Watercolor Artist - June 2020
Watercolor Artist - June 2020
Watercolor Artist - June 2020
Water lor
ARTISTSNETWORK.COM
The Art
of the
Sketchbook
SPECIAL
ISSUE
Painting
LIGHT &
SHADOW
Simple Secrets for Creating
JUNE 2020
PLUS!
The Studio Tool You
Can’t Do Without
page 18
Charleston Rain
by Yuki Hall
12th Annual
Watermedia Showcase NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES!
A divis ion of G o ld e n Pe a k M ed i a
Inspire • Educate • Connect
Contents JUNE 2020
Features
26
PAINTING LIGHT
& SHADOW
See the world with fresh eyes
by learning how to interpret
the various effects of sunlight
on its surroundings.
BY LUCY WILLIS
34
POURING ONE’S SELF
INTO LEARNING
After implementing a new-to-her
technique, Sandy Delehanty
finds success and pays it
forward by advocating
for other artists.
BY MICHAEL WOODSON
42
HAVE KIT, WILL TRAVEL
Be prepared for any creative
adventure by pre-assembling
a carefully curated watermedia
kit for sketching and painting.
BY JAMES GURNEY 26
50
ART IN THE PARKS
56
PERSONALIZING
62
SKETCHING SIENA
Refresh, renew and recharge YOUR SKETCHBOOKS The act of sketching can capture
your drawing skills among sights A sketchbook that you embellish the emotion and memory of
and scenery that are replete with or make yourself may become a scene in a more potent way
natural beauty. your favorite creative companion. than reference photos.
BY SUZIE GARNER BY WENDY SHALEN WITH CELIA WEDDING BY BRENDA SWENSON
ArtistsNetwork.com 1
JUNE 2020
Columns
4 EDITOR’S NOTE
Grab your sketchbook
and head out for a grand
painting adventure.
6 HAPPENINGS
Mary Whyte paints American
veterans from all 50 states.
BY CHRISTINA RICHARDS
10 ANATOMY OF
A PAINTING
An English artist finds
inspiration in 1840s Cairo.
BY JERRY N. WEISS
12 CREATIVITY
WORKSHOP
Paint deeper to reveal
the untold story.
BY DENNY BOND
18 BURNING QUESTION
What’s an item in your
studio or toolkit that
you can’t live without?
COMPILED BY ANNE HEVENER
20 WATERCOLOR
ESSENTIALS
12
Try these practical ways
to convey movement.
BY DANIEL MARSHALL
ON THE COVER
72 OPEN BOOK The Portable Painter:
Bend the rules of design Pro Packing Tips 42
to your advantage. Painting Light & Shadow 26
BY RAE ANDREWS The Art of the Sketchbook:
18 SPECIAL ISSUE 42, 50, 56, 62
The Studio Tool You Can’t
Do Without 18
a
adventure VP, DIGITAL Melanie Darienzo
w
was about VP, PRODUCT AND STRATEGY Josiah Klebaner
tto happen.
”
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT, FINE ART GROUP Tricia Waddell
— A. MILNE
—A. NEWSSTAND SALES Scott T. Hill
[email protected]
(1882–1956),
WINNIE-THE-POOH EDITORIAL OFFICES
9912 Carver Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242
513/531-2222; wcaedit@ goldenpeakmedia.com
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
is a Colorado artist who takes her sketchbook on regular out-
ings into Rocky Mountain National Park and other places of P.O. Box 422140, Palm Coast, Fl 32142-2140
beauty (page 50). Her love of the Western landscape fuels her US/Canada 800/811-9834
sketching practice, but her sketchbook practice also encour- Foreign subscribers 386/246-3371
ages her treks into the outdoors. It’s a reciprocal relationship, wcm.pcdfusion.com/pcd/CustomerSupport/App/17221
often whimsical items from her stash of personal treasures. Internationally distributed by Curtis Circulation Co.,
You’ll also meet English artist Lucy Willis (page 26), who 730 River Road, New Milford, NJ 07646.
Tel: 201/634-7400. Fax: 201/634-7499.
learned early on that watercolor was the perfect medium for
capturing the excitement of her travel-painting adventures Attention Retailers: To carry Watercolor Artist in your stores,
contact: [email protected].
around the world. And, if you’re wondering what exactly to
bring on such an excursion, artist James Gurney provides PRIVACY PROMISE
a practical guide to the portable watercolor toolkit (page 42). Occasionally we make portions of our customer list available to other companies so
With all that inspiration, the only thing left to do is to they may contact you about products and services that may be of interest to you. If
grab pencil, paint and brush, and open the door. WA you prefer we withhold your name, simply send a note with the magazine name to:
List Manager, Golden Peak Media, 9912 Carver Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.
Printed in the USA.
Copyright © 2020 by Peak Media Properties. All Rights Reserved.
Watercolor Artist magazine is a registered trademark of Peak Media Properties.
Artistic Excellence
All mediums, styles, and subjects accepted
Southwest Art is excited to present our annual art First Place Winner $2000
competition, rewarding artistic excellence from the Second Place Winner $1000
Southwest and beyond! Our editors want to see your best, Third Place Winner $500
no matter what medium, style, or subject you choose. In 10 Honorable Mentions
addition to cash prizes and publication in print and online,
one winner will see their work on the cover of Southwest Early Bird Regular
Art. Enter before the early bird deadline to save $5 off the Deadline: Deadline:
entry fee! June 14, 2020 July 15, 2020
A d i v is ion of G o ld en Pe a k M e d i a
Inspire • Educate • Connect
Happenings
/ MAKING A SPLASH /
Mary
Whyte
For seven years, internationally
renowned artist Mary Whyte traveled
the country sketching, photograph-
ing and interviewing along the way.
Her mission: to paint 50 large-scale
watercolor portraits of current-day
American veterans—one from each
and every state.
We the People: Portraits of Veterans
in America is Whyte’s remarkable
series depicting military veterans
of all ages, from all walks of life.
Portraits of a Pennsylvania science
teacher, a South Carolina single
mother, a Missouri dairy farmer
and scores of others make up a show-
case of real people, with real stories,
that’s both powerful and timeless.
The multifaceted project also
includes a book, We the People
(University of South Carolina Press).
It also inspired the founding of a new
nonprofit, Patriot Art Foundation. The
foundation seeks to honor veterans,
provide support as they return to civil-
ian life, and connect them to online
art, history and healing resources.
Whyte’s exhibition opened at the City
Gallery, in Charleston, S.C., in 2019. It
will travel next to the National Veterans
Memorial and Museum in Columbus,
Ohio, through September 2020.
Eventually, Whyte hopes to find
a permanent home for the series.
“The ultimate goal is to keep all of
the paintings together on permanent
exhibition,” she says. “I just want
a place where veterans can come
in and look and say, ‘I mattered.’ ”
ArtistsNetwork.com 7
Happenings
New + Notable
/ STUDIO STAPLES / / COMING SOON /
SPREEY Watercolor Brush Pens [$9.99] Watercolor Is for
These acid-free, nontoxic brush pens have highly Everyone: Simple
water-soluble ink that allows you to blend one color Lessons to Make Your
smoothly into the next and can continue to be layered Creative Practice a
and blended after it dries. The nylon brush tips Daily Habit [$22.99]
transition between fat strokes and thin lines without In this beautiful
hesitation. The set comes with 24 colors and one book, to be released
refillable water brush. in August 2020, artist
Kateri Ewing guides
you through a series
of simple creative
projects using a
soulful, meditative
and reflective
process. Learn
how to build a
daily practice, set
intentions and
create, even if you have just 10 minutes a day. Projects
draw inspiration from poetry, music, literature and the
natural world, and invite experimentation with a variety
of resources. You’ll pursue your personal passions
through accessible projects as you build your artistic
skills, confidence and creativity.
quartoknows.com
“ The song
is pure, like
a painting,
a pure
watercolor.
