Palette Choices

QUESTION: Please tell me what type of watercolor palette you recommend. I've seen so many like Quiller, Richeson, John Pike??? and I'm confused as to which is the best buy for my money. Thank you kindly. Fran


SUSIE'S REPLY: I personally like a light weight plastic palette with flat wells. It's my choice because I like to work with dry paint vs. wet paint. I find that the slanted wells collect too much water under the paint. My favorite palettes are the 32 well Jones palette or the Richeson palette with 22 wells. Both have lids and an open mixing area without "speed bumps".
The Quiller palette has flat wells and would fit my needs if it had a few more wells. It is arranged to work with the color wheel color theory and is an excellent choice for working with a limited palette of colors.
If you work with moist or freshly squeezed paint you may prefer the slanted wells. The John Pike palette is one of the sturdiest palettes on the market.

When purchasing a palette I look for a palette made from durable plastic and watch out for weakened corners. I have found through the years that the quality of the Jones and Richeson palettes mentioned above are consistantly reliable.

I hope that helps! Happy Painting!
SUSIE

Transfering a drawing to watercolor paper

Question: How do you transfer a drawing without a light box or window. Do you ever use graphite paper? If so, specifics please on it. Also, do you erase your drawing after you have finished your painting? I have never heard this addressed. Thank you, Linda /CA

SUSIE'S REPLY:
Linda,
There are many types of graphite paper available in art supply stores. If I do use a transfer paper I like the Saral brand the best. Because Saral Transfer Paper is wax free it gives the advantage of erasing like pencil without any smear or smudge.
Some artists like to make their own transfer paper using a graphite stick on tracing paper sealed with lighter fluid.

Do I erase my pencil lines when I finish a painting?
Yes, I do... most of the time. That's because for the most part if I do use a pencil line it's for a guide line or position rather than an edge. My drawing is not intended to be a part of the painting.
That's me ... and my personal preference.
There is nothing wrong with leaving pencil lines in the finished work. There are many great artists who do fantastic line drawings on their paper prior to adding watercolor to their work. Erasing the pencil lines would diminish the impact of their paintings.

For me personally, if I do want to transfer a drawing to my watercolor paper I prefer to use a light box or window rather than transfer paper.

Like so many things we do as artists, we will try this method or that method and adapt the one that works best for us and the way we paint. Not that one way is right or another wrong.... it is just what method works best for each of us.

Confession:
I did draw before I painted when I began my watercolor journey. Along the way my painting evolved into more of a freehand style painting without drawing first. I do still draw some for my students when I'm teaching. For the record!

I hope that helps answer your questions.
Happy Painting!
SUSIE

Paint Colors for Painting Dry Sand and Wet Sand in watercolor

QUESTION: Dear Susie,You are so talented. I am humbled by your work. Thank you for sharing your experience. I just bought your brush and can't wait until it gets here. What color(s) do you use to paint dry sand and wet sand? Kris / Florida

SUSIE'S REPLY: Hi Kris - Thanks for the kind words! I love what I do and I love to share.

The answer to your question on colors for painting dry sand and wet sand would depend on the location of the beach and the type of sand found there. It could be white or tan or black or golden or any combination of these.

Just as you hair looks darker when its wet, wet sand will usually be a darker value of the same hue/color you use for dry sand. Plus keep in mind that wet sand will often be reflective of the sky color too. Those reflections will vary in color depending on the lighting conditions and the time of day.

Granulating pigments add a slight texture that helps with painting the illusion of sand and is even more effective if the granulating pigments are used on rough watercolor paper.

I suspect you want me to give you the names of some colors you might try for painting sand. :)
And I'll be happy to name a few that will work well for painting sand.

One relatively new color for me in my paint box is Goethite Brown Ochre (Daniel Smith)
I found that works well for a mid value warm golden sand that doesn't look too yellowish. I like mixing it with Indanthrone Blue or French Ultramarine for a nice blue gray. It has a nice density that lends to granulation when used on either cold pressed or rough papers. (While I haven't tried it on hot pressed paper yet, I believe with the properties of the pigment would give some nice granulation on hot pressed too.)

