Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[SquarePeg]

You're just showing an attempt to learn from what sounds like a hard tutorial to follow, combined with trying a completely different technique. No worries! This looks like the end result of just about every effort I've made with watercolors, regardless of the approach. I find control over this medium escapes me.

Soaking the paper first just seems to beg the pigment to run and bleed. She may have mastered it, but it may not be the best thing for beginners to try.

You don't have to like your end result to have learned from it. In the dark room, we call the trash can the "learning bin." I still fill mine when I get in there!

Not having seen the video, I'm guessing they really want you to pre-stretch the paper to minimize warping: When paper gets wet, it will stretch, and then shrink again when it dries (nothing new to folks that have worked in a darkroom).. You will likely notice when your paint dries, the paper may buckle or warp. To help minimize this, before you paint, wet the paper with plain water then tack or tape it down to a drawing board. If you are using a table or piece of masonite as a surface, then just tape it down (use artist tape or brown wet-it-to-make-it-sticky packing tape). Let the paper dry, before you start painting.

If you are using a watercolor block (it is bound with tape on all sides, not just the top), you don't need to stretch it.

Wetting the paper seems to be part of her technique. She has another video doing the sane thing and I guess I was not supposed to wet the front flower in this one but I don’t think that would have saved it. She wets the paper and then seems to be really good at applying the paint so that it runs into the shape that she was looking for which is sort of amazing. I’m going to look for more videos by the poppy lady lol.

 

[johngpt]

You folks are rocking this!
I'm really enjoying your posts.

 

[snowbear]

You folks are rocking this!
I'm really enjoying your posts.

Thank you. Let's see yours!

 

[terri]

You folks are rocking this!
I'm really enjoying your posts.

Thank you. Let's see yours!

Yeah! Join us!

 

[waday]

You folks are rocking this!
I'm really enjoying your posts.

Thank you. Let's see yours!

Yeah! Join us!

 

[snowbear]

From our zoom paint meeting

 

[SquarePeg]

My attempt

 

[waday]

They look so good!

Here’s my attempt:


Monet Irises by Wade, on Flickr

 

[SquarePeg]

Because I had everything set out for our paint night I decided to give the fast painting wet the paper lady one more chance when we were done. This one was more abstract so a bit easier but I messed up a couple of things. Still, I do think this one is a pretty scene so I’ll be trying it again for sure.

 

[limr]

Triptych!

I feel like I did certain things better in one version and other things better in a different version. Now to figure out a fourth one that combines them all! These three are watercolors and I might try this again with gouache.

I never would have attempted this if not prompted to try it for the Zoom painting party, so thanks, hosers!

 

[terri]

Everyone did great with this painting! I really love that so many different media is represented. Cool!

Well, someone has to be the last, and that's me! I'll jump on it this morning and finish, post soon!

 

[terri]

Okay, had to run to the store, and will take this opportunity to say that wiping everything down and covering the counters with Clorox spray afterwards is getting to be a drag. Anyway, got her done.

 

[terri]

Because I had everything set out for our paint night I decided to give the fast painting wet the paper lady one more chance when we were done. This one was more abstract so a bit easier but I messed up a couple of things. Still, I do think this one is a pretty scene so I’ll be trying it again for sure.

View attachment 191791

Be proud of this one - tutorial or not, I think this turned out beautifully! This is a really great palette, too.

 

[terri]

Triptych!

I feel like I did certain things better in one version and other things better in a different version. Now to figure out a fourth one that combines them all! These three are watercolors and I might try this again with gouache.

I never would have attempted this if not prompted to try it for the Zoom painting party, so thanks, hosers!

View attachment 191793

Would love to see this in gouache! It will have a totally different feel.

 

[SquarePeg]

Okay, had to run to the store, and will take this opportunity to say that wiping everything down and covering the counters with Clorox spray afterwards is getting to be a drag. Anyway, got her done.

View attachment 191826

I love it!

Because I had everything set out for our paint night I decided to give the fast painting wet the paper lady one more chance when we were done. This one was more abstract so a bit easier but I messed up a couple of things. Still, I do think this one is a pretty scene so I’ll be trying it again for sure.

View attachment 191791

Be proud of this one - tutorial or not, I think this turned out beautifully! This is a really great palette, too.

Thanks. I tried it again today because that botched sun was really bothering me. I like the sun better in this one but the taller poppies better in the other. A bit too much sky here I think. Will have to try for third times a charm later this week!