Page 105 - International Artist2 110

FINISHING
Greg Allen
THE ITALIAN LAKES
Monday 22 August – Saturday 3 September, 2016
Thirteen days of painting and exploration in Lake Maggiore, Lake
Como and Lake Garda. Paint some of the very best sights to be Hot pressed paper is great for fine detail where big,
flat washes are not required. The surface sizing on
found, experience the unique charm and breathtaking beauty of most hot pressed paper means pigment can be
the Italian Lakes district with Greg Allen showing you how to best
capture the splendor of the Italian Lakes in watercolor. more vibrant due to the lack of texture.
Which Paper is Best? on paper lighter than 140-lb (300-gsm),
Charles Reid Faced with all these options in weight, but from ¼ sheet up, lightweight paper is
texture and quality, the choice is not easy,
from one maker to the next so it is a good
unsuitable.
THE DORDOGNE REGION & PROVENCE, FRANCE but there are a few things that can simplify
Friday 2 September – Wednesday 14 September, 2016 making a decision. washes will need stretching to guarantee
If you intend to sell your work, choose an smooth washes. If you don’t want to go to
One of the best teachers in the world leads a stimulating and
satisfying tour of the best places in France in the Dordogne acid-free 100 percent cotton paper with a
region and Provence. An appealing mix of instruction, personal weight of at least 140-lb or 300-gsm. heavy 280-lb (600-gsm) paper. new paper, so don’t write o a paper on the
painting with sightseeing in Sarlat la Caneda & Aix en Provence Paintings under a ¼ sheet size can be done
with plenty of time to paint.
JOIN JOHN LOVETT ON HIS 2016 WORKSHOP TOUR TO ITALY!
John Lovett
CINQUE TERRE & TUSCANY, ITALY
Monday 5 September – Saturday 17 September, 2016
From the spectacular sight of the five villages on the
mountainside in the Cinque Terre to the beautiful Tuscany
region of Italy, this thirteen-day painting workshop gives
members the opportunity to truly experience ‘la dolce vita’, the
sweet life. This will definitely be the painting trip of a lifetime,
with John Lovett showing you how to best capture the splendour
of Cinque Terre and Tuscany.
20th
20th
David Taylor Anniversary 104 www.InternationalArtist.com
104
Anniversary
VENICE & PRAGUE Workshop
Workshop
Tuesday 20 Septmber – Sunday 2 October, 2016 John Lovett_110.indd 104
This workshop offers thirteen days of painting and adventure in Venice and
Prague. Venice, with grand palaces and ancient villas built directly over
the canals and the enchanting and magical city of Prague will be a delight
to paint. For all the colour and beauty of Italy and the Czech Republic laid
out before your easel, who better to lead this tour than David Taylor, one
of watercolorists’ most respected painters. Celebrate with David his 20th
year of leading painting workshop.
WATERCOLOUR USA: 866 552 4278 (Toll Free)
AUSTRALIA: 1800 033 436 (Toll Free)
ALL OTHER COUNTRIES: +61 3 9729 8722
Website: www.paintingworkshops.net
VACATIONS 2016 Email: sales@paintingworkshops.net
artist's_magazine_2page_july15_OL.indd 4 28/07/2015 4:04 pm
Acrylic varnish is the easiest way to seal and protect these paintings. Spraying is
the best method of application. If you don’t have a spray gun and compressor, use
a fine bristled nylon brush about 3 inches wide to apply the varnish. If you have
used charcoal or pastel, a light spray with fixative will save the surface from being
disturbed by the nylon brush.
Framing can be as simple or as complex as you like. The panels are extremely
rigid, so small museum moldings can be used on large works. Photographers bond
photographs to aluminum composite panel. By gluing a simple wooden frame, set in
a couple inches from the edge, to the back of the work, the image can be floated the
thickness of the frame from the wall.
