A Bouquet of Flowers

Posies

by Rita Squier

Watercolor Painting

2.5 x 3.5 inches

Art Card

A simple little bouquet of flowers where the colors mix and mingle.

Flowers are a sure sign of Spring!

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for Watercolor Painting

It's Okay to Trace

If you have done a great drawing or taken a really nice photograph that you would love to paint in watercolor but the drawing or photo is the wrong size or you you can't draw without erasing all the time or you just plain old cannot draw. Don't let that stop you from painting it in watercolor. Take your drawing or photograph to a photocopier and enlarge it to the size you would like to paint it. Or if you have a scanner, scan it and resize it to the size you want to paint it. Take your copy or print out and tape it to a window on a sunny day, then tape your watercolor paper over top of it. Now you have an instant light table. The sun will shine through both papers and you will be able to trace the image onto your watercolor paper. Use an HB or No. 2 Pencil (same thing) and lightly trace, try to use as few lines as possible and try not to erase too much!

You can paint in watercolor even if you can't draw ... you can trace! It's okay.

A Single Drop

Mint Dew Drop

by Rita Squier

2.5 x 3.5 inch

Art Card - ACEO

Original Watercolor Painting

A single little drop casts such a little shadow.

This little ACEO and more original watercolor ACEOs can be found in my Etsy Shop ... such a fun way to collect art!

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Simplicity

Daisy Sketch

by Rita A. Squier

2.5 x 3.5 inch

Art Card

Watercolor, Pen & Ink

Sometimes you just need a little simplicity in life!

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Salting Your Watercolors

Salt can add a pretty cool effect to your watercolor painting. There is a trick to using salt and it's all about timing.

1. Paint a test swash of color on your watercolor paper.

2. Wait until the shine begins to disappear from the wet paint.

3. Spring some kosher salt just as the shine is going away.

4. Wait. Let the salt do it's thing, there is no way to rush this step.

5. When the salt, paint and paper is completely dry you can then brush away the salt. Make sure you remove all of the salt.

6. Voila, the effect of salt.

If you sprinkle the salt down too early, it will melt and stick to the paper. If you wait too long, nothing happens. It's all about timing!

Think Pink

Dew Drops in Pink

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 5 x 7 inch

A slightly larger study in pink of dew drops. I started out with a simple flat wash of a nice mixed shade of pink and then added dew drops in varying sizes. This little study Dew Drops in Pink is available in my Etsy Shop.

Drip, Drip, Drip ...

Single Dew Drop

by Watercolor Artist Rita Squier

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

An Art Card, ACEO - Original Watercolor Painting

Just a Single Dew Drop in a lovely aquamarine blue color. A single dew drop on a single ACEO, want to see more ACEOs? I just filled the front page of my own website with a ton of art cards.

Take a look here: http://rasquier.com

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Oh the Little Dew Drops ...

Peachy Dew Drops II

by Watercolor Artist Rita Squier

2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - Art Card - An Original Watercolor Painting

Yet another one of my little paintings from my Dew Drop Series. This one and more are available for purchase in the ACEO Section of my Etsy Shop.

Take a peek!

This has become a very popular series!

Have a great day!

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Dew Drop Study on Leaves

Leafy Drops

by Artist Rita Squier

Paper Size: 5x7 inch

After having practiced my dew drops on the three different colors, I did a quick little study of dew drops painted on leaves. Not bad at all for my first attempt on leaves if I do say so myself. Can you tell I'm pleased with my results?

Dew drops can be an awesome addition to a painting. Now all I need to do is to fit the dew drop concept into an actual floral painting.

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Color Blending, Wet into Wet

I use the wet into wet watercolor technique to blend one color into another color.

1. I start off with a 1/4 sheet (11 x 15") piece of watercolor paper taped on all four sides to my board. I use my favorite 1 1/2" wash brush which is a Winsor Newton brush, a blend of sable and synthetic bristles. A 1 inch roll of masking tape (or two 1/2" rolls stacked as shown here).

2. I prepare my palette with an ample amount of rich color puddles. Maimeri Blu's Permanent Violet Bluish, Ultramarine Deep and Primary Red Magenta.

