Darkening the Ocean

Like you (I suspect) I continually struggle with "available" technologies (I can't even call them "new" technologies just because I've never partaken....right?).  I really wanted to create a GIF of the step-by-step photos for you so it's easier to see the transitions.  I did manage to download a GIF program and then I couldn't figure out where it got saved on my laptop.  So goes my life!

Here, instead, are the next 2 steps of my painting.  In the second one, I've gone over the existing colors at the very bottom with a wash of Winsor & Newton Payne's Gray and W&N Indigo (not over the whole thing, just where I wanted it darker).  I'm hoping you can see the difference (?).  

  

For now I'm happy with the result.  I always reserve the right to go back in there at a later time.  Next step:  darken that next section right above the bottom wave to make the wave pop out. The white of that wave is NOT done.  I needed some darks around it, in order to judge what to do next.  (Maybe I'll figure out how to create that GIF as well!  Any suggestions as to a good program to use?)

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Let's finish this Painting!

I'm temporarily putting aside some smaller paintings I've started so I can hopefully finish this 30"h x 40" wide piece that I started a while back.  My brain really has to do some adjusting when I make a switch like that. Do you find that's true for you? 

Here's my first wash (which means a layer of color).  I used Winsor & Newton Permanent Rose, Cadmium Yellow, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue and a touch of Holbein Mineral Violet.  The substrate is a Fredrix archival watercolor canvas, gallery-wrapped, so I've painted onto the sides of the canvas as I move around the painting to be sure it's integrated into the final result. (Notice that I've got some masking fluid in the white sections of the waves.)

First I painted the sky.  I used some Holbein Lavender Blue with cerulean blue.  After that dried, I taped off the horizon line (on the sky side, making very sure it was level) with blue painter's tape. I rubbed on the tape with my thumb to ensure no water could seep under it.  I painted the ocean a brilliant blue with the addition of Peacock blue, along with the other blues already mentioned.  I apply darker tones of the same colors into the wave at top (darker tones are achieved by using less water).  You can definitely paint over your first wash if you're careful.  It takes practice not to remove what you've already put down (more so than when you're painting on paper).  No amount of reading will make it magically happen for you.  

Here I'm working on the bottom area, getting it darker.  I've covered the top area with a plastic bag so I don't splash anything on there by mistake.  I sometimes tend to "throw" color into the paint puddles.  

Here's a close up of the darker water at the bottom.  You can actually SEE the texture of the canvas in this shot.

I'll keep painting now, and I'll keep posting.  Let me know if you'd like to sign up for my blog posts so that they come directly to your email inbox.  And definitely feel free to leave me Comments (if you're receiving this via email, you can click on the blue title at the top and it'll take you to my blog where you can post a comment).  I like it when Art becomes a Conversation!  What are you thinking?

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What's Going On?

I've been working on a new painting...hoping to finish in a day or so.

Here are a couple of close up's to show you for now.  Any guesses as to what's going on?

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A Visiting Celebrity

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting award-winning Carrie Waller in my studio!  Up until now, Carrie and I have just been Facebook friends (over and over, I must say I LOVE the networking that's possible for artists in today's world).  Carrie and I have been admiring each other's watercolors for a while.  When I read that she was going to be traveling from her home studio to Summerville, SC to visit family (!), I invited her to come paint with me for the day!  We chose a day when Anne, the artist that I mentor, would already be here with me.  And Patty, another artist who has studied with me in the past, was in town as well so she got the invite too!  We painted together for 5 hours.

From left:  Anne, Patty, me and Carrie Waller!

As our day went by, I noticed a marked difference between how Carrie tackles her paintings, and how I currently do.  Carrie starts in one area of her painting and brings it to an almost completed state before moving on to the next section.  She says that, by working in this way, she can determine early on if she's got the right formula to successfully complete the rest of the painting.  You can see in this example, how stunning that looks.  Carrie's a master at what she does!

Watercolor Work-in-Progress by Carrie Waller.
This is the painting she was working on yesterday!
These are glass orbs, filled with roses, suspended from overhead.
See Carrie's blog HERE.

I actually used to paint like this when I first started 30 years ago (painting one section at a time).   Once I started teaching though, I realized that my students ran into trouble when they used this method, for 2 reasons:

1.  At some point in the painting, my beginning students would want to interject some color that was not elsewhere in the painting.  It broke down the harmony of the finished piece.

