Home › Forums › Explore Media › Watercolor › The Learning Zone › Drying time advice: Is there a way of working watercolours to suit me?
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May 25, 2004 at 7:45 pm #984214
Hi everyone!
I enjoy painting, and drawing…but I know I try too hard and go too fast for the watercolour medium. Basically I make a mess of it! I am better a drawing, but want to improve my painting skills…so is there a way of working watercolours to suit me?
I’m about to go on a course where I’ll be expected to use watercolour (and I do want to) I’m going to Flatford Mill at the weekend but I have a feeling the hay will be soggy![FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 25, 2004 at 7:58 pm #1031501of course there is a way for watercolor to suit you
You merely have to make friends with it and let the paint lead when you dance
OH
and you can hang around here for help
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Pam
My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular. ~~~~Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.May 25, 2004 at 8:02 pm #1031504Have a look at the link in my signature “Rod’s Lessons’ and you will find just about everything you ever wanted to know..:)
JJ
Let go of past mistakes and hurts. Forgive and empower yourself. Live the life you were meant to live. And, be at peace with yourself.
MY BLOG
My Youtube videosMay 25, 2004 at 8:21 pm #1031499Eventually you will find a style that suits you. It is going to take practice though. Everyone goes too fast at first, learning to slow down and not rush things one of the first (and possibly hardest) lessons you’ll have to learn. The second lesson is: Never give up.:)
There will be times when you wonder why to ever started painting with this (*&*&^^&% medium.:D But there will also be those incredible times where it all comes together and you are happy with what you have created. We all go through it, no matter what level of experience we have attained.
If nothing else, watercolour has taught me patience and perseverance.
Have fun and remember that you are painting for you, not for a museum or art gallery. It is only paper and the only way to learn how to make it work for you it to use it up.:)
It is a good bunch of people here and they make some really good suggestions, so take advantage of that too.
I look forward to seeing your work.
Do all you can with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are. -Nkosi Johnson Twelve-year-old Zulu boy, living with AIDS
Illegitimi Non CarborundumMay 25, 2004 at 9:05 pm #1031506Gosh! I’m overwhelmed at all the replies! Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I’ll be back in the morning, I’m off to bed now as it’s past 2am in the morning!
[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 25, 2004 at 9:29 pm #1031514I havent quite figured out how to use them but it sounds like you could start with watercolor pencils maybe…..
I don't approve of political jokes. I've seen too many of them get
elected.May 25, 2004 at 9:49 pm #1031505Deirdre… I found your post quite interesting as you sound JUST like I feel, but just replace the words watercolor with oil. I’ve been doing watercolor long enough that it seems I have to “translate” the information to the oil “language” in a sense to make it work for me. As the others have said. Paint, enjoy yourself, don’t put so much pressure on yourself to think you have to make a masterpiece with everything you paint, because that will stump you. Trust me, it happens to all of us. Just grab an image you like and go for it. We’ll all help as much as we can. And, most of ALL enjoy yourself!!
Felica
May 26, 2004 at 12:37 pm #1031507I’ve been shopping…bought a selection of papers I haven’t used before, and expanded my watercolour pencil range from 12 to 36.
The reason for getting more of those is I did find that I got a lighter result by using them, but with only 12 colours I was unable to get any semblance of realism.
The paper I bought was 90 and 200 and the name began with B…Ooops, brain not in gear. Bockingford? the 3rd one was, I think 300, and Waterford.I’m posting an example of what I do with watercolours…so the squeamish should look away now
It’s a lovely Saxon church, just down the road from me, which looked quite nice in the drawing stage, but deteriorates when painted by me!
It’s set on a small hill and looks a bit unusual as the north side of the graveyard is flat and the southside bumpy….as more people requested to be buried on the southside! The view is south facing.[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 26, 2004 at 4:12 pm #1031508I forgot to say…Critique welcomed! I’ve got broad shoulders!
