Free Wallpapers for you ... more
Free Stationery for your emails ... more
Go To:
Copyright © 2007
Doris Joa Artstudio
The
Star of this painting and Demonstration will be the Rose "Open Arms".
It is a beautiful climbing rose, which I bought new this year for my garden and
I was lucky to see a lot of blooms.
I love the colours in this rose and I am looking forward to paint this rose.
Since I need time for doing a rose painting, I cannot paint from life, no rose
would live such long time. LOL
Another reason is, that I have two small kids, so this allows me often to paint
only in the evening, when they are sleeping - so I work from photos.
But since this rose is in my own garden I have enough time to do good
observation and also a good suggestion about the colours.
I work only from my own referencephotos.
For doing my photos I am using a digital camera, Olympus C -750 Ultra Zoom, a
great camera. I am able to see the sample on the wings of a bee. I can zoom up
to 40 times.
Now let us get started:
What do I need for a watercolor painting?
I need
> watercolor paper
> brushes
> paints
> paper towels
> and of course water.
And I will show you later some helpfool tools.
I am using only hotpressed paper. The most time I am using 300 g (140 Lb) Arches
hotpressed watercolor paper, but I am also using Lanaquarelle, also 140 Lb (300
g) and also hotpressed.
I do not see a difference between both brands, only that one is more expensive
than the other.
I like the surface of this paper, it is wonderful for describing the finest
detail and it is possible to paint the whole spectrum of texture.
Hotpressed paper allows you also to paint in layers without disturbing
underlayers.
One thing: As you know, I am a german girl, so please be kind with me about
my english. When I do not explain good enough or when you do not understand
things, what I am saying, please let me know. Thank you.
Back to the first steps:
I always stretch my paper. You will need: your paper, a board, stretching tape,
jar of clear water and paper towels.
I wet my paper in the bath or shower , place it on the board and wet the
measured pieces of tape by wetting them in the jar of clear water. I then place
the tape around the sheet of paper
(it is half over the paper and half over the board).
With the paper towel I go along the stretching tape to absorb the moisture.
Do not worry, if there are still some buckles in the paper, when the paper
starts to dry, they will go.
I have a lot of colour tubes in my paintbox, but I do not need all. Also I work
with different palettes.
In the next photo you see these small porcellain palettes, this are my favorites.
I use always such a small palette for my flower colours, one palette for the
leaves, one for the background etc.
My favorite brushes are Da Vinci Maestro brushes, I have them in several sizes,
but I work the most time with the sizes 2, 3, 4 and 6. The point of this brushes
is excellent.
Before I start, I just would like to show you some helpful tools. I am sure you
know what masking fluid is. I prefer to not use it, I do not like the hard edges,
which you will get. Also it is easy to ruin your brushes with it. When you use
masking fluid, use only old brushes When I really have tiny highlights in my
painting, which are very hard to save, I prefer to use Masquepen. It has a very
fine point applicator.
Another helpfool tool is Aquacover. Here is the excact description: Aquacoverâ„¢
is a revolutionary new product from Creative Mark! Aquacoverâ„¢ is a versatile
product that will provide new avenues of creativity and alleviate a problem that
has plagued watercolorists
since the beginning of time. It is available in 5 shades of white that perfectly
match the most popular watercolor papers used today. Aquacoverâ„¢ is the perfect
cover up allowing you to fix small or large areas quickly and painlessly. Once
applied it dries in seconds and is permanent, non-cracking and non-yellowing.
You can then apply color directly over it without bleeding! Aquacoverâ„¢ is sold
in 1oz bottles with dropper caps and is sold with our unconditional guarantee of
complete satisfaction. Get a bottle today. We know you’ll love it! (Due its
thick consistency, Aquacoverâ„¢ is best applied with a brush. We do not
recommend the included dropper for direct application.)
I use Aquacover rarely, but it helps me also to get highlights back. You can use
it with your brushes, it doesn't ruin them.
And the next helpful tool is an eraser from Faber Castell: Perfection 7057 It is
a very hard eraser, which helps you to get highlights back, maybe when you later
decide to add dewdrops and you have not save the highlights before. It is a
great tool.