2.  My students sometimes placed too much emphasis on the start of the piece (they'd start in a less important area so that they could "work up" their nerve for the focal area), and then by the time they got to the actual focal area, they lost that spark they started with and the overall painting suffered.

I never actually thought about this, but I guess that's how and why I developed my current style of painting (and teaching).  I start with an overall wash that sets the tone for the painting.  I decide ahead of time which colors I want to include in the painting, and they get used early on in thin washes (layers) over my drawing.  This immediately unifies my painting's "look".  The first layers then have a chance to glow through the subsequent transparent paint layers.  Here's a step by step of "The Swimming Hole" to illustrate what I mean:

This is my first wash, painted over my pencil sketch.  You can see some masking being used.

I start to paint a second layer, and continue like this over the whole painting.

This is pretty much what the second layer gives me.  Some areas have a third layer already added in this photo.  (Note: Some of the colors might look lighter because I photographed them on a different day in different lighting...)

"The Swimming Hole" (watercolor 22x30) by Helen K Beacham
In a Private Collection.

A special thank you to Carrie Waller for coming by!  I look forward to a future painting session, Carrie!

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Tulips

On Fridays, I mentor Anne P., who has studied with me on and off for a couple of years.  We usually meet in my studio where we either paint or talk about art-related matters.  Yesterday she walked in with an armful of tulips and a crystal vase!  We quickly set up an impromptu still life composition and proceeded to photograph it from various directions.  Then we added a lamp for additional drama and cast shadows (and highlights) and then we FINALLY got down to the business of sketching our still life! 

Our still life setup with my initial wash in the foreground.

Close up of the tulip photo

This was my initial attempt (I had incorporated pen & ink).  I thought I captured the delicateness of the flowers, but I thought it looked a bit weak. Below is the final piece, which I feel is a much stronger painting.  Which do you prefer??  Should I have left it alone????

"Tulips"  (watercolor)by Helen K. Beacham
Unframed (11x9): $395 or Framed (23x21) $495 total

And here's Anne's version (not finished when she left my studio), painted from a totally different angle!
I love the horizontal composition!  Very intimate!

Tips when painting floral still lifes:

1.  Play with the composition and move around your still life till you "feel" it (decide from which angle you want to paint it).  Add a simple light to cast some interesting shadows.

2.  If you have trouble with drawing still lifes, think of what's in front of you as a 2-D image (like a photo).  Picture the edges of the photo (to correspond to your paper size) and draw in the major points of the still life before you fill in the details.

3.  Add flowers (and/or leaves) to your drawing where you need them for balance, even if they're not there.

4.  If you wish, add masking fluid to save a few sparkles of white.

5.  After your overall first wash, start painting in the focal area.  The rest MIGHT not need much more.  If you start somewhere else, you might be committing yourself to a more detailed piece than intended on the front end.

By the end of the afternoon, our tulips had opened so deliciously that we had to spend another few minutes photographing them for a future painting!  Thank you, Anne, for Friday's challenge!

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Day 13

Mission:  30 paintings in 30 days
Focus:  Watercolor with pen and ink on Italian-made Fabriano 140# paper.

Today I took the time to capture my various stages of completion for my painting.  

This little corner garden is located in NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, one of the most picturesque towns that I've ever visited!  Thanks to Robert and Maureen for showing me around that day!

My reference photo from Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Light sketch with a first wash applied.

Drawing with ink on top of the dried first wash.  I also applied some masking fluid in part of the painting.
You'll probably detect it in the finished piece below.

"Corner Garden" (watercolor with pen & ink)  6" x 4"
By Helen K. Beacham

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New Painting (post #8)

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This is Friday morning and I stayed up way too late to work on my painting last night (this is my attempt at recording the progress of a new painting...what I think about, how I do it).

My thought process as I started the evening of painting:

1.  Based on my Dura-Lar test in my earlier post (about the sky options), I'm going to use yellow and coral tones (and reflections in the water).  The water area should be darker and somewhat"dirtier" than the sky.  (The reason I'm not going with the option of blue or violet is that I felt the tree masses would not show up against it well enough.)

2.  Secondly, I'm going to remove the masking fluid from the pampas grass and start applying paint into the areas I feel need it.  Sometimes that means into some individual blades, and other times it means treating a whole section to a swathe of paint with a larger brush, in order to tone down what doesn't need to be grabbing my attention.