—JOHN LENNON,
TALKING ABOUT
”
THE BEATLES’ SONG
“SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY
HULTON ARCHIVE/STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES
ArtistsNetwork.com 9
Anatomy of a Painting
“The Unassailable
Authority of
British Technique” Lewis set out to ele-
vate watercolor
JOHN FREDERICK LEWIS depicts Egyptian painting to the
same level of critical
culture based on observation instead of acceptance as that
European romanticization. of oil painting. He
attempted to do so
by creating two ver-
By Jerry N. Weiss sions of the same
composition, one in
each media. Lewis
gradually raised the
The camels are silhouetted against Several finished paintings by Lewis are based on Two Camels.
a light sky, which Lewis quickly One, dated soon after the artist returned to London, is a water-
dashed in with opaque watercolor. color now in The Fitzwilliam Museum, at the University of
ANONYMOUS GIFT, 1961
He often used tan paper for his studies— Cambridge. Lewis adhered closely to the sketch, even duplicat-
a natural choice for the artist’s ing the fabric pattern. Another is an oil panel at Yale University,
desert landscapes. in which the animal appears reversed. Lewis painted the work
in 1876, some 33 years after the original sketch.
ArtistsNetwork.com 11
Creativity Workshop
Creating with the intent to advance found it an endlessly contemplative elevated the clocks into a “Golden
a story in a visual way involved a lot theme to ponder and pursue in my art- Globes” event, resulting in a more
of thought—and a deep understand- work in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. visually stimulating painting. Imagine
ing and appreciation of the story. the clocks devoid of the reflections.
That kind of artistic focus and 2009 They wouldn’t appear all that interest-
implicit consideration led to my I began painting timepieces with ing. Paintings with a narrative usually
present-day style of painting, enabling a work entitled Guardians of Time command a viewer to pause, contem-
me to avoid the average portrayal and (opposite). During one of my many plate and dream up possibilities.
to think outside the box. In some of treks in search of an interesting
my paintings, there’s a thin line subject, I discovered these pocket 2012
between fine art and illustration. watches in a display case, neatly The thought of time passing became
Currently, the painting style I’m laid out, each one nonworking yet a theme in 92 (above right), a paint-
most attracted to is realism. Although displaying its own unique time. Each ing of my mother, who had dementia
any painting with great design, bal- was once connected to an individual and was approaching the end of her
ance and color appeals to me, hyper- who used it daily to plan his or her life. My initial thought was to create
realism hits the high note. Even bet- life. And so begins the narrative of a painting that would highlight her
ter is hyperrealism with a narrative— these paintings. experience at that stage of her life.
a story that exists beyond the actual At the time, I was also working
painting. In my experience, the com- 2010 on a series of paintings that were
bination of the two can be more As my collection of timepieces polka-dot themed, so I began with that
compelling to the viewer—and more increased, so did my desire to paint concept. I placed the vintage clock in
satisfying to create as an artist. them. I created Reflections (above left) her hands to suggest the impending
Here’s a timeline (pun intended) at the start of the new decade by end of life. The background of con-
showing how I’ve come to explore surrounding two vintage clocks with nected polka dots suggests memories;
the concept of time in a narrative mirrors to reflect the sunlight. The the fading polka dots imply memories
way for more than a decade. I’ve creation of the abstract light reflection lost. My mother lived to be 94.
ArtistsNetwork.com 13
Creativity Workshop
2013 TOP
Time After Time (2013;
Time After Time (right) features watercolor on paper, 14x18½)
my initial collection of three pocket
watches, which I placed upon BOTTOM
a larger vintage school clock. The Looking Glass (2015;
watercolor on paper, 18½x27¾)
background numbers add a graphic
quality to the pocket watches while
also encircling and protecting the
smaller timepieces, similar to
a parent protecting her children.
2015
While perusing our family’s book
collections, I discovered Through the
Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found
There, Lewis Carroll’s novel about the
adventures of Alice in Wonderland.
In Looking Glass (below), I displayed
one of my pocket watches atop the
book. This placement immediately
suggested a relationship to the book
itself, but the reflection of a rabbit’s
face on the glass of the pocket watch
creates a story beyond the actual
written story—a kind of time-related
fantasy for the viewer to envision.
BELOW
Alarmed (2017; watercolor
on paper, 18¼x27¾)
ArtistsNetwork.com 15
Creativity Workshop
RIGHT
GPS (2019; watercolor
on paper, 27¾x20)
BELOW
Time Slot (2019;
watercolor on paper,
28x15¾)
I’ve even finished a few paintings paintings. It’s not only because gesture, as I learned in GPS (above
before realizing the correlation of I collect them, but also, more likely, right). This portrait of my grand-
what I’d created. Alarmed (page 15) due to my own thoughts and concerns daughter was to focus on her and
is a painting in this category. Visually, about aging. the maps, due to the fact that she’s
this work is all about alarm clocks, To some extent, Time Slot (above very observant of her surroundings.
but technically it’s about cell phones left) symbolizes my “retirement” from I admit that I didn’t plan for the
and the intrusive noise we’re con- illustration and a total commitment actual placement of the vintage alarm
stantly forced to hear in locations to fine art watercolors. Even though clock, but there it appeared, center
where they shouldn’t be permitted. I hadn’t punched a time clock since stage in the painting. I’m starting to
The viewer can imagine all of these 1973, the time card holder is in my believe the timepieces are in control,
alarm clocks ringing at the same studio. It’s there, as are the clocks, but in actuality, the clock’s position
time—and longing for silence instead. to remind me to keep up the pace. was perfect, considering I’d allotted
I again used pocket watches to empha- just a short amount of time to com-
2019 size to the viewer the issue of time plete the photo session for this
It’s been within the past two years and how we all pay homage to it. painting before my granddaughter
that the images of timepieces have Trying to get an active 5-year-old “timed out.” Notice the white rat?
become ever more present in my to pose is a grand and noteworthy That’s yet another story to be told.
ArtistsNetwork.com 17
Burning Question
What’s an item in
your studio or toolkit
that you simply can’t
do without?
Iain Stewart
One thing I use without fail in every painting
is my smartphone’s camera. No matter the
situation, if I need to simplify what I’m
looking at, a small photo does the trick.
I also can use the camera to see the
painting at a much smaller scale, and
I can easily manipulate the image to see
the scene in grayscale. This is incredibly
useful when judging my tonal work. It’s also
helpful to be able to zoom in on very small
areas of a painting to see if they’re working.
The grayscale function is also a great
teaching tool. Most of the problems I see Sothwold Imagined, Nocturne (watercolor on paper, 10x14) by Iain Stewart
in students’ work are value related: The
sky is blue and the trees are green, but the
shift in color doesn’t give the image any
depth. I quickly take a photo, change it into
Jean Grastorf
grayscale and can show them on the spot For most of my watercolor life, I transferred my
what I mean. If your value steps aren’t drawings to the “good paper,” using the pro-
strong enough to register in black and cess of wax-free graphite. Then, while teaching
white, you need to go stronger. a class, my students introduced me to the light
Another trick is to take a photo while the box. So much better and cleaner! A real bonus,
paint is still wet and another when dry. If you too, is the ability to explore the layering of multi-
don’t feel a little quiver when putting down ple images. As I lay one sheet of tracing paper
the correct tone, then you’re probably going on top of another, images can be discovered,
too light. The correct tone should look wrong combined and simplified. The resulting drawing
when wet. If you go too strong from the is then ready to be transferred to my watercolor
start, then you’ll have to push the rest of your paper via the light box. Note that heavier
painting darker than needed to compensate. papers still call for the graphite method.
ArtistsNetwork.com 19
Watercolor Essentials
The arrest of
momentum is
evident in Round Up
(plein air watercolor
sketch on paper,
16x11). The horse’s
forward movement
is being halted to
make a quick cut.
The soft edges
of the rider’s scarf—
and the direction
of the horse’s mane—
also accentuate
that action.
On the Move
Try these easy-to-implement, minimalistic
approaches to introduce dynamic motion
and energy into your paintings.
By Daniel Marshall
ArtistsNetwork.com 21
Watercolor Essentials
LEFT
At Full Gallop (watercolor
on paper, 16x20) features
a galloping horse, midstride,
and its trusty rider bouncing
along in the saddle. This
painting captures the energy
and grace of motion. By
leaving the horse’s outline
unfinished, I direct all of the
focus toward the rider’s head
and the right hand holding
the rein. The viewer’s mind
fills in the rest.
BELOW
The vibrancy of an urban
environment is captured
in City Moves (watercolor
on paper, 14x18) by angling
the horizon line, adding
directional lines through the
buildings and directing the
foreground toward the figures
on the right. Vibration around
the box truck and the blur of
the taillights add to the sense
of movement.