• Quoted from Daniel Smith:
  Found in iron deposits nearly worldwide, Goethite (Brown Ochre) is named after Johann Wolfgang Goethe, the German philosopher, poet and mineralogist.
  Our unusually pure pigment is mined in Russia, south of Moscow. Rich and warm, DANIEL SMITH Goethite is a dark tea color in masstone and washes out to a rich, warm tan. In washes, it displays intriguing granulation, with pools of light and dark in every brushstroke. Like all colors derived from the earth, it is lightfast and permanent…a lasting connection to the planet and the creative forces of nature.

Goethite Brown Ochre is included in a limited edition Surf and Sand Triad offered by Daniel Smith earlier this summer. (2008)


Used alone or mixed together here are some additional watercolor pigments/paints you might want to try.

• Burnt Sienna
• Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
• Lunar Earth
  (DS) A transparent, non-staining pigment that resembles Burnt Sienna in color but separates dramatically. Lightfast and extremely versatile, Lunar Earth shares pigment properties with Lunar Black and creates similar amazing textures.
  Explore their radical reticulating qualities separately, then try painting Lunar Earth into a wet Lunar Black wash. An instant beach-sand and pebbles-magically appears.
• Lunar Violet
  (DS)With extreme granulation it’s capable of creating a rugged weathered look of years gone by, mix with other granulating pigment to create a sandy texture.
• Burnt Bronzite Genuine
  (DS)Burnt Bronzite Genuine pushes the honey tone of Bronzite Genuine to a more coppery hue. Both deeper brown and more orange, it's ideal for portrait work as it easily produces a wide range of flesh tones. Like Bronzite Genuine, it gets a subtle lustrous sparkle from iron oxide.
• Bronzite Genuine
  (DS) It's a warm golden-brown in masstone - somewhere between ochre and sienna, but distinctly different - that lets down into pale washes of soft, always warm, sandy beige. In a wash on cold press or rough paper, the brown settles out of this intriguing special-effect color.
• Yavapai Genuine
• Hematite
  (DS) ground from a heavy silvery-black mineral rich in iron. In a thick wash, the heavier particles settle, creating bold granulation. In a thin wash, it is a soft dove gray.
• Hematite Violet
  (DS) produces the same splendid texture as the standard Hematite, but the background hue is a warm violet-brown.
• Transparent Brown Oxide

Keep in mind that the paint varies from brand to brand even though the paint has the same color name. [The descriptions (in italics) above are quoted from Daniel Smith.]

I hope these give you some ideas for painting sand, wet or dry.
Have fun!
SUSIE

Staining Watercolor Pigments

QUESTION:
Hi Susie, I've been painting for 6 years and I think I'm finally over the hump where I don't need to classify myself as a rank beginner. (smile) I now have a ton of watercolor paints. How can I determine which are staining or non staining? And could you also tell me how to know if they are transparent or opaque? Thanks, Wanda/ NC

SUSIE'S REPLY:
Hi Wanda, There is a simple test you can do with each of your many tubes of watercolor so you will know which are transparent vs opaque or somewhere in between. You can test each color individually or use a larger piece of paper to test each group of colors by their hues. Using a wide permanent black marker or India ink draw a line approximately 1/4 inch wide for each color you are testing. Add a small amount of water to dilute each paint so that it spreads easily being careful not to add too much water. Allow the paint to dry. If it is transparent you will be able to see the sharp black line through the paint without any residual paint sitting on top of the line. If a paint is semi-opaque you will see only a small amount of pigment on the black line. If the paint is opaque you will see more of a chalky looking residue from the paint over the black line.

There is another simple test for determining if a pigment is staining or non staining. You will find the explanations and the illustrations for both of these tests (Testing Watercolor Paints) on my website. http://www.susieshort.net/watercolor-tips-transparency.html

Good questions! Thanks for asking!
SUSIE

Painting straight lines or edges in watercolor

QUESTION:
I just started watercolor painting. Is there an easy way to make straight lines (as when painting a structure that needs to have very straight walls etc? Thanks, Donna


SUSIE'S REPLY:
Hi Donna!
It sounds like you are jumping into watercolor with both feet! GOOD FOR YOU!
I do have a few simple tips that will help with getting a clean edge when painting a building or a wall with straight edges.

