Question: Hi Susie, I have been painting for a while but still have a problem with background painting,it looks splotchy, even tho I try to keep the edges wet as I go but painting around the painting is the problem. Joan
Susie's reply: Hi Joan!
Without seeing your work its hard to say what you could be doing wrong, but I can almost bet the splotchy look you are describing is caused by unequal amounts of water in your brush and on your paper. Try working on a smaller limited section...blending off as you go and try not to paint near a damp area. In other words skip around and allow the areas to dry before you paint next to them. Learning how to "read" how damp your paper is and whether adding more moisture will create unwanted blossoms or balloons is an acquired skill that comes with practice.
Another tip you might try is to paint at a slight slant so your paint creates a small bead at the bottom of where you are working. Then when you add your next stroke the bead falls into it keeping the flow going and the painting smooth.
Still another tip would be to blot or test your brush before you add a stroke into a damp passage to make sure that the moisture in your brush and the moisture on your paper are equal.
Again practice will help you learn what to look for and how to avoid splotchy areas.
Don't give up! Keep painting!
SUSIE
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Painting backgrounds - to paint or not to paint?
Question: When painting Flowers, does the Background always have
to be painted; or can it be left white?
Tend to be afraid of doing Backgrounds, as I'm just learning. Lois
Susie's reply: Hi Lois! It's not always necessary to paint the background. It can be left white (unpainted) and still be very striking. Many botanicals are left white. After all, white is a color and just because a background is white doesn't mean that the painting is unfinished.
If you are afraid of doing backgrounds behind the work you've done on the flowers try painting the background first. A background does not have to be dark or detailed, sometimes just a hint of color or texture adds just the right touch.
As with most things we learn to do when painting in watercolor, repeating or practicing will be beneficial to getting over the hurdle as we continue on our painting journey. The more we paint the better we get!
Don't be afraid the to try painting backgrounds, sometimes once you to get the background painted, the painting is half done.
On the same hand don't be afraid to leave your background white. Let it be your artistic choice.... you do have a license!
Happy painting!
to be painted; or can it be left white?
Tend to be afraid of doing Backgrounds, as I'm just learning. Lois
Susie's reply: Hi Lois! It's not always necessary to paint the background. It can be left white (unpainted) and still be very striking. Many botanicals are left white. After all, white is a color and just because a background is white doesn't mean that the painting is unfinished.
If you are afraid of doing backgrounds behind the work you've done on the flowers try painting the background first. A background does not have to be dark or detailed, sometimes just a hint of color or texture adds just the right touch.
As with most things we learn to do when painting in watercolor, repeating or practicing will be beneficial to getting over the hurdle as we continue on our painting journey. The more we paint the better we get!
Don't be afraid the to try painting backgrounds, sometimes once you to get the background painted, the painting is half done.
On the same hand don't be afraid to leave your background white. Let it be your artistic choice.... you do have a license!
Happy painting!
Suggestions for Tropical Colors of the Ocean
Question: What colors would you use to get the beautiful colors of the ocean, especially the turquoise tropical waters ? I have the hardest time getting them real ! Thanks so much !
CW
Susie's reply: There are so many beautiful blues and greens available in many brands of watercolors. And when you combine these colors the possibilities are almost endless. My personal favorites for the painting tropical waters include: ultramarine turquoise, cobalt teal, cobalt turquoise, Antwerp, cerulean, manganese blue hue, rich green gold, and veridian. When I use these blues and greens along with the other colors in my palette and allow them to mingle on wet paper I am amazed at the results. I believe one of the secrets is to not over mix these pigments in your palette. When they mingle together on wet paper the results are usually better and anything I can mix up on my own.
I hope that helps! Have fun! Happy painting!
CW
Susie's reply: There are so many beautiful blues and greens available in many brands of watercolors. And when you combine these colors the possibilities are almost endless. My personal favorites for the painting tropical waters include: ultramarine turquoise, cobalt teal, cobalt turquoise, Antwerp, cerulean, manganese blue hue, rich green gold, and veridian. When I use these blues and greens along with the other colors in my palette and allow them to mingle on wet paper I am amazed at the results. I believe one of the secrets is to not over mix these pigments in your palette. When they mingle together on wet paper the results are usually better and anything I can mix up on my own.
I hope that helps! Have fun! Happy painting!
Undertones and Color Bias
HOW CAN I TELL THE BIAS ,OR UNDERTONE, OF DIFFERENT WATERCOLOR PAINTS? --Peter Russell, UK
Susie's Reply: Great question! I will try to answer this one as simply as I can. First of all, we all see color differently. When we talk about a color being biased we're talking about the color we see "within" this color. In other words, when we look at something that is yellow in hue and it looks a little greenish then we say the yellow is biased to green. On the other hand if they look at something that leans towards orange rather than green then we say it is biased to orange. We can also say that the yellow has orange undertones. Sometimes the bias or undertone is not obvious to the naked eye. A true color will often contain traces of other colors that are not as easy for us to detect.