BELOW
Rev ’em Up (plein air watercolor sketch
on paper, 10x15) was done on location, focused
on the men in the car and the shape of the body
more than anything else. The gesture of the
driver lurching back into the seat as the clutch
pops, throwing the hot rod in gear, is key.
Nothing beats sketching in the thick of the
racing pit, smelling the gasoline and motor oil.
Try using all five of your senses to inspire and
inform your work.
Leaning In
A carefully planned, yet loose, approach provides a sense of speed and movement.
Toolkit
PAPER:
• Saunders Waterford
140-lb. rough
BRUSHES:
• Escoda Perla Nos. 10
and 12, Escoda
Aquario Nos. 10 and 14
PALETTE:
• Daniel Smith: yellow
ochre, burnt umber,
burnt sienna
• Winsor & Newton:
The Sketch The Drawing
The first and most important element of any painting is the I keep the drawing loose but accurate.
cadmium red, Winsor composition, even more so for a dynamic scene. I created this My only concerns are the gesture and
violet, French 5x7-inch plein air sketch as the reference for the painting. proportion of the rider to the motorcycle
ultramarine I wanted the image fully secured to the upper left of the paper, and the perspective of the tires. Depicting
• Holbein: lavender, leaving negative space on the right where the cyclist is the wheels accurately can be challenging.
Davey’s gray heading. Essentially designing within the rule of thirds,
the cyclist’s head and hand are near the upper right-side
MISCELLANEOUS: intersection—the focal point. The lines of the shadow and the
• white gouache blur from the fender support the movement from left to right.
Step 1 Step 2
I lay in a foundation wash of Davey’s gray for the background and After the initial wash is dry, I begin painting the helmet area and
some cadmium red to establish the helmet and color streaks. The continue down through the figure. I work quickly to ensure that all of
foreground is a warm gray mix of yellow ochre, burnt umber, a little the colors and edges can run into one another, always working top to
Winsor violet and a dash of Davey’s gray—cool in the background, bottom and allowing gravity to aid in the process. I’m working with
warm in the foreground. I continue to play with and disturb the slightly thicker paint, placing it into the wet paint to create soft darks.
background wash while it’s still wet, adding more streaks of red and
pulling out some of the Davey’s gray with water to achieve the
desired motion effects. The only thing I’m concerned about cutting
around is the back of the jersey to preserve the white of the paper.
Everything else can run together and appear abstract at this stage.
Final
I’ve ended up with a cohesive painting, unified in color and form and full of action. You can almost hear the
open throttle as the cyclist goes careening down the track in Leaning in (watercolor on paper, 12x16). WA
Daniel Marshall (danmarshallart.com and @danmarshallart on Instagram) is a Denver, Colo., award-winning artist and educator, who
teaches workshops across the country. He’s a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters
Association, and a member of the Salmagundi Club. His work is represented by the Huse Skelly Gallery, in Balboa Island, Calif.
ArtistsNetwork.com 25
Painting
LIGHT & SHADOW
WHETHER PAINTING A FAMILIAR LANDSCAPE NEAR HOME OR
TACKLING AN EXOTIC SCENE FARTHER AFIELD, IT’S THE PLAY OF
LIGHT AND SHADOW THAT BRINGS THE DRAMA TO A COMPOSITION.
By Lucy Willis
ABOVE
The grid of shadows seen on
the left side of The Greenhouse
and Peppers, England (water-
color on paper, 22½x30) form
an important part of the
composition. They follow the
same laws of perspective as
the glazing bars that cast them.
RIGHT
The inspiration for Number One,
The Royal Crescent, London,
England (watercolor on paper,
15x11) was the subtle interplay of
shadows and the architectural
details of the building facade.
ArtistsNetwork.com 27
THE MAGIC OF A MEDIUM
Although it was for pragmatic reasons that I switched to watercolor for travel-
painting—namely, the ease with which I could carry my equipment, and the
speed at which I could work on a painting and then pack it away—the medium
soon became central to my painting life on its own merits. I love the way it
works, its special qualities of versatility, its strength and subtlety, and the fact BOTTOM LEFT
that, after 40 years, I still discover new things each and every time I paint. I was enchanted by the many imaginative
Both the beauty and the bane of watercolor as a medium is its fluidity and designs of gates in Senegal, some made
of little more than sticks and string. It’s the
transparency. Making a painting in watercolor is like walking a tightrope and
shadow, however, that this particular gate
juggling a multitude of balls in the air at the same time. You must mix color, cast on the foreground that prompted me
add the right amount of water, achieve depth of tone, organize the composition, to paint The Stick Gate, Senegal (water-
leave white paper where you want the lightest tones, all while controlling the color on paper, 17x11).
drying of the paint—not too fast, not too slow. All this before even considering
BOTTOM RIGHT
the knotty problem of choosing a subject and dealing with the vicissitudes of In Shadows and Columns, Venice, Italy
changing light and shadow. (watercolor on paper, 11x7), a back-street
I’ve been immensely fortunate to paint in some especially interesting regions view of a very grand Venetian church,
of the world: in China as it started opening up to the West; in Syria just before it’s the shadows that bring drama to
the composition. The chinks of sunlight
the civil war; and in remote corners of India, Zanzibar and Yemen. It’s not
between the columns and the buildings
necessary to travel far and wide to paint light and shadow, however. Whether create shadows that converge at a
you’re at home or abroad, the challenge is the same: It’s a matter of seeing and vanishing point that happens to coincide
understanding what’s before you, and then being able to put it down in paint. with the two tiny figures that appeared
while I was painting. They help to give
scale to the monumental portico.
SUNLIGHT &
SHADOW PATTERNS
It’s impossible to separate patterns
of sunlight from shadows, of course.
The clear, crisp shadows of the figures
in Walking in Sunlight, Venice, Italy
(page 30) would be nonexistent with-
out the sunlit areas of the ground.
I left the paper entirely white for the
SEEING SHADOW VARIETY path and painted the shadows of the
For painters, shadows are miraculous things, because a shadow in a painting two figures as a single, rather compli-
immediately suggests light. Shadows create light by way of contrast, and the cated shape. Had the day been
nature of a shadow can be found by close study of color and tone. There are as overcast, these would have been at
many permutations of shadows as there are conditions of light: cast shadows, most soft-edged, darker smudges
attached shadows in which a surface curves away from the light, soft-edged and within a dark ground, if visible at all.
hard-edged shadows, double shadows (from multiple light sources), and so on. But here we have bright sun casting
When I’m painting outdoors on a sunny day, I often go for a subject in which almost photographic projections of
the shadows form a major part of the scene. If I paint contre-jour (facing the the figures onto the horizontal plane
sun or, translated literally, against the day), the shadows are thrown on the on which they walk.
ground toward me, as in The Stick Gate, Senegal and Shadows and Columns, Whether the edges of a cast shadow
Venice, Italy (both opposite). I really enjoy this effect and make use of it to appear sharp or blurred depends not
define the plane of the ground upon which the shadows are falling. It also gives only on the lighting conditions but
rise to halos of light around objects, which are lit from behind. also on the distance between the
A completely different but equally compelling effect of cast shadows is the object that’s casting the shadow and
dappled shade cast by tree foliage. It may be that the shade falls on a building; the surface on which it’s cast. You’ll
it’s a real challenge to create the impression of sun filtered through leaves, while often see soft and sharp shadows
allowing the architectural features to hold their own against the scattered pat- within the same scene, where some
tern. This can be seen in Number One, The Royal Crescent, London, England (page shadows are cast onto a surface
27), in which the complications of a steep architectural perspective, reflected nearby and others are cast from
light and the chaos of cast shadows all conspired to trip me up. Making some farther away. Typically, the dappled
ArtistsNetwork.com 29
shade from trees features patches of
OPPOSITE
COLOR IN SHADOWS
dark and of light, both of which have For Turkish Fountain, Hania, Crete,
soft edges. If you look closely at Greece (watercolor on paper, 15x11),
Turkish Fountain, Hania, Crete, Greece In paintings where the sun is very I painted the more sharply defined
(opposite), you’ll notice that both are strong, the shadows are where shadows, such as those from the
present. Some are cast by closeup palm fronds, on dry paper using the
the color tends to be more visible.
point of a brush. When I started to
objects, as in the palm fronds and The sunlit areas are relatively paint the shadow shapes of some of
the pillars, and others are more soft- easy to deal with by leaving white the more distant foliage, I softened
edged, such as the dappling on the space in the first instance. Once the edges with clean water to enable
conical top of the fountain and in the you have a strong impression of the paint to bleed and blur slightly.
