Reflections in Calm Water
Look over my shoulder as I paint the subpaintings to help me decide how I want to paint reflections on calm water.
Blog
Planning a watercolor, part 2: Using subpaintings
A subpainting is a small excerpt of the larger painting, used to solve a problem in isolation, make stylistic choices or try creative alternatives. Think “Crop, don’t shrink!” It’s also a great way to find a quick and easy postcard idea inside a more complex image.
Adjusting granulation
Some watercolor pigments produce granulation (a.k.a. sedimentation), a mottled or speckly appearance as the wash dries. Did you know that you can sometimes coax more or less granulation out of the same pigment? Here’s how.
Planning a watercolor, part 1: Why I stopped doing thumbnails, value studies and color studies
Why I stopped doing traditional thumbnails, value studies and color studies to plan my watercolors.
Don’t Ask “How Can I Paint ___ in Watercolor?” Instead, Flip the Question
Try exploring different watercolor effects and “textures” and asking “What does this watercolor effect remind me of? What could I use it to suggest?”
Strategies for Dealing with Lookie-Loos
Is this the picture in your head when you think about painting on location? I’ve never had anything like this happen, but just imagining it kept me from going out to paint or sketch in public for a loooong time. Even if no one laughs at your work, there are other annoying encounters with onlookers…
Easy DIY “Low-Stress” Watercolor Sketchbooks, Part 2
Some fast and easy watercolor sketchbooks you can make yourself from the paper you usually paint on. (Part 2 of 2)
Easy DIY “Low-Stress” Watercolor Sketchbooks, Part 1
Some fast and easy watercolor sketchbooks you can make yourself from the paper you usually paint on. (Part 1 of 2)
Avoiding Overwhelm When Sketching on Location (or Working from a Photo)
To avoid overwhelm while sketching (or working from a complicated photo), collect “characters” now, arrange them to tell a story later.
Tips for Mixing Darks and Shadow Colors
A few tips for mixing darks and shadow colors in watercolor, including shadows on yellow and red objects.
How to Use the Course Videos
Companionship and Encouragement, not “how-to” The videos in this course are not technical instruction. For the most part, it’s just me sharing a few thoughts about the day’s thinking prompt, and working in my journal on the day’s activity prompt. Think of it more like working together with a friend. A friend who doesn’t mind…
How to Use This Course
Prompts are Not Requirements The prompts are there for you to use, or not, as suits you in the moment. You can always choose to go your own way, especially if you are on fire to keep going on something from an earlier module or a project you’re working on. You can write a journal…