Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2024 i Watercolor Artist

We regularly see the results of thriving creativity in Watercolor Artist, so—in some respects—every issue is a celebration of artistic vision and invention. In this issue, however, we go deeper into the topic. In “Where Ideas Begin” (page 20), for instance, Peggi Habets walks us through the creative catalyst for her latest painting series. The artist— who has always enjoyed a long-term investigation of a theme through multiple paintings—puts real energy into developing a concept that will sustain an ongoing interest. While almost anything can spark an idea, it's the effort given to exploration in her sketchbooks that is most significant to her process. “I may add quotes, rough pencil sketches, random notes and ideas, artwork, color swatches, and patterns. It's a record of my mind at work,” Habets says.…

Artist's Toolkit PAINTS • Daniel Smith Watercolors: Hansa yellow medium, permanent yellow deep, quinacridone gold, alizarin crimson, anthraquinoid scarlet, quinacridone burnt orange, permanent quinacridone rose, imperial purple, French ultramarine, cobalt blue, manganese blue hue, green gold, cobalt teal blue, lunar black, phthalo blue (green shade), phthalo green (blue shade) • Winsor & Newton Watercolors: raw sienna, burnt sienna SURFACE • 300-lb. rough watercolor paper BRUSHES • ¾-inch stiff bristle oil flat (for matte medium) • Escoda synthetic 1-inch flat • Nos. 6 to 12 round MISCELLANEOUS • white gouache • acrylic matte medium • waterproof ink • variety of collage papers • John Pike Palette Collage Tips • Tear the stained papers into block-in shapes that complement the painting composition. • Adhere the pieces to rough-surfaced watercolor paper using matte medium…

Step 1: Create a value scale Begin with a piece of watercolor paper or canvas paper measuring approximately 2×13 inches. This will become a “ladder” for sequential values. Make each “step” in the scale uniform size by marking lines about every 2 inches. Label each step with a number, with zero representing white (untouched step for watercolor) and 10 representing the darkest black. Using only black watercolor paint and water (or black and white paint for other media), fill in the grayscale for steps 0 through 10 so that there's the same amount of transition in value between each step. Step 2: Create color swatches On a separate sheet of paper, paint individual color swatches the same size as the value steps. As you work, be sure to include frequently…

My painting, The One You Feed, is based on the tale of the two wolves that's often shared in Buddhist circles, but may have its roots in Cherokee storytelling. The story goes like this: A grandmother is teaching her grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” she said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, guilt, inferiority, false pride, superiority, lies and ego.” She continued, “The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, truth, generosity, compassion and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked…

Ruth Armitage hasn't always found herself rooted in an abstract painting style, but it's one that suits her creative temperament. Initially introduced to watercolor in a high school plein air course, she began taking watercolor classes years later, when her children were young. She developed her skills by painting fl orals, portraits and still lifes in workshops led by Jan Kunz, Judy Morris and Carla O'Connor. During one stage of her creative career, Armitage painted beautiful representational still lifes from photographs, which sold quite well. Art-show customers would gush about how a dish in a still life looked just like their grandmother's china, but Armitage wasn't entirely gratified by their well-meaning accolades. “People were connecting with the physical objects, but they weren't connecting to the mood or the emotion that…

Michael Reardon There are a few methods I use to work through those periodic ruts. One is simply to sit down and draw. Another is to try something new. But the most reliable fix I've found is to travel. Going somewhere and seeing something new is always exciting. This past summer, I found myself in a bit of a rut, but then, in September, I had the opportunity to teach a workshop in Alaska. I returned from the trip completely re-energized. Who knew that glaciers could be so fascinating? Iain Stewart I've found that introducing new materials and tools helps me let go of the notion that every time I touch brush to paper, the result must be a finished painting. Recently, using a dip pen with a Kakimori nib,…

Regardless of whether a painting is representational or non-objective, for artist Stan Kurth—juror for the 83rd International Open Exhibition of the Northwest Watercolor Society (NWWS), it's the presence of nuance that catches his attention and creates connections with a work. The NWWS awards reception, which presented more than $5,000 in cash prizes to the show's top winners, took place October 28th, 2023, at Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park, located in the woods of Camano Island, Washington. The First Place honor went to Christine Alfery for Talisman (left). “Th is is a surrealistic beach festival,” Kurth says of the work, “with numerous contrasts and variety of shapes, lines, textures and colors that create movement—a very worthy painting.” The Second Place award was presented to Carla O'Connor for Dreamer (opposite,…

