Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

My Favorite Paint
I Love MaimeriBlu Watercolor Paint!

The colors are brilliant. They are extremely colorfast (they don't fade over time on me.) They are excellent for adding to your palette and letting them set up and dry before using. They liquify easily when swiped across the top of the well with a wet brush. The texture and smoothness of the paint is excellent. It is a superior artist quality watercolor paint made in Italy.

Shown in the photo are the colors I suggest using in my painting classes.

A bonus tip for today ... just paint!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Lots of Dew Drops
















Sweet Peridot Dew Drop - August 26, 2010
Honey Dew Drop - August 25, 2010
Chocolate Raspberry Drop - August 24, 2010
Emerald Dew Drop - August 23, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - ATC

Four more additions to my Painting A Day Challenge and my Dew Drop Series. All of which can be found in my Squier Etsy Shop: http://squier.etsy.com A variety of these dew drops would look awesome framed together as a group!

Painted in the Adirondacks
















Day at the Lake - August 20, 2010
Before the Storm - August 21, 2010
Day of the Storm - August 22, 2010
After the Storm - August 23, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - ATC

Spent another gorgeous long weekend in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York. Boy did it rain on Sunday. A lake that is usually calm and peaceful through the night, sounded as though we were on the ocean complete with little white caps.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Palette Variety
There are a variety of watercolor palettes available what works best for you may be different from what works best for someone else. Here are a few of my favorites.

Zoltan Szabo Watercolor Palette. The palettes on the top of pile shown here has angled wells for the paint and angled wells for the mixing of colors. The angled wells for the mixing of colors helps the paint to pool at the bottom and perhaps stay moist longer. I love the rounded edges of all the wells, it's easy on the brushes. The separate walls in the mixing area will also keep the different mixtures from mingling. It comes with a lid and is great for traveling and plein air painting.

Tom Lynch Watercolor Palette. Has angled wells for the paint with high sides to keep each of the colors separated and it has a very large flat mixing area. This one also comes with a lid. It makes a great class palette. I love the rounded edges of this palette too.

Butcher's Tray Palette. This palette is a simple large rectangular pan with a flat bottom and four walls on the sides. It is an white enamel coated metal pan. I love it for storing colors I have removed from other palettes. I am starting to think it may make a great in studio palette, it has no lid. However, if I were to squirt fresh from the tube color and allow it to dry before using, I would have to make sure I choose colors that are not runny when wet.

Why have just one palette in one style? I think I have a total of 8 palettes.

I have excellent ideas for what I think the perfect palette should be and would love to someday have my own line of palettes and watercolor painting supplies!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

My Studio

This is where I sit and paint most of my watercolor paintings. I have a good sized art table with two lamps on adjustable arms. An East facing window and a South facing window. Excellent natural light through out the day makes this a cheery place to paint.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Drip Drip Drop
















Midnight Blue Dew Drop - August 17, 2010
Iolite Dew Drop - August 18, 2010
Murky Water Dew Drop - August 19, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Paintings for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Three More for My Painting A Day Challenge















Mixed Bouquet - August 14, 2010
Cosmic Blossoms - August 15, 2010
Pea Soup Drops - August 16, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Cards
ATC Artist Trading Cards

Painting A Day Challenge continues!
I have enjoyed this adventure so much and will continue on this adventure.

These and more can be found for sale in my Squier Etsy Shop: http://squier.etsy.com

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

White Paint Tip
Quick little tip. I prefer to use white gouache for adding a touch of white to my watercolor paintings.

I squeeze the paint fresh from the tube into a little ceramic dish. I prefer to use it fresh from the tube, but often times I end up squeezing out way more than I need.

I have found a little spritz bottle filled with water works wonders for re-wetting the white paint. I spray the paint with water a few minutes before I am ready to use the white. It softens the paint.

Using the spray bottle, insures that I am only wetting it with clean, clear water. I also make sure I use a clean brush. This way I do not contaminate my white with another color.

This works great whether you have white watercolor paint, which I don't recommend at all or white gouache (basically an opaque & matte watercolor).

