Watercolor---Last Class and Critique

I'm sad to say Friday is our last meeting for Watercolor, Spring Semester 08!

So, let's go out with a bang. I'd like to do a group critique, so bring all your work (yes---everything you can lay your hands on, and you'll get feedback from everyone.

And, let's chow down while we do it! Pot Luck, anyone?

I will bring Italian Beef sandwiches and a veggie side dish
Pam will bring cheese cake (yum!)
Susie will bring chips and clam dip
Carol C. will bring cups and fruit
Carol M will bring a veggie tray
Amanda will bring plates, chips and dip
Anne will bring cream cheese and pineapple on pumpernickle bread for tomorrow.

Do I have volunteers for anything else? And remember, we will need someone (any non-cooks maybe?) to bring plates, plastic ware, drinks, etc. You can comment on the blog or email me directly.

Let's meet in Overcash 155, which has comfortable chairs and is close to the kitchen.

Carol

Watercolor will meet in IT5132 Friday, April 18

Many of you have requested instruction on sharing your work, so Friday's class will focus on the following:

creating an archive of images
entering competitions
putting your work on the web

You will need the following:

1. several good digitals of your work. I will bring a camera and a scanner in case we need to create some.
2. a brief artist statement
3. think of a title for your blog...it can be as simple as your name
4. set up a google account if you don't already have one. It's free.

Again, we will meet in IT5132 on Friday, April 18 at 9:30. The IT building is at the corner of Elizabeth and Charlottetowne, directly across the street from the CPCC Bookstore. Perhaps we should walk across or down the street for lunch?????

You will not need your watercolor supplies for class this week.

I really, really dislike Geek Squad

I won't go into the details right now, but there is no way this company should be in business.

My portable hard drive has crashed, and my laptop is acting up. I will resume posting regularly as soon as I finish lamenting the fact that I didn't go into computer technology.

And, for those Watercolor folks who are checking.....we meet at the Mint today at 10am. Bring your supplies---weather permitting, we will paint out on the museum green. If the weather doesn't hold, we will sketch inside the museum. They won't allow us to bring our watercolors though. Someday I will talk them into it.

Watercolor: Student Work from Spring 2008

Well, it's mid-term, and here's a little round up of some student work from my watercolor class---you guys have come a long way!!!

Hank Burris

Carolyn Greer

Carol Connaughton

Carol Connaughton

Carol Connaughton

Carol Connaughton

Bob Brooks

Carol Mack

Bob Brooks

Watercolor--Agenda and Homework from Feb. 15

Here's what you missed Feb. 15

Class Agenda for Friday, February 15, 2008

Morning: Meet in Overcash 151/call roll/turn in homework and Scarlet project (okay, some of you want to hold onto this until the last minute....must be into me by Wednesday, Feb. 20)

Demo: (Future Soup, left) Composition and still life;
We will work on a still life from an unusual point of view---from above, below, or an extreme close up. Points to remember about composition:

Open composition: active; gives the impression that the composition extends beyond the edge of the picture plane. Concentrate on movement, rhythm and texture. Work on creating realistic imagery, but moving the eye through the picture plane through abstract elements.
We talked about negative space and the symbiotic relationship of positive and negative space. In short, if your negative space isn't interesting, it's unlikely that your composition will be interesting.

The demo focused on blocking in shapes and color relationships. Beginners have a tendency to jump right into details without establishing a foundation for those details.

Students then completed a still life using colorful fruits and veggies.

Homework for Feb. 22.
Painting I: Illustration Historically, artists like Albrect Durer (far left) used watercolor to “color in” their drawings. This usually means layers of color (allow them to dry in between) and precision---so, little or no wet-in-wet techniques. Much like illustrations seen over the years.(left)
This should be postcard size or larger. Choose an object and reproduce it as faithfully as you possibly can. Try to be very objective in your representation. This will take some time; don’t wait until the day before to do it. (Clarification: Durer does introduce washes into his watercolors as well, which leads to the exploration of the spontaneous qualities of the medium, but you see this more in his landscapes.)

Possible subject matter: single flower, butterfly, insect, etc. Think images like botanical illustrations or Audubon.

Painting II: Line and Wash

Artists like Paul Cezanne use line and wash to explore composition, color relationships, light references. Working about 8x10” or larger, combine the two mediums of watercolor and graphite to offer a subjective view of the subject of your choice. Line and color should play equal parts in the composition.

This painting should be loose....limit your working time to about 45 minutes to 1 hour----no more!