Echoes Through the Fog, 57 x 76 cm (22 x 30")
300gsm hot-pressed paper was bonded to
aluminum composite panel for this painting. There
was no watercolor gesso applied to the paper prior
to painting on it. Watercolor, charcoal, gouache and
gesso were the main materials used. A protective
coating of satin acrylic varnish was built up by spray.
easily lifted off. Colors on hot pressed paper are
personal one and can only be decided by
experimenting. e sizing and texture vary
Full sheet paintings using large, wet idea to buy a couple of sheets, cut them into
quarters and do a number of small paintings VISIT JOHN LOVETT ONLINE
before making a decision. It always takes www.johnlovett.com
the trouble of stretching the paper, choose a a few paintings to become accustom to a www.johnlovettwatercolorworkshop.com
e choice of manufacturer is a strength of just one painting.
1. How to Paint Landscapes
What You Blearn the WORKING PROCESS involved which is applicable to 1 Landscapes
The first type of painting we will look at is the rural landscape.
It is a great way to come to grips with a number of basic techniques:
It is a great way to come to grips with a number of basic techniques:
y working your way through the demonstration painting, you will
Will Learn
• How to do the
different types
of learning this working process.
of washes
Once you have worked your way through the demonstration painting,
Once you have worked your way through the demonstration painting,
• How to use edge basically any painting. I have listed what you will work through as part
treatments
• How to plan before painting you do.
there are other techniques that you can work through in this section of
there are other techniques that you can work through in this section of
• How to create
the book as SUPPLEMENTARY PROJECTS which are relevant to any
convincing detail
How to use different types of washes, understand edge treatments, will work towards producing this simple little landscape painting
treatments,
create convincing detail and learn how to plan your painting
hat we will look at are the various methods available to
To understand the sequence of events and techniques involved, these next exercises
hat we will look at are the various methods available to
JOHN LOVETT'S
Wquickly cover large areas of your painting. These should
be the first marks you make after your initial drawing. They will
initial plan.
Textures, Techniques Creating the landscape painting starting point; as you react to the progress of your painting, you • Work out major shapes Tree shapes 1 Landscapes Building up details
will probably find yourself deviating and improving upon the
establish your colour and tonal arrangements and build the
Thumbnail sketches
Your Working Process The following demonstration takes you step-by-step through your basic watercolour working process.
The following points are a summary of what we will be doing:
underlying foundation for your painting. Sometimes these initial
Soft-edged graded wash
• Map out first marks
If you are working in watercolour, it is important to decide
• Organise tonal values
• Gradation from dark to light
areas will remain unchanged as finished areas of your painting.
exactly where areas of white paper must be preserved. This will
usually be around your centre of interest, as your major tonal
Flat wash
Sometimes these areas will be worked over and modified before
the painting is complete.
• Preserving white paper
• Subject and definition –
making more sense
• Feathering/darkening of edges
• Consistent tone, colour
contrast will be here. The location of the white areas must be
The important thing is to have a rough overall plan for your
• Focus on center of interest
and texture
& Special Effects Thumbnail Sketches 20 painting - a map of the major shapes if you like. This is just a established right from the start. Acrylic paint is a little more Variegated wash • Varying edges • Ra
• Spots, strokes and squiggles
A good way to organize your tonal values and map
• Using darks – pigment/water ratios
down right from the start.
forgiving, but it still helps to have fresh, confident areas laid
• Variation and simplicity
out where your first marks should go is with a simple
• Contrasting light and dark
• Clean, sharp edges
thumbnail sketch. About the size of a credit card,
Graded side washes
• Variation in colour, tone, shape and size
• Controlling movement to the
• Marks for details – vary size
three or four of these sketches allow you to shuffle
focal point
• Side application of washes
and spacings
things around to best create the feeling you are
• Creating a band of light
for Watercolor after. Use a soft pencil and break your subject up Wet the paper From the top down Foreground features • Focusing attention on the 21
Wet the paper
While your paper is still wet, run a bead of your mixed Cobalt
• Working colour toward the foreground
center of interest
Now that you have thoroughly mixed your color, the next step is
across the top with your 1” Flat brush fully loaded with paint.
