Projects, Skill Level 1
Project 1-1: Three Scoops
Last updated 14 July 2018.
Skill Level: 1
A beginning watercolor.
Source Photo
Finished Watercolor
Three Scoops
Pigments
Red: Perylene Maroon (PeM — PR170, Daniel Smith)
Blue: Phthalo Blue (PhB — PB15 , Daniel Smith)
or
Brown: Van Dyke Brown (VDBr — PBr7, Daniel Smith)
Blue: Ultramarine Blue (UlB — PBr29, M. Graham)
Elements
Silver: PeM + PhB (Or you may use an alternative Silver: VDBr + UlB)
Paper Used
9 1/2 x 12", hot press side, cut from Arches En-Tout Cas roll, 280 gsm (134 lb)
Note: in all thes projects you may use any watercolor paper you choose, either hot press or cold press will work fine. You may find cold press paper a bit more forgiving if you are a beginner.
Painting Time
About one hour of painting time over a single day (four hours elapsed time to allow for drying between layers).
Techniques
I used the RCPT technique to generate a sketch.
For my first layer, I applied a thin wash of PeM + PhB on to the cookie scoop handles, reserving white space for the glare . (Note, PeM and PhB are staining colors. If you prefer to use non-staining pigments, VDBr with UlB makes a very good gray that will lift more easily. Note also that there is no difference in hue or chroma between silver and gray. Silver is an illusion created by reserving, lifting, or scrubbing out highlights from gray.)
After allowing the first layer to dry, I added subsequent layers.
For the scoops, I added a more concentrated wash of PeM + PhB to the periphery of the scoop, and then graduated the wash thinner toward the center in a spiral. I then rinsed my brush and brushed clear water from the center of the scoop to the outside in a reverse spiral. I allowed the pigment and water to blend, occasionally lifting out pigment from the center of the scoop if necessary to keep the color lighter there in order to simulate the reflection from each scoop. (I made no attempt to duplicate the individual highlights in each scoop.)
I added the concentrated wash to the outside edges of handles and blended with clear water to create those highlights.
I used a dip pen loaded with the concentrated wash and used the dip pen to create the dark space between the scoop and the curved wiper.
A note about making your own dip pen:
I don't like Speedball nibs because I think they are flimsy, rust easily, and don't hold watercolor paint very well. Unfortunately, they are ubiquitous. However, I have no complaint with Speedball nib holders and happily, they will accept more sturdily-built fountain-pen tips. I would rather use a good tip from an inexpensive fountain pen. Most medium-nibbed tips work well. An online search will yield many that will fit the bill. This nib is under two dollars. For the feed, I use a 1/2" section of a plastic straw. I cut the straw section in half lengthwise and place one of the halves under the nib. I then insert the straw section and then the fountain pen tip into the holder. After this, I wrap some string around the back half of the assembly (nearest the handle) to secure everything. The straw under the nib acts to help retain the watercolor in the nib and the wound cord keeps watercolor from dripping out the side. The result is a homemade dip pen that will last for ever and works better than anything you can buy. To load the nib, just brush the watercolor over the top of the nib near the relief hole.
Differences Between Source Photo and Watercolor
I made no attempt to duplicate the background or the individual highlights in each scoop. Just because it's in the photo doesn't mean that it needs to be in the watercolor. (Conversely, just because something isn't in the watercolor, doesn't mean you can't add it.)
The highlights could have been scrubbed to be crisper and better resemble the source photo.
Project 1-2: Spoon in Wire Basket
Last updated 18July 2018
Skill Level: 1
A beginning watercolor.
Source Photo
Photo of Watercolor
Spoon in a Wire Basket
Pigments
Red: Perylene Maroon (PeM — PR170, Daniel Smith)
Blue: Phthalo Blue (PhB — PB15 , Daniel Smith)
Elements
Metal: PeM + PhB
Marble: PeM, dilute
Marble Streaks: PeM + PhB
Wire: PeM + PhB, concentrated
Paper
10¼" x 14" Arches Hot Press Block 300 gsm/150 lb paper.
Painting Time
About 4 hours in a single day.
Techniques
I used the RCPT technique to generate a sketch.
