Excellent "book" on watercolor sketching

Studio-1-F · #1 03-29-2008, 08:49 AM

Here is Russ Stutler's brand new (new to me, at least!) online "book" all about watercolor sketching: http://www.stutler.cc/other/sketchbo...book_c_01.html

Excellent work! Thank you Russ! Another triumph for you. And a great resource for the rest of us.

Jan

Pars · #2 03-29-2008, 08:57 AM

Timely share as today is international sketch crawl day.

Thanks for posting it.

**Yorky** · #3 03-29-2008, 04:24 PM

Thanks Jan, Russel is one of my favourite sketchers.

Doug

Devinjo · #4 03-29-2008, 05:40 PM

Thanks so much for this! I ahve been starting my own sketchbook and have been searching for resources and this a really great one!

Deborah

Studio-1-F · #5 03-29-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devinjo

... have been searching for resources and this a really great one! Deborah

Glad to help, Deborah!

There are a few more resources mentioned here in this recent WC thread.

Jan

Neeman · #6 03-30-2008, 07:45 AM

Noodlers Black bulletproof ink is waterproof, and can be used in fountain pens
Water brush and watercolor afterwards

Russ sells lovely Japanese fountain pens in eby.
(NOS) New Old Stock
Get an extra fine nib, out of this world for sketching.
Ask for a stiffer nib
Make sure the pen takes a convertor, he also sell them.

lyn lynch · #7 03-30-2008, 10:09 AM

Oh, very cool, and timely. I'm spending my summer perfecting my drawing and had in mind to start a journal--can't keep boring peeps on WC! with my ramblings--I have a few, but the paper doesn't seem appropriate. What kind of paper does yours have? Am I expecting too much? Should the paper be supportive to the ink than to the watercolors? I'm worried about wrinkles, perhaps I should.

Studio-1-F · #8 03-30-2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fookie

.... What kind of paper does yours have? Am I expecting too much? Should the paper be supportive to the ink than to the watercolors? I'm worried about wrinkles, perhaps I should.

I make my sketchbooks myself out of 80 lb Strathmore Aquarius II. I have tried a number of other watercolor papers and I like that the best for the sketchbook. For ink sketching, watercolor sketching, and journaling/writing.

There are a number of other spiral-bound watercolor sketchbooks shown here: http://www.dickblick.com/categories/...dpads/details/

Prices vary wildly.

Jan

Neeman · #9 03-31-2008, 12:46 AM

fookie,
You can make your own by cutting what ever paper you want to what ever size you want.

Then go to a office supply and get them to bind it in plastic binding for a couple of dollars

totally customized sketch books for just over the cost of sheets of imperial paper

APCenter · #10 03-31-2008, 03:48 AM

Anyone else here like Faber-Castell Pitt pens for sketching? I've been messing around with the two extremes on these. I have one of the black pens with the superfine nib and one with the brush nib.

While I tend to prefer my watercolor work to be as loose as I can manage, I'm finding that I really like the superfine Pitt pen a lot. I guess that I like the fact that I can "goof around" with tight linework with this pen and then get away with being even sloppier than usual with the coloring that goes on over top.

**Yorky** · #11 03-31-2008, 05:58 AM

I've used a fine Pitt pen, but my mainstays are Edding 1800 pens.

I'm going to try and fix up a fountain pen with waterproof ink before I go to Italy in May.

Doug

Neeman · #12 03-31-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorky

I've used a fine Pitt pen, but my mainstays are Edding 1800 pens.

I'm going to try and fix up a fountain pen with waterproof ink before I go to Italy in May.

Doug

Doug,

I have done a lot of experiment with waterproof inks and fountain pens.

The real advantage of a fountain pen is the variation of the line when you draw.
The Pitt, Edding and even ink technical pens give a very constant line.
The fountain pen has flex and flow, so the line is varied.
It is also very sensitive to pressure of hand.
So you can very lightly have shading with the nib, and then go staight in to a very strong line.
Also speed of movement means less ink of the paper
It is great fun!

Noodlers Black bulletproof is the only pigmented watersoluble and then waterproof ink.

All other waterproof inks have shellac which gum up (kill) a fountain pen.
You can get pigmented (not Dye) ink, but they are not waterproof.
Non-pigmented inks with dye (Quicks Parker) fade very quickly!

A stiff extra fine nibbed pen...

Best----Lamy Safari with an extra fine nib and a convertor, it gives a very rich line.
Parker 45 with an extra fine nib with a convertor also availiable in England.
I personally use a M200 Pelican with an extra fine nib as it is more flexible, but it is also more expensive.

So the best bet is Black Bulletproof Noodlers ink in a Lamy Safari extra fine nib fountain pen.

Neeman

**Yorky** · #13 03-31-2008, 07:52 AM

Thanks Neeman, for quick sketches I like the fluidity of a biro or gel pen, but sadly they are not waterproof or fadeproof, so I'll get some Noodlers ink and try it in one of my old fountain pens.

Just wondering if the pens will leak if taken on the plane, don't want a pocket full of ink

Doug

Neeman · #14 03-31-2008, 08:08 AM

Doug,

A fountain pen with a good wet nib is much much faster than a biro or gel pen, and requires much less pressure.
Do you have a extra-fine nib?

I empty my pens before flying.
In theory if they are full with no air they will not leak.
Expansion from air pressure.
I use an old W/N Indian Ink bottle for travel.
It is strong and seals well and is less than the 100 ml for liquid restiction.
And I have not yet been on a vacation so long that I ran out of ink!

Neeman

Studio-1-F · #15 03-31-2008, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neeman

Noodlers Black bulletproof is the only pigmented watersoluble and then waterproof ink.

One question: can you expand on the above a bit for me? --> "watersoluble and then waterproof"? How does this work? Is it soluble for the initial wash and then afterwards "sets up" permanent? If so, then if you never give it the initial wash, is it forever soluble?

Curious! Thanks in advance!

(I also use a fountain pen, a Lamy Vista with a 1.1mm calligrapher's nib, for sketching and for journaling. Big variation in the line weight, which I enjoy. I also have a M200 Pelican hanging around, with a "music nib" which is similar to the fine calligrapher's. Good pen. Gotta get that out again!)

Neeman, thanks for all the great advice! A lotta good stuff here!

Jan

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