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| copyright 2002 Susan D. Kennedy |
| A Word About Materials Your priorities in paper, paint, and brushes. Many people ask me what paints, brushes, and papers they should use. With just a few misgivings, I always tell them the same thing: spend your money on the best paper you can afford; then give the paints second priority, and last of all the brushes. Before you object, listen to my reasons: When you are in the process of learning a lot at the intermediate watercolor level, you can overlook a paint which is a bit less bright or smooth than the premium quality. You can also make do with inexpensive synthetic brushes, especially if, like me, you have a style which is loose in the details. But you can never be happy with your results if you struggle with a paper which is poorly sized, and thus soaks up your paint like a blotter; which darkens your colors in a discouraging manner; or worst of all, which pills and abrades when you scrub layers of paint off. A paper which has brightness, good and even sizing, and good quality cotton fiber which will stand up to lots of washes and scrubbing will make your paintings sing! You'll be amazed at what a simple brushstroke of color looks like on a fine quality paper--you won't even believe it's your work, if you've always worked on student grade papers. Paper Specifics. Look in the paper department of an art supply store like Hobby Lobby, Michael's, or Dick Blick Art Supply. Or go to some of the online artist-supply houses like DickBlick.com or Cheapjoes.com . When you're browsing the paper section, consider using Arches (d'Arches) all-rag (100% cotton) Aquarelle paper. The 300 lb. heavy weight Arches paper is wonderful and often doesn't need stretching, but--ow! It costs about $10 per full-size sheet. The 140 lb. medium-weight Arches Aquarelle paper has an even more exquisite texture and is less expensive, perhaps three to four dollars a 22x30 sheet or maybe $40 for a 20 sheet block of 12" x 16" pre-stretched bound-on-all-sides paper. But stretching is a problem, whether you buy a 140-lb. block or the full-size loose sheets. I've found that if you ever work wet-into-wet, you're going to have to re-stretch a sheet that started out in a block (go figure!) It's not fair, but you may as well be fore-warned. The blocks are still not a bad buy when you get them on sale, since at least they're cut to a handy size you may like. If the idea of re-stretching a piece of paper that started out on a watercolor block is off-putting, go ahead and buy the full size 140 lb. sheets, cut them if you wish, and stretch them. (More on stretching later) Experiment with other manufacturers, but for the love of Pete (!) don't buy anything that doesn't explicitly say either 100% rag or 100% cotton. If it doesn't say anything about content, rest assured that some of the paper is wood pulp, no matter how nice it looks. You will not be happy with it! I can still remember the surprised smiles of pleasure when students I had years ago saw how their work looked on a nice piece of paper. They were shocked that it was their own work. Now for a few pointers on how I do paper stretching. It's a bit of a pain, but you won't be happy with a buckled painting, so stretching is a necessary evil. The only way around it, as far as I know, is to use either watercolor board (Strathmore makes one) which doesn't have that really nice surface texture, or a synthetic "paper" like Yupo. Yupo is actually archival plastic which accepts watercolor and it is a very strange experience painting on it. It's lots of fun when you get used to it, but it's a bit like painting on glass. So, setting boards and Yupo aside...we have stretching. My method is a bit different from that of others: I only soak one side of the paper, the back side--so as not to wash away the sizing which enables so much layering and brilliance. You can lay your sheet of paper face down on a large towel and soak it with a very wet sponge. Make sure that it is evenly wetted, and that the runoff doesn't wet the other side of the paper. Then let it soak in for about 5 minutes, or until it has lost its sheen but is soft and pliable. Carefully but firmly grasp opposite edges and tug to stretch the paper, repeating the tugging every couple of inches along the length and width of the sheet. Watch out! You can very easily tear off bits of your expensive paper, so use a very tentative approach. When you feel that the paper is stretched to a length and width perhaps 1/2" larger than before (for a 22"x30" sheet), you will need to either staple or tape the paper to a heavy foam board or piece of double-wall cardboard. I always use regular packaging tape, not the gummed tape which many watercolor books recommend. This is because the water-soluble glue on the gummed tape will frequently seep onto the surface of the paper and ruin it for painting purposes. And with the direct wetting on only the back side of the paper, the gummed tape is not necessary: just dab the edges of the dry right side of the paper as it lays on your board to make sure that no moisture is seeping along