I wet the paper with a thin wash of PeM.
I then added a thin mix of PeM + PhB wet into wet to simulate the marbling. Timing was important here. Touch a bit of the color to the page... if it spreads too quickly wait another minute or two and try again.
After this was dry, I began working on the spoon. I began by adding a thin mix of PeM + PhB wet into wet for the gray of the spoon.
I then alternated with washes of PeM + PhB brushed on clear water around the pigment to diffuse the gray. Again, timing is important.
Once the spoon looked good, I let the composition dry.
I then added a light wash of PeM + PhB inside the perimeter of the wire basket to make it a bit darker and simulate the light that would be subtracted by the wire mesh of the basket. I allowed this to dry.
I then inked in the wire reflection in the spoon using a concentrated mix of PeM + PhB loaded onto a dip pen and began to ink in the wires taking care not to infringe on the spoon. (This can also be done with a fountain pen loaded with a permanent lightfast black, such as Noodler's Eel Black Ink or using a dip pen with India Ink.)
I then inked in the wires on the basket using the same procedure.
I lightened whatever areas on the spoon needed highlights and that I felt I didn't get quite right the first time. (Scrubbing should always be done last because it removes the sizing on the watercolor paper. Without the sizing, any subsequent washes over the scrubbed area are likely to soak more deeply into the paper causing color discrepancies and blotches, so avoid the need to add any watercolor to a scrubbed area by planning ahead and scrubbing as a last act in the composition.)
Differences Between Source Photo and Watercolor
I elected to tint the background slightly pink rather than leave it as white.
PeM diffuses faster than PhB. The result is some color separation in the marbling though this appears quite natural.
The marbling runs in a different direction compared to the photo. I felt diagonal marbling made for a better watercolor composition.
If you look closely at the spoon in the source photo you can see a reflection of the photographer holding the camera. I omitted this detail in the watercolor (though it could have been interesting to include).
Project 1-3: Spatula and Spoon
Last updated 19 July 2018
Skill Level: 1
A beginning watercolor.
Source Photo
Photo of Watercolor
Spoon in Wire Basket
Pigments
Red: Perylene Maroon (PeM — PR170, Daniel Smith)
Blue: Phthalo Blue (PhB — PB15 , Daniel Smith)
Elements
Metal: PeM + PhB
Marble: PeM
Marble Streaks: PeM + PhB
Paper
10¼" x 14" Arches Hot Press Block 300 gsm/150 lb paper.
Painting Time
About 4 hours in a single day.
Techniques
I used the RCPT technique to generate a sketch.
I laid in a background wash, wet into wet using a dilute solution of PeM.
I added the marble streaks using PeM + PhB on a #1 rigger. Since PeM + PhB is so staining, I controlled the dispersion by following with a damp brush, especially at the edges of the streak using a side-to-side motion to fuzz the edges.
I then used a dilute solution of PeM + PhB to lay in the spoon and spatula. I graduated this wash with clear water to match approximately the shade in the picture.
I followed this by reinforcing the shade with a more concentrated solution of PeM. This included the bottom shade on the spoon and the line of shade on the spatula. The timing is important for this step. I waited until the paper was nearly (but not totally) dry, so that I would get the proper amount of dispersion.
Next, I added a more concentrated solution of PeM + PhB to define the plate. I also graduated this application to get some variation on the plate.
I followed this after drying with a very concentrated solution of PeM + PhB laid in with a rigger to reinforce the shadow areas on the plate.
I scrubbed out the highlights on the plate.
Differences Between Source Photo and Watercolor
In retrospect, I can't tell whether the spoon is face down or face up. This could be fixed with additional shade on the bowl of the spoon. Though in fairness, one can't really see this distinction in the source photo either.
The handle of the spatula and the bowl of the spoon are not as round as they should be. For that matter, the plate is not as sharply defined as it could be. Both of these issues could be fixed with a scrubber, water, and a paper towel to blot, but I didn't feel it was necessary for the feel of this piece.
I omitted reflections of the photographer and ceiling fixtures in the spoon and spatula, respectively.
The silver really needs more contrast – basically, more pigment needs to be added to the edges and key areas of the spoon and allowed to diffuses.
