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Fun with Watercolor: Sometimes It’s Best To Use as Little Water as Possible
To finish today’s sketch I used as little water as possible with my watercolors on a non-wet-media paper. This post shows you the ink sketch, the painted face, and then my decision to paint a background of color behind the face. What this post can’t really show you is how much fun I […]
The Piecemeal Portrait Tutorial That Wasn’t
To keep myself drawing while I’m working out what my post-cataract eyesight will be I’ve been videotaping my sketching sessions. I find that the resultant videos allow me to look again at my process and ask myself questions about the progress I’m making with my eyesight. It also takes the focus off of whether or […]
Some Dog Sketches on Canson 180
What better way to test a paper than with some dog sketches on Canson 180? In the sketches today I used a Sailor Fude Fountain pen (containing Platinum Carbon Black ink) and watercolor to make quick sketches from dogs on the Sktchy App. The scans show paper buckling caused by the wet […]
Working on Canson 180
Today I look at working with watercolor on a not-wet-media paper. In May I shared with you how I started working in a Canson 180 sketchbook given to me by a friend. Because recovery from cataract surgery has been protracted I’ve been rather cooped up, unable to drive, get to life drawing, etc. One […]
In Context: Looking at the Arteza Watercolor Book Part 5
On this page of my Arteza Watercolor Book I was testing fountain pens—using my Sailor Fude Fountain pen with Platinum Carbon Black ink. The pen moves well on the slightly textured paper. The ink settles quickly and doesn’t bleed when you add your washes. (I go in pretty quickly with my washes so I […]
In Context: Looking at the Arteza Watercolor Book Part 2
Key Points This is part two of my in context review of the Arteza Watercolor Book. (You can find them on Amazon and the link is in the first post in this series.) Use the navigation at the bottom of this post to go back to the first post in this series. There’s no text […]
Project Friday: Go Ahead, Paint on Lightweight Drawing Paper
If there is one thing I would like to communicate to blog readers it’s that you need to go ahead and paint on whatever paper you have at hand. Simply because in the process of making the paint stick to paper that isn’t meant to have wet media on it you learn something about the […]
Rewatching “Death in Paradise”
In January I started rewatching “Death in Paradise.” It’s a “murder/detective/fish-out-of-water” show that I have enjoyed since first seeing it on PBS several years ago. I don’t want to give significant details away about the whole arc of the series, but basically an English policeman, not well liked at home for being a bit fussy […]
Another Portrait on Canson Heritage Watercolor Paper
One thing I found that I really liked with Canson Heritage watercolor paper was the way a wide range of pens worked beautifully on its surface. (I was testing the hot press surface.) In this portrait I used a fountain pen filled with Platinum Carbon Black and two Sakura Pigma Professional brush pens with solid […]
Stonehenge Aqua Review Part 2—Ink on the Cold Press Surface and Binding
This is part two of a multi-part review of Stonehenge Aqua (hot and cold press) 140 lb. watercolor papers. Please see part one (which contains a recommendation summary) at this link. While I may have started as a child with color pencils I quickly transitioned to pen and ink. As a result of that I’ve […]