Sketching outdoors - connecting with nature - holding onto my sketchbook and hat before they blow away

 

A welcome trip to the coast. 

I like the struggle to keep my hat on and to get some marks on the paper as my sketchbook blows in the wind. I'm capturing impressions and memories as I sketch.

Tulips - inspired by the Netherlands

 watercolour sketch of tulips

 watercolour, ink and gouache study of tulips

 The plate - ready for etching

removing the ground from the plate to reveal the image etched into the plate

Three etchings hand printed from the plate using my etching press.  I've applied different coloured inks to create different final images.

Some painting in Italy

 Sketching early evening at Cortona Square

 afternoon sketching

strong colours in Cortona square

Pen and ink sketch of Cortona from hotel

Watercolour sketch from Cortona Square Garibaldi

Texture and watercolour - granulation

I love the effect of granulation, creating visual texture for particular areas of sketches e.g. buildings in shade.  The colour I use most that has this quality is Ultramarine Blue.   The pigment settles on the paper in a way that isn't completely smooth but textured.  This happens particularly with traditional colour like earth colours and cobalts and doesn't usually happen with modern, organic colours.

If you don't want the effect of granulation though, there are many other colours to choose from or you could use distilled water, instead of tap water, to reduce the effects of granulation.

How difficult is it to remove watercolour paint once you have got it on your paper?

If you apply some paint to your watercolour paper and then decide that the tone is too dark and you want to remove some of it to make it look lighter it can be quite easy or almost impossible!  The kind of paper that you have used makes a difference but the biggest factor is the staining quality of the paint.

Paynes Grey is a staining colour and it's very easy to get too much of it onto your paper!  I proceed cautiously with this colour, adding a lot of water.   If I want a light grey, I more often use Davy's Grey now - a light, non-staining colour.   Another favourite colour, particularly for seaside sketches is Prussian Blue and this too is staining.

You can find the information about staining colours before you buy your paint by checking the maker's information - usually marked st for staining colours.

Vibrant watercolour - how can you make your watercolour sketches and paintings more vibrant?

Vibrant watercolour

How can you make watercolour sketches and paintings more vibrant? Careful colour mixing is one way and, of course, this goes for all types of painting. If you mix more than 2 colours together then there's a chance that your colours will become duller or even muddy looking. This can be made worse if you are using student quality paint which has less pigment and more filler.

Transparency
I've recently been checking the transparency of each colour I use.   (I have a mixture of Schmincke and Winsor and Newton artist quality watercolours.) Currently, I'm experimenting, particularly with flower sketches, using all transparent colours and, not surprisingly, there's quite a difference in vibrancy. There are a number of reds, blues, yellows etc to choose between and I've removed the opaque ones and put them to one side for now.

You can check paint transparency before you buy a half pan or tube by checking the maker's info. A small square symbol that is completely black indicates that the paint is totally opaque. Totally clear means it's transparent, an so on...

More botanical approach to plants and flowers

I'm enjoying exploring the shapes and colours of plants - pencil drawings and watercolour.  .

Vietnamese scooter riders and a tiger

 

 

 

 A watercolour study of some female, Vietnamese scooter riders.  The woman with the red helmet is wearing a face mask.  I might strengthen the colour of the mask, or of the background, to make it stand out more.

A study created using Pitt brush pens and watercolour with some graphite pencil used over the top in some places.

 

A pen/ink and watercolour sketch of a wooden, sculpture of a tiger outside a temple at a Cambodian monastery

 

Trying out some Pitt brush pens with watercolour

 

I've enjoyed trying out some new Pitt brush pens with watercolour.  The brush pen ink is permanent so doesn't disturb the watercolour.

 

Inside the temple - watercolour study with gold leaf

I loved the patterned floor, decorated walls, brightly coloured fabrics and the sunlit doorway - where I have applied some gold leaf.

Travel sketches from my recent trip to the Far East

First posting of 2014

 

 

 

 

Quick pen sketches from a small temple building at a Cambodian Monastery. Watercolour added later.   It was part of a small, quiet temple.   There was no-one in it when I looked inside.  Leaves blew into the open doorway adding to its deserted feeling.   The outside of the building was pale and worn with green shuttered windows.   Inside was a patterned, tiled floor and pillars and vividly decorated walls.  

When I went outside again, I could see a monk relaxing in a hammock.

For more on my trip see my travel blog 'Travels with my father'  http://onseaonland.blogspot.com