Sketch 1: Shape I create the composition's basic shape structure. Tip: To save time, I use a graphite transfer from this sketch to start the following two. Sketch 2: Value I add three to five values—from lightest to darkest—and then take a desaturated reference photo to ensure accuracy. Sketch 3: Color I use the color/value chart to select a palette. Colors can be local or subjective as long as the values are consistent. Final I take a final desaturated photo to see if the value structure held. Because all three sketches were successful, I could confidently begin Bahama Afternoon (watercolor on paper, 12×9). Kathy Calhoun (kathycalhoun.com; Instagram @kathycluveriuscalhoun) is a painter, workshop instructor and art education professor, with a master's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has exhibited at the…

When a painting is finished, I spray it lightly with Golden archival matte varnish. I paint the top and sides of 1½-inch-deep cradleboard with Golden matte black acrylic to help ensure that the painting adheres and to finish the sides. Next, I use Lineco Neutral PH adhesive to affix the piece to the cradleboard. I cover the painting with tissue paper and place heavy books on top to prevent it from lifting. Once the piece is fully adhered (at least 10 hours), I use a utility knife to trim the edges of the painting flush to the cradleboard. I wear magnifier glasses to ensure a perfect edge. The last step involves the application of a light coat of Gamblin cold wax medium to protect the piece from UV light and…

A remarkable printmaker, painter and poet, William Blake (English; 1757–1827) developed a wildly unconventional worldview, representing the universal forces of creation and destruction—physical, psychological and historical—through his own cast of characters. By combining his poetry and images on the page through radical graphic techniques, Blake created some of the most striking and enduring imagery in British art. A major international loan exhibition at The Getty Center, Los Angeles, explored the artist-poet's imaginative world through his most celebrated works, which have perplexed, delighted and astonished audiences for more than 200 years. Although the show closed in late January, images from the exhibition can still be viewed online at getty.edu/art/ exhibitions/blake.…

Paper Selection: I use a wide variety of papers for my collage pieces, including Japanese papers (bottom, left), which are not to be confused with tissue paper. They're available in a wide range of textures and weights. Here are a few names to get you started: Okawara, Ogura Natural, Awagami Kozo Natural, Tosa Lace, Masa and Natural Mulberry. These papers have beautiful patterns, textures and fibers that become more prominent when painted (bottom, right). Some are transparent and can be layered to create new colors, much like glazing with watercolor, while others are more opaque, like gouache, and extremely absorbent. Staining: I usually set aside an afternoon to stain enough sheets to use for multiple collages. I work with smaller sheets—about 4×9 inches each. I position each in the center…

The desaturation mode in photo-editing software is a technological tool that quickly depicts the relationship between color and value. Photo desaturation mode—available on just about any smartphone, laptop or tablet—is a great option to ensure that your painting holds its structure. Use this tool for paintings in progress, color palettes and reference photos.(Avoid black-and-white filters, as they're not always accurate.) Making use of this tool may require some experimentation to land the desired outcome, but below is the basic process. I used it to fine-tune the value/color relationship in Bahama Afternoon (page 18). Tip: Notarizer is a helpful app for breaking down values that feature hard edges.…

My favorite way to create art is to work in a series. I'll explore a topic through research, experimentation, technique and style until it feels as if it has run its course and I have nothing new to say. Often, the paintings evolve and change so much that the first and last paintings of the series have little in common. I've used this approach to explore a range of subjects—from abstract florals to ballet dancers to restaurant kitchens. THE SPARK The inspiration for a series can start from anything. It can be triggered by a suggestion from a gallerist, an intriguing commission, a scene I felt compelled to capture by photo or sketch, or even another artist's work. Whatever the initial spark, it usually smolders for a while in the…

Artist's Toolkit PAINTS • M. Graham and QoR watercolor tubes: raw sienna, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, manganese blue, permanent green light, new gamboge, olive green, quinacridone rose, quinacridone magenta, burnt sienna, sepia • For black outlines, I mixed ultramarine blue and sepia in a container and applied the color with a medium-sized round brush. • For skin tones, I used a mixture of raw sienna and permanent rose, adding ultramarine blue to the mix for shadow areas. SURFACE • Arches 300-lb. cold-pressed paper in 41x29-inch sheets SABLE BLEND BRUSHES BY ROSEMARY & CO. • 2- to 3-inch flats (for initial washes) • Nos. 1 to 20 round Study I begin all my paintings with a small color study, about 5x7 inches, which helps me work out color, values and technique.…

A juror must be drawn to a work—and want to return to it many times. A winning painting has to stand out among its peers in the show, but also be able to hold its own in a different context. It should incorporate a range of techniques and a balance between freedom and discipline. The essence of the medium must speak its own visual language. — DONGFENG LI, JUROR, KENTUCKY WATERCOLOR SOCIETY A juror seeks and looks for evidence of mastery of the medium, clarity of execution and authority of expression. In the end, we want a painting that's creative and diverse yet balanced and unified. At the highest level, we seek a work of art that speaks to all of humanity, our human condition—a work of art that steps…