Watercolor: Student Work from Feb. 1 Part II

Here are some examples of small watercolors done as homework assignments. Students were asked to use an intense complementary palette in one, and a muted complementary palette in another. These represent just a few of images.....

Pam Hacker

Susie Copley

Laura Arbogast

Carol Connaughton

Carol Connaughton

Bob Brooks

Carolyn Greer

Dot Stiles

Dot Stiles

Watercolor: Student Work from Feb. 1 Part I

Students were asked to choose a section of a watercolor painting to copy. They tried to determine how the artist mixed and applied his/her pigments. Sargent and Homer were recommended

Laura Arbogast
Copy sketch of a Sargent watercolor

Heather Felts
Copy of Wyeth watercolor

Bob Brooks
Copy of Sargent watercolor

Carol Connaughton
Copy of Sargent watercolor

Watercolor Agenda Feb. 1

ART 244 Watercolor Whitman
Class Agenda for Friday, Feb 1, 2008


9:30---10:15am: Meet in Overcash 151/call roll
Reminders: League for Innovation Competition flyer

Get started on assignment; turn in homework ( I will return these next week---with written comments) Please fill out a critique paper and place your work in my portfolio (on my table in 151).

10:30-11:30: Optional: Demo/Lecture on drawing basics. I’ll do this in Room 154 (Drawing Studio). You may work on your assignment, or attend this demo/lecture. Click here for a printable version of the lecture

11:30am---12:30pm: Lunch Break

After Lunch: Continue working on your assignment. If you complete one project; be prepared to start another one.



I realize that it’s a long day when critiques end at 3:30! So, I do not plan to begin critiques so late in the future. I do ask that you work until about 2:30; the last hour will be reserved for individual critiques as requested.

Next week: Abstraction: How To


Homework assignment Due next Friday Feb. 8

Again, there is no substitute for experience!! For this homework assignment, you’ll do a minimum of three (yes----3) small paintings, approximately postcard size, though you may work larger if you wish. Because these are so small they should take about 30 minutes to do each one. Some perhaps a little more, some a little less. Subject matter is up to you (except for #3---see below), but it should be fairly realistic….consider using still life as your subject matter, but whatever you choose, be sure you create an interesting composition, and try to incorporate some techniques learned in class. Be conscious of soft and hard edges, and creating the illusion of depth.

First painting: Use a cool palette.
Second painting: Use a warm palette
Third Painting: Find a watercolor image you really like and reproduce a section of it….it may be too time-consuming to complete a total copy; plus, you will be working rather small. You may work larger if you feel it’s necessary. So, choose a section that is representative of what you want to learn rather than the whole image. Try to figure out how the artist selected and mixed his/her colors. If you’re looking for artists….take a look at watercolors by John Singer Sargent, or Winslow Homer…….and bring the image with you for the next class---I want to see it. You'll be turning these in just as you did this week.



I'll scan and post some images asap. Ya'll are a great class!

Now, here's a little eye candy; you've earned it!


This is a lovely limited palette watercolor by Mondrian.....yes, Mondrian!

Watercolor Assignment

Here's the homework assignment for Friday, January 18 class:

As always, work in your sketchbook, by drawing, but also list 20 different types of watercolor paintings/drawings you'd like to do...think subject matter and technique.

Beginning Exercises:The following info is from The Watercolor Artist’s Bible by Marylin Scott. This is a good reference for you, and it’s inexpensive. All information is intended for educational use by my Watercolor class at CPCC.
Get to know your palette….here are the colors you’ve been asked to have on hand
Cadmium Red (Primary)
alizarin crimson (Primary)
Lemon yellow (Primary)
Cadmium yellow (Primary)
Yellow ochre or raw sienna (Primary)
Burnt sienna (Tertiary)
Burnt umber (Tertiary)
Viridian (Secondary)
cobalt blue (Primary)
Cerulean blue (Primary)
Winsor blue (phtalo blue) (Primary)
Payne’s gray (Tertiary)
Perm. Sap green (additional color)
Indigo (additional color)
Permanent Rose (additional color)
Violet (additional color---this one is tough to mix)

First of all, we all know that on the basic color wheel we’re all taught, there are only three primaries. But considering the transparency of watercolor and the trickiness of mixing for beginners; we’re going to start with 6 primaries----a warm and cool of each of the three main primary colors (red, yellow and blue).