Let's look at red. If you combine the cool red (quinacridone rose containing blue undertones) with a warm red (pyrrol scarlet containing yellow undertones) the resulting hue will be a true red. True red contains small traces of both yellow and blue. The best way to determine the bias or undertone of any primary color is to test or mix it to create a secondary hue. If we continue to use red as our example, when we mix the red we are testing with yellow to create orange, if the resulting orange is clean and clear then our red was biased to yellow. Had it been biased to blue the resulting orange would have been murky or dull. If we mix the same test red to create purple by mixing it with blue if the resulting purple is clean and clear then we could conclude that the test red was biased to blue.
Because true hues of each of the primaries colors do contain traces of the other two primaries creating clean secondary colors is almost impossible. That's one of the reasons I prefer using split primaries. With split primaries (a warm and cool of each primary color) the resulting secondary colors are always clean and clear. The secret is to choose a warm and a cool that are distinctively split and lean towards either a warm or cool hue. It becomes a matter of testing your colors and knowing your palette.
Because we all see color differently, recognizing undertones or bias can sometimes be difficult. Add that to the fact that different manufacturers use different formulas to create paints by the same name (example: cobalt blue manufactured by Winsor Newton and cobalt blue manufactured by Grumbacher will look different.)
I hope my explanation helps you to identify the undertones and bias of a color. Like everything else with watercolor the more you practice and know your paints the easier it will become.
Click here for more information on my split primary color theory and color chart.
Susie's Reply: Great question! I will try to answer this one as simply as I can. First of all, we all see color differently. When we talk about a color being biased we're talking about the color we see "within" this color. In other words, when we look at something that is yellow in hue and it looks a little greenish then we say the yellow is biased to green. On the other hand if they look at something that leans towards orange rather than green then we say it is biased to orange. We can also say that the yellow has orange undertones. Sometimes the bias or undertone is not obvious to the naked eye. A true color will often contain traces of other colors that are not as easy for us to detect.
Let's look at red. If you combine the cool red (quinacridone rose containing blue undertones) with a warm red (pyrrol scarlet containing yellow undertones) the resulting hue will be a true red. True red contains small traces of both yellow and blue. The best way to determine the bias or undertone of any primary color is to test or mix it to create a secondary hue. If we continue to use red as our example, when we mix the red we are testing with yellow to create orange, if the resulting orange is clean and clear then our red was biased to yellow. Had it been biased to blue the resulting orange would have been murky or dull. If we mix the same test red to create purple by mixing it with blue if the resulting purple is clean and clear then we could conclude that the test red was biased to blue.
Because true hues of each of the primaries colors do contain traces of the other two primaries creating clean secondary colors is almost impossible. That's one of the reasons I prefer using split primaries. With split primaries (a warm and cool of each primary color) the resulting secondary colors are always clean and clear. The secret is to choose a warm and a cool that are distinctively split and lean towards either a warm or cool hue. It becomes a matter of testing your colors and knowing your palette.
Because we all see color differently, recognizing undertones or bias can sometimes be difficult. Add that to the fact that different manufacturers use different formulas to create paints by the same name (example: cobalt blue manufactured by Winsor Newton and cobalt blue manufactured by Grumbacher will look different.)
I hope my explanation helps you to identify the undertones and bias of a color. Like everything else with watercolor the more you practice and know your paints the easier it will become.
Click here for more information on my split primary color theory and color chart.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Lifting "whites" with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser
Question: Susie, Have you ever tried the "Magic Eraser?" It is found in the cleaning section of the grocery store. It removes paint from watercolor paper, totally and without damage to the paper's surface. Just dampen the eraser rub and whala....white paper again!
My friend has removed painted areas from nearly her entire sheet. The paper was put under running water and she used the magic white eraser to take off all the paint, 140lb. is what she paints on.
"Mr. Clean" is on the outside of the package. As the sponge is used, it disintegrates. Sharon
Susie's Reply: Hi Sharon! Yes! I've used the Magic Eraser and find it a great tool for lifting. If you have used non staining colors it will lift almost back to pure white paper. Last month I demonstrated how I use it with my own hand cut stencils to retreive highlights on pumpkins. By cutting out the shape you want you can get sharper edges than with the eraser alone.
To those of you who are new to the Mr Clean Magic Eraser it's a very dense light weight sponge. If you'd like to try it, look for the solid white block NOT the one with the blue scrubber added on one side. I've also found generic knock off sponges or store brands with 3 sponges per package. They work the same and are a little more economical.