the edges, and tape it down with 2" wide plastic tape. Even if a bit of water has seeped along the edge and prevents the tape from sticking, you don't necessarily have to start over; just check very frequently as it dries to make sure the tape adheres, or even weigh it down with clean paper towels then heavy books for the first hour or so of drying. Even if the edges seem fine at first, still you will do well to check your paper frequently as it dries to make sure it is flat. If it starts to buckle you may need to weigh it down the whole time, or even start over. It's a pain in the neck, I know, if you ever find a way to improve this process, let me in on your secret! We can send a man to the moon, but we can't make a good pre-stretched watercolor paper, I know... Some ideas about paint. The same retail and mail-order houses I mentioned for paper are the ones I use to find paints. And let me say first, Winsor and Newton is the best! I've never found any that will compare, but some of the colors run $8 to $15.00 for a tiny 7 ml tube. Soo...my solution is to use Winsor and Newton for the colors which no one else seems to get right, like Aureolin, Sepia, French Ultramarine; and for some of the other basics, like Alizarin Crimson, Payne's grey, Cadmium Yellow, and Burnt Sienna, I'll often go with fine quality makers like Da Vinci Paints or Daler-Rowney. These three manufacturers are the only ones I know well enough to recommend, and only their "artists quality" lines. Don't go for the "Cotman" Winsor and Newton line, unless you simply have to: the colors are much less brilliant and finely milled than the artists' grade. Also avoid buying the inexpensive "Van Gogh" line of paints, which are also student grade, unless you are just practicing. Here is a good beginning palette of colors: French Ultramarine Alizarin Crimson (a staining blue tinged red) Quinacridone Red ( an indispensable pinky red) Cadmium Red Light ( a yellow tinged red) White (Winsor and Newton Designer's Gouache)--gouache is opaque watercolor Aureolin (a transparent yellow) Cadmium Yellow Deep Burnt Sienna Sepia Payne's Grey Olive Brushes. Well, I suppose I neglect brushes, but here is my reasoning: An inexpensive brush will still lay down color nicely for you, and its inadequacies won't show up much until you get into detail work. And slavish detail is always the thing I strive against, so a nice but inexpensive set of synthetic brushes is fine for me. Winsor and Newton's "Sceptre Gold" series is a very nice and reasonably priced line. One of my favorite brushes, even for doing a great deal of layer and detail work, is a 1" flat, and it is a Sceptre Gold brush. Again, don't bother spending big money on the detail rounds and riggers: I've found that even a Winsor Series 7 detail brush wears out quickly, and I'd just as soon wear out the cheap synthetic tiny rounds and replace them. If you must choose a brush to splurge on, make it a medium or large round which may hold a point for you for a bit longer than a synthetic or mix. Here's a list of the brushes that I use, in order of the frequency used: 1" flat size 8 or 10 round (I'll leave it up to you; go for a large brush to block in medium to large areas) size 4 to 6 round small flat bristle brush for scrubbing 1/2" chisel-shaped flat 2" Purdy house painting brush for wetting paper and very large washes; or 2" hake brush size 0 or 1 detail brush Accessories and Miscellaneous Needs. There are a few more items you'll want to collect before you sit down with your stretched paper to paint: get a couple of water tubs: large washed margarine tubs are okay; washed 1 gallon ice cream buckets like I use are even better. Keeping your water perfectly clean isn't the holy grail of watercolor to me, but it's fairly important: if you're working in light colors, delicate washes and glazing, you'll want to make use of a second tub of water, kept clean solely for the purpose of making washes. The first tub is for rinsing brushes and general use. A big stack of paper towels or napkins are indispensable: I don't mention dabbing or partially drying a brush much in my instructions, but you'll find that a napkin handy right by your water will be constantly used. You'll get a feel for when that brush needs to be dabbed or even pressed to keep just the right amount of paint in it. A watercolor palette is something you'll need to get. I often use two or three small, round palettes which have lids, one for each major color in the painting. Then, for washes, I use all kinds of little salvaged lids: the lids from yogurts, Pringles chips, dairy items, you name it. They are great because you just throw them away when you're done, and there's always a ready supply. Don't forget a No. 2 pencil for light sketches, and a kneaded rubber eraser or an artgum eraser ( one of those lovely crumbly beige artist's erasers.) Either one of those are terrific for lifting up light pencil lines, even when several layers of washes have been applied on top. (But the washes have got to be totally dry!) And the Most Important Art Supply. When all of your supplies are gathered, your reference materials and