1. Use a piece of plastic tape as a guideline to help paint a straight edge. I don't recommend using standard masking tape, it can damage your watercolor paper and sometimes leaves a sticky residue when its removed, but most of all its hard to get it to seal tight enough to keep the wet paint from seeping under the edge of the tape. I prefer to use Artist Tape. It is the best I've found for sticking to the paper and not allowing the paint to "seep" under the tape. And it is easy to remove without damaging the paper's surface. Look for artist tape in most artist's supply stores locally or online. Artist tape is also an archival tape used by framers to mount paintings to mat boards. So you might find it at your local picture framer too. I jokingly call my artist tape a "ruler on a roll" and I frequently use it to clean up straight edges and create highlights after the painting is painted when I'm adding those finishing touches and polishing up the painting.
2. Use a "stencil" simply made from a scrap piece of watercolor paper or clear transparency film to provide a clean edge and protect the area not being painted.
3. Making fluid (there are several good brands available) can be applied to the watercolor paper to reserve the white of the paper and create a straight edge.
4. Another way is to use a ruler or straight edge held at an angle so your brush glides along the elevated straight edge. A picture is worth a thousand words ... see photo examples.

I'll add links to examples for each of these tips this weekend.

SUSIE

Gear for painting outside - en plein air

QUESTION: Where should I look to find kapablock foam board. Love the idea for painting outside! Thanks SR

SUSIE'S REPLY:
(This question is referring to my suggestions for painting en plein air or outdoors on location. You can read more about the kapablock by visiting my website tips for Outdoor painting gear page 2 .... And don't miss page 1 for more tips.)
Kapablock can be found at plastic suppliers such as Tap Plastics or Calsac Plastics in my area.
It can sometimes be found where ever they sell advertising supplies. It is also used for building the partitions between display booths. Some lumber supply store may carry it.
If you can't find kapablock look for the 1/2 in gator board. It might be easier to find.

Good luck! And enjoy painting outside!
SUSIE

Phthalo Blue -- warm or cool?

QUESTION: Hi, I Have a question about M. Graham phthalocyanine blue 15.3.
Is it a warm or cool blue? Thank you, Debbie

SUSIE'S REPLY: Hi Debbie,
Most Phthalo Blue is PB15 and lean to the the greenish side of blue. In recent years some manufacturer (including M.Graham) have added an additional Phthalo's to their line that has been altered to have a more "purple" blue look. Look for the Phthalo Blue (RS) which stands for red shade.

From the manufacturers information I find that M.Graham's Phthalo Blue PB15:3 is altered to be more of a "true blue" and is a structural variant of Phthalo Blue PB15 (that produces more greenish tones. )

Here is a link to the M.Graham site with more technical information about their watercolors.

OK........that said, let's talk about warm vs cool.

Warmer or cooler is relative. It depends on the two colors you are comparing.

Red is warm and blue is cool... and its easy to see which is which.

All blues are cool when compared to any red. But when we compare several colors of the same hue (in this case blues) Manganese blue might be cooler than Antwerp blue and Ultramarine might be warmer than Cerulean blue. You have to visually compare them to see where they fit on the color wheel.
Because warm vs cool is relative to the two colors you are comparing, I find it's much easier to describe a color by naming the secondary hue it leans toward than to try to distinguish the difference by warmer or cooler. Example: New Gamboge is a orangish yellow and Hansa Yellow is a greenish yellow.

When comparing Phthalo blue(GS) to French Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo is slightly greener than Fr. Ultramarine blue which to my eye looks slightly purplish. So I say Phthalo is cooler, because on the color wheel it is closer to the coolest hue which is blue-blue-green.

The Fr Ultramarine is on the warmer side because it has a touch of red in it thus it farther away from the coolest color and closer to the warmer hues.

Now to answer your specific question: It is my opinion that M Graham's Phthalo 15.3 is very near a true blue. It has been altered so it doesn't lean toward a green hue as with the Phthalo Green Shade (GS) or a purple hue as the Phthalo Red Shade (RS). So I guess I'd say it is neither warm nor cool by itself. If we compared it to another blue I could tell you if it was warmer or cooler than the other blue hue.

I hope that is sufficient. It's not a simple answer.

Thanks for asking!

SUSIE