HOMEWORK THREAD for April Monthly Class

[skappy]

Hi Peeps I've posted a new demo of a wet dog in the class thread
Have fun
Robert

[fox0r]

I decided to try. I didn't paint my cat, though!



I'm not too happy with the background on this one, but I think Jayne came out pretty decently! This is also my second (well, third if you count the very first play piece, or third if you count the dragon I tried to paint, on crummy paper, and pitched because the paper sucked lol) piece I've ever done.

I didn't have any gouach (did I spell that right?) to use, so it's just tube whites.

Anyone have any ideas what I can do to make the background a little better looking?

Here is the photo:

[Vivien Maloney]

Robert - Just checked out your "Wet dog" in the learning zone and it's a photo of "Doc"! I remember seeing him in the WDE and thinking he'd make a great portrait in pastel, and now I've seen what a wonderful job you've made of him in watercolor!!!!!

Hope to get my painting of my dog "Drum" begun shortly.

[skappy]

Thank You Viv I think it is a great photo from Li and will work in any medium

Robert

[BJ3]

Hi Robert - J'ai pratiqué avec votre gros plan du chat et essayé de travailler avec de la gouache blanc de titane. Il est un peu mieux - oui? Maintenant, je dois arrêter de peindre. Il est temps de planter des graines dans le jardin! Je vais pratiquer le plus de fourrure quand j'ai le temps. À plus tard.



HI Robert – I have practiced with your close up of the cat and tried to work with the Titanium White Gouache. It is a bit better – yes? Now I must stop painting, as it is time to plant seeds in the garden! I will practice more fur when I have time. See you later.
Bev

PS: Watercolour pencils and Gouache - titanium white and watercolour Viridian mixed with white gouache for green foreground (sideground)?

[skappy]

Hi Fox what a cute little friend

White fur isn't the easiest to do in watercolour thank god white fur isn't white as it reflects the surrounding colours and the light cast shadows over it I think it is better not to use a light background to make the animal pop out more from it, so to represent it you have to paint those light nuances and it ll look white or mentally translated into white by the contrast difference against the background
To paint white you do not have to use Chinese white or any white but leave the paper unpainted now for a highlight at the end or to fix an area you can use some opaque paint

You did well with the animal but it doesn't emerge from the bg.

I have edited your picture to illustrate my words first I gave a richer colour to the bg then pushed the different colours on the animal and blending them more like the pink in the ear or arid the nose

I have also defined more the direction of the hair arid the ear and above the eye ,I have also exaggerated the reflections on the eye and added a white outligne to the one against the fabric as in the photo .
I have also darkened the shadows around the animal and added color from the reflected bg to make it more 3D all those colours and dark make the animal wither

If something isn't clear do not hesitate to ask

I did those changes roughly with a photo editing software so it doesn't look like watercolour but it is just to give you an idea

Robert

[samben84]

Everyone is doing great! I'm loving the kitties and pups and that white mouse is a darling. I have something I'm working on, but I'm afraid it's sort of in its own category. I never could do anything normal.

[fox0r]

Robert,

I definitely see what you're meaning about the background. I will have to darken it.

I will try adding some extra colors on top of him, but I do not think it will bode well. I am also not too great at mixing colors yet, either. But that's why we practice, right? I will have to grab some white gouache so I can put in the eye highlights. Seems regular watercolor wont cut it for something like that.

I am also pretty limited on what I have for supplies. I have a palette of W&N Cotman Colors, a few tubes of M. Graham, and a pre-poured palette my MIL gave me.

Thank you for your suggestions! Too bad I can't go over there and have you show me how to fix it. LOL

[fox0r]

Originally Posted by samben84

Everyone is doing great! I'm loving the kitties and pups and that white mouse is a darling. I have something I'm working on, but I'm afraid it's sort of in its own category. I never could do anything normal.

Thank you! He's a sugar glider! And one of my more photogenic ones. LOL

[skappy]

Beau boulot Bev, très bon dans la zone verte il faut mélanger un peu plus les poils noirs dans la zone rouge . Lorsque vous allez ajouter les poils blancs avec la gouache ca sera parfait .Vous pouvez mélanger la gouache avec un peu d'ocre au plus il y a de nuances de couleurs ici et la cela fera vrai.

Nice job Bev, verygood in the green area you should mix a little more theblack hair in the red area.When you gonna add white hair with gouache it will be perfect. you can add a little ochre watercolor with the white gouache the more color nuances here and there the more it will look real

Robert

[skappy]

Hi fox do not worry just try if you feel like it we learn more from failures than success what you've got so far is not just luck it is your work so you can reproduce it .If you're affraid to ruin it start another one it takes time for all of us and we learn all our life
If you get white gouache get titanium and not zinc as the first one is more opaque for a small highlight like in the eyes you can recover it by scratching the paper with the tip of an Xacto knife or so

Robert

[skappy]

Do not be shy Sandy I saw great things from you on WC

Robert

[janinco]

Robert, sorry if you already mentioned this and I missed it in the posts. Can you tell me which brush (size and shape) you find best for doing whiskers with white gouache? I've experimented with liners and rounds in synthetics, but I'm thinking maybe a very fine stiffer brush would work better.

Annie, do you have a preference?

Jan

[samben84]

fox0r, I think he's even cuter now that I know he's a possum.

[BJ3]

Hi Robert – Thank you for your comments! You are so helpful! (Vous êtes très serviable et bien informé - je vous remercie beaucoup!) I very quickly got my seeds started this morning and now I can practice some more.
Do you think I need to use a lighter touch with the pencils? It is hard to explain what I mean. Not so aggressive? Less pressure on the pencil and feather or tangled the lines perhaps (- Pas si agressif. Il est difficile d'expliquer. Moins de pression sur les traits de crayon et de plumes et emmêlés peut-être? Comprenez-vous ce que je dis? J'essaie de faire chaque ligne de la perfection - oui?)
Also is it okay to use ordinary coloured pencils when using Gouache? I used watercolour pencils on the cat, but I don’t have a big collection of watercolour pencils so the cat’s fur was not the right colour.

Everyone is doing so well – that little white Sugar Glider is just adorable!

Can’t wait to see what Sandy is up to – might be a painting of her pet rock!

Love the blue dog - Isn't that an Australian Blue Heeler??
Bev