Archive for the '* Watercolor Painting' Category

March 1st, 2010 categories: category, * Travel Sketching & Journals, * Video Slide Shows, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting, * Watercolor Sketch Journaling

Molly Hashimoto's Watercolor Travel Journal Demo

Molly Hashimoto's Watercolor Travel Journal Demo

Molly Hashimoto was at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH recently for one of our FREE “How To” weekend demos.  She was demonstrating her very popular Watercolor Travel Journal tips and techniques to a packed room, and a VERY interested audience.

 
Molly began keeping Travel Journals in 1998, and told us that: “The time spent drawing in your Journal while looking at your subject is more meaningful than just taking photos – you slow down time this way”.  At the second demo Molly told us that making the Journals helps her to enjoy and extend the experience of her trip because of taking the time to sketch on site and working on finishing later in the studio “…stops time just a little bit…the experience is not over.”  I would like to add that Molly’s blog is also a fascinating Internet “Travel Sketchbook and Journal” of what she is working on, thoughts on painting, her classes and workshops and more, really worth taking some time to read, look at and enjoy!
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Arches Watercolor Book in the 10 x 14 size is Molly’s favorite for her Travel Journals because she can sit with it open on her lap.  She really enjoys seeing her watercolor journals lined up in a row, about 20 now, giving her a nice sense of accomplishment.  Keeping a “Travel” Journal is not just about painting them when traveling to major travel or vacation destinations, they are wonderful to have for a hike, a visit to a park or garden, or whatever subject that you would like to keep in a Journal.  Molly has written a couple of articles for past DANIEL SMITH catalogs: “Garden Journal Watercolor with Masking Fluid and Italic Calligraphy” and “The Art of Watercolor Journals” that you may want to read for inspiration.
 
Molly’s traveling paint kits:
 
The simplest is just a ziplock bag with her basic essentials:
  • Water soluble pen.
  • Waterbrush like the Niji Waterbrushes.
  • 2 small bottles of water (one for clean and one for dirty) but if you carry several filled waterbrushes then you don’t need these
  • Small watercolor brush such as a small travel watercolor brush.
  • Winsor & Newton Watercolor Pocket Plus Travel set, although Molly finds it does not work for her with larger sketches, since she can’t do washes not enough surface area from the mini palette in the travel set.
 
Molly also has two other travel paint kits she uses.  One is similar to the W&N in size but you can fill with your own preferred paint choices.  Fill with your watercolors;  Empty Half Pans or Empty Full Pans and super glue them into an Altoids tin, again very little area for mixing colors on the “palette”,  just the lid of the Altoids tin.
 
For more paint choices Molly filled her DS Empty Watercolor Boxes with her watercolor paints.  The watercolor boxes have a folding out area, plus the sectioned lid for more areas to mix paint in too and for washes.
 
Molly also sometimes likes to use Derwent Inktense Pencils, though you do need to have a fixative to keep it from rubbing off on the opposite page.  These water-soluble pencils are very nice for detailed sketches of small things like flowers, but Molly doesn’t like to use them for landscapes too hard to cover larger areas with the color.
 
Walnut ink is also a favorite medium of Molly’s’ for doing travel sketches, and is particularly great if you like Old Masters drawings.  Walnut ink is water-soluble so you can dissolve your line with a brush.  You can use a Speedball pen & nibs to draw with, and make dilutions of Walnut ink.  Tip, don’t use Crow Quill nib since it catches on the paper and spatters.  Molly showed us a sketchbook from a trip to New York City in February and her sketches of Central Park (almost empty so it seemed like being in a wilderness) done with Walnut ink.  Using Walnut ink also be used with a waterbrush, you can fill them with different watered down strengths of the ink.  I think the Pigma Sepia Pen Set would be especially nice when working with Walnut ink, you could sketch out the subject, then go back in with some diluted Walnut ink in a waterbrush.
 
Molly usually starts her journals on location and takes photos to use as reference to complete what she has started.  Not all traveling/hiking companions want to wait around very long while Molly sketches, depends on the group.  Sometimes Molly will work on her journal later that evening in her hotel room and look at the camera screen of the photo she took.  Sometimes Molly will work on a journal months later in the studio, a great way to re-experience the trip.
 
Some miscellaneous things Molly mentioned in her two demos:
 
  • “Niji waterbrush really helps to loosen up your work. To clean squeeze it and wipe with a paper towel.”
  • “I like to carry several waterbrushes.”
  • “Best way to start is to come up with a way to do these [sketches] very quickly.”
  • Sometimes uses Drafting tape to control her edges, it just depends on the effect Molly wants.
  • Molly really likes preserving the white spaces (around the sketch) and negative spaces.
  • “Not a studio painting [the sketches] it does not have to be representational.”
  • “So many different ways to paint – no right or wrong.”
  • Molly does rip out sketches that she does not like
  • Molly likes to let things dry when she paints outdoors, and then goes back in and works some more.
  • “Tip – use a really fine point pen so that the notes in the journal don’t over power the sketch.” 
  • Molly likes really beautiful letter forms in her journals, although doesn’t do it so much any more because it is time consuming.
  • Watercolor by itself does not work with calligraphy [for the letter forms]  - not enough “body”, so Molly mixes the WC with white gouache, the “paints” the mix onto her calligraphy nib.
 