Now that you have thoroughly mixed your color, the next step is
into three or four different tonal values. Don’t worry
about details - just the major shapes, and be sure
Reload your brush, then run another stroke across, just making
• Creating interest without distracting
to wet your paper all over with clean water. Prop your board up so
to wet your paper all over with clean water. Prop your board up so
to completely shade in each area with a selected
the top is a couple of inches higher than the bottom. Use a clean
from the center of interest
contact with the bead on the bottom of your first stroke. Repeat
the top is a couple of inches higher than the bottom. Use a clean
1/2” bristle brush and start at the top, carefully working a bead of
• Adding texture
tonal value. Use them as a starting point, and
1/2” bristle brush and start at the top, carefully working a bead of
this process, carefully covering one third of your paper.
deviate as you see fit. We will use the second
water down to the bottom. Make sure you don’t miss any paper,
water down to the bottom. Make sure you don’t miss any paper,
sketch here as the basis for this painting.
Loosen up your
particularly on the edges
paintings and turn particularly on the edges TIP It is important to
them into dynamic
completely cover the
works of art
whole width of the
paper as you work
How To Set Up Your These are all the I chose this one your way down.
B O N U S
Don’t be tempted to
go back in and adjust
SECTION
things or you will end
up with a patchy mess.
colors you will need to
complete this painting.
Your Workspace Materials Flat Wash What If It
Studio and Optimize
A flat wash in watercolor is one of the most basic skills. We will use it here to produce
A flat wash in watercolor is one of the most basic skills. We will use it here to produce
a smooth, even Cobalt sky. Our goal is to produce a flat area of consistent tone, color
a smooth, even Cobalt sky. Our goal is to produce a flat area of consistent tone, color
and texture. This consistency is not often called for in a painting, as a wash with some
and texture. This consistency is not often called for in a painting, as a wash with some
1” flat brush
All Goes Wrong?
½” bristle brush
variation is usually more interesting. Occasionally though, a pure flat area provides an
variation is usually more interesting. Occasionally though, a pure flat area provides an
The only way to repair a wash
interesting relief to more dynamic areas. Once you can produce a perfectly flat wash,
3” Hake brush
like this is to work back over the
¼ sheet cold press interesting relief to more dynamic areas. Once you can produce a perfectly flat wash, Grading out Use masking tape to seal the edge of the paper. but gently work the brush back
entire wash and redissolve the
you will find it easy to move on to graded and varied washes.
paper taped to a
backing board
pigment. Use your soft, 1” flat
brush and water. Don’t scrub,
Grading out
Once you reach the one third mark, make the last stroke with a little less paint loaded
Once you reach the one third mark, make the last stroke with a little less paint loaded
and forth over the entire wash.
on your brush. We don’t want a bead at the bottom of the final stroke. It can bleed out
into the damp paper. If need be, this bleeding out can be encouraged with your Hake
into the damp paper. If need be, this bleeding out can be encouraged with your Hake
Thoroughly mix it up on your brush. We don’t want a bead at the bottom of the final stroke. It can bleed out Once the pigment has been
loosened, work your way evenly
down from the top to re
brush. Make sure the brush is clean and dry, then very gently and lightly feather it over
brush. Make sure the brush is clean and dry, then very gently and lightly feather it over
the final edge to spread the pigment. Don’t work it back up into the wash; feather it
Squeeze out a lump of Cobalt Blue about half the size of the final edge to spread the pigment. Don’t work it back up into the wash; feather it distribute the pigment. If you 23 23
a pea and mix it with about a desert spoon full of water.
down into the clean damp paper.
The aim is to have more than you will need to cover a third of
down into the clean damp paper.
do this before the paint dries
properly it will be an
your paper. Use your 1” brush and mix thoroughly until all the
paint is completely dissolved. Check your brush from time to
22 time for any undissolved pigment.
6/22/16 11:22 AM
John Lovett.indd 125 2/19/15 10:42 AM