For more about white paint in watercolor painting, read one of my old Tuesday's Tips:

Saturday, August 14, 2010

One More Dew Drop

Oily Dew Drop - August 13, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO = Art Card, Editions & Originals
Little works of art that measure only 2.5 x 3.5 inches and are flat, yet created in any medium.

ATC = Artist Trading Cards
Little works of art that measure only 2.5 x 3.5 inches and are flat, yet created in any medium.

Pretty much the same, the only difference is that ACEOs are bought and sold and ATCs are traded.

All of mine are original watercolor paintings ... I may be interested in trading some of my older ones for finely created originals. Let me know if you're interested.

Enjoy Summer

Late Summer Day - August 12, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO Art Card

This precious little watercolor painting can be found for sale along with many of my other Painting A Day Challenge paintings in my Squier Etsy Shop.

Have a wonderful summer day!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Colors of Summer


Hot Summer Dew Drops - August 11, 2010
Peridot Dew Drop - August 10, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - ATC

It has been a very hot, hot summer. The colors of these dew drops definitely say summertime.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Adirondack Inspired Landscapes















Adirondack Inlet - August 7, 2010
Adirondack Inspiration - August 8, 2010
Adirondack Dream - August 9, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Can you tell I spent a long weekend in the Adirondacks? A fabulous place to get away from all things modern. No electricity, no computer, no cars. Nature is so inspiring!

Loose and Fresh

Purple Posies - August 6, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - ATC

August? Where are the days going?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Painting Sky Around Buildings or Objects
If you are having trouble painting your sky around buildings or objects while creating your painting right side up, try turning your board upside down.

Sometimes while trying to paint the sky around a house or a barn can be difficult to paint because it's further away, the strokes feel odd, it's a drippy wet sky and you're afraid of runs.

Twist your painting board around, so the sky is now closer to you. Tilt your board, so if the sky drips, it drips off the edge of the painting on onto the tape and not onto your buildings.

If you paint on a board, your painting can be twisted and turned as needed to make the brush strokes feel more natural and make it easier to paint.

You don't need to paint an entire painting right side up.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Fun with Numbers

Eight Nine Ten Drop - August 9, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - Art Card

I love numbers! Love the date!
08-09-10

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Drip Drop Dew Drops in August


Cranberry Red Dew Drop - August 4, 2010
Carolina Blue Drops - August 5, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - Art Cards

Two fabulous additions to my dew drop series! They look so three dimensional.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Simplicity in Landscape

Lake at Dusk - August 3, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

The lake, any lake at dusk is simply beautiful.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Flowers for August







Flowers for Anna - August 1, 2010
Flowers for Mama - August 2, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - Art Card

Flowers start off my Painting A Day for the month of August.

The End of July


Sunny Lemon Drop - July 31, 2010
Big Bouquet - July 30, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - Art Card

Two little watercolors to close out the month of July in my Painting A Day Challenge.

Inspired by the Adirondacks




















Adirondack Summer - July 25, 2010
Susie Q - July 26, 2010
Lake Beauty - July 27, 2010
Wildflowers - July 28, 2010
Adirondack Stream - July 29, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO - Art Cards

Inspired by my vacation time in the Adirondacks. Even on vacation, I continued my Painting A Day!

Learn the origin of ACEOs on Wikipedia.

Variety in Green



Gin & Tonic Drop - July 24, 2010
Kelly Dew Drops - July 23, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - Art Cards, Editions & Originals

Painting A Day Challenge & Dew Drop Series

My ACEOs are all original miniature watercolor paintings on acid free 100% cotton rag archival watercolor paper and painted with artist quality italian watercolor paint.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Colors Look Paler When Dry

Watercolor paint when wet can look very dark and vibrant and when it dries back the intensity of the color can fade back up to 50%.

If you want a painting with deep, brilliant colors you may need to paint them much darker than you anticipated.

Shown here is a sample of the same swash of colors. Using the same puddle of paint colors, the painting on the left is dry and on the one on the right is wet. Notice how much more vibrant the wet colors appear.

Something to think about when wanting to paint bright, bold color.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Vacation Time of Year

We decided to pack up and head out of town for a bit.











We're now well rested and back in business.

My Painting A Day continued even on vacation, I will begin posting last weeks paintings on Wednesday.

Hope you are enjoying the summer as much as Daisy and Scooter are!


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