20150118 Watercolor by Lian

Wonderful time of learning and friendship and messing around!

I took Sketchnotes on an A3 watercolor paper (300 gsm) 

and the end product I thought was worth circulating.

In the orange circle you see Lian-Chai, aka shuai-ge aka Erwin Lian, out Lau-Shi.

Parka was waving a camera at everyone.

Erwin Lian kindly processed the text with his red/ green/ yellow word filter!

As promised we were given A4 pieces of cotton paper: 4 sheets actually.

(Three sheets 100% cotton paper

one sheet 20% cotton water paper)

Some features of our 190 gsm 100% cotton paper.

Torn rather than cut to show off the fibers.

<300 gsm paper tends to buckle when wet, then become wavy.

So watercolourists stretch their paper.

Paper also gets better activated when you stretch it.

But some people find stretching is troublesome.

Paper grain can be determined by which way does the paper bend/ fold more easily.

Recommended to soak paper for 10 to 15 minutes but no longer.

If soaked for too long sizing may be affected. 

(Sizing is chemicals added to paper to alter the ink handling).

Colour arrangement on your palate 

Classic arrangement

Warms on one side

Cools on the other

Earth tones on one side as well.

Having warm and cool variations to each colour allows one to aquire the right colour temperature faster.

Any brand artist grade gives you brilliant colours.

Artist grade paint has more pigment in them. 

Student grade - mostly filler in the tube.

Mentioned

Hobin.

Daniel Smith

Winsor Newton.

When two colours meet.. Chroma dies

(Chroma is the intensity of a hue)

When one hue is mixed with its complementary colour, it neutralizes and begins to turn muddy.

The brilliance of a colour depends on its neighbour. If a hue is placed besides its neutral, it will look bright and more brilliant. This is called simultaneous contrast.

Know your colour wheel

Colour harmony is like yin and yang.

Soaked paper is taped down with gummed tape plus staples.

Excess water is squeegeed away

Leave to dry 24 hours.

There was a discussion about brushes I did not capture.

Something about expensive animal fur brushes 

Vs cheap synthetic brushers.

Most expensive brushes are those made from animal fur.

Kolinsky sable brushes are best but they are expensive and cruel to those furry creatures.

Animal fur holds water better and kolinsky brushes are very flexible.

A big brush can hold a lot of water but you can still draw fine thin lines with its tip.

A regular plan is to have at least three tubs of water

One - keep clean. Clean water is useful for many things.

Second allow to only get moderately dirty

And third allow to get very dirty.

When using brush or sponge to remove water from painting, remover should be damp, not bone dry.

Task 

Paint a 3 d ball, with cast shadow, core shadow, and reflected light.

Will do this in 3 layers

1) paint a circle of clear water.

2) charge it with colour

3 ) leave it alone

4) add the cast shadow

5) have control with no control.

6) Tea, milk, honey technique

Tea: first layer very light: let it dry

Second layer: medium thick: let it dry

Third layer honey: thick and could be fresh paint for detail.

The "tea and milk " idea made me paint a teacup and teapot.....

(thinking of Liz Steel),,.

To check if your paper is dry 

look at it

If shiny: still wet

If not shiny,

use back of knuckle to touch it

Do NOT use finger tip (that will add finger oil)

If the back of knuckle feels cool, paper still wet.

Wet on wet - good for clouds:

Use blue for sky, wet on wet

Then dab with crumpled tissue paper to blot up a patch and allow a white cloud to appear.

Can use rag

Can try cling film, bubble wrap for different texture.

WAIT for paper to dry before next layer.

Waiting is the hardest part.

But if don't wait, will kena cauliflower.

Can soften edge by painting on clear water.

Can lift colour using synthetic brush and clear water.

(Some Cadium based colours  hard to extract from the paper.)

Start with one colour

Then add complementary.

Always a good idea to work with just two complementary colours before extending to a full range.

Eg burnt sienna , cobalt blue

Thanks to Erwin!