For the demos, Molly worked on adding some sketches to her journal she had started from her Taos visit.  She worked from photos of some adobe buildings.
 
For the demo, Molly used:
 
3/4 inch bight brush – Molly also has a “good selection of flat brushes, makes it easier to paint windows, doors etc.” and DANIEL SMITH Watercolors:
 
Molly began painting the adobe building and painted in the shadow areas on red adobe with a favorite mix; Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Phthalo Blue (RS) and Carbazole Violet.  Molly noted while she painted that the “nice thing about working wet into wet is the loose, soft quality.”  She then went back in, and removed the excess shadow paint.  After the sketch of building had dried, Molly then wet in the sky area with a brush to drop in the blue Phthalo Blue (RS) for the sky working around the clouds.  Molly then painted in the gray (Quin Burnt Orange, Carbozle Violet, Phhtalo Blue (RS) for the undersides of the cloud.  She then tilted the sketchbook, then went back in and blotted with a paper towel to soften the clouds edges – Also nice for transitioning some areas.  For the sky, Molly used Cobalt Teal Blue and Cobalt Turquoise.
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Molly also said that while she has sketchbooks of her trip to Taos, Europe, Yellowstone, and Central Park in New York City etc. that you don’t have to go to faraway places to make wonderful travel sketchbooks.  Most of Molly’s’ sketchbooks are of local destinations, and painting at your local park, botanical gardens etc are excellent ways to learn and practice so that someday when you do have the opportunity to take a sketchbook on a dream trip, you will have had lots of practice, and know well which art supplies to pack for sketching!
 
After the demos everyone crowded around to look at Molly’s sketchbooks (a few had been passed around during the course of the demo) to look through the pages, they were really fun and inspiring to look through!  Thank you Molly!
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns
 
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August 18th, 2009 categories: category, * Collage, * Plein Aire Painting, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store: The Store For Artists

DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store: The Store For Artists

This weekend the DANIEL SMITH Store in Seattle will have two FREE Art Demos in Watercolor and Collage.

 
Saturday, Jim Adkins, a Northwest Watercolor Society member, will be sharing his tips on How to Plein Air Watercolor Paint.  Jim is the contact person for this year’s NWWS Plein Air Summer Painting schedule, and will have lots to share if you are interested in learning more about Plein Air Watercolor Painting.
 
Saturday, August 22nd at 11 am & 1:45 pm
WATERCOLOR: Plein Air & Perspective
Jim Adkins
 
 
Sunday, Bill Armstrong will be demonstrating and orchestrating a special “Hands On” on How to Collage.  Come ready to work on doing some Collaging and learning some tips and ideas from Bill with our “Hands On” FREE demo!
 
Sunday, August 23rd from 12 to 2 pm Hands On!
COLLAGE: Intro to Collage
Bill Armstrong 
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns
 
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June 3rd, 2009 categories: category, * Seattle DS Workshops, * Watercolor Painting
Jan Hart Workshop at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store. WATERCOLOR: Mastering Color and Pigments and Jan's Book: "The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color"

Jan Hart Workshop at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store. WATERCOLOR: Mastering Color and Pigments and Jan's Book: "The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color"

This weekend the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store will have Jan Hart, author of “The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color” for four days offering a workshop, “Watercolor: Mastering Color and Pigments“.

 ”Want to understand how color works? From selecting paints and mixing colors, to choosing pigments that work and planning ahead – this class will be your best educational investment ever! Geared towards beginning and intermediate artists, this class provides structured learning based on Jan’s book, The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color. Through demonstrations, slide shows, and one on one instruction, Jan creates an informative and positive environment for student creativity and growth.”

 
Friday thru Monday June 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th
WATERCOLOR: Mastering Color and Pigments
with Jan Hart
001 020 021
$85 per day
10 am to 4 pm
Special Savings Offer $300 for all four days!
For some immediate Jan Hart tips on how to create “Amazing Watercolor Mixes“, please see Jan’s DANIEL SMITH Inksmith article.
 
Every Day, Express Yourself with ART….
 
Deborah Burns

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April 22nd, 2009 categories: category, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * Landscapes, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Kay Barnes "The Painterly Approach" demo at DANIEL SMITH, April 18, 2009

Kay Barnes "The Painterly Approach" demo at DANIEL SMITH, April 18, 2009

Last Saturdays’  FREE demo at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store was a lively one with Kay Barnes presentation of “The Painterly Approach” to Watercolor painting.  Kay feels that “The Painterly Approach”  is lyrical and musical, it’s “listening to your internal music” when painting.  It is also less about painting from something specific, like a photo, and more about painting from your imagination.

 
Kay told us that about 50% of her paintings are from her imagination, and that everyone should “Pay Attention” to the things you see around you.  “When stuck in traffic [Kay is] never bored, just study the things I see to understand and use later – Pay Attention!”  Kay feels that you are more able to paint in a Painterly Way if you use your imagination.
 