sunlight working well in the
left foreground. These are cast by tree BELOW
painting, you can then add the
foliage which is farther away. Once you slightest hint of diluted color to In Walking in Sunlight, Venice, Italy
become attuned to looking for these the patches of sunlight. (watercolor on paper, 13x11), the
variations, you’ll find there are endless shadows of the figures give us a
Colors in the shade tend to be
permutations on the shadow theme. sense of the horizontal surface of
cooler (at the blue/mauve end of the path and the direction of the sun,
A different sort of pattern is created the spectrum), whereas sunshine but most of all a feeling of warmth
by window bars when you’re painting often adds a note of warm color to and a balmy atmosphere. I added
indoors. One of my favorite subjects is a brightly lit surface. A pale wash the shadows to the right of the scene
the interior of a greenhouse, in which of yellow or orange will suffice, but mainly to fill a space and balance
make sure you don’t darken the the composition. Rather than invent
the wooden glazing bars are mirrored the shadow of a building or a tree,
tone too much, or the sense of
in a grid-like pattern of shadows and I made them in the shape of figures,
sunlight will be diminished.
light. The Greenhouse and Peppers, people visible only by their shadows,
England (pages 26-27) was painted adding an air of mystery.
on a clear sunny day, and it was some-
thing of a task to sort out the various
elements: the shadows on the wall, the
window at an angle and the reflections
in it, the slope of the roof bars, as well
as all the different horizontal lines,
angled because of the deep perspective.
There was also a multitude of patterns
within that structure. I painted a light
terra-cotta wash over most of the brick
wall and, when it was dry, I added the
grid of shadows. When I came to paint
the brick pattern, I had to make sure
that the individual bricks on the sunny
sections of the wall were pale enough
to read as sunshine, not shadow, and
by doing so, keep the strong contrast.
The pepper plants are lit up in sunlight
and also throw a shadow pattern of
their own on the left-hand wall.
SHADOWS IN
PERSPECTIVE
The laws of perspective—mainly,
that things appear smaller the farther
they recede in space—also apply to
shadows. You can often observe that
the shadows on the buildings con-
verge at their own vanishing point,
as seen in Shadows and Columns,
Venice, Italy. I mainly work by eye,
placing and checking my lines of
perspective by simply holding up
my brush to gauge the angle and
getting it clear in my mind before
committing it to paint.
Notice how the shadows in The Greenhouse and Peppers, England conform to
the same laws of perspective as everything else in the picture: All the receding
horizontal lines that are parallel—whether glazing bars, shelves, flower bed
edges or window frame—meet at a vanishing point somewhere in the center
of the picture, level with my eyeline. The shadows on the wall also represent
horizontal lines, projected by the glazing bars opposite, so they become
narrower as they recede; they, too, meet at the same vanishing point.
ArtistsNetwork.com 31
demo
Step 1 Step 2
I began by building up a series of marks over the surface so that Next, I mixed a neutral gray color so that I could pin down the
I had an idea of the composition before committing myself to larger shadows on the ground, then moved across the picture, building
shapes. I used the point of my large brush, dipped into a variety of up detail in a loose but controlled way, taking care not to paint
greens, grays and pinks, to lightly and rapidly plot the filigree of leaf over the brightest areas. Before applying the intensely dark
shapes that would gradually build up as the painting progressed. trees, I made marks to position the figure, and then painted
carefully around her head, giving a crisp edge to the sunlit form.
Step 3
Never losing sight of the parts
of the painting I wanted to
keep white, I gradually filled
the spaces. On the foliage,
I used mostly dabs and small
broken brushstrokes so that
a sparkle of light would remain
on many of the leaves.
Final
I toned down the white wooden structure on the far right so that it appeared to be in shadow,
and also all the foreground plants beneath it to enhance the effect of the sunlight on the paving
stones in Summer Veranda, England (watercolor on paper, 17x22). A little extra detail on the
dark trees also increased the contrast with the translucent green creepers in front.
ArtistsNetwork.com 33
Pouring One’s Self
Into Learning
SANDY DELEHANTY FOLLOWED THE ADVICE OF HER
GRANDFATHER AND HER WELL-KNOWN MENTOR AND TRAVELED
THE WORLD. SHE NOW ADVOCATES FOR OTHER CREATIVES WHO
COULD USE THIS KIND OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
By Michael Woodson
T
hey say the best teacher
is life itself—that you
never stop learning as long
as you allow for the student
within to thrive. Artist Sandy
Delehanty grew up in a small town,
but she had big ambitions and a family
who valued education. Surrounded by
an encouraging community, she went
from being one of 11 students in her
grade school class to an artist who has
taught throughout Europe, has shown
in galleries and museums across the
country, and is on the board of direc-
tors for an organization actively
changing the lives of women artists.
ArtistsNetwork.com 35
Santorini Windmill
(watercolor on paper, 14x10)
Havana Laundry
(watercolor on paper, 24x18)
ArtistsNetwork.com 37
Central Park Sunday (watercolor on paper, 18x24)
ArtistsNetwork.com 39
demo
A Poured Painting
The technique of pouring watercolors gives a painting
a unique look that features glowing transparent colors.
Step 5
I removed the masking, which
peeled off easily. I then added
details to the water, painting
Toolkit directly with a brush.
PAPER
• Arches 140-lb. rough or cold-
pressed, 2 inches wider on all
four sides than the image
PAINT
• Daniel Smith: Hansa yellow
medium, quinacridone red,
phthalo blue (green shade),
indigo, phthalo blue (red shade)
BRUSHES
• 2-inch flat, sizes 4, 6 and 8 round
POURING MATERIALS
• large sink or plastic tub, clear
plastic cups for paint mixing,
pipettes, tissues, spray bottle,
water container
MISCELLANEOUS
• Gator Board (or similar),
Incredible White Mask Liquid
Frisket, stapler and staples,
masking tape, mechanical
pencil with HB lead, kneaded
eraser, scraps of Arches 140-lb.
rough or cold-pressed paper
Final
17 Mile Drive View (watercolor on paper, 18x24) is based on a reference photo
I took along the famous Seventeen Mile Drive in Monterey County near Carmel, Calif.
The painting will be exhibited in Sparrow Gallery, in Sacramento, Calif. WA
ArtistsNetwork.com 41
Have Kit,
Will Travel C E
A
B
MY PORTABLE KIT
CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER RIGHT
steering wheel attachment for easel
(A); cotton rag (B); pencil sharpener
(C); water cup (D); camera (E);
white gel pen, graphite pencils,
water brushes, water-soluble colored
pencils (F); pencil box (G); belt pouch
J with homemade sketch easel (H);
synthetic brushes, pastel sticks, plastic
container, neutral density filter (I);
K pan watercolor box with 10 colors ( J );
spring clamps (K); watercolor journal
(L); small set of tube gouache (M);
measuring dowel (N)
BUILDING A BRIDGE
FROM DRAWING TO PAINTING
The strategy behind my portable kit is to have at
M the ready a wide array of options to create anything
from a simple pencil drawing to a fully opaque
painting. Each component complements the others,
allowing me to deploy art materials in unusual ways
and at various stages of the process. I might start,
for example, with a watercolor pencil drawing,
then apply big transparent washes, then add a few
opaque touches and finish with crisp highlights,
using a white gel pen.
This mixed-media approach to watermedia is
influenced by my experience as an oil painter,
in which pigments can be applied with a variety
N of media and tools. I’m not concerned with the
traditional definitions of purity in watercolor
practice as long as the results convey the effects
I’m after and are conservationally sound.
ArtistsNetwork.com 43
WATERCOLOR PENCILS
AND WATER BRUSHES
My smallest kit includes a couple
of watercolor pencils and water
brushes. These easily fit in
a pocket, which means I can take
them anywhere. In the early stages
of a sketch, I use them to generate
washes of smooth tone or to offer
a suggestion of color. After those
washes are dry, I can use them to
deliver a variety of textures.
The palette for sketching people
or animals might include yellow ochre,
red-brown, dark brown and black.
