants ofblack ona Sunset colors create abackground sky for closer to viewer. the Foreground: Refers to that look things away. Background: Refers to thatlookfar things interestingsee the patterns created. through water the letthatarea and to dry Watch seehow and color the moves watercoloradding paint into awet area. putting water watercolor onthe paper and Wet term onwet isanart thatrefers to Useful terms: 28 • • • • • You willneed: straw water containers brushes watercolor paper watercolor set
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y Using your brush, paint water on the paper, then add blue, purple, red, yellow and orange into areas of water to create a beautiful sunset.
If you keep moving the paint around with your brush, the bleeding effect can turn muddy looking.
Let the background sunset dry before painting the black trees/plants and ground.
Paint the ground with black.
Then, put a small puddle of the black paint on a spot on the ground and use the straw to blow the paint up and up!
For best results, make sure to mix the paint with a lot of water. Add more black paint as needed.
Don’t feel like you have to use black as the color of the ground and trees/plants. Any dark color will show up well. Have fun with the straw!
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29 watercolor landscape with background and foreground
Horizon line with mountains and sky in the background creates the setting for a path leading up to house and trees in the foreground using watercolors.
Challenge questions: After you paint the basic landscape images, what details and imagery can you add? 3: Step
Useful terms: You will need: Advance: To appear closer to the viewer • watercolor set (foreground). Background: Refers to things that look • watercolor paper far away. • brushes Foreground: Refers to things that look closer to the viewer. • water containers
by Recede: To appear farther away from the you t to ugh paper towel bro • ect proj viewer (background).
30 Using a paintbrush dipped in the color of each image, draw the path, trees, house, mountains and sky.
The path starts out narrow at the house and then fans out wide as you reach the bottom of the page.
Step 4: One tree is large and the trunk goes down to the bottom of the page so it looks close. The small tree sits on the middle of the page by the house to make it look further back.
The mountains will be small because they are behind the house and trees and are in the background (farther away).
Finally, all the images are outlined with black and detail lines are added as you wish.
Look at your landscape to see if you have succeeded in making some things look close and some look far.
Don’t forget to use water to make the paint flow and bleed into another color.
The sky doesn’t have to be just blue, and the tree doesn’t have to be just green and brown. You are the artist, you get to make these exciting choices!
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31 flowers from
an insect’s view - Georgia O'Keeffe beauty…” ifIcould"I decidedthat paintaflower onahugescale, you could ignore not its way. Itisasifwe are crawling insects around amysterious landscape. ustothan they are. helps normally scalechange The seeflowers inadifferent Georgia O'Keeffe flowers ordinary made specialby much painting larger them techniques. focusThe ofthisproject isonComposition aswell Watercolor asResistand Wash We willpaint flowers inspired by work the ofGeorgia O'Keeffe. art. areelements arranged withinawork of together" refers and to way the visual Composition: Literally means "putting resist watercolor. the watercolor. area The oilpastel withthe will painting over entire the paper surface with ofapage withanoilpastelparts and techniqueResist: The ofcovering some an area. Wash: Aneven layer ofpaint that covers Useful terms: 32 • • • • • You willneed: water containers brushes watercolor paper oilpastel watercolor set
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y Take a walk around your yard or neighborhood. Notice the flowers. If you have permission, go ahead and pick one. If not, take a photograph or work from your imagination. If taking a photo, fill up the entire frame with the flower.
Back at your work space, use oil Step 4: pastels to draw the flower. Fill the page, making sure to touch two or three sides of the paper. This approach will help make an interest- ing Composition. Start with large, simple shapes, gradually adding more details.
For the watercolor background, it can be helpful to wet your page first. Load up your brush with watercolor, making a Wash over the entire page.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out artist Georgia O’Keeffe in the Inspiration section.
Discussion Questions:
Did enlarging the flower change the way you see it? Did you notice something about the flower that you hadn't seen before?
Your flower touches two or three sides of the page. How does that affect the Compo- sition?
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33 color field resist the watercolor.the color. area The oilpastel withthe will resist overing entire the paper surface withwater- ofapage with an oilpastelparts paint and - techniqueResist: The ofcovering some area. Wash: Aneven layer ofpaint thatcovers an surface. Wet onWet: Painting wet color onto awet thinkaboutcolors.and tool useto artists remind how them to mix how colors are related to each other. Itisa Color Acircular thatshows Wheel: chart changes whatcolor depending is next to it. Color Interaction: idea The thatcolor flatcolor.single which1960's focused onlarge areas ofa and 1950's the painting movement from Color Field Painting: AnAmerican abstract side. intensify each placed when other sideby each color onthe other They wheel. will Colors:Complementary Colors opposite to glow placed when next to each other. coloron the Analogous colors wheel. appear Colors:Analagous Colors next to each other familiar orrecognizable object. idea concerned but isnot a withdepicting and/or mark making to communicate an Reliesonshapes,colors, line, Art: Abstract Useful terms: adapted from Clever Featheradapted from Don't befooled by shy the colors, jobisjustasimportant! their background.quietly inthe between colors. "lookatme" colors shout hum Some whileothers popoutand colorThe choices inWolf Kahn's work show ushow to create aconversation Colors.Complementary weIn addition, Color willstudythe concentrating Wheel, onAnalogousand This project willfocus onWet onWet, Wash, Resisttechniques. and We willmake acolorful forest inspired by work the ofWolf Kahn. 34 You willneed: • • • • • • watercolor set water containers color wheel oil pastel watercolor paper brushes
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y Begin by spending some time looking at your color wheel. Choose three Analogous Colors for your background. Analogous Colors are colors that are next to each other on rm the color wheel. For example, Red, Purple and Blue are a Analogous Colors. w Next, look at your watercolor set and locate the three
colors you chose in the set.