Kay showed us a pre-painting she had done of “Light” and rotated it several times to show us how she might use it for different kinds of paintings, horizontal, vertical, and kept rotating it to horizontal and vertical again.  Then Kay talked about painting tiny sketches of her subject matter, because when you work small it’s easier to work out the essence of the subject.  She likes to do one minuet watercolor studies, and did a couple while she talked to us. 
 
Kay Barnes showing how she makes original watercolor cards from her one minuet watercolor studies and Strathmore Blank Watercolor Cards

Kay Barnes showing how she makes original watercolor cards from her one minuet watercolor studies and Strathmore Blank Watercolor Cards

One of the tips Kay shared was that she likes to make original watercolor cards from her little one minuet paintings.  Kay will cut out the little study, attach it to Strathmore cards and Voila, an easy original watercolor card!  This was extra timely since in the new DANIEL SMITH “Classroom” had Kari Foteff from Strathmore with a free cardmaking “Hands On” event from 12 to 2. 

 
After Kay was finished with her one minuet studies, she took the last 15-20 minuets of the one hour FREE demo to make a full sheet watercolor painting for us. 
 
Kay Barnes painting LIGHT with DANIEL SMITH Quinacridone Gold, Alizarin Crimson, and Cobalt Blue on very wet Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper

Kay Barnes painting LIGHT with DANIEL SMITH Quinacridone Gold, Alizarin Crimson, and Cobalt Blue on very wet Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper

Kay Barnes beginning her "from-imagination" estuary painting on top of her pre-painting of LIGHT

Kay Barnes beginning her "from-imagination" estuary painting on top of her pre-painting of LIGHT

Starting with a full sheet of cold press Arches watercolor paper on gator board (not stapled) she wet her paper, both sides (being wet on both sides is how the paper “sticks” to the gator board – she will staple later when she is done painting and the paint needs to dry).  Then, using large (3 inch) watercolor brushes, Kay began to paint LIGHT with DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors in Quinacridone Gold, then a little Alizarin Crimson and finally Cobalt Blue.  The colors melted into one another as Kay tilted the board this way and that until she had an ethereal light in watercolor glowing on the paper. 

 
Kay Barnes Estuary watercolor painting in mid-process

Kay Barnes Estuary watercolor painting in mid-process

Kay Barnes almost completed Estuary watercolor painting

Kay Barnes almost completed Estuary watercolor painting

Kay then began painting her landscape on the pre-painting she just did of LIGHT by telling us it’s “all about light and shape”.  She began adding “really strong darks” to what would eventually become a painting of an estuary shrouded in the ethereal light of early morning.  When Kay says, “I’m going to use a really strong dark – I go to my blues to make them.”  Kay wowed the group by making her subject come alive in the watercolor paint in the few remaining minuets of the FREE demo…it was amazing to see!

 
Thank you Kay!
 
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself with ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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April 8th, 2009 categories: category, * Sumi Painting, * Tips - Product Tips, * Video "How To", * Watercolor Painting
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Vanishing Image Paper - framed up to allow Customers to "Try It" when testing brushes at the brush counter at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

Vanishing Image Paper - framed up to allow Customers to "Try It" when testing brushes at the brush counter at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

Here is a great TIP for all you watercolorists and sumi painters, save some money on paper and practice your brush strokes on Vanishing Image Paper ! 

 
Here at the DANIEL SMITH  Seattle and Bellevue Stores we have the Vanishing Image Paper mounted, and placed on the the watercolor brush counter so that when you are at the stores, you can give our brushes a “TRY IT” test.  By trying out our brushes you can see how they “feel” and test their strokes.
 
The Vanishing Image Paper shows your brushstroke when you dip the brush you are trying, into water, and the water appears on the VIP surface like it would if it was paint or ink.  Unlike paint, the water evaporates returning the paper back to it’s blank surface.  The makes the VIP ideal for testing brushes in the store. 
 
The Vanishing Image Paper comes in a 9.5″ by 13″ sheet and it is great to use at home for anytime you want to practice your brushwork without using up your paper and watercolor paint or sumi ink.  This is a nice way to experiment with different ways of handling your brushes to learn the most effective expressive brush strokes for You!
 
Every Day,   Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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March 23rd, 2009 categories: category, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Katherine Wright Demonstration at DANIEL SMITH WATERCOLOR: Structures, Space, & Shadows

Katherine Wright Demonstration at DANIEL SMITH WATERCOLOR: Structures, Space, & Shadows

Last Saturday’s FREE demo at the DANIEL SMITH  Seattle Store had Katherine Wright sharing her insights into creating space in her watercolor paintings with structures and shadows.

 
Katherine began the demo talking about the effects of light falling on structures (both natural and man made) and how shadows from those structures create a sense of space.  Katherine said that it is important to learn that; ” Understanding what light is so we can understand it as Artists.”  This is an important topic to Katherine and she spent some time talking about it, which since she shared a fair amount of technical information and observations I will not write more on the topic as it would make this post very long!
 
Katherine briefly outlined how she works starting with her sketches, which she said; “I work a lot from my sketches, [and] sometimes I like my sketches better!”  She works out the numbers to enlarge her sketch to the size that she will be working with on watercolor paper, then uses graphite transfer paper to transfer the image.  Here is a tip for you:  Katherine likes to re-use the image on the transfer paper (she will do it multiple times) for another painting, she will make different decisions, color choices etc. and ultimately have a very different painting.
 
