WHEN AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...

In my last blog (ages ago...), I made the comment that I love trying new things.  Now that I have more time in the studio, I'm stretching my creative self with a new medium and style.  With colored pencil, I have a lot of control and tend to work tight and exact.  It's very satisfying!   I tend to stick with subjects that work well using that technique.  I generally avoid landscape, if I can help it even though I love landscape paintings.  I've also been known to make the comment that I'm not a painter and I have a love-hate relationship with watercolor.  Turns out I just had to find what works for me!  

​First, I figured out that the paper you use makes a big difference!  I was using Canson XL watercolor paper, which many people use and find alright, but then I discovered 100% cotton paper!  I had been using wood pulp paper and it's noticeably not as absorbent.  Paint colors saturated beautifully onto the cotton!  I've now switched to Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper (140 lb).  I purchase mine from our local Michael's, but my favorite online supplies carries it.​https://www.dickblick.com/products/arches-watercolor-pads/

​Next, I had been using a variety of economical, student-grade paint.  That was fine for practice and playing around, but they are not lightfast.  They would need to be if I sell watercolor paintings.  I have always loved Daniel Smith art supply and their watercolor selection is awesome!  There are 285 colors to choose from and their high light-fast rating is hard to beat!  I took the plunge, a challenge for cheap-me, and bought the Daniel Smith Essential Set.  These 6 colors would allow me to see what I thought of them.

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I put a little dot of each color onto my palettle and then wetted my paper.  As I swirled my brush into them and applied it to my paper, my first (and only) thought was, "THEY'RE SO PRETTY!"  I'm telling the kids, "Look at the pretty colors!"  They are so vibrant!  Much more so than what I've been using!  And a little bit seems to go a long way.   Below is my swatch on 10x14 paper and I did this twice with some still left over and I only used half-pea-sized dots of paint from the tubes!

​You may  have noted that the set doesn't come with green.  Since it's a secondary color, that's not a problem!  I mixed up a a few swatches of some lighter greens with what was on the brushes.  They mix beautifully!

​Landscape painting, here we come!
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Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors can be purchased from just about any online art supply.  Here's where I got mine from:

​https://www.dickblick.com/products/daniel-smith-extra-fine-watercolors/

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