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The next step is to choose one Complementary Color for o the trees. Complementary Colors are colors that are oppo- l site from each other on the Color Wheel. If you picked Red, Purple and Blue for your Analogous Colors, Yellow would be a good choice because Purple is its Comple-
ment. In order to create a striking contrast, the color you Step 4: use for the trees should be from the opposite side of the color wheel from the Analogous Color group you choose. Once you have decided which color you will use for your trees, find it in your oil pastel set.
Tip: Any color will work for the trees just as long as it is not one of the three colors you picked for the back- ground.
Now you are ready to start painting! With your Oil Pastel, make a forest of trees without leaves. Fill up the page with your trees.
Once your trees are in place, dip a clean brush into your water and apply water evenly across the page. Load your brush up with your first Analogous Color. Paint a band of color across the top of the page. This is called a Wash using the Wet on Wet technique.
Rinse your brush, then load up with your second Analo- gous Color. You will cover the middle of the page with the second color. Layer the new color over the bottom edge of the first color. Make sure the colors overlap!
Check to see if your paper has dried. If it has, cover the unpainted area again with a clean brush dipped in plenty of water. Now cover the remaining section with your last Analogous Color. Don't forget to overlap the bottom of the second color!
What do you notice about the way the Watercolor inter- acted with the Oil Pastel?
What do you notice about the colors you chose?
Do you think the colors would have the same impact if they were used on their own? y ou b to y ght brou ect proj Looking for some inspiration? Check out artist Wolf Kahn in the Inspiration section.
35 etel adnan
abstract landscape abstract wet surface. Wet onWet: Painting wet color onto a an area. Wash: Aneven layer ofpaint that covers (foreground). Advance: To appear closer to viewer the viewer (background). Recede: To the appear away farther from Cool Colors: Greens, purples. blues and Warm Colors: Yellows, oranges reds. and changes whatcolor depending is next to it. Color Interaction: idea The thatcolor mix and thinkaboutcolors.mix and tool useto artists remind how them to how colors are related to each other. Itisa Color Acircular Wheel: thatshows chart familiar orrecognizable object. idea concerned but isnot a withdepicting and/or mark making to communicate an Reliesonshapes,colors, line, Art: Abstract Useful terms: to. to. onwhatcolors theydepending are next which ishow colors canchange This teaches usaboutcolor interaction, us to seehow colors work sideby side. flatshapesinAdnan’sThe work allow colors. withafocuswheel onwarm cool and layering. We color willalsostudythe or wash, wet onwet technique and We willlearn awatercol aboutmaking - inspired by work the ofEtel Adnan. We willmake landscape anabstract 36 • • • • • • • • half and cutintohalf and 2pieces You willneed: one sheet ofwatercolor sheet one paper folded in scratch paper paper towel water containers brushes pencil watercolor set color wheel
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y Choose the colors you will use. Notice which colors are warm and which are rm cool. Decide if you want to use mostly a warm or cool colors. Think outside the w box, the sky doesn’t have to be blue. One
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color you want! It doesn’t have to make o l sense. Adnan usually has either mostly Step 4: warm colors or mostly cool.
For example: 3 warm colors with 1 cool color or 5 cool with 2 warm.
On another piece of paper make a small chart of the colors you chose.
Start by lightly drawing your imaginary landscapes with pencil.
Fill in your first shape completely with just water, no paint.
Then add your first color to the wet shape. This is called the wet on wet technique. It will help you make a nice even wash.
Repeat this until you have filled in all the shapes.
If you don't want your colors to bleed together you will have to let each shape dry before painting the shape next to it. Even if you are careful you might end up with a few spots that bleed. That's okay and part of the fun of working with water- color. You can't always predict what it will do!
Feeling impatient while you wait for your paint to dry? Work on multiple paintings at once.
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37 Look at your finished paintings together. Which shapes come forward (advance) in your finished paintings? Which go back in space (recede)?
Modifications: Want to change a color or make it darker? Wait for it to dry completely. To make a color darker, add a layer of the same color. To change a color, add another color on top. Because watercolor is transparent, the first color will show through the second to create a new color.
Variations:
1. Try mixing your colors. Is it possible to make a cool orange? Is there such a thing as a warm blue?
2. Notice how the exact same color combination can have a different effect depending on where the color is placed. Try painting the exact same painting but with each color placed in a different shape.
3. Try experimenting with different techniques. What happens if you let your edges bleed together? Or paint some shapes with a dry brush and others with a wet on wet? You can also try layering a whole new shape over an existing shape instead of placing the shapes side by side.
4. Test your wash skills and try using a whole sheet of paper for one painting.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out artist Etel Adnan in the Inspiration y ou b to y ght brou ect section. proj
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About Davis Arts Center Taking an art class or attending summer camp at Davis Arts Center brings more creativity into your life. Davis Arts Center offers classes in a variety of disciplines for both youth and adults. The focus in our classes is both skill development and accessing your authentic story, giving you a safe space to experiment, problem solve, and build community.
Creativity has the power to sustain us during difficult times and help us celebrate the joyous times. Davis Arts Center strives to foster meaningful experiences through art.
As a 60 year old non-profit serving Davis and Yolo County, we have brought creativity to hundreds of thousands of people through classes and events at our building in Davis and throughout Yolo County through partnerships with First5 Yolo, the Yolo Crisis Nursery, school districts, Parent Teacher Associations, businesses, RISE, Inc and NAMI Yolo.
As a non-profit we rely on donations from our community. Check us out at davisartscenter.org.
Projects brought to you by: Judy Catambay Dianna Craig Stacie Frerichs Nicole Hebert Stacey Vetter
Find videos & more information about the projects and artists on our website
davisartscenter.org/painting password: summer21
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