Katherine Wright demonstrating watercolor painting

Katherine Wright demonstrating watercolor painting

The paper Katherine prefers to paint on is Arches 300lb hot press watercolor paper , because she said she is: “lazy and does not like stretching watercolor paper”, although she does sometimes use the cold press too.  To begin painting, Katherine prefers LARGE brushes, the larger the better!  One of her favorites is a size 40 round DANIEL SMITH watercolor brush that is no longer manufactured.  I thought her preference for larger brushes was very interesting since her background is architecture (check out her architectural illustrations ).   I asked her about it after the demo, and she said she really likes the gestural freedom of the larger brushes for her watercolor paintings.  Later she will add details into the painting with smaller brushes.  Starting with her large flat brush, Katherine told us that, “flat brushes can really get you a long way”, she began working on her painting of some buildings on a hillside in Italy (she lived in Puglia for 3 years) with her watercolors. 

 
Katherine Wright answering a question at her watercolor painting demonstration

Katherine Wright answering a question at her watercolor painting demonstration

Katherine begins by expressively working on her “under-painting” which she calls “a mess” (!) using the large flat brush, then she lets the colors dry a bit and goes back in and “intensifies it” with stronger color.  Later she will begin to add details with a fine brush, but not too much.  Katherine encouraged many questions during the demo and happily answered them although, it did mean that the demo ran over 15 minuets, so she was not able to finish some of the detail work she would have liked! 

Some of the other helpful tips that Katherine shared with us was that she does not use black, but rather prefers to “make interesting darks” by combining colors like DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors in French Ultramarine , Burnt Umber , and Quinacridone Magenta to make “interesting darks”.  Also how important it is to really know your watercolor paints and their qualities.  Katherine gave us an example of how, when she first began working in watercolor, she did not realize why when mixing Alizarin Crimson with Naples Yellow , she lost her luminous transparency.  Later, once she learned more about her watercolors, she found out that Naples Yellow has Zinc White in it, and Zinc White is one of the more opaque colors. 
 
To learn more about  watercolor painting  from Katherine, she is teaching a Workshop: “Putting perspective in your work!”   April 12, 2009 at the Kirkland Woman’s Club, please contact Katherine via her website for more. 
 
Thank you Katherine!
 
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself with ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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March 14th, 2009 categories: category, * DANIEL SMITH Catalog, * Mix Media, * Multi-Media, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Darlene Lucas demonstrating more of her extensive techniques at the DANIEL SMITH Store in Seattle

Darlene Lucas demonstrating more of her extensive techniques at the DANIEL SMITH Store in Seattle

Today’s FREE demo at DANIEL SMITH  Seattle Store was with Darlene Lucas showing everyone her many ways of painting using watercolor paints’  unique qualities of transparency , and granulation as her first layer.  Then she incorporates many other different art materials into her paintings.  Everyone who attended today’s demo learned multiple ways to creatively paint. 

 
Darlene told us that painting on Ampersand Claybord is currently her passion because its’ surface allows her a lot of freedom to work in many different ways.  She likes the smooth surface, it’s like hot press watercolor paper, and it has a durable surface that she can manipulate to express her ideas.  She will also sometimes use the more traditional for watercolor, Ampersand Aquabord with its’ more textured surface
 
Darlene Lucas explaining some of her techniques that she uses in her paintings at the DANIEL SMITH Free demo

Darlene Lucas explaining some of her techniques that she uses in her paintings at the DANIEL SMITH Free demo

She incorporates not only watercolor paint, but adds collage elements with decorative paper , rice paper, bits of watercolor painting cut up and ”pasted” to the surface with Matte Medium and occasionally pressed leaves or flowers.  She also will scratch into the Claybord surface with different tools which causes the watercolor to collect in the crevices and she will scratch into dried paint to expose the white of the claybord for other effects.  Darlene showed us how she might add depth and different interest by adding Molding Paste, both light and regular depending on the effects she wants.

 
Because Darlene’s art is about layering, the watercolor is the base to which she adds the other layers and acrylic paint.  Watercolor has luminous qualities and dries with wonderful effects that enriches her paintings in ways acrylic paint cannot.  When she is done with her watercolor, she sprays it with fixative to prevent the watercolor from dissolving or running when other wet applications are added.  She may go back and add another layer of watercolor and sprays it again to “lock” the color.  Darlene told me that she sometimes mixes her watercolor with acrylic paint (or acrylic medium ) to get watercolor effects with arcylics’ permanence. 
 
When Darlene begins a painting she wants’ to know “what is my concept?”  Darlene told us that she is currently very interested in Astronomy, the cosmos, atomic particles and more, and finds inspiration when she reads about them.  One sentence that inspired her for today’s’ demo is; “…a particle can take on mixtures of velocities…” and she applied that as her concept for the painting using flowers as the subject.  Okay, I don’t really understand how she does it, but Darlene makes it all come together as Her Art Expression!
A partial outline of how Darlene works begins with sketches she made of her concept, does value studies, then using transfer paper, transfers it to her claybord, preserves her “white” with Masquepen, perhaps adds rice paper or other paper, perhaps scratches into the surface, does her watercolor under-painting, (the order of these changes depending on the painting) sprays fixative, then begins adding her acrylic paint.  Darlene then may repeat different steps to develop the painting.  At the beginning of the demo Darlene answered a question about working from her sketches:  
“…then at a certain point I set aside my sketch,
and go where my painting tells me to go.”