I have two basic water brushes—one
loaded with clear water and the other
filled with black ink. If I add another
water brush filled with water-soluble
brown, black or blue ink, I have even I sketched Galapagos Tortoise (watercolor pencils on paper, 5x7) at the Royal Ontario Museum,
more options available to me, particu- in Toronto. The pigment in the watercolor pencils is held together with a binder that allows for
larly if I’m sketching in tight spaces drawing but can be dissolved by water after the pigment is placed on the paper. I used the brush
to group dark areas together along the bottom of the form. Because the pencils come in many
such as on a moving bus or in a different shades and tones, I can draw lines with exactly the color I want. For example, I used
crowded museum. a lighter gray pencil for the growth rings on the top of the shell and darker gray on its sides.
1 2
3 4
ArtistsNetwork.com 45
GOUACHE KIT
I travel with a small set of gouache
tubes—anywhere from two (black and
white) to 10 tubes—in a plastic bag.
Sometimes I limit myself to a palette
of just three tube colors plus white:
ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, light
red and titanium white. This forces
me to do what I can with those colors.
Note: Although it’s possible to
rewet blobs of gouache that have been
squeezed out and allowed to dry, they
don’t reconstitute into the smooth con-
sistency that they have when they’re
initially squeezed from the tube.
Once the layers were dry in Rainy Day Outside the Tire Place (gouache on paper, 5x8), I added fine details
to create mood and make the scene more realistic. I used brushes from a short-handled travel set.
RIGHT
I steered an empty shopping cart to the
apple display and set up my tripod sketch
easel inside the cart. Because the gouache
doesn’t emit a scent and doesn’t make a
mess, I knew I’d be OK working with it there.
I had a little less than an hour to paint. I was
nervous that someone from the store would
ask me what I was doing, but no one said
anything to me. I think the uniform-style
shirt I was wearing—and my purposeful
expression—made it look like I was on
a corporate assignment, so no one
questioned me.
PHOTO BY JEANETTE GURNEY
ArtistsNetwork.com 47
GOUACHE AND CASEIN
I sometimes use gouache in combina-
tion with casein. Like gouache, casein
is a water-based opaque paint that
dries matte. The milk-protein emul-
sion is stronger than the gum arabic
in gouache or watercolor, but not as
strong as acrylic. The emulsion in
casein keeps the paint from being
sticky or gummy as it’s drying.
Therefore, casein flows more readily
than acrylic off the brush. Casein dries
to a more closed surface than gouache,
meaning the dry paint doesn’t reacti-
vate when it’s wet, unlike gouache. Instead of painting a standard garden vista, for Cinnamon Ferns (gouache over casein on paper,
5x8), I decided to unravel the complicated rhythms of a bank of the backlit plants. I’d already primed
That’s why I use a thin layer of casein a page in my sketchbook with casein in a color referred to as “vegetable green” or “parent green.”
for an underpainting or priming color, This is the standard hue of the transmitted light that filters through new grass or spring foliage.
which I apply in advance. My intention was to cover up most of the underpainting, but allow some areas to peek through.
I painted Alaskan Wolf (gouache with casein on paper, 5x8) from a taxidermy specimen. I started with black and white casein for the background.
Once I’ve painted a background, I don’t want it to change too much. I chose gouache for the wolf because I wanted to be able to reactivate the paint.
That’s the only way to achieve the appearance of soft fur, especially in shadows, such as those under the mouth and on the neck. To create that soft
look, I rewet a postage-stamp-sized area using a flat brush dipped in pure water—really quick, no scrubbing. I can gently coax out softness using
another brush or my finger, or I can drop in a stroke that will blend into a blur. In the areas in which I wanted fine details of fur in the lights and
halftones, I applied gouache with a drybrush technique. I finished with a few touches of light-and-dark-value watercolor pencils.
Want to build your own easel? Get advice and see other homemade easels at “Sketch Easel Builders,”
a Facebook public group. Makers from around the world share their own constructed variations on my
sketch easel and offer tips, as well as sources for parts and tools.
ALL SYSTEMS GO
While this system is what I’ve found for your next trip. After you’ve film Fire and Ice. He freelanced as
works best for me, it took a lot of returned from several outings in a science fiction paperback cover artist
excursions in which I packed too a row, go through your kit and and painted historical reconstructions
much, not enough or even just the remove extraneous items. Channel for National Geographic. Gurney
wrong items. “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”: co-authored The Artist’s Guide to
If you’re assembling your own You’re striving for not too much or Sketching and is the author and
on-the-go kit, be patient and realize too little, but just right. WA illustrator of Dinotopia: A Land Apart
that it takes time. When you’re From Time, Color and Light: A Guide
on-site and find that you’re missing James Gurney (jamesgurney.com for the Realist Painter and Imaginative
a must-have tool or material, write and @jamesgurneyart on Instagram) Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t
yourself a note so that you’re sure to was hired out of art school to work as Exist. His YouTube channel features
remember to add the item to your kit a background painter for the animated more than 200 videos.
ArtistsNetwork.com 49
50 Watercolor artist | JUNE 2020
ABOVE
I was looking east while
sketching Tower Creek in
the Tower Area, Yellowstone
National Park (pencil, ink
and watercolor), sitting on
the bridge above the creek.
OPPOSITE TOP
I sat in my car to sketch
Art in the
Parks
Mt. Moran Turnout in the
Moose Area, Grand Teton
National Park (pencil, ink,
colored pencil and water-
color) since it was raining
lightly that day. This pro-
vided a quiet place in which
to enjoy the beautiful colors
with few disturbances. The
field in front of the Tetons is
filled with sage and grasses.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM
This field sketch, Lower Falls,
Artist Point at the Grand
Canyon of the Yellowstone, THE COUNTRY’S NATIONAL PARKS OFFER
Yellowstone National Park
(pencil, ink and watercolor) EXCEPTIONAL SIGHTS AND SCENERY.
was completed during my
artist residency with
A SKETCHBOOK, BRUSH AND PEN ARE THE PERFECT
Yellowstone Forever. TOOLS FOR DOCUMENTING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
By Suzie Garner
ArtistsNetwork.com 51
n I was
raduate
ent at
Texas
Uni-
, in
, Texas,
tor and
bacher,
suggested that I sign up for a summer
class he taught in Palo Duro Canyon
State Park, just east of town. The
class met on weekdays with a 7 a.m.
start time to avoid some of the Texas
heat. In spite of that early morning
meeting time, I signed up, and then ABOVE AND LEFT
signed up again the following sum- I painted A Study in Green, Moraine Park,
mer. I was hooked. Rocky Mountain National Park, June 2013
Later, after completing my M.F.A. (ink and watercolor) in a Strathmore
watercolor sketchbook. I sketched it in
degree, I moved to Colorado and about an hour while sitting on a hillside in
accepted a position at Colorado Mesa the Moraine Park area, just across the way
University, in Grand Junction. In my from the Moraine Park Discovery Center
free time, I continued to go outside to on Bear Lake Road at Rocky Mountain
sketch, visiting spots in Colorado, Utah National Park.
and Wyoming. My first efforts were
usually in pencil, in a small sketchbook,
but over time I began to introduce
color to my sketches, using watercolor.
ArtistsNetwork.com 53
I painted Alluvial Fan in Rocky Mountain
National Park, June 2013 (ink and watercolor)
in a Strathmore watercolor sketchbook, while
sitting on a rock, under a bush with one foot in
shallow water. Flooding occurred in the area
later that year, and the spot where I was sitting
to complete this sketch is now gone. You can
still see the Alluvial Fan today, but the rock and
shrubbery were washed away, which has given
the page an extra poignancy. The image at
right shows the view and sketch inked and
ready for watercolor in my sketchbook.
After reading an article on self-directed artist residencies, I was inspired to create my own plan.
I presented it to Yellowstone National Park, which didn’t have an artist-in-residence program at the
time. I’ve been creating my own self-directed residency plans every year since—experiences that
have been essential to my development as an artist.
5 Tips for
On-Site
Sketching
These tips—learned from
experience—will help you get the
most out of your sketching
experience, artistically.
Find the line. Use a soft-colored
pencil or 2B pencil to sketch the
subject lightly, capturing the
large masses, contours or
After sketching Terraces Above Mammoth Hot Springs off the Upper Terraces Drive, gestures. You can then go back
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (pencil, ink and watercolor), just before I was going to into the sketch and “find the
apply watercolor, a tourist advised me that watercolor was a challenging medium and I’d
have difficulty pulling it off. I showed her some of my other sketches in the same book and she
line” using a darker pencil stroke
then determined that I’d be OK.
or ink to better define the lines
you’re confident in rendering.