sketches ready, you will need to reclaim for yourself a peaceful chunk of time. Try your best not to stress about other things that need to be done; when you are doing art as a daily or weekly routine, you've already made the determination that setting aside time for painting is a priority. Don't dither any more about it! Being creative is a legitimate and enriching part of one's life and it can make you a better person in other ways; this is not to mention to good influence that a bit of arty creativity is in your home. Sooo...grab that regular slot of time, and don't let go! And most especially, force yourself to use that time even when you don't feel inspired! Just doing a warm-up doodle will make you feel differently and maybe spark an idea for a painting. And while we're talking about motivation, don't dismiss the importance of reading about the work of other artists (obviously, you believe in this) or possibly subscribing to an art magazine or online group. For me, two sources of inspiration are indispensable: instructional books at the local library and a subscription to The Artist's Magazine. Just a little something about the way another artist tackled evening light, or the kind of color palette they used will serve to light a spark of inspiration in you. When you stubbornly rely only on your own "muse" it's very easy to get in a deadly rut! I know this from personal experience!! Blessings on you as you develop your love of the arts, paints,color, and the world around you! Remember, God was doing art when he created! What more noble a pursuit do you need? ; ) |
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| Intermediate Watercolor Basics: Materials |
| - Materials list for Watercolors NOTE to Susan's students: feel free to just bring a pad or block of paper and borrow Susan’s brushes and paints for the first class until you decide what you need and where to get it!
- All-cotton watercolor paper (also called all-rag; Arches, Cotman, Strathmore, etc) - Assortment of watercolor brushes (golden nylon or white nylon are fine: 1” flat, ½” flat, large and small rounds - Student or artist grade TUBE watercolor paints: ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, alizarin crimson, quinacridone red (optional), aureolin or a medium yellow, vermillion or cadmium red light hue, cobalt blue (optional), manganese blue or turquoise (optional), burnt sienna, sepia umber, paynes gray, ivory black, viridian or sap green, zinc or chinese white. - Paper towels or tissues - 2 containers for water - Natural sponge (optional) - Pencil, ruler, razor knife - Watercolor Palette (small plastic ones are available for just a dollar or two, or larger covered watercolor palettes are also able to be found locally) • Materials list for Oil class: NOTE to Susan's oil and alkyd students: feel free to just bring a canvas and borrow Susan’s brushes and paints for the first class until you decide what you need and where to get it! - Canvas panels or stretched canvases in a size you are comfortable with, at least 11 x 14, preferably 12 x 16 or 16 x 20; optional canvas pad (unstretched canvas) will help with technique and color mixing tips - Assortment of oil/acrylic brushes: some bristle flats (1”, ½”, ¼”) a bristle fan brush, softer blending brushes, some smaller nylon/”sable” brushes for detail work: ½” filbert shape, ¼” filbert shape, small detail brushes and small rounds, cheap small bristle brushes or rough childrens’ paint brushes for foliage and texture - Container of odorless mineral spirits and a lidded jar to pour it into for use OR container for water if you plan to use water-mixable oil paints like “Artisan” or other brands - Student or artist grade oil or alkyd colors (possibly Winsor and Newton Artisan brand water mixable oils (longer drying time), traditional very long-drying oils like Winton or Gamblin, or alkyd oils like I use – Winsor and Newton “Griffin” brand which dry to the touch overnight): Winsor Red or a warm Cadmium Hue Red, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose (optional), Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue (optional), large tube of Titanium White, Ivory Black, Winsor Yellow or other Medium yellow, Sap green or Viridian, Burnt Sienna, Van Dyke Brown . NOTE: please don’t purchase phthalocyanine colors or any harsh tube greens: we will usually mix our greens from blue and yellow. If you’re not sure what to get, purchase a small set and start out with that, or if you’d like, use my paints for the first class. If you’re looking for the Griffin Alkyds, you’ll need to go to the Blick Art Supply Store in Woodstock, or order them online from dickblick.com. - Pad of palette paper for oils or Styrofoam plates to use until you decide on a palette (the lidded Masterson palettes are a possibility) - Paper towels and rags - If you have a collapsible floor easel or table easel, do bring it if you prefer to paint on an easel. Your other option will be to paint flat, using a mahl stick or bridge to protect your painting (I can help you with this) - Many students pack their supplies in a small rolling suitcase or a large canvas bag |