 Darlene also told us about the importance of “good junk” (everyone laughed at that!) to see what kinds of effects you can get, she likes to play and experiment with using lots of different things to see what kind of visual effects she can get.

At the end of the demo, Darlene left us with a few more tips: 
  • She has found that laminating her copy of the DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors chart helps her with selecting the watercolors for a particular painting and a good reference for knowing the transparency and granulation characteristics of the different colors.
  • And Darlene told us that she punches 3 holes in the DANIEL SMITH Catalogs to keep them in a binder, and said:
 “I hope you are reading your DANIEL SMITH Catalogs ,
you learn so much!”  
 
Thank you Darlene!
 
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself with ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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March 9th, 2009 categories: category, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting, * Watercolor Sketch Journaling
Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

This coming weekend FREE demos at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store. 

 Learn how Darlene Lucas paints  Fragmented Flowers in watercolor at the Saturday demo, and get some painting ideas and techniques that you can try with your own paintings.

Saturday,  March 14th at 11 am & 1:45 pm
WATERCOLOR: Watercolor Fragmented Flowers
Darlene Lucas artscouncilofsnoco.org/artist_pages/lucas.htm

 

Maria Coryell-Martin, as an Expeditionary Artist,  has wonderful sketches of her trips around the world and can show you many ideas and tips on making journals of your own expeditions and trips to document your travels and create memorable keepsakes.  Learn how this coming Sunday.

Sunday,  March 15th at 12 & 2 pm
WATERCOLOR: Recycled Sketchbooks for Journaling
Maria Coryell-Martin
expeditionaryart.com

  

Every Day,  Express Yourself with ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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March 3rd, 2009 categories: category, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Cindy Briggs talking about watercolor paper pad while Theresa Goesling paints at the DANIEL SMITH Demo

Cindy Briggs talking about watercolor paper pad while Theresa Goesling paints at the DANIEL SMITH Demo

The FREE demo last Saturday, Watercolor: Make Everyday a Painting at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH had a full house to watch and learn from both Theresa Goesling and Cindy Briggs.  Their demo was also a full house of ideas to take away! 

 
It was fun watching them do tag team paintings at the same time, one working on her painting, while the other was talking about another technique to try.  As they pointed out, while they both have rather different watercolor painting styles, and live in two different states (Washington – Theresa and Oregon – Cindy) but when they get together for their Mediterranean workshops and demos like this, their styles meld well and they play off one another. 
 
Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store for their demo

Cindy Briggs and Theresa Goesling the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store for their demo

They talked about and demonstrated different art materials: watercolor pencils , watercolor paper pads , watercolor paints (particularly the DANIEL SMITH Luminescent watercolors ) different kinds of brushes (particularly the cats’ tongue and Black Gold Round Watercolor Brush #12 ) making marbleized paper using acrylic paint and carrageenan, collage and more!  It was a jam packed continuous two and a half hour demo full of all sorts of art supply information and “how to” do watercolor painting and general art making.

 
Cindy focused at one point, on showing us how to combine Contour Line Drawings and Watercolor Painting to produce some very interesting art, she often works this way herself.  Later she challenged everyone in at the demo to try painting in Watercolor without sketching it in first.  Unfortunately I had to leave about the point that Theresa finishing up showing us how she makes her own marbleized paper, and show us how she combines collage with painting. 
 
I left the demo with lots of ideas and information swirling around in my head like the marbleized paper that Theresa was making!
Saturday, February 28th from 11 am to 1:30 pm
WATERCOLOR: Make Everyday a Painting
Theresa Goesling & Cindy Briggs
theresagoesling.com
cindybriggs.com 
Thank you Theresa and  Cindy!
 
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself with Art ….
 
~Deborah Burns
 

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January 12th, 2009 categories: category, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Deborah Stachowic demonstrating how she paints "Dramatic Reds" using DANIEL SMITH Watercolors

Deborah Stachowic demonstrating how she paints "Dramatic Reds" using DANIEL SMITH Watercolors

 Deborah Stachowic at last Saturday’s FREE demo at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store showed everyone attending how she gets her “Dramatic Reds” on her large watercolor paintings.  When you visit her website, you can see, especially her “Red Tea Leaves #2 “ great examples of what she was showing us at the demo.

 
Deborah paints in what she calls “layering” to build up rich, deep colors.  She lets the watercolor paint dry in between layers, then re-wets the area, and lays down more color with her brush.  This layering gives a lot of depth to the surface of her watercolor painting.
 
When applying the watercolor paint, Deborah uses a very large, round, soft watercolor brush (she especially likes the DANIEL SMITH Black Gold Watercolor brushes ) and told us that she “lightly” (!!!) applies each layer.  Don’t use flat brushes or heavy brushwork or you will have to remove color.  Deborah told us to make sure the paint on your brush is a little dryer than the surface of your painting or you will get “blooms” in the area you touch your brush to.  Other tools she likes to use are the Soft White Color Shapers.  
 
