Page 72 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2014

USING MEDIA
Using Martin/F. Weber Mijello Mission Gold Watercolors, I will start off this series demonstrating my Vertical Shapes Skyscape Technique. In art, anything vertical suggests a feel- ing of spirituality because the direction goes from the ground toward the heavens. Feelings evoked include peace, reflection, and mystery. Here, the vertical white in the sky is a symbol of spirit softly surrounding the lighthouse. The term watercolor is made from two words: water and color. An artist needs to master both. Think of color as the passenger and water as the vehicle. It will be the water that dictates texture, luminosity, blending, movement, action, intensity, contrast, lifting, and control; the paint is pretty much along for the ride.
In order to paint the various Skyscapes, I will be utiliz- ing my Soft Sky Application. It consists of using the opaque watercolor Daler Rowney Pro White as it mixes with differ- ent water-based media, presenting an altogether different story, mood, and visual impact each time. It not only blends with each medium, but also will actually bring out the best in them. I utilize a process of watering down the paper, the precise timing of applying Pro White and color, and a unique blending process that will become one of those magic mo- ments for you to learn and enjoy.
Future articles will demonstrate three other Skyscapes using DecoArt Traditions Artist Acrylics, Daler Rowney Designers Gouache, and Jack Richeson Shiva Casein, respectively.
STARTING WITH A DESIGN
A design starts as a thought to fill a need or solve a prob- lem; maybe just to create something pretty to look at or to provoke a feeling, like a work of art.
The first thing to be worked out in a composition is the placement of shapes. This sounds easy enough but is great- ly overlooked by many artists, especially beginning artists. The placement of shapes is what will first draw the eye of the viewer into your work of art, whatever it may be. Large shapes need to balance each other with the small shapes tying them together, as in my sketch of the lighthouse and rocks.
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SKILLBUILDER
Painter’s Checklist
SuRFACE
111⁄2" x 15" (29.21 x 38.1cm) sheet of Daler Rowney Langton Prestige Cold Press 140-pound watercolor paper
PALETTE
DALER ROWNEY PRO WHITE
DALER ROWNEY FW ACRYLIC ARTISTS INK Purple Lake
MARTIN/F. WEBER CO.
MIJELLO MISSION GOLD WATERCOLORS
Bright Clear Violet Burnt Sienna Hooker’s Green Indigo
Ivory Black
Orange
Peacock Blue Permanent Yellow Deep Red Brown
BRuSHES
Red Violet
Sap Green
Sepia Ultramarine Deep Vandyke Brown Viridian
Yellow Green Yellow Ochre No. 1
DYNASTY BRUSHES
BLACK GOLD SERIES 206
1⁄4" & 1" flat washes
Nos. 2, 4, 6 & 8 rounds
KB ARTFORMS
KEITH’S SPECIAL EFFECTS BRUSH No. 12
SuPPLIES
Basic painting supplies (page 127) Masquepen liquid masking fluid (small bottle) Scotch Blue Painter’s Tape (Easy Lift) Toothbrush
SOuRCES
n Pro White is available through Daler Rowney, 2 Corporate Drive, Cranbury, NJ 08512; (609) 655-5252; www.daler-rowney.com.
n Masquepen is available through Dick Blick Art Materials; 1-800-828-4548; www.dickblick.com.
n Dynasty brushes are available through FM Brush Company, Inc., 70-02, 72nd Place, Glendale, NY 11385; (718) 821-5939; www.fmbrush.com.
n Keith’s Special Effects Kit containing Keith’s Special Effects No. 12 brush is available through KB Art- forms; www.kbartforms.com; kbartforms@mac.com.
n Mijello Mission Gold Watercolors are available through Martin/F. Weber Co., 2727 Southampton Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154; (215) 677-5600; www.weberart.com.
70 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 2, 2014