Aim for economy in mark-
making. Simplify your mark-
making, avoiding the tendency to
I was a kid. I remember visiting parks and listening to ranger talks—memories draw every detail, like each leaf
that I consider some of my favorites from childhood. or branch on a tree. Including too
many details can make a sketch
Beyond documenting the places I go, sketchbooks serve as a great way to busy, very quickly.
refresh, renew and recharge. The excuse to slow down and spend time quietly
observing and listening is a form of meditation for me. Long after I’ve com- Don’t try to create masterpieces
in the field. Fill a page with small
pleted a sketch, I can remember details about where I was and what I was sketches and gestures. The
thinking about while sketching. What an amazing record to have of a specific overall page will be interesting
moment in time. Keeping this kind of documentation of one’s travels is so regardless of the level of
valuable, especially when you consider that the majority of visitors to our perfection in your drawings.
nation’s parks are taking once-in-a-lifetime trips. WA Creating pages of color
swatches and value scales with
your materials is good practice.
Knowing intuitively what your
Meet the Artist materials will do will help you
when you’re in the field.
Suzie Garner (sketchingspirit.com) is a professor of art and design at Colorado Enjoy the process. If a sketch
Mesa University, in Grand Junction, where she teaches design and illustration. doesn’t work out just right, turn
The artist has studied in Italy, where she developed a sketchbook course for the the page and start another one.
university. She participated in an artist residency in Yellowstone National Park, at Not every sketch or painting you
the Yellowstone Art and Photography Center in the Old Faithful Historical Area, do will be to your liking, but if
and has taught watercolor you embrace the process and
workshops in Arches National the “doing” of it, you’ll be
Park, Canyonlands National Park, happier. Besides, in the long run,
the Colorado National Monument, any practice improves your skills.
Yellowstone National Park and Find your style. Keeping a
Rocky Mountain National Park. sketchbook or journal of any kind
Her artwork has been exhibited is a personal experience. Look at
throughout Colorado and other other artists’ work whose styles
Western states. Garner currently inspire you and try to emulate
offers a university sketchbook them. Eventually, you’ll determine
course that takes students outside what approaches align with your
to sketch at museums, parks and own creative vision.
other outdoor venues, including
the Colorado National Monument.
ArtistsNetwork.com 55
Personalizing
Your Sketchbooks
Like anything in life, going the extra step can make all the difference
between the prosaic and the inspired. The same is true for premade
sketchbooks and those that you’ve personalized or created by hand.
Here’s how you can raise the status of your own books—or build your own.
By Wendy Shalen With Celia Wedding
A brand-new drawing
or watercolor sketchbook
brings with it a sense
of anticipation and
untapped potential.
A drawing or watercolor
sketchbook that you
embellish or make your-
self—either by collaging
the cover or by assem-
bling the book from
scratch—could elevate
the sketchbook experience
and take on personal
significance as it becomes
your treasured sketching
companion.
California watercolor
artist Celia Wedding has
been embellishing pre-
made sketchbooks and
creating her own by
hand for years, which
she believes adds to the
sketching experience.
She shares her beloved
travel sketchbooks with us—
as well as her tablescape
sketchbooks—and reveals
how she gives them a
creative flourish.
Making
Sketchbooks
“The jump-start for making books
specifically for ink drawing and
watercolor was finding a pack of
Arches 90-lb. hot-pressed watercolor
paper on sale,” Wedding says. She
followed directions in Kathy Blake’s
book, Handmade Books: A Step-by-Step
Guide to Crafting Your Own Books, and
fashioned a perfectly sized 5x7-inch
watercolor landscape sketchbook
using just two sheets of 22x30-inch
watercolor paper. She became
hooked on the bookmaking process.
Wedding has since made books
in a variety of sizes, using different
types of papers that complement
her sketching and watercolor needs.
Her hardbound crafted books open
flat into a landscape format, which
is ideal for her various travel and
tablescape scenes.
Wedding’s handmade
watercolor and ink
sketchbooks feature pasted-
paper covers, fabric bindings
and sewn signatures.
1 2
3
1. Cut or tear the sheets and fold them in half. A folding bone is useful
for making a sharp fold in each page. Build signatures using the
folded pages by nesting them together in equal groups. (The number
of pages in a signature will be governed by the weight of the paper.)
2. Make a template the same size as the fold of the page. This will
enable you to puncture the signatures so the holes will line up when you
sew the pages together. Punch holes at the top and bottom of the fold
½-inch from the ends and make three more pairs of holes. The space
between the two holes of each pair should match the width of the
hinging tape. The three pairs of holes and the holes at the top and
bottom of the fold should be equidistant apart.
3. Attach the hinging tape to the backs of the signatures by sewing
through the punched holes. Also sew the signatures together at the
top and bottom holes.
Surface: Brushes:
BOOK IT handmade watercolor book No. 16 watercolor brush,
⅜-inch gouache brush,
Want to explore the art of handmade Paints (in alpha order): No. 14 round, liner round,
sketchbooks further? There are cadmium lemon yellow,
numerous how-to books available No. 8 round brush, Aquaflo
on the subject; here are a few that cadmium orange, cobalt water pen
Wedding recommends based on her blue, opera, Payne’s gray,
own bookmaking experience: peacock, permanent Miscellaneous:
red deep, quinacridone viewfinder, roll-up brush
Handmade Books: A Step-by-Step
Guide to Crafting Your Own Books burnt scarlet, quinacridone holder, pan for mixing,
by Kathy Blake (Bulfinch Press, 1997) gold, ultramarine blue, sponge, black ink pen
vermilion, viridian
Little Book of Book Making: Timeless or phthalocyanine green
Techniques and Fresh Ideas for Beautiful
Handmade Books by Charlotte Rivers
and Esther K. Smith (Potter Craft, 2014)
Making Handmade Books: 100+
Bindings, Structures & Forms by Alisa
Golden (Lark Crafts, 2011)
ArtistsNetwork.com 59
Traveling Gets Personal
An intrepid traveler, Wedding has
documented her trips to Hawaii,
Australia and beyond with the spirit
of a 19th-century artist explorer. She
carries her handmade sketchbooks
in her handbag, along with the
essentials she deems necessary for
sketching and watercolor painting
(see “Traveling Studio Toolkit,”
page 59).
Oysters, Kangaroo Island, Australia (watercolor on Arches paper in 5x7 handmade book)
ArtistsNetwork.com 61
Sketching
Siena
SKETCHING ON LOCATION IS GOOD
FOR HONING YOUR ART SKILLS,
My original
sketch of Siena
was created in
a 10x8-inch
Stillman & Birn
Beta series
sketchbook.
BUT IT’S ALSO A PRACTICE THAT
CAN ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
OF A PLACE. AN AFTERNOON SPENT
SKETCHING ON A SIDE STREET IN One Scene, Five Takes
SIENA, ITALY, BROUGHT HOME When I sketch on location, the scene and events of the
day remain vivid for weeks, months, even years. The
THIS IDEA IN A POWERFUL WAY. practice helps the image become burned into my
heart and mind. Photos are a wonderful tool, but they
seldom capture the emotion of a scene in the same
By Brenda Swenson way that a sketch can.
The sketches on
these pages depict
the same scene in
Siena—each one a bit
hen I was in Tuscany for three weeks last
dramatic lighting and an abandoned doorway where I could repeating the lines over and over, and then she entered
sit out of the way of traffic. I felt so happy. a door across the street.
A couple of minutes into my sketch, however, a car I sat in my spot, half-stunned, and decided to proceed
pulled up in front of me and parked. Looking around at all to make the best of the view I still had. A short time later,
the available parking places on the street, I thought, “Are the woman reemerged from her home. She didn’t say
you serious?” But I held my tongue. The woman who got a word to me, but moved her car forward just a little so
out of the car waved her hands in the air, speaking Italian. I could see better. My heart sank. I wanted to tell her not
I finally heard a few words I understood: “I have to park to worry about me, but I just kept quiet. The day wasn’t
here! I have to park here!” she said. “My husband is com- about me, and I wanted her to forget that I was even there
ing home from the hospital in an ambulance.” She kept and to focus on her husband’s arrival.
ArtistsNetwork.com 63
LEFT
For this sketch (9x4½), I worked in a 10x8-inch
Stillman & Birn Nova series sketchbook, in
beige. I like the warm beige tone of this
sketchbook paper—perfect for Siena—to show
through. I used a white Pitt artist’s pen for the
light on the building and a Sharpie for the
smaller highlights. I tried the Pitt pen in the sky
but realized the white lines were too harsh, so
I quickly wet the area with water and added
cobalt blue. This is the dance: Try something
new and learn to respond.