A TIP  from Deborah when painting in watercolor, use a roll of toilet paper to “blot up” excess watercolor on your painting.  The edge of the roll has a sharp edge and you can blot in a clean line.  Be sure and remove those sheets that blotted the excess watercolor after every blotting session, or you will lose your edge as the watercolor continues to spread or bleed.
 
Deborah also shared with us one of her favorite watercolor paint mixtures to get a rich black.  It’s her workhorse color: DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors in Prussian Blue, New Gamboge , and Alizarin Crimson are mixed to create deep, rich blacks.  Deborah also likes to use a little bit of Prussian Blue to darken her reds. 
 
Because Deborah prefers to work large, she uses full sheets (22×30 in.) of 140lb. cold press watercolor, either the Lanaqarelle or the Arches.  She soaks them in the tub to get the paper wet then stretches the paper using a water soluble glue (like Elmers’) and runs a bead all the way around with her finger onto her gatorboard.
 
Deborah often does demos at both the Seattle and Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Stores, so check the FREE demo schedule to find out when. 
 
Thank you Deborah!
 
 
Every Day,   Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns

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August 6th, 2008 categories: category, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting, * Watercolor Sketch Journaling
It’s a watercolor weekend for our FREE weekend demos here at the DANIEL SMITH Store in Seattle ! If you are thinking about learning about watercolor painting, or would like to learn some new tips or even to just get inspired, then you are invited to come to our FREE watercolor demos.
Saturday, watercolor artist Deborah Stachowic will be sharing her tips on Painting European Scenes in watercolors. Deborah who travels extensively and takes her watercolor paints with her, is sure to have some ideas for you.

 

Sunday, artist Bruce Edwards demonstration will be on keeping a watercolor Journal. This is a wonderful way to document your summer vacation, and Bruce’s’ practical tips are sure to help and inspire you to make your own watercolor Journal while on your next trip.

Saturday, August 9th at 11am & 1
Watercolor: European Landscapes
Deborah Stachowic
paintscapeabroad.com

Sunday, August 10th at 12 & 2pm
WATERCOLOR: Journal Entries in Watercolor
Bruce Edwards
bruceedwardsartwork.com

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Originally published August 6, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 28th, 2008 categories: category, * Portraits, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting

Last Saturday, for the FREE weekend demo at the DANIEL SMITH Store in Seattle, Botanist and Artist Linda Ann Vorobik gave a talk and demonstration on Botanical Illustration. Linda, well known for her Botanical Illustrations in reference books such as The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California , gave a through (as through as a person can do in an hour!) introduction to basic Botanical Illustration.

Linda Ann Vorobik , who has an extensive education and professional expertise in Botany, has blended her scientific interests and background with the sensuality of art that appeals to her when she works on her artistic Botanical Illustrations…her “Plant Portraits”. Linda had this to say about her work as an artist: “I’m a sensualist, to me art is about connecting with the medium, not sitting at a computer with a mouse”.

Linda had a lot of materials and artwork that she invited everyone to look over before she began her demo. Linda reviewed with us the art supplies she uses for her botanical illustrations, several unusual items were magnifying glasses, and watchmaker’s forceps…all the better to see and access the fine details of a flower or plant. Linda told the audience several times how important it is for accurate botanical illustration to “Measure, Measure, Draw”. Of course unless you are doing scientifically accurate botanicla illustrations as Linda does, you don’t necessarily need to “Measure, Measure, Draw” when doing your plant portraits.

Going through the steps Linda takes, she showed us how she works:
Step 1: Pencil sketch – sketch out your subject.
Step 2: Composition – make xerox copies of pencil sketch, cut and paste until you get the composition you want. Tape your drawing paper (Strathmore 500 Series Illustration Board ) to your paper with the composed sketches.
Step 3: Pen & Ink – Lay your taped drawing paper over a light box and begin tracing out in ink, your composed sketches.
Step 4: Watercolor (if she is doing the illustration in color).

Linda showed us a couple of the techniques she uses for getting dimensionality in her pen and ink drawings; thin and thicker ink lines with different nibs (or pens) or pressure when tracing out the shapes, and leaving a “white gap” between lines to show that something (a background leaf) is behind another object (a foreground leaf). It was interesting to see how really effective that was when we got out of our seats and moved in for a closer look. Linda also brought her laptop with her to show us photos of how effective watercolor washes are for building up glowing, translucent color with a couple of onion studies.

This was just a very brief introduction to botanical illustration, Linda will be teaching a Botanical Illustration Workshop on Sunday, August 17th at the the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store . If you are interested in Botanical Illustration, or in improving your skills for drawing or painting flowers and plants, then this is a good opportunity to get some hands on learning with an professionally experienced, and well known Botanical Illustrator.

Thank you Linda!

Make Art Every Day You Can….
 