Thanks for reminding me to share this tip Sharon!
SUSIE
My friend has removed painted areas from nearly her entire sheet. The paper was put under running water and she used the magic white eraser to take off all the paint, 140lb. is what she paints on.
"Mr. Clean" is on the outside of the package. As the sponge is used, it disintegrates. Sharon
Susie's Reply: Hi Sharon! Yes! I've used the Magic Eraser and find it a great tool for lifting. If you have used non staining colors it will lift almost back to pure white paper. Last month I demonstrated how I use it with my own hand cut stencils to retreive highlights on pumpkins. By cutting out the shape you want you can get sharper edges than with the eraser alone.
To those of you who are new to the Mr Clean Magic Eraser it's a very dense light weight sponge. If you'd like to try it, look for the solid white block NOT the one with the blue scrubber added on one side. I've also found generic knock off sponges or store brands with 3 sponges per package. They work the same and are a little more economical.
Thanks for reminding me to share this tip Sharon!
SUSIE
Monday, July 20, 2009
Copyright and online lessons?
QUESTION: If I paint a watercolor from an online lesson, after I paint it, can I consider it my work? Are online lessons copyrighted also? Wilma
SUSIE'S REPLY: Hi Wilma, This is a great question! There are so many online lessons available to the public over the Internet its easy to get confused as to when the legal lines are crossed or not.
*****(First of all I'm not an attorney so this information is based on my understanding of copyright law. Please check with a certified attorney for any and all legal interpretations.) *****
The way I understand the copyright law is all art is considered copyright protected by the original artist upon creation. If you copy it as a lesson to learn from the copyright still belongs to the original artist (not you). Artists know when they offer published lessons in books or online the work will be copied and therefore they give an implied consent for you to copy it for learning or educational purposes. You can not claim it as your own work, nor should you sell it as your own work.
Think about it this way... if you copy it...it IS A COPY. If you create it from your own imagination without looking at someone work then you are creating your own original work of art. Be inspired and motivated by others but don't copy.
Thanks for asking! Happy Painting!
SUSIE
SUSIE'S REPLY: Hi Wilma, This is a great question! There are so many online lessons available to the public over the Internet its easy to get confused as to when the legal lines are crossed or not.
*****(First of all I'm not an attorney so this information is based on my understanding of copyright law. Please check with a certified attorney for any and all legal interpretations.) *****
The way I understand the copyright law is all art is considered copyright protected by the original artist upon creation. If you copy it as a lesson to learn from the copyright still belongs to the original artist (not you). Artists know when they offer published lessons in books or online the work will be copied and therefore they give an implied consent for you to copy it for learning or educational purposes. You can not claim it as your own work, nor should you sell it as your own work.
Think about it this way... if you copy it...it IS A COPY. If you create it from your own imagination without looking at someone work then you are creating your own original work of art. Be inspired and motivated by others but don't copy.
Thanks for asking! Happy Painting!
SUSIE
Niji Waterbarrel Brushes - with a water reservoir in the handle
QUESTION: Hi Susie, I enjoyed seeing your sketch of Sumner, WA. using the NiJi watercolor pens. It was so bright and cheerful. I was wondering if you could expand a bit to include how you accomplished this on your web site. I'd like to know which sizes you used, how they blended, how much color to carry in the tubes and most of all how many of each size brush to buy so that you have enough for what you want to do. I am not good with just hearing a mm description. I am a hands on person and I don't think I'm alone in this. I wish Daniel Smith would include this also in their Inksmith articles or on their web page.
And I just want to let you know how wonderful your Beyond the Sunset DVD is! Thank you so very much, Judith R --Tacoma, WA.
Note: The Sumner sketch she's referring to can be found on my Splashes & Splatters Blog
SUSIE'S REPLY: Thanks Judith!
The Yasutomo Niji Waterbrush is a nifty brush with a water reservoir in the handle. I use the round style and it comes in 3 sizes; small, medium and large. There is also a mini version that has a shorter handle but the brush head is a medium in size. All of these brush heads are interchangeable and will each fit any of the handles so if you run out of water in one you can easily change to another handle with more water.
You could get by with just one medium size brush. It has a fairly nice point for making fine lines.
But the water barrel brushes are so affordable I'd at least start with one of each size. (S-M-L)
I did find that I used my larger brush more aggressively (to cover larger areas) and after a couple of years of scrubbing the paper with it the point did get frazzled. But it still works for scrubbing in trees and bushes so I save my newer one for adding details and painting where I need to control the edge.