3. With a clean brush and clean, clear water, I wet the paper flat from top to bottom. Evenly distributing the water. Then I slide the roll of masking tape under the top edge of my board, so my board is now at an angle.

4. While the paper is still wet I add color. I start with a blend of the violet and ultramarine. In long horizontal strokes from one edge of the page to the other I add the color. Do not stop in the middle. Do not start in the middle. It is important to keep the strokes long and the full width of the page.

5. While the color and paper is still wet, one must work quickly. Do not allow your paint or your paper to dry. I switch up my colors adding in a bit of ultramarine and overlap my colors and I continue to keep my strokes long. Adding in some of the magenta.

6. I continue on down to the bottom of the page and have shifted the color to a pale magenta. I leave the board at an angle and allow the paint to dry completely. With the board angled, the colors will slowly blend and fade into one another as they dry back.

If you keep your brush, paper and paint consistently moist with the same amount of water you will be able to blend one color into the next without creating harsh lines or back runs.

Give it a try ... and good luck!

Practice Practice Practice

Dew Drop Study

by Watercolor Artist Rita Squier

5 x 7 inch

Here is my very first set of practice dew drops. A study of dew drops done on pink, green and orange. Different sizes, shapes and background colors. I practiced the dew drops on a simple background color before attempting to paint them on a leaf or a flower.

One must practice, practice, practice!

The Dew Drop Series

Dew Drops on Frozen Color

by Watercolor Artist Rita Squier

Art Card 2.5 x 3.5 inches

The beginning of my Dew Drop Series of Art Cards & ACEOs. I teach a watercolor painting class and I wanted to introduce my class to the art of painting dew drops. An added little touch to a floral painting that simply looks amazing. I practiced a few dew drops on a simple background, then on some simply painted leaves. I found this amazing art card of frozen purple and blue colors and I thought it needed a little something extra ... three simple little dew drops.

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Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Paint Storage, Save a Buck

Ever since going to college for art I have stored my supplies in fishing tackle boxes. Now you can buy all sorts of various boxes made for storing art supplies. But if you want to save a buck, go to the fishing section of the department store. Check out the variety of fishing tackle boxes they have there. I guarantee you will find better and cheaper art supply storage items there. I store my tubes of watercolor paint in a two sided somewhat clear fishing tackle box. On one side I toss in all my warm colors and on the other side, I store all my cool colors. It has little divider sections that are movable and removable. Pretty cool huh?

Collecting & Creating Art Cards

ATC's & ACEO's

Artist Trading Cards (ATC) - Traded amongst artists.

Art Cards, Editions & Originals (ACEO) - Sold to artists and collectors.

Artist Trading Cards and Art Cards are one in the same. They are referred to as Artist Trading Cards when traded and Art Cards when sold. The only requirement is the size. The size is 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The same size as other themed trading cards. They fit perfectly into the sleeves and sheets that are created for regular trading cards.

Artists from all over the world create these little works of art in a variety of different mediums and subject matter. Artists trade them with other artists. Artists sell them to those who love small art and to those who would love to collect art but cannot really afoord to buy the larger pieces the artist is selling. This also allows people to collect a larger variety of art since they are only buying little pieces. The art cards are meant to be sold at lower prices and to reach a wider audience.

The Art Cards I have created have all been original watercolor paintings. I store them in a 3 ring binder filled with sheets of trading card sleeves. I sell my original watercolor Art Cards through my Etsy Shop.

Little Bit of Art

Butterfly in Red

by Watercolor Artist Rita Squier

5x7" Original Watercolor Painting

Everyone should have a little bit of art in their home, in their lives. A little bit of fine art, original art created by the hands of an artist. We live in such a mass produced and throw away society, it is time to get back to the basics. Back to what is real and what has been created by hand from the heart. Prints are nice, but what about real art? There is a great deal of real art that is affordable out there. Support the fine artists of the world, buy an original piece of art. Even if it is just a little piece of art. It will add life and character to your home or even your office, your desk.

You can find this little original watercolor painting and more in my Etsy Shop:

http://squier.etsy.com

Everyone needs a little bit of art!