~Deborah Burns

 

Workshop
Sunday August 17th

WATERCOLOR: Botanical illustration

with Linda Ann Vorobik

vorobikbotanicalart.com

Linda Ann Vorobik will teach you the steps of botanical illustration from drawing plants to publishing in professional books and journals, with sample art and images illustrating these steps. Botanical illustration is defined and compared with plant portraiture. Using tools for pen and ink or watercolor you will learn how these medias apply to rendering beautiful botanical images. All skill levels are welcome: accomplished artists can learn added botany skills and skilled botanists will learn to draw.

$75 per day

11 AM to 4:00 PM

001 020 334

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Originally published July 28, 2008

http://danielsmithart.blogspot.com/2008/07/daniel-smiths-free-weekend-demo-with.html

 

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 23rd, 2008 categories: category, * Floral Art, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting

Saturday the Seattle Daniel Smith Store will have 2 FREE demos with Watercolor Botanical Artist Linda Ann Vorobik. Linda will share some of her observations and tips for Botanical Watercolor Illustration, and this is a great (FREE) way to find out more about attending Linda’s Workshop on August 17th at the Seattle Daniel Smith Store. If you are a garden enthusiast, this is a demonstration that you will want to come to! 

Sat July 26th at 11:30 am & 1:45 pm
WATERCOLOR: Botanical illustration
vorobikbotanicalart.com
DON’T FORGET Linda’s Workshop August 17th Seattle Store!
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Originally published July 23, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 23rd, 2008 categories: category, * Ink Drawing & Painting, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
The FREE weekend demonstration at the DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store last Saturday was with Watercolor and Walnut Ink Artist Marianne Perkins .

Marianne talked about and showed the group lots of her tips for working with Walnut Ink with different tools and on different kinds of papers. Papers like Arches Watercolor , Vellum, Bristol Board (favorite), really most types of papers. She has also done mono-prints with Walnut Ink on to printmaking paper.

Some of Marianne’s tips were: Do not use your best watercolor brushes to apply the Walnut Ink because you can’t get all the ink out when you clean the brushes. Akua Kolor’s Needle Applicator – 5 pack is a wonderful way to draw with the Walnut Ink, you get some very expressive lines. When using these, Marianne has one of the 5 applicators filled with water so that she can easily clean the needle of the applicator she just used for drawing. She attaches the used needle to the water-filled applicator and gently squeezes water out through the needle. Consistent, and immediate cleaning of the needle before the Walnut Ink dries in the needle is very important, because if it dries out, the needle will be permanently clogged and ruined.

Some of the really cool effects that Marianne gets with Walnut Ink are when she works with it as mixed media. Marianne often adds watercolor (she really likes the effects of the DANIEL SMITH Luminescent Watercolors ) when painting (not mixed together!) and Pastels . When using Pastels, she lays down some Pastel color on scrap paper, then using a brush (with water) takes up some of the pastel dust and paints it onto her work.

Another of Marianne’s favorite tools is Frisket Masking Film, and she often uses the same shape over a couple of times. She gets some interesting effects when the masking film starts to loose some of it’s “tack” and the Walnut Ink or Watercolor begins to seep underneath the film.

Marianne had several framed Walnut Ink paintings / drawings on display near the demo table, which inspired several questions during the demo. It is always interesting to see the Artists work on display while they are talking about how they work, and demonstrating to get those effects. Marianne told the group that while she …”loves the process of painting, I don’t always love my paintings”. She added that it’s through the process you discover new ways of creating visual excitement in your work, so don’t be afraid to play, experiment and get involved in the PROCESS, that is how you make exciting Art!

Thank you Marianne! 

Make Art Every Day You Can….
 
~Deborah Burns
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Originally published July 23, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 15th, 2008 categories: category, * Bellevue DS Store, * Bellevue FREE Demos, * Drawing, * Watercolor Painting, * Watercolor Sketch Journaling
This weekends FREE demonstrations at the DANIEL SMITH  Bellevue Store will have Bruce Edwards on Saturday showing how to create expressive journals in watercolor. On Sunday, Jim Stoccardo will be demonstrating Drawing and Painting on Claybord, if you have ever wanted to know more about working on Claybord, this is a great way to get some tips. Remember, both of these demos are FREE!

Saturday, July 19th at 11 am & 1:45 pm

WATERCOLOR: Journal Entries in Watercolor
Sunday, July 20th at 12 & 2 pm
Drawing & Painting on Claybord
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Originally published July 15th, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 9th, 2008 categories: category, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * DS Watercolor Triads, * Landscapes, * Plein Aire Painting, * Watercolor Painting

DANIEL SMITHS’ Newest Triad…

Recently DANIEL SMITH added a new Watercolor Triad just in time for Summer Watercolor Painting! It’s the Sand & Surf Triad colors chosen by Watercolor Artist Susie Short . It’s official name is: “DANIEL SMITH: Limited Edition Watercolor Triad, Susie Short’s Sand & Surf”.

If you are planning on going to the beach this summer to do some Plein Aire Painting, then you may want to bring this Triad along with you! Either take the Sand & Surf Triad itself, or add one or two of the colors to your collection if you already have either the DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors in Indanthrone Blue , Ultramarine Turquoise, or the Goethite, Brown Ochre, and complete your own Triad!

Susie recently did a FREE demo at the Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store using mostly this Sand & Surf Triad (click HERE to see) and will be doing another FREE “Sea and Shore” demo this weekend at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store on Saturday, July 12th at 11am and 1:45pm.