There is a flat version available also. However, I didn't find it as useful to my personal painting style as the round brushes, so I hardly ever use it for painting but it does serve as a backup water supply! Try it! You may like what it will do and enjoy using it.
Directions for use: To fill the brushes either hold them under a running faucet or submerge them in a bowl of water and gently squeeze and release several times to push out the air and suck in the water. I fill them with as much water as they will hold. I've never had one leak, but as a precaution if I'm carrying my brushes in the same container with my paper I do put them is a small plastic baggie for transport.
To use these brushes in the field, I start by squeezing the handle to allow a small amount of water to wet the brushes nylon bristles. Then I moisten the dried paint in my folding watercolor travel palette to pick up pigment in the brush to apply to my paper. If I want a lighter value I simply swirl the brush on my palette until the water feeds down to dilute the paint to the desired value. My experience has been that I get better results if I let gravity help feed the water to the brush head rather than squeezing the handle as I stroke it on the palette for mixing or my paper as I paint.
The water barrel brush is almost self cleaning. Just a quick back and forth stroking on a paper towel will cause the water to pass through the brush head and rinse away any remaining pigment.
Keep in mind when I'm painting "en plein air" I like to work a little on the dry side to have more control. In other words I use more dry brush techniques than fully wet juicy brush techniques.
Thanks for your inquiry! I hope I've answered your questions satisfactorily and have inspired you to try these brushes for yourself. Watch my website and when I'm painting in your area I hope you will join me!!
Happy Painting!
SUSIE
PS. I forgot to tell you where to find the Niji Water Brushes...They are available in many arts and crafts stores. I've seen them in Michaels, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby. Online check Daniel Smith -- Dick Blick -- Cheap Joe's -- Artsuppliesonline.com -- to name only a few. I know I'm leaving some quality online sources out so check your favorites to see if they carry these nifty brushes for summer painting fun.
And I just want to let you know how wonderful your Beyond the Sunset DVD is! Thank you so very much, Judith R --Tacoma, WA.
Note: The Sumner sketch she's referring to can be found on my Splashes & Splatters Blog
SUSIE'S REPLY: Thanks Judith!
The Yasutomo Niji Waterbrush is a nifty brush with a water reservoir in the handle. I use the round style and it comes in 3 sizes; small, medium and large. There is also a mini version that has a shorter handle but the brush head is a medium in size. All of these brush heads are interchangeable and will each fit any of the handles so if you run out of water in one you can easily change to another handle with more water.
You could get by with just one medium size brush. It has a fairly nice point for making fine lines.
But the water barrel brushes are so affordable I'd at least start with one of each size. (S-M-L)
I did find that I used my larger brush more aggressively (to cover larger areas) and after a couple of years of scrubbing the paper with it the point did get frazzled. But it still works for scrubbing in trees and bushes so I save my newer one for adding details and painting where I need to control the edge.
There is a flat version available also. However, I didn't find it as useful to my personal painting style as the round brushes, so I hardly ever use it for painting but it does serve as a backup water supply! Try it! You may like what it will do and enjoy using it.
Directions for use: To fill the brushes either hold them under a running faucet or submerge them in a bowl of water and gently squeeze and release several times to push out the air and suck in the water. I fill them with as much water as they will hold. I've never had one leak, but as a precaution if I'm carrying my brushes in the same container with my paper I do put them is a small plastic baggie for transport.
To use these brushes in the field, I start by squeezing the handle to allow a small amount of water to wet the brushes nylon bristles. Then I moisten the dried paint in my folding watercolor travel palette to pick up pigment in the brush to apply to my paper. If I want a lighter value I simply swirl the brush on my palette until the water feeds down to dilute the paint to the desired value. My experience has been that I get better results if I let gravity help feed the water to the brush head rather than squeezing the handle as I stroke it on the palette for mixing or my paper as I paint.
The water barrel brush is almost self cleaning. Just a quick back and forth stroking on a paper towel will cause the water to pass through the brush head and rinse away any remaining pigment.
Keep in mind when I'm painting "en plein air" I like to work a little on the dry side to have more control. In other words I use more dry brush techniques than fully wet juicy brush techniques.
Thanks for your inquiry! I hope I've answered your questions satisfactorily and have inspired you to try these brushes for yourself. Watch my website and when I'm painting in your area I hope you will join me!!
Happy Painting!
SUSIE
PS. I forgot to tell you where to find the Niji Water Brushes...They are available in many arts and crafts stores. I've seen them in Michaels, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby. Online check Daniel Smith -- Dick Blick -- Cheap Joe's -- Artsuppliesonline.com -- to name only a few. I know I'm leaving some quality online sources out so check your favorites to see if they carry these nifty brushes for summer painting fun.
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