Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[snowbear123 54]

In a previous life (1976) I had an old flat bristle brush i used to scrub paint - great technique for light clouds and trees. I think the bristles were less than 1/8" long when I finally retired it.

I still have a number of student-level brushes and will keep them, but I've been trying to pick up some higher-level brushes and paint over the past couple years, once I started thinking about retirement in earnest.

 

[terri42 13]

My recent purchases from the Sennelier art supply store in Paris:

Primary colored soft pastel Sennelier pencils, plus a black and white that I forgot to put in this shot. The Caran d'Ache pencils on the right were freebies from the store, some kind of promotional thing.

The lovely French girl behind the counter could tell I had little stars in my eyes, so she took the postcard off the rack and also gave the silly American an extra pencil.

That place is old. It was wonderful to be in there knowing this is where Pablo Picasso approached M. Sennelier about crafting some kind of oil-based stick that could be handled like a pastel - and he came up with the beautiful Sennelier oil pastels that I use.

A good afternoon.

 

[snowbear123 54]

Awesome!

 

[SquarePeg44 5]

More birch trees. This one from my current landscape painting class. Acrylics on canvas. Quite a different process vs the previous watercolor attempts. Every time I paint a landscape in acrylics I get “paint and sip night” vibes. Thanks for looking.

 

[snowbear123 54]

Every time I paint a landscape in acrylics I get “paint and sip night” vibes.

We should try to do another one of these.

 

[terri42 13]

More birch trees. This one from my current landscape painting class. Acrylics on canvas. Quite a different process vs the previous watercolor attempts. Every time I paint a landscape in acrylics I get “paint and sip night” vibes. Thanks for looking.

View attachment 291194

Love this! Love your moonlight reflections and the water's flow. This is so nicely done.

Are you liking acrylics better than WC, or about the same?

 

[SquarePeg44 5]

Love this! Love your moonlight reflections and the water's flow. This is so nicely done.

Are you liking acrylics better than WC, or about the same?

I don’t think I have an all around favorite yet but I prefer looking at watercolor landscapes to acrylic landscapes. Acrylics is definitely easier to work with but it is so much less spontaneous which is sometimes where the best little moments of a painting are found. I’m going to try ann Impressionistic style with acrylics on my next week’s painting and see how I like that.

 

[snowbear123 54]

I like acrylic and watercolor, the same. For me, acrylic is more versatile while watercolors are more transparent and they are more portable. I can work acrylics thin or thick (I want to try impasto) in that I can go with half pans or even the water soluble pencils. Watercolors were popular for sketching and studies during the Renaissance.

I am going to get back to oils, too. I'm considering M. Graham as they use walnut oil. I'm going down to Portland this week, so I may stop in the B&M art shop to pick up a couple tubes amd give it a try.

I'm planning to hit a dirt road or two later this week. I'm looking for ideas for the office wall. Rather than painting a mini-mural, I'm thinking a set of three or four skinny canvases - 12" x 24" or so.

 

[terri42 13]

I'm planning to hit a dirt road or two later this week. I'm looking for ideas for the office wall. Rather than painting a mini-mural, I'm thinking a set of three or four skinny canvases - 12" x 24" or so.

Fun!

 

[snowbear123 54]

I needed a pair of jeans so I went to South Portland. While down there, Lazy Lobster and I went to the art store in Portland.
I was bad.

 

[snowbear123 54]

Start of a Doodlewash challenge: pumpkin. Layed out graphite last might, first wash this morning. Watercolor pencil, 9x12 sketchbook paper.

I shot the reference a couple years ago in Thurmont, MD.

 

[snowbear123 54]

It's still a bit damp, but I'm calling it "done."

 

[terri42 13]

It's still a bit damp, but I'm calling it "done."

View attachment 291388

I like all the yellow in those pumpkins! That's a cute lineup. Will this paper flatten a bit when fully dry?

 

[terri42 13]

I needed a pair of jeans so I went to South Portland. While down there, Lazy Lobster and I went to the art store in Portland.
I was bad.

View attachment 291371

Nice haul! I've heard nice things about the General brand.

Be bad more often.

 

[SquarePeg44 5]

It's still a bit damp, but I'm calling it "done."

View attachment 291388

That’s well done!