Tip:  When you're ready to remove your masking fluid, wash your hands first so that no oils from your skin are transferred to the paper.  I took a picture to show you how I hold my rubber eraser when I use it to remove the masking fluid.  You may also use your thumb(s) but you'd end up with a major callus or two, considering how much I used on this painting.  After I think I've removed all of it, I take my fingers and move them gently across the area, inch by inch (with the balls of your fingers...no fingernails or jewelry please).  If there's any masking fluid left, you'll feel it and should remove it.

How I hold my rubber eraser to remove masking fluid

Here's what it looks like at this stage....

The next things I did were:

1.  Removed all of the masking fluid except in the water...I wanted to go darker in the water and correct some of my reflections.
2.  Painted the plumes of the pampas grass (except for the two on the right side which I still have masking fluid on...I'm not yet sure if I'm done with the water around them, so I'm keeping my options open at this point).  Tried to keep a light touch on the plumes so that they look fuzzy.
3.  I painted the clump of grass...tried to treat it as a "whole", giving it a rounded form while allowing some of the blades to stand on their own.  Can you tell the difference from the one above?  p.s.  this lower image looks warmer than the others...it's actually truer to the real colors of the painting.  All previous shots were taken during daylight hours, in the shade.  This one was taken at midnight last night, in my studio, with a flash.  I'm surprised it turned out to be the closer version, but then I never pretended to know anything about photography!

I'm now painting the water darker.  I want the water at the bottom to be more grounded.  I also will paint into the trees in the middle ground on the right and give more shape and form to the distant tree bank and reflections.  They look a little unfinished compared to the information in the middle ground trees.

Can you believe it?  I think I might be done!  I've signed it in the bottom right corner, and now the next step: off to the professional photographer's to get a great shot of it for my portfolio!  Here it is, using my own camera...  Thanks for taking the time to follow along with me.  It's nice to talk to you about art!

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New Painting (post #7)

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It's a new day in the studio.  I removed the masking fluid from the top right side and am now deciding whether I want color in the sky.

Tip: To help me decide this, I sometimes resort to using a product called GRAFIX DURA-LAR.  It's a clear acetate sheet that you can paint on.  I use it when I want to try out different colors...I paint on the sheet, and then I place the sheet over the area that needs color in the painting (the paint DOES bead up on the sheet, but it's still better than nothing).  You can later wash the paint off the sheet and reuse it.  I'm showing you some shots below, where I played with a few colors, turning the sheet this way and that until I had a gut feel as to which color I wanted to use.

Which way to go???!!!

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New Painting (post #6)

Today's the day!  I rubbed off my masking fluid from the left hand side at the top.  Here's a picture of what it looks like once it's off...Note that some of those areas now look white, while others have some color in them from the fact that I put mask down in some areas after I had already applied a wash of color.  I will now study this top left area and decide where to add color.  See also the second picture below, which shows you a bird's eye view of the whole thing with the mask removed top left.

Mask removed from top left side of painting

Next I'm adding paint to the top left corner where I removed the mask earlier today.  Can you tell the difference below?  I worked on the branches of the tree so that I will later know where to build the clumps of leaves around them.  Here's the close up of that section, with just the trees and branches emphasized.

Tip:  Don't paint branches where you THINK they should go.  Every tree is different and the Lowcountry's live oaks are built a certain way...study them and take lots of reference photos for when you get to that painting that needs more definition than what your working photo is capable of giving you.

Tip #2:  A good rule of thumb is to never make one branch cross over another with a resulting "X marks the spot" effect.  Change the composition if that's what's visible on your photo (or in nature in front of you).

And below here is that bird's eye view so you can compare to the BEFORE.

p.s.  It's hard to know how often to photograph and post images for you to see.  I can hear some of my students saying "enough already"!  But I hear others saying they want to see even more!  Maybe this is a good amount (?)....Let me know if you're learning something new, or whether it's a good refresher for you to come with me on this journey.  I'm very pleased with my progress so far....I get excited to get up in the morning and get to the studio for another day of painting!  (p.s#2.:  I forgot to tell you I added a bit of color to the water.  I've decided I want some color in both the water and eventually the sky so that the plumes stay the whitest whites overall, for extra drama).

New Painting (post #5)

Back in the studio today after a day away from it.  Recharged.

In addition to many things that I'm thinking about (as I start my painting day), I think about what I'd like to title this piece.  (sorry for this teaser, but truthfully, I have no clue yet as to what I'm going to call it).

I just added more masking fluid over the first wash in certain areas on the right side and in the upper middle section.  I want to preserve some of those middle values.

Do I always add this much masking fluid?  No.  But this morning I order another bottle of it.  (does that make me an addict???)  I don't know about you, but I hate to run out of something right in the middle of a piece.  I run a well-stocked studio, and my vendors love me for it!