Begin with a sheet of watercolor paper. You won’t need to stretch it; and these are just exercises, so don’t waste the paper. I estimate you’ll need about a 16x20” (give or take a little) to do this. Or you can do it on smaller pieces---or directly in your sketchbook. Think about your traditional color wheel, and paint a shape (such as the pie shape) using your six primaries:

You will paint this on dry paper, and be sure to clean your brush thoroughly when you change colors. Paint them large enough that your can really see the color---several inches at least. You will notice that there is a warm and cool version of each color.

The most vibrant and intense secondary colors (colors made by mixing two primaries) are made by mixing primaries that have the same bias (i.e., cool primaries together, and warm primaries together).

Mixing primaries of opposite bias will give you a more muted secondary color. So, mix a warm primary with a cool primary:

There is no substitute for experience. Sometimes you’ll want to create layers of color---like glazing in oils, this can create a very luminous effect. So, let’s see what happens when we try some Overpainting effects:

The colors listed are simply samples. Mix from your own palette, and be sure to label it. This will be a great resource for your sketchbook.

Hint for oil painters…blending isn’t a good idea here…lay the color down with a sure stroke, then layer the next color over it. Experiment with how much you let it dry between applications---you’ll get different effects that way.

Transparent and opaque colors:
Theoretically, all watercolors are transparent, and it is this quality that characterizes the medium. However, some pigments are slightly more opaque than others, the most transparent colors being the dye-based ones such as alizarin crimson, sap green, and phthalo (or Winsor) blue and Panyne’s gray. Lemon yellow, yellow ocher, and cerulean blue are all relatively opaque, so they can be used to lighten the tone of a darker color beneath, or to amend it if required. Printed directly from The Watercolor Artist’s Bible by Marylin Scott.

Granular Effects: Some colors tend to “break up” when you add water, so it’s good to have a reference for ones that have this tendency.

Click here for a printable version of this assignment.

Supply List for Spring Watercolor class

For those who want to ask Santa to bring some their watercolor supplies:

As with any art material, buy the best you can afford….
Paints: I prefer tubes, but pans are okay.
I like Winsor Newton Artists Watercolors. The student grade version is Cotman watercolors.
* optional colors

Cadmium Red
alizarin crimson
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Yellow ochre or raw sienna
Burnt sienna
Burnt umber
Permanent Rose
Viridian cobalt blue
Cerulean blue
Winsor blue (phtalo blue)
Payne’s gray
Perm. Sap green
Indigo*
Violet*


Brushes:
Sable are best, but are expensive. I like Winsor Newton, but there are a lot of good sable watercolor brushes out there….just make sure they are for watercolor. You cannot interchange your watercolor and oil brushes.
Princeton makes a decent synthetic sable brush. Look for “spring” and a good point.
Sizes:
1” flat
½” flat
Size 10 round
Size 4 round
liner
other sizes as desired

Palette: I like a butcher’s tray (available with watercolor supplies), but you can purchase a plastic or ceramic palette, depending on your taste. Make sure there is enough room to mix easily.

A natural sponge and a synthetic sponge. These often come in a set.
Gummed tape (I have some on hand, so wait on this)
One large water container (1 quart or more), one smaller water container (8-16 oz.)
Board for stretching paper. You can buy a watercolor board, but a masonite sheet works well, and are cheap, so you can have a couple of them.
Paper towels (there are never enough…Viva is a good brand)
Masking fluid (I have some on hand—you might want to wait on this)
Cotton swabs have many uses; small spray bottle for water.
Pencil, ink pen, erasers, hardbound sketchbook (get a size you can easily manage, or keep using the one you have)

Watercolor paper (I like Arches):
140 lb. must be stretched; don’t go less than 140lb.; You can purchase cold-press paper by the sheet, by the block , or by the roll. You do not need to purchase all three. 5 sheets of Arches 22 X 30” 140 lb cold press paper costs $15.88 at www.dickblick.com . I estimate you will need about 15 sheets or so. Around half of these will be cut up into smaller sections for studies, etc.
Watercolor Block eliminates the need to stretch paper. Needs to be at least 12 x 16”, You will still be required to stretch some---you need to know how.

Suggested Vendors: Cheap Joes on Monroe; Binders at Cotswold www.danielsmith.com ; www.dickblick.com ; www.asw-express.com ; www.cheapjoes.com ; www.jerrysartarama.com ;

You’ll be taught how to mat and frame your watercolors; and you need framing materials for at least one project. The cost will be kept to a minimum, but you’ll need matboard, a frame and glass. Don’t buy this now….wait till the time comes.

Lastly, you’ll be required to enter at least one exhibit. Entry fee for the student show is $5.