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Post by toonMom on Feb 28, 2004 18:10:27 GMT -5
I have been thinking about using water colors in some of my work. When I looked at the materials at Dickblick, I realized that I am totally clueless when it comes to WC! I thought watercolors were just the little discs that you paint using a brush dipped in water. There are tubes too! I really have no clue at all about watercolors!
Can someone please help me?
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Post by corky on Mar 10, 2004 14:57:12 GMT -5
i usually use acrylic paint...which is a form of watercolour, i guess. what i can tell you is that the tube form is better quality, but when you're shopping for any kind of paint, look for a label that says "student quality" or artists' quality. the artists quality is much richer, finer pigment and will produce a much better effect for a finished painting. student quality means it's a looser ground pigment, but it won't be as bright or clear as the artists quality. watercolours are more easily saturated, so it's a matter of using less water to gain a brighter colour. don't go buying a hundred different colours, though...you really only need the primary, dark umber or dark brown, and buff or white. there are different kinds of colours...that is, there are warm reds and cool reds, and warm greens and cool greens and so on. i don't often use black to mix with colour to make it darker...i use dark umber. black tends to make it look flat. buy the smallest size you can...you won't use much paint, and it'll last a long time, so a big tube would be a waste. that's about all i can tell you about watercolour. does that help?
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Post by toonMom on Mar 10, 2004 15:00:31 GMT -5
Yes it does help, thank you. How do you know how much water to add to the paint? Does it depend on the richness (not sure if that's the right word to use) of the color desired?
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Lorna
New Member
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Post by Lorna on Mar 16, 2004 19:38:09 GMT -5
ToonMom,
It depends on how much of an area you want to cover also. I use it thin, like tinted water. You can always go back over it again, to make it more vibrant. You can also add a different color over the last, and it will change it!
If that doesn't make sense, let me know!
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Post by toonMom on Mar 16, 2004 20:12:22 GMT -5
That does make sense. I need to just get in there and try it. That way I will have some specific questions for you to help with ;D
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Post by dmcaricature on Dec 20, 2004 11:17:02 GMT -5
Watercolour can be a pretty satisying medium. I paint many Canadian landscapes in this medium and find it is a great spontanous way to paint. The trick is planning for your whites. The paper is the white. Also how much paint and watercolour to use comes only with practice. You must also use only top quality paints, brushes and 100% rag paper. Anything less can spell disaster. The key like anything is to practice.
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Post by corky on Dec 25, 2004 23:33:36 GMT -5
I'd like to add my two bits about watercolour. I've been learning more about paint in design class. We've been using gouache, which is a watercolour that is quite vivid and produces a flat, smooth look. It's actually quite nice to use. Dmc has a point about the paper and brushes. If you use newsprint, or something like that, it has a lot of fibre added to it, and doesn't work well with the gouache (or any watercolour). Plainsfield (sometimes called Mayfair) works well for studies, and 100% rag paper works well for the finished product. I use sable brushes for most of my work. They cost a little more, but if you care for them properly, they can last a long time. Check out Winsor and Newton for a good brand. I went to ebay, and found quite a few art supply houses offering brushes and paints. I don't use Reeves, but I have used W&N, Lukas, and Art Advantage, which seem to be fairly good.
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Post by Frank Zieglar on Jan 24, 2005 12:59:38 GMT -5
I thought I heard that you can't just start painting watercolor - that you have to treat the paper or something so the colors do just bleed all over the place.
Get it wet first I think it was - it would also help the paper to not curl up.
Is there a certain way to do this? or am I completely off here?
><> Frank Zieglar <>< -- Experience is largely non-transferable.
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Post by toonMom on Jan 25, 2005 6:47:59 GMT -5
If you get 100% rag paper, you don't have to soak it. If you get cheap paper, you have to attach it to a board and soak it, so it won't stretch when you paint on it.
I should add, this is an old post and I've since taken a watercolor class.
Keep this thread going though, we could get some good info from it!
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Post by dmcaricature on Jan 27, 2005 10:45:41 GMT -5
I have tried many brands of watercolour paints and papers over the years. Winsor Newton has been marketed as the best of the bunch, however there are some brands that are better in certain pigments. To name some quality paints. Holbein, Da Vinci. Maimeri. Dale Rowney...Stay away from Cotman! crap...Watercolours. D'Arches is probably the most popular paper to use. A standard weight is 140 lb and cold press is a good texture. Hot press is smooth and for some artist's, this suits their style more..but the cold press accepts washes nicely and you can render a fair bit of detail if required. You should wet the whole paper before painting and staple it to a board first. The paper will dry like a tight drum and you can begin on a great smooth surface without fear of the paper buckling. However this is not necessary if you buy your paper in blocks. The downfall being they are pretty pricey.
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Lorna
New Member
Posts: 33
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Post by Lorna on Jan 27, 2005 16:05:03 GMT -5
From my experience, Arches works the best for they type of watercolor I've done. You don't always have to wet the entire sheet of paper, you can also just wet the piece you are working with. You can tape the piece of paper to a work board with masking tape, and you can wet the parts you want blended, and for more vibrant colors, put paint directly on dry paper. Just remember not to over wet it.
My teacher always said to treat paint as though it were gold....don't waste it. This way, you will remember to layer your colors, and won't end up with thick paint, as though it were an acrylic or oil piece.
Hope this helps someone out!
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Post by tooned on Jan 27, 2005 16:50:41 GMT -5
Lorna welcome back,where have ya been?
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Post by toonMom on Jan 27, 2005 16:59:30 GMT -5
The paper we used in class is called Aquarius II. We didn't have any trouble with it curling on us.
Hey Lorna! Long time, no see!!
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Lorna
New Member
Posts: 33
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Post by Lorna on Jan 30, 2005 21:26:06 GMT -5
What a wonderful welcome! I am doing great, but little time to draw. I'm now selling beaded art dolls, but plan to do my painting and drawing again soon.
I was very frustrated because I lost the address a while ago when a virus struck my computer and my hubby swiped it clean! I'm glad to be back!
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Post by tooned on Jan 30, 2005 21:42:29 GMT -5
good to have you back Lorna.it is always a good idea to have all your links backed up somewhere ;D
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