Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[SquarePeg19]

I've tried flowers a few more times and am starting to feel like the ones that came out looking good are just beginner's luck So I am just going back to sort of doodling to figure out what the paint does, and what style I'm trying to achieve. I know I am not going for any kind of realism, but I'm still working out what I am going for. I love the loose, delicate look of the water colors, and simple shapes, and am looking for tutorials on how to achieve that without it looking like I'm a 5-year-old finger painting (And yes, I make notes to myself on my doodle pages.)

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I really liked the tutorials on loose florals by Angela Fehr and Andrew Geeson (his are more just watching him paint than a tutorial). The loose hydrangea by Fehr was really helpful and the abstract poppies by Geeson.

 

[snowbear94]

Don't over think it, Leo.

 

[SquarePeg19]

Don't over think it, Leo.

great advice! Another gem I heard in a tutorial on using a photo for inspiration - it’s art, make it your own - you’re not a copy machine.

 

[limr10]

Yeah, I totally overthink things, which is one of the reasons why I took some steps back to focus on shapes and shading. I tend to practice the same things over and over again so I can be consistent and predictable, so when I get to the point where I think 'I want it to look like X" then I will know how to do that. It's muscle memory, too, I suppose.

Planning on trying a few more tutorials this weekend.

 

[SquarePeg19]

Yeah, I totally overthink things, which is one of the reasons why I took some steps back to focus on shapes and shading. I tend to practice the same things over and over again so I can be consistent and predictable, so when I get to the point where I think 'I want it to look like X" then I will know how to do that. It's muscle memory, too, I suppose.

Planning on trying a few more tutorials this weekend.

This tutorial was not about florals but it was an interesting lesson on loose painting and how to decide what to add detail to and how to just “suggest” something instead.

 

[terri16]

A few more doodle pages. I have an emulsion lift of stained glass doors and I wanted to practice shapes, so I used it as a model. The really crappy attempts were me realizing that I'm not good at copying, and then trying to work instead on interpreting.

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Trying out different shapes and brushstrokes, and the squares on top are different paint consistencies and layering.

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And finally, a little abstract I just felt like doing in the midst of more doodling

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Doodling is actually a terrific activity. You already know you overthink things, so doodling is a nice relaxing way to just let stuff come out. Who cares? The more you can train yourself to stay in that relaxed frame of mind, the more you'll have fun with it.

The others are right - it's about interpretations when we use reference photos or look at the Masters. It's fun to copy them as best we can - I've done it a LOT - but my medium is different, my skill level and approach are different - the results are always going to be different. But I also learn stuff every time because I'm making myself try things I wouldn't ordinarily do (flowers and I will not ever really get along).

 

[terri16]

The only thing I'd be tempted to do would be darkening the sky a bit more, to make it pop.

You’re so right, it looks great with a darker sky. I also found a blending pencil and went wild.


Neon Sign 2 by Wade, on Flickr

ETA: and now I see spots that need fixed... I’m done, tell me I’m done lol

This made a big difference, didn't it? Frankly, it's just adding more contrast, like with our photography. Certain things transfer across mediums. You really made that neon sign, and that cool glowing effect, just pop!

 

[limr10]

Yeah, I totally overthink things, which is one of the reasons why I took some steps back to focus on shapes and shading. I tend to practice the same things over and over again so I can be consistent and predictable, so when I get to the point where I think 'I want it to look like X" then I will know how to do that. It's muscle memory, too, I suppose.

Planning on trying a few more tutorials this weekend.

This tutorial was not about florals but it was an interesting lesson on loose painting and how to decide what to add detail to and how to just “suggest” something instead.

That's funny - I have that exact video loaded up and have started watching, but stopped about 1/3 the way through until I have some time and mental energy to focus on the rest of it.

 

[waday]

@limr , I like your doodles, and your notes to yourself. I find I write similar notes as “boo this sucks”, but often I’m just in my head. I’ll show something to my biased wife who tells me it looks great, so I usually accept that and move forward. Or, I’ll make a show out of tearing it up into little pieces and throwing it out.

 

[waday]

The only thing I'd be tempted to do would be darkening the sky a bit more, to make it pop.

You’re so right, it looks great with a darker sky. I also found a blending pencil and went wild.


Neon Sign 2 by Wade, on Flickr

ETA: and now I see spots that need fixed... I’m done, tell me I’m done lol

This made a big difference, didn't it? Frankly, it's just adding more contrast, like with our photography. Certain things transfer across mediums. You really made that neon sign, and that cool glowing effect, just pop!

It’s so true! Thank you!

 

[SquarePeg19]

@limr , I like your doodles, and your notes to yourself. I find I write similar notes as “boo this sucks”, but often I’m just in my head. I’ll show something to my biased wife who tells me it looks great, so I usually accept that and move forward. Or, I’ll make a show out of tearing it up into little pieces and throwing it out.

My little voice will say - what a mess! I do save them though for inspiration. I love a challenge.

 

[terri16]

I've thrown out some stuff, but even when I know it's bad, I keep it. And sometimes I finish stuff and just - don't like it, but am not sure why. I'll show those to my husband, who won't mince words if he doesn't like something, and sometimes he'll agree - or support what I find lacking.

Like with photography, it can be illuminating to come across something later and see it more clearly. (Usually not for the better.)

 

[limr10]

@limr , I like your doodles, and your notes to yourself. I find I write similar notes as “boo this sucks”, but often I’m just in my head. I’ll show something to my biased wife who tells me it looks great, so I usually accept that and move forward. Or, I’ll make a show out of tearing it up into little pieces and throwing it out.

My little voice will say - what a mess! I do save them though for inspiration. I love a challenge.

Sometimes I tear it up if it really is just a total hash and I can't even remember what I did to screw it up, so I can't even leave a note to say "don't do that again!" But otherwise, I leave my mistakes, not only to learn from them, but to remind me that it's valuable to just get stuff onto the paper. It's what I tell my writing students - just get *something* on paper so you can work with it. You can't mold a vase on the pottery wheel if you never throw a shapeless lump of clay onto it. So if I tell my students to do it with a skill that they don't feel comfortable with yet, then I have to be willing to do it myself when I'm learning a new skill, too.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I'm taking an online class next Sat. on drawing flowers and making embroidery designs from that. Tomorrow I'm doing a monthly online embroidery class on samplers and of course, am already behind! lol Had technical difficulties and missed part of it so just this week figured out what I should've been working on!

*Jerry's Artarama is having a sale on paints, etc. that ends tonight.* In case anyone needs supplies.

Back to my 'homework' for the Sat. class. Good thing this is not for credit or anything! lol I was always good at cramming and working on the fly. Not sure that was a good habit to get into in high school and college.

 

[snowbear94]

I'm taking an online class next Sat. on drawing flowers and making embroidery designs from that. Tomorrow I'm doing a monthly online embroidery class on samplers and of course, am already behind! lol Had technical difficulties and missed part of it so just this week figured out what I should've been working on!

Sounds good. Can't wait to see some.