[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 26, 2004 at 4:38 pm #1031500I like this. The colours are harmonious, but I think the grass may need more variation. Perhaps more darks, but I am still struggling with that concept myself.:D
I really like the atmosphere you have captured.
Do all you can with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are. -Nkosi Johnson Twelve-year-old Zulu boy, living with AIDS
Illegitimi Non CarborundumMay 26, 2004 at 5:06 pm #1031503Hello Deirdre,
I don’t like to start off by contridicting you, but your little painting is very nice. The roof of the building in the right foreground is exceptionally well done.
It sounds as if you are saying you don’t have the patience to wait for the watercolor washes to dry before putting more paint on so you “make a mess of it.” I think we all are guilty of doing that, even those of us with a lot more experience than you seem to have with the medium.
You could try stretching two pieces of paper, drawing different subjects on each one, and paint them both at the same time. That way, while a wash is drying on one picture, you could be painting a wash on the second one. Thus you won’t be tempted to go back and add more paint before you should and mess up a wash.
You could also do what many of us do, use a blow dryer to dry your washes more quickly so you can continue your painting without problems.
OR, you might search for threads on painting wet into wet and give a go at that technique. Maybe that would let you paint as quickly as you like and turn out loose, watercolory paintings.
Whatever you do, don’t give up, it looks like you are off to a wonderful start with this fascinating, exasperating, rewarding medium.
Sylvia
May 26, 2004 at 6:16 pm #1031509I like this. The colours are harmonious, but I think the grass may need more variation. Perhaps more darks, but I am still struggling with that concept myself.:D
I really like the atmosphere you have captured.
Thank you, and I agree about the grass. My fault for trying to get the intense darker green near me, I was drawing from shade, and the sunlight didn’t hit till the first light tombstone. So rather than do anthing else with the colour I laid it on more thickly.
[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 26, 2004 at 6:23 pm #1031510Hello Deirdre,
I don’t like to start off by contridicting you, but your little painting is very nice. The roof of the building in the right foreground is exceptionally well done.
Thank you, you’re very kind. I enjoyed doing the roof in particular, I guess it shows
[/QUOTE]
It sounds as if you are saying you don’t have the patience to wait for the watercolor washes to dry before putting more paint on so you “make a mess of it.” I think we all are guilty of doing that, even those of us with a lot more experience than you seem to have with the medium.[/QUOTE]
Absolutely! I’m dreadful at waiting!
[/QUOTE]
You could try stretching two pieces of paper, drawing different subjects on each one, and paint them both at the same time. That way, while a wash is drying on one picture, you could be painting a wash on the second one. Thus you won’t be tempted to go back and add more paint before you should and mess up a wash.[/QUOTE]
You’ve got me sussed!I’ll try that, and the hairdryer. Thanks for your insight and helpful solutions.
[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
Moderator[/COLOR] [May 28, 2004 at 8:59 pm #1031513Deirdre, I am with Sylvia, she said it all. Your painting is quite nice. I peeked with one eye so I wouldn’t be too shocked and found it very nice, in fact your sky is great.
If working plein aire try adding a little vodka or gin to your painting water to speed drying. Our climate here is much the same as yours and it is sometimes hard to get watercolor to dry in humid conditions.
Marymc
SACRED COWS MAKE THE BEST HAMBURGER (Mark Twain)
June 4, 2004 at 6:58 am #1031511Deirdre, I am with Sylvia, she said it all. Your painting is quite nice. I peeked with one eye so I wouldn’t be too shocked and found it very nice, in fact your sky is great.
If working plein aire try adding a little vodka or gin to your painting water to speed drying. Our climate here is much the same as yours and it is sometimes hard to get watercolor to dry in humid conditions.
Marymc
Mary thank you! Won’t the gin taken orally loosen up my style AND make me more laid back about the drying times?
[FONT="Tahoma"]Regards, Deirdre (Always pleased to get C&Cs!) Don't forget - comment on other threads in the forum as well as posting your own work - also, we encourage you to post WIPs, they help others to learn as well as you.
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