Jan Hart at DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store for a FREE watercolor demo. Watercolor: Exceptional Color

Jan Hart at DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store for a FREE watercolor demo. Watercolor: Exceptional Color

Last Sunday’s FREE Art demo at the Seattle DANIEL SMiTH Store with Jan Hart was a wonderful opportunity to listen, watch and learn from a master colorist in watercolor.  Jan Hart is the author of the Watercolor Book: The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color and also has a selected three watercolor collections: Jan Hart “Artists Series: Amazing Mixes I, II, III of DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors.

 
It was a full house of people looking forward to hearing what Jan had to share, especially since she is not often in the Seattle area.  Jan had been in New Mexico until her move to Costa Rica earlier this year, where she is establishing Workshops in Costa Rica.  Jan will be having a 4 day workshop here at the Seattle Store this coming weekend, Watercolor: Mastering Color and Pigments based on her book. 
 
Back to the FREE demo!  Jan began with outlining how she usually works.  She usually works from a photo or uses several as reference, works out the composition and a value study in a sketchbook using a Prismacolor pencil in black , Jan showed us one of her many sketchbooks in which she keeps the record of all her completed paintings.   
 
After working out what she wants to do, Jan begins her painting on Fabriano Artistico CP 140lbs because she likes “the softness”.  Jan then tints her paper with an under coating of DANIEL SMITH Aureolin watercolor because “it’s the color of sunshine”, she does not usually leave white, and lets it dry.  For paintings at night, Jan uses DANIEL SMITH Cobalt.   Jan shared a tip for mixing a “great green”; DANIEL SMITH Ultramarine Turquoise mixed with DS Quinacridone Sienna.
 
Jan then begins her painting, she told us:
“Lightest, brightest, or scariest first” is how Jan like to start her painting.
“work fast at first – then slooooow way down” as you near completion.” 
“I believe if I think I see a color, it’s THERE – it is.  Artistic License.” 
“I like to hold my brush high [away from the ferrule ] so I don’t have so much control”.  A favorite brush Jan likes and it’s inexpensive is the DANIEL SMITH Series 32 Synthetic Ox Hair Watercolor Brush, Flat 3/4, because it “keeps me out of control.”
“Best thing that can happen in a painting is to lose control.” 
“I like accidents and making mistakes.”
“We play it safe….it’s not ’til we make a mistake and that part of the brain clicks on to solve the problem – that’s when we create.”
“Gestures are really important to paint.”
“I begin to think of the colors as having their own personalities.”
“I do a lot of mixing [ color ] on the paper.”
“I [ only ] paint wet on to wet when the paint is wet – not just wet paper.”
“Process is a really important thing in watercolor.”
“Watercolor is not easy, but it’s always flexible.”
 
Jan completed her painting, at least to the point where she likes to set it aside to think about, then later come back and perhaps do some glazing or whatever the painting needs.  It was an exciting watercolor demonstration….Thank you Jan!
 
Every Day, Express Yourself with ART….
 
Deborah Burns
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For more on Jan Hart’s tips on how to create “Amazing Watercolor Mixes” see Jan’s DANIEL SMITH Inksmith article.