I've added another layer of color to the top left and middle areas.  Trying to show a separation between the masses of shapes. Going a little darker (that means using pretty much the same colors as before, but with less water...kind of like a milky consistency, rather than thin like tea).

I just stood back from my table to get more of a distant view of things, and would you believe I noticed something that I have thought about before, but I rarely think about consciously.  It's this:  after painting all these 30 years, I've definitely got a palette of colors that are "mine".  Look at this photo below...3 different paintings in the works, in 3 different media.  But all three work together because the colors I grab tend to be the same (for the most part).  I know it's a little hard to see, but you'll probably get the idea.

So, now for a picture of where I'm at with the "untitled" painting.  I've added more middle values all over the painting, and I've started adding a few darks so I can start to get excited about what's before me!  Just be sure not to put darks where you don't eventually want them.  Tip:  Keep in mind that your reflections should correspond back to the landscape above them.  So when you paint the landscape, put similar color into the reflections as well.  I've taught a whole workshop just on reflections, and there's always more to study and observe in nature.  (p.s.  I'm getting anxious to rub off that masking fluid....!  It's getting annoying.  But we all know I can't yet.)  There is no color in the plumes of the pampas grass yet.  That's pure white from the paper, plus the yellow of the masking fluid.  They will be the last things I paint.  They even look whiter than the sky (which also has no color yet), but because the plumes appear next to the darks, they look whiter than the sky.

Time to get a glass of tea and let the paint do its thing on the paper.  I may go work in the garden a bit while I'm downstairs...see you later!

New Painting (post #4)

This morning I restudy my painting in progress (see previous posts below).  Am going to add more masking fluid to the grasses on the left, over my middle value wash.  My plan is to then add the darkest darks to the grass clump and finally remove the masking fluid to reveal the different values of color that I've put down for the blades of grass.

Normally I work across the whole painting, bringing each area up to par with the rest.  In order to show you some quicker results, I've been focusing on the bottom left area, but I'm going to start bouncing around the painting now...especially when it's time to let certain areas dry.  It's raining outside, which means there's more moisture in the air.  It'll take longer to dry.  I don't like to use a hair dryer when I've got masking fluid on my paper.  It could fuse the mask to the paper...never a good thing. (Tip:  but if you wait till the water has soaked into the paper and is no longer shiny, and if you hold the hair dryer high enough, you can get away with using it...just be careful).

Another tip:  I thought I'd mention that I use twigs to apply my masking fluid, not brushes.  Brushes are hard to clean afterward and easily get ruined.  I cut various sized twigs on an angle at both ends and use them like a fountain pen of sorts (I either peel off the dried up mask, or I toss the twig if it's been used more than twice).  The thinner the twig, the thinner the line you can draw.  Tip:  Never shake your bottle of masking fluid.  It might cause bubbles to form which, if not detected, would eventually pop as it dries on your paper, leaving the center susceptible to paint when it's applied in a subsequent wash.  Instead, you want to leave your closed bottle of masking fluid sitting upside down when not in use (which serves to keep the air out so it won't dry out) and then, when you're ready to use it, just turn it over and let it sit again for a minute.  Now it's mixed up enough (if it's been a LONG time since you last used it, you might have to go through these steps 2 or 3 times before it's mixed enough).

Twigs for Masking Fluid Application

I just added a bit of color to an area of the painting and thought it would be beneficial to show you a close up of two areas.  This is to explain that I never go far without changing out my color.  I don't necessarily change the "value" of the color, just the color itself.  To show you that the value remains constant, I've saved the second image as a black and white.  Any time you want to test your values, you can do this, or you can xerox the actual painting in b&w mode.  (Each of these shots represents about a 4" wide area of the painting).  The yellow is still the masking fluid.

Another thing I do from time to time (especially early on) is to draw back into the painting...either I need clarification of what's happening in a certain area (a part of my drawing doesn't seem to make sense), or I just can't see my earlier drawing well enough and am afraid to lose sight of it later on down the road.

I also constantly "babysit" what's happening in various parts of the painting.  My eye roves over it to see if anything needs my attention.  I want a certain amount of "color mixing" to happen on my page, but if color intrudes where I wasn't expecting it (for instance, if the board is bumped or tipped), I can blot up what doesn't need to be there.  But, for the most part, I'm a fan of one area's colors bleeding into the next.  I don't paint within the lines.  Especially within the first wash or two.
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And here's a picture where I've added color to mostly the left side, as well as in the reflections a bit.  The grass blades look garish for now, because of the mask.  It's so tempting to rub it off, but don't!  Now I'm headed to get ready for my friend Susan's art reception tonight.  I won't be able to paint tomorrow, but I'll be back on Saturday with you!  Happy painting!

