(Link to Video on YouTube) Gouache dries slowly in the humid conditions of a rainy day, allowing much more time for blending the colors.
However, once the layers dry, I can add fine details to add mood and make the scene realistic.
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The brushes are from a Richeson pocket travel brush set
and I'm painting in a Pentalic Aqua Journal
with Gouache mostly by M. Graham
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The sketch easel that I attach to the tripod is a homebuilt design, and I made a video explaining how to make one.
I've also made full-length painting tutorials on Gouaches, Casein, and WatercolorThe brushes are from a Richeson pocket travel brush set
and I'm painting in a Pentalic Aqua Journal
with Gouache mostly by M. Graham
.The sketch easel that I attach to the tripod is a homebuilt design, and I made a video explaining how to make one.
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ReplyDeleteAnother fun painting in Gouache, a medium I'm starting to love. I'm interested in two things. Your short square travel brush and what is the piece you attach to the tripod to hold your little journal. Love your work!
ReplyDeleteCheryl, The brushes are from a Richeson pocket travel brush set and I'm painting in a Pentalic Aqua Journal with Gouache mostly by M. Graham. The sketch easel that I attach to the tripod is a homebuilt model and I have a video explaining how to make one. Links added to the post.
ReplyDeleteSo good! Great edges! Beautiful color!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if setting up a humidifier in studio would help prolong blending time? I use a spray bottle on my palette but that really just adds water. When I've completely soaked the paper before starting to paint it allows for softer edges and longer blending -- but you can't do that in a sketchbook.
Thanks for the great demo!
By now, you could put together a small exhibition of paintings done while your car receives some kind of attention, with a special subset of the ones painted on rainy days.
ReplyDeleteSo inspiring, What kind of palette are you using? I haven’t seen one like that before.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is brilliant! Thanks for sharing James. If it was not for your hand and brush I would have though it was a photo. I can't believe you did that in 45 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI think the main lesson for me was the first transparent layer with the gradation from reddish/brown to blue. I need to think more in terms of big gradations like that at the beginning of a painting.
Cheers, Alex :-)
I like how the clock tracks the time in some shots. I was surprised to see that the block in only took a few minutes. It helped me realize that I haven't been letting my brain fully transition from the focus of drawing to the organization of values. So I tend to spend too much time and concentration on the block in phase, and then I get fatigued too early in the painting or sketch. I'd like to see a timer in more videos; I wonder what else it might illuminate?
ReplyDeleteBen, thanks for that observation. I have a wristwatch that I'll try to place in the shot in future. I agree that it helps to know what's really going on. In my case, I often try to get a few accurate measurements in the drawing stage, and then do the real form definition with the brush and paint, which is more efficient.
ReplyDeleteDaroo, I haven't tried a humidifier, but I don't see why that wouldn't work.
No One, I'm using a homemade easel with a palette made from a pencil box lid sprayed white.
A little info on the straight you use? Great as always!
ReplyDeleteStraight edge...sorry
DeleteJames, I've can't remember if you ever discussed the topic about painting in daylight, and the value problems it causes. Umbrellas are a pain, so often I paint in the sun, with my canvas and palette aimed away, not getting hit by the light. But even if I am in shade, often my painting ends up way too dark, with little contrast, when I get it inside. That just happened yesterday, my painting looked successful while I was working, good value contrast, strong color and temperature variation. Then I bring it inside, and all of that is lost. I'm been doing plein air about 6 years now- how long does it take to make that automatic eye adjustment, to paint lighter and brighter than you perceive? Do you have any tips to keep on top of this problem during painting? So far my only aid is to use the middle grey paper palette to keep track- lighter or darker than middle. But 'paint what you see' is problematic!
ReplyDeleteThanks always!
Judy, good question. The quick answer is that you ideally want the illumination on the artwork to be identical to the light on the subject, in terms of brightness and color. Sometimes painting in full-on sun is unavoidable, in which case you have to be conscious of comparing values within your composition. The best light is usually diffused sunlight —that is, light passing through a layer of thin, translucent white nylon cloth. Beware of dappled light or other variable light conditions, and if you're working in deep shadow, there are ways to bounce light or use portable illumination to get the light levels higher and more even. I think the hardest thing to deal with is light of a different color, because it's so hard to make accurate judgments. In that case, I often work in grisaille.
ReplyDeleteSuper painting with just the perfect amount of detail to inform the viewer! Do you use a cold press watercolor sketchbook? Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteTony, yes, it's a lightly textured paper.
ReplyDelete