OPPOSITE
For this 10x11-inch page of sketches, I used
Bockingford 140-lb. cold-pressed watercolor
paper and started both sketches with an
underpainting. For the sketch on the left side,
I used quinacridone burnt orange and French
ultramarine. Once dry, I drew the image using
a Stabilo water-soluble pen in brown. I like
how the ink dissolves when touched with a
damp brush. The sketch on the right shows
the beginning stage of an incomplete sketch.
I used three colors—raw sienna, cobalt blue
and quinacridone burnt orange—to create
this underpainting.
My Toolkit
ASSORTED PAPER
I like to paint on a variety of papers and surfaces, including
white and toned paper, slick and rough paper, cheap and
expensive paper. Some of the papers I use aren’t even
intended for watermedia, so why do I use them? I’m forever
curious. Boredom is the kiss of death for creativity. When I
paint a subject I’ve previously painted and try it again on a
different surface, the experience is exciting. I enjoy respond-
ing to the new surface. It’s a bit like dancing with a new
partner. For a toned paper, I’ve had wonderful results with
Mi-Teintes pastel paper by Canson, in cream and gray tones.
The paper is easy to work on and responds very similarly
to 90-lb. watercolor paper. The paper is 98-lb. and has a
66 percent rag content, and is gelatin-sized, making it
sturdy. I use less water, so the paper won’t buckle very much.
The paper has two distinct surfaces: one side smooth, the
other textured. I prefer the textured side. a Uni-ball Signo, which are waterproof when dry. I can glaze
Transparent watercolor looks different on toned paper. over the white highlights without lifting. Gouache, on the
A creamy yellow paper, for example, can make blues look other hand, remains water-soluble, like watercolor. Painting
greener, and reds more orange. I find that, overall, the over an area with gouache will cause it to lift. I do keep
underlying tone of the paper creates harmony in the some white gouache (not Chinese white) in a small lip gloss
surface colors. Keep in mind that the surface won’t have container with a screw-on lid separate from the other paints
the same absorbency as watercolor paper. on my palette. I mainly use it in the sky or in final highlights.
I imagine some readers may be raising their eyebrows at
WHITE PAINT, MARKERS AND PENS the idea of adding white to watercolor, which we’ve been
When I paint on a toned paper, I use white marking pens or told is “cheating.” My opinion is that if white was good
paint if I need a lighter value or white. What’s the difference enough for Sargent, Homer and Turner, it’s good enough for
between using gouache or a marker/pen? A white Pitt me. The only time I worry about using it is if I’m entering a
artist’s pen by Faber-Castell has a chunky tip and covers transparent watercolor exhibition. In my sketchbook, it’s my
well. For fine lines, I use a water-based, extra-fine Sharpie or rules. Better yet, no rules!
ArtistsNetwork.com 65
artist’s marketplace
Wednesday). Sedona Arts Center. KENTUCKY
WORKSHOPS Contact: 888/954-4442 or 928/282-3809
Judy Mudd
5/22-5/24/20, Sedona. Contemporary Abstract
ALABAMA Figure. 3-day Painting Workshop (Friday-Sunday). Watercolor Weekly on Thursdays, Middletown,
Huntsville Museum of Art Sedona Arts Center. KY 40245 Contact: Judy Mudd, 502/550-1827,
Contact: 888/954-4442 or 928/282-3809 www.JudyMudd.com
5/14-5/17/20, Huntsville. Donna Bland - Figurative
& Landscape Painting in Acrylic or Oil. 4/18/20, Louisville. Saturday Watercolor
6/5-6/6/20, Huntsville. Linda Ellen Price - CALIFORNIA Workshops, “Stormy Weather” Learn how to
Spontaneity in Your Painting. Jan Sitts paint a skyscape with stormy weather as the
8/20-8/22/20, Huntsville. David M. Kessler - Texture.Color.Feeling theme. Demonstration and individual instruction.
Bigger, Faster, Fresher, Looser Abstract Painting. 7/12-7/16/20, San Diego. Watercolor Society. For more information, go to JudyMudd.com.
9/18-9/19/20, Huntsville. Gary Chapman – Demonstration and Art Workshop. For Registration, contact: Preston Arts Center,
CHARCOAL: Expressive Mark Making, A Painter’s Contact: 619/876-4550 502/454-9954
Approach to Drawing. Robert Burridge 7/13/20-7/16/20, Berea. “Mood and Emotion in
10/5-10/9/20, Huntsville. Brian Bomeisler - 6/25-6/27/20, Upland. Abstract Acrylic Painting
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Watercolor” 4-Day workshop, subjects are urban,
& Collage 3-day Painting Workshop (Thursday- rural and still life paintings. Watercolor tips and
10/10-10/12/20, Hunstville. Brian Bomeisler - Saturday) Art Box Studio 1302 Monte Vista, Unit
Intensive Painting/Color. techniques with demonstrations, discussion and
9, Upland, CA. Contact Sylvia Megerdichian (909)
10/22-10/25/20, Hunstville. Lian Quan Zhen - East 981-4508 or [email protected] individual instruction. Located in the foothills of
Meets West: Chinese and Watercolor Painting. 7/13-7/17/20, Mendocino. Abstract Acrylic Painting Kentucky, Berea has been an arts and handcrafts
Contact: Laura E. Smith, Director of Education/ & Collage 5-day Painting Workshop (Monday- community for over 100 years and is a tourist
Museum Academy, 256/535-6372 Friday) Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA. destination for art enthusiasts. Registration
[email protected] or hsvmuseum.org Contact Gina Hurst-Roach, registrar (707) 937- opens March 2020. Go to JudyMudd.com for link
5818 or [email protected] to register online. Or, contact: Berea Tourism,
ARIZONA 7/20-7/24/20, Mendocino. Contemporary 800/598-5263 11/7/20, Bardstown. “Atmospheric
Jan Sitts Abstract Figurative Painting & Collage 5-day Watercolors” For more information, go to
Painting Workshop (Monday-Friday) JudyMudd.com. Fine Arts Bardstown.
Texture.Color.Feeling Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA.
5/4-5/6/20, Sedona. Sedona Art Center. Contact Gina Hurst-Roach, registrar (707) 937-
11/2-11/4/20, Sedona. Sedona Art Center. 5818 or [email protected]
Contact: Jennifer 928/282-3809 MASSACHUSETTS
Madeline Island School of the Arts FLORIDA Andy Evansen, AWS, TWSA, NWS, PAPA
1/13-1/17/20, Tucson. Joan Fullerton 6/16-6/18/20, Chatham, Cape Cod.
1/13-1/17/20, Tucson. Jan Davies Tony Couch, AWS
11/16-11/19/20, Lakland. Contact: www.EvansenArtStudio.com
2/3-2/7/20, Tucson. Patti Mollica
2/10-2/14/20, Tucson. Joe Paquet Contact: 678/513-6676,
11/30-12/4/20, Tucson. Daniel Marshall [email protected]
MadelineSchool.com or 715/747-2054 MICHIGAN
Robert Burridge GEORGIA Jan Sitts
5/18-5/20/20, Sedona. Loosen Up with Tony Couch, AWS Texture.Color.Feeling
Aquamedia 4/20-4/23/20, St. Simons. 8/10-8/13/20, Petoskey. Workshop.
