Tuesday Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Fingerprints! 

Be extremely careful on how you handle your watercolor paper.  Make sure your hands are clean and dry.

Oily fingers, sweaty hands, recently applied hand lotion, cold clammy fingers can all leave fingerprints on your watercolor paper.  And guess what?  They often don't show up until the paint is almost dry.

This is a great tip, especially for this time of year when the air is dry and you need hand lotion.

I have notice with hand lotion, the color seems to be attracted to it and the fingerprints dry darker.  The natural oils in your hands or the oils from those chips you're snacking on can cause a resist and leave the finger print area paler.

Millefiori Clay Pen

I have been wanting a fountain pen for quite some time now.  I decided that was going to be my birthday present to myself.  After doing a little research and putting some thought into it, I chose to make my own pen.

I ordered millefiori clay canes on Etsy.  I purchased a fountain pen kit that was meant for woodworking projects.  The kit even included a cartridge of black ink, which I chose not use.  I purchased some blue ink cartridges.  Instead of turning wood for the outside, which I have no clue on how to do or the equipment to do it, I covered the pen with clay.

A little slicing, sticking, rolling, baking, assembly and voila ... a pen!

Love it!

Tuesday Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Lost and Found Background

In the past I have talked about lost and found edges, hard and soft edges.

This technique can help you create a very unique and interesting background to your watercolor paintings.

A recent Tuesday Tip from a few months back explains the how to:
http://ritasquier.blogspot.com/2012/10/tuesdays-tips-and-techniques-for.html


Apple Blossoms
by Artist Rita A. Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
11 x 15 inches

Tuesday Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Splatter Away! 

Have you tried the splatter technique?

Wet your brush, swash it around in some watercolor paint, then tap the wooden part of the brush against the wooden part of another brush held firmly in your other hand and let the paint splatter onto your paper.

You can tap one brush against another brush, a ruler, a pencil or something firmly held in your other hand. It's just likely clanking two sticks together.

Practice over a test sheet of paper.  Tap onto dry paper.  Tap onto wet sections.  Tap one color into another.  Vary the amount of paint and water you have in your brush.  Try different sized brushes.  A round brush versus a flat brush.

Before you know it, you'll have a neat abstract painting!

Mahjong Obsession

Mahjong 2013
Fine Art Giclee Prints
by Artist Rita A. Squier

Last summer, I learned to play Mah Jongg at the local library.  I became obsessed with the game!  I love to play Mah Jongg.

I did my research, picked out the perfect new set for myself.  Occasionally, I still love researching vintage sets.  The engravings are amazing.

This brings me to my newest watercolor painting series which I am thinking of calling the entire series of paintings Mahjong Obsession.  Painting one and two in the new series are complete.

My first watercolor painting in the series has been turned into prints!  I received the box of prints last night and finally found time to open the package this afternoon.  The prints are amazing!  I am so happy with them.

Mahjong 2013 is the first print in the series.  If you're interested in purchasing a print, please contact me.  I have them currently available as 5x7 and 9x12 inch prints.

They're printed on Somerset Velvet paper with a one inch border all around.  The 5x7 print is on 7x9 paper and it is perfect for matting and framing with an 8x10 inch frame.  The 9x12 print is on 11x14 paper perfect for matting and framing with a standard 11x14 frame.

Soon they will be available on my website or in my Etsy shop.  If you can't wait, contact me!

Mahjong 2013 - Giclee Fine Art Print 5x7 inch

Tuesday Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Too Many Brushes? 

I would say this is not even half the watercolor painting brushes I own.  These are the ones that sit on my art table.  Okay, so I stuffed them all into one cup for the photo.

When learning to paint in watercolor and being successful at it ... less is more when it comes to  brushes.

Select a few brushes.

Concentrate on learning how to use those few brushes and use them really well.

It's easier to practice techniques with the same brush over and over and over than to figure out how to create it with a dozen different sized round brushes.

Five brushes.  One small round, one medium round, one large round.  A 3/4 inch one stroke flat brush and a 1 1/2 inch wash brush.  Those are the basics.

Let's Sing!

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ Happy Birthday to Me!!! ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Two Thousand Thirteen

Happy New Year! 

Let's make it a wonderfully creative year!