New Painting (post #3)

If you're just now starting to read my blog, thank you for visiting!  If I could suggest it, you might want to start reading 2 posts earlier, since I'm talking about my progress on this new painting I've begun.

Today, I looked at the painting with fresh eyes.   Here's what it looked like this morning after yesterday's session, along with the inspiration photo.

Inspiration for my new painting

Step 1:  Masking Fluid & First Wash applied.

Yes, I know the drawing doesn't look like the inspiration photo...that's because I sometimes like to change it up to improve it and give it my own composition.  This morning I added more masking fluid over the first glaze (be sure to apply it when the paper is dry) and I'm going to paint a 2nd layer of paint once the mask is dry.  (FYI:  everything that's in yellow is where there's masking fluid).  I even put some at the edge of the trees where it meets the sky.  I'm not sure yet how I will treat the sky.  I very often wait till the end to determine what to do with it, or whether to even leave it white, which I've done many, many times with great success.  The painting will guide me as always....

Here it is again with more color applied to the pampas grass on the left side.  Can you see it's starting to look like it has potential?

Step 1:  Color added to pampas grass area on left.  Layering of one object (clump of grasses) in front of another object creates depth and perspective.

New Painting (post #2)

Before I put any paint on the paper, I go through my mental list of questions, which prepares me to paint with confidence once I'm ready to go.

- where do I want my viewer to focus in on?  What's special about this scene?  Some scenes have more than one area that draws your attention.  As the artist, you get to choose what you'll paint about today.  Tomorrow, maybe it'll be a new painting focusing on the other area of interest.  This is often how my series are born.

-  once you decide where to focus, you have to decide what techniques to use to accomplish the eye moving there

- even mundane concerns have to be addressed before starting:  is my palette area big enough for the size of the puddles needed to paint this larger size painting?  If not, what additional palettes or plates can I use?  What size brushes should I start with?  Are they clean from the last session?  Nothing worse than putting down a streak of blue when you've planned to paint with yellow.  Are my paints moist enough already, or do I need to add water or additional paint.  You get it, I'm sure...all the routine things we have to check off before getting started.

Having gone through all that, my first wash is now down and I must let it thoroughly dry at this point (it's outside sitting on my porch table...hope the cats don't jump up there to explore).  I check it like a proud mama ever few minutes to see how the colors have blended on the paper.

I usually use Arches 300# rough paper, but the one I used today (because I had it in inventory) is Arches 300# bright white, which to me is a smoother paper than the rough I'm used to painting on.  The paint is reacting differently (but I'm able to predict results because I've used this paper in the past.  Every painting session adds information to the glossary in your head for future events).  I prefer Arches over another brand because it allows me to scrub out paint to a degree (depending on the stain value of the color), without marring the surface of the paper.

The colors went down brightly today, but are naturally drying paler.  This is expected and wanted.  When I paint, I always shoot for the illusion of aerial perspective.  Paler colors will help me with that illusion as the painting progresses to darker layers, especially if left pale in the right places.

I also found that this paper stayed wet MUCH longer than the rough.  It's as if the sizing is not as intense as on the rough, and it allows the water to penetrate quicker.  Well, it's been long enough...time to go see what those colors look like now!

New Painting Started

I'm starting a new watercolor painting and am going to attempt to record my painting steps (I say "attempt" because oftentimes I get carried away and forget to take a picture of some steps...when you're in the moment, the left side of the brain gets ruled out!).

I'm not ready to share with you the subject matter, so this might sound "clinical" for the next while.  I'm funny like that...maybe a bit hesitant to jinx my new attempts.  But I'm trying to get better at this "recording" stuff, so here goes.

- I've completed my drawing...no small feat.  This piece will measure 22x30.  Sometimes when it's larger, it causes my back to hurt when I have to lean over the larger board.  I do paint larger, but this is not one of those times.
- I've applied my masking fluid to keep certain areas nice and white for now.
- Once the masking fluid is totally dry (in the next few minutes), I'm going to lay in my first wash.  This is done very loosely, with lots of color, which I always hope will glow through the subsequent layers of paint.

That's it for now...stay tuned!  I'm super excited to get down that first wash!