Painting. 3-day Painting Workshop (Monday- Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected] Contact: Megan 231/347-4337
MADELINE ISLAND
School of the Arts
2020 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
T H R E E G R E AT C A M P U S C H O I C E S
TUCSON, AZ
Joan Fullerton ........................ Jan 13-17
Jane Davies .......................... Jan 13-17
Patti Mollica .............................. Feb 3-7
Joe Paquet ............................ Feb 10-14
Daniel Marshall ................ Nov 30-Dec 4
SANTA FE, NM
Jean Pederson ........................... Mar 2-6
Jane LaFazio ........................... Mar 9-13
Jane LaFazio ..................... Mar 30-Apr 3
Helen Shafer Garcia .............. April 20-24
Carol Nelson .................... Apr 27-May 1
MADELINE ISLAND, WI
Nicki Heenan ....................... June 15-19
Dan Mondloch ...................... June 22-26
Shari Blaukopf Paul Heaston Uma Kelkar James Richards Joe Paquet ............................. July 6-10
Urban Sketching Summer
This inaugural Urban Sketching Summer Retreat will provide a
full immersion workshop experience on Madeline Island – known for its Retreat ................................. July 13-17
extraordinary light and color, with unlimited sketching locations. Mark Boedges ....................... Aug 17-21
Johanne Mangi ...................... Aug 24-28
Full days of sketching and instruction followed by
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Kathleen Hudson .............. Aug 31-Sept 4
Patrick Saunders .................. Sept 14-18
MADELINE ISLAND SCHOOL of the ARTS MadelineSchool.com 715-747-2054 La Pointe, WI MadelineSchool.com 715-747-2054
ArtistsNetwork.com 67
artist’s marketplace
6/22-6/26/20, Bend. Herman Pekel, Be Brave and TEXAS Tony Couch, AWS
Have Fun. Watercolor - studio and plein air. All Jan Sitts 6/22-6/25/20, Lac du Flambeau.
levels welcome. Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]
6/29-7/3/20, Bend. David Lobenberg, On-The-Go Texture.Color.Feeling
5/25-5/28/20, Flowermound. Studio Art House,
Ink and Wash Sketching. Watercolor - plein air. All
levels welcome. Contact: Jan Sitts Workshop at ART house INTERNATIONAL
7/5-7/8/20 And/Or 7/9-7/12/20, Bend. Amanda CANADA
Hyatt. Studio and plein air- watercolor. All levels WASHINGTON Robert Burridge
welcome. Tony Couch, AWS
7/13-7/17/20, Bend. Fealing Lin, Mixed Subject 4/24-4/28/20, Montreal, Quebec.
Matter. Watercolor – studio. All levels welcome. 10/30-11/1/20, Kennewick. Abstract Acrylic Painting & Collage. Workshop
7/20-7/22/20, Bend. Mary Whyte, Portrait and Contact: 678/513-6676, Location - Hotel 10. 10 Sherbrooke West, Montreal,
Figure. Watercolor – studio. Live Models- clothed. [email protected] Quebec. Contact: 514/889-8191,
All levels welcome. Wait List. Lucie Michel - [email protected]
7/23-7/25/20, Bend. Liz Walker, Suminagashi WISCONSIN CRUISE LONDON TO ATHENS
Marbling: From Patterned Paper to Finished
Painting. Watermedia & Collage – Studio. All levels Judy Mudd Art In The Mountains
welcome. 6/5/20-6/7/20, Prairie Du Sac. “Atmospheric 10/10-10/25/20, London To Athens. Bonnie
7/27-7/31/20, Bend. Joan Fullerton. Studio. Acrylic Landscapes in Watercolor” Learn to paint a
variety of atmospheres in city, land and marine Broitzman, Watercolor. All levels welcome.
and Collage. scenes. Demonstration, discussion and individual Contact: Tracy Culbertson, 503/930-4572
8/1-8/3/20, Bend. Rebecca Sentgeorge, mixed attention. Email River Arts Inc. at kcoopman@ [email protected] or
media, studio, all levels welcome. riverartsinc.org www.artinthemountains.com
8/4-8/7/20, Bend. Pablo Ruben, Watercolor, plein
air and studio, all levels welcome. Madeline Island School of the Arts ITALY
8/10-8/14/20, Bend. Kathleen Conover. 6/15-6/19/20, Madeline Island. Nicki Heenan
Watermedia – studio. All levels welcome. 6/22-6/26/20, Madeline Island. Dan Mondloch Yuki Fine Art
8/24-8/28/20, Oregon Coast. David Taylor. 7/6-7/10/20, Madeline Island. Joe Paquet 9/4-9/12/20, Tuscany. Capturing the Magic of
Watercolor - plein air. Intermediate to advanced. 7/13-7/17/20, Madeline Island. Urban Sketching Tuscany Contact: yukihallfi[email protected]
8/31-9/4/20, Oregon Coast. David Taylor. Summer Retreat 937/6792464
8/17-8/21/20, Madeline Island. Mark Boedges
Watercolor - plein air. Intermediate to advanced. 8/24-8/28/20, Madeline Island. Johanne Mangi
Contact: Tracy Culbertson, 503/930-4572 8/31-9/4/20, Madeline Island. Kathleen Hudson
[email protected] or 9/14-9/18/20, Madeline Island. Patrick Saunders
www.artinthemountains.com Contact: MadelineSchool.com or 715/747-2054 Her Dark Scarf
Andy Evansen, AWS, TWSA, NWS, PAPA Robert Burridge by Jian Wu
3/26-3/29, Portland. 6/8-6/12/20, Lac Du Flambeau. Abstract Acrylic
Contact: EvansenArtStudio.com Painting & Collage. 5-day Painting Workshop
(Monday-Friday) Dillman’s Arts Workshop Retreat
PENNSYLVANIA Lac du Flambeau, WI.
Contact (715) 588-3143 or [email protected]
Art Alliance of Central PA. 6/15-6/18/20, Lac Du Flambeau. Burridge Mentor
6/15-6/18/20, Lemont. Watercolor Landscape Program Dillman’s Arts Workshop Retreat Lac du
Workshop with Chris Leeper Flambeau, WI. Contact (715) 588-3143 or
Contact: artallianceofcentralpa.org [email protected]
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NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES!
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5HEHFFD6HQWJHRUJH$XJXVW Winners of the 12th Annual Watermedia
• Burridge Studio App 3DEOR 5XEHQ$XJXVW Showcase competition will receive publication
in a 2021 issue, in addition to cash prizes for
• Free Weekly BobBlast .DWKOHHQ&RQRYHU$XJXVW the top-ranked winners. We want to see the
1HZSRUW25 best, so get creative and show us what you’ve
• Current Workshop Schedule 'DYLG 7D\ORU[$XJ6HSW got. Enter before the Early Bird Deadline to
save $5 off the entry fee!
• Workshops in Bob's Studio /RQGRQ$WKHQV&UXLVH:RUNVKRS
%RQQLH%URLW]PDQ2FWREHU Early Bird Regular
Jan Sitts
Mixed Media
Philadelphia Workshops
Watercolor Society
Capturing the Magic 120th International Exhibition
of Tuscany Of Works on Paper
Entry Dates: April 1 - July 1, 2020 Texture, Color Feeling
Painting and sketching vacation workshop Deadline is July 1, 2020
in Florence & Trequanda, Italy Exhibition Dates: Oct. 23 to Dec. 7, 2020
Book available
September 4 ~ 12, 2020 with Yuki Hall, TWSA Location: West Chester University, West Chester, PA [email protected] www.jansitts.com
Total awards in exess of $8,500.
A trip of a lifetime for artists & art enthusiasts, Juror of Selection: John Salminen
combining Renaissance art, history, culture, Juror of Awards: Stephen Quiller
watercolor painting, and Tuscan cousin and wine! Download prospectus at:
https://pwcs.wildapricot.org
www.yukihallfineart.com • yukihallfi[email protected] For additional information contact:
(937) 679-2464 [email protected]
ArtistsNetwork.com 69
artist’s marketplace
Bev Jozwiak, AWS, NWS
Workshop Video on 5 DVDs
Bev’s Complete 4 day Workshop
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Order
Now
Bev’s164 page
9x12 inch
hardcover book
It includes:
Step by Step
Design
Photography
Backgrounds
Color Mixing
Painting People
Painting Animals
Specialize in drawing? This competition is for you! First Place Winner $2000
From quick contour sketches to carefully rendered Second Place Winner $1000
drawings with a full range of values, Strokes of Genius
Third Place Winner $500
showcases the best of the best in a variety of styles
Select number of honorable mentions
and subjects. Award winners will be published in a
special edition magazine, coming to newsstands in
Early Bird Deadline: May 1, 2020
2021. Enter before the Early Bird Deadline to save
$5 off the entry fee! Regular Deadline: June 1, 2020
A divis ion of G o ld e n Pe a k M ed i a
Inspire • Educate • Connect
Open Book
Artists Network’s largest competition of the year is now open for entries! Early Bird Deadline:
With 5 subject categories and all traditional media accepted, there’s a place April 2, 2020
in this contest for your masterpiece to find the spotlight. Enter before the Regular Deadline:
Early Bird Deadline and save $5 off the entry fee! May 1, 2020