 

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Originally published July 9, 2008

http://danielsmithart.blogspot.com/2008/07/daniel-smiths-newest-watercolor-triad.html

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 7th, 2008 categories: category, * DS Watercolor Triads, * Landscapes, * Oil FREE Demos, * Oil Painting, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
This upcoming weekend’s FREE demonstrations at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store are with watercolor “Sea and Shore” painting with Artist Susie Short on Saturday the 12th. If you would like a preview of what it would be like, click HERE to read the blog article from Susie’s demo on using the DANIEL SMITH “Sand and Surf” Watercolor Triad in June at the Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store . Sunday the 13th is with Patrick Howe with a FREE demo on oil painting and reflective light. Patrick’s website shows some of his oil paintings that have some beautiful reflective light , you just might want to come to the FREE demo to find out how he does it!

Saturday, July 12th at 11 am & 1:45 pm

DON’T FORGET Susie’s Workshop
July 27th thru 28th Seattle Store!
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Sunday, July 13th at 12 & 2 pm
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Originally published July 7, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
July 4th, 2008 categories: category, * Bellevue DS Store, * Bellevue FREE Demos, * Ink Drawing & Painting, * Travel Sketching & Journals, * Watercolor Garden Journal, * Watercolor Painting, * Watercolor Sketch Journaling
This weekend’s FREE demos at the Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store will give you tips on capturing your travels in ink and Watercolor with Expeditionary Artist Maria Coryell-Martin , and tips on Watercolor Painting on Ampersand Aquabord with Local Artist Che Lopez

Saturday, July 5th at 11 am & 1:45 pm

INK & WATERCOLOR: Expeditionary Field Sketching
Maria Coryell-Martin
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Sunday, July 6th at 12 & 2 pm
WATERCOLOR: Painting on Aquabord
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Originally published July 4, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
June 27th, 2008 categories: category, * Bellevue DS Store, * Watercolor Painting
Saturday, June 28th, Is Watercolor Painting 101 With Che Lopez.   Get a jump start on learning some watercolor painting basics with the Bellevue  DANIEL SMITH Store’s own Che Lopez . For the Watercolor 101 Workshop , Che will show you some fun and useful tips to help you get started painting in watercolor, just in time for Summer!

This is a great deal (not just having Che as your teacher) but each student will receive a $10.00 coupon to use at the Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store towards buying art materials. So the class is $10.00 to register, and then you get a $10.00 coupon (to use at the Bellevue store) so that pretty much makes taking the class free!
$10.00
9am to 10am
001 020 004

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Originally published June 27, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
June 23rd, 2008 categories: category, * Bellevue DS Store, * Bellevue FREE Demos, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * DS Watercolor Triads, * Landscapes, * Watercolor, * Watercolor FREE Demos, * Watercolor Painting
Saturday, June 21 FREE Demo at the
Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store
Watercolor Painting: “Sea & Shore”
With Susie Short
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Watercolor Artist Susie Short was at the DANIEL SMITH  Store in Bellevue last Saturday for one of the weekly FREE DANIEL SMITH demonstrations . Susie’s theme for the the watercolor painting demo was “Sea and Shore” to give some insight and techniques on painting the shore for the 11am demo, and the second demo at 1:45 was tips on painting waves crashing onto the shore.

Susie shared lots and lots of insights, with her amazing observations on shore landscapes and tips on how to paint them in watercolor . She showed the packed room full of watercolor enthusiasts “feathering” to get the strong horizontals of the shoreline and parallel surf, how she makes the foaming surf and spray pop from the paper, achieves the translucent effects of the waves and water as it covers the sand and rocks…and so much more! For an hour demo there was a lot of great stuff!

Working mostly with her new DANIEL SMITH Sand and Surf Watercolor Triad: Indanthrone Blue , Ultramarine Turquoise , and Goethite (Brown Ochre) Susie demonstrated the watercolor painting effects she was showing the audience…really amazing! Susie also used just a touch of DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolor, Green Gold for the light glowing through the wave just before it crashes.

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Susie also had a painting on display that she did just a few days before when she was at the beach, it was an incredible shore landscape with dark rocks that she did with the new Sand and Surf Triad, and a touch of Quinacridone Burnt Orange which when mixed with the other three colors produced the most amazing deep, rich dark for the back-lighted rocks. This painting was the one she recreated for the 11am FREE demo.

When Susie was talking about how to paint the waves, she shared her excellent observations on how the light effects the water and how to create those effects with watercolor painting. It was also fun to watch and learn because Susie became very animated waving her hands and arms to act out the action of the wave…complete with sound effects! Susie is a very inspiring watercolor painting instructor, so be sure to come to her next DANIEL SMITH FREE Demo at the Seattle store : Saturday, July 12th at 11am and 1:45pm to see for yourself. Thank you Susie!

Susie Short also many watercolor workshops and watercolor painting videos and DVDs too! The next DANIEL SMITH Workshop is:

Sunday & Monday July 27th and 28th.
WATERCOLOR: Sea and Shore
$75 per day
11 AM to 4:00 PM
001 020 059
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Originally published on June 23, 2008

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »

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