Watercolor---   Molding Paste

Pastes can be used to achieve a variety of effects and expressions. When used in conjunction with acrylic/watercolor colors they broaden working properties and expand creative possibilities. Unlike gels, pastes are opaque because they contain Marble Dust or other fillers that create a white or clay-tone finish with a variety of textures and properties. Molding Paste can also be used to create foundations for painting either to create texture over a smoother surface, or to smooth out a textured surface. The absorbent qualities of Molding Paste make it suitable as a ground for nearly every painting and drawing media.
I did use the molding paste to be mixed with just white color, and I did use as final touch, after complete, most of the watercolor painting, in order to highlight and/or redefine some of the white zones with this particular texture, the Spanish dancer who has lace on her dress works well to apply and interpret throughout this technique

                            Ref 816 Dance is the hidden language of the soul

              Another example but now within the different painting color, (lighlty mixed
              with modeling paste)  , just to paint the parrot over the plain watercolor
              wash at the background

                                       Ref 817 The Parrot

Watercolor.- Lifting color with water & bleach

Lifting watercolor refers to remove or erase watercolor from the surface of a painting after has been applied .- To lifting out color, should be trought out a previous color washer in a semi-dry condition with a brush previously dipped in water and removed with the help of an absorvent napkin.- to enhance the lifting of the watercolor, you can add a bit of bleach to your water , a mixture of 50% water and 50% bleach Works well .- however handle with care note.- It is better to use an old syntetic brush to do the job

                   Ref 815 A successful artista is inspired by his muse;
               and his muse is inspired by the payment of the comisión

 

Watercolor .- Scratching Off

A Sharp pointed scalpel blade or the edge  tip of a particular spatule, are ideal for scratching off the painted surface to revel the White paper, the heavier the paper the more confidently you will be able to scratch, in my example my paper didn´t help me at all, however allow me to apply a new additional technic because I had to complement with aquaplasto added into White color, aquapasto is a thickening gel to increase the body of the paint which also I applied with spatule to highlight White color spots

Ref 814   "Planted on her first date"

Watercolor.- Don't Add Too Much Water 
                   
Avoid inadvertently adding more water to your paint after you've washed your brush by dabbing the brush onto a dry cloth before putting it in the paint again. If you've loaded a brush with paint and decide you needed less paint, hold clean cloth at the end of the brush hairs to soak up some of the excess. Doing it at this end helps keep the pigment at the tip of the brush.

                  Ref 813 "Tradition is the illusion of permanence"

                     

Watercolor Painting with hot pressed paper
Ref 812.- After underpainting wet on wet,  I lift the color in several and little spots with absorbent paper, regarding light source, selecting the colors to evoke the desire mood, after soak and wait to semidry condition I start to use water color pencils, attending the edges of each shape, with a water spry help and more absorbent paper, (the streetcar) hot pressed paper dries more quickly on it--

                              Ref 812 Art is a passion or it is nothing

Watercolor and the bubbles painting technic.

One technique involves blowing bubbles into a bowl, with a Straw, and then placing the paper on top of the mountain of bubbles, causing them to pop and leave and image on your paper
Another variation. mix soap, wáter and paint in a container, using a sponge, squeeze the sponge over and over in the mixture until you get a foamy layer on top.- lay the watercolor paper on the foam. while removing the paper back and forth in required direction, in order to créate a kind of veining.

                                                    Ref 812
                      "The true method of knowledge is to experiment"

Watercolor .- Paying attention to edges quality

Nothing says beginner more than a watercolor where all edges are hard edges. Usually the picture is more pleasant if you get a variety of edges from soft to hard.
You make soft edges when you paint wet into wet (on wet paper) or you can always soften an edge just after it is painted by painting some plain water next to it. You can also soften an hard edge when it is dry by brushing it with water and a stiff brush, I recommend doing this when you reserve white with liquid frisket as this usually leaves a crisp hard edge that might look too obvious on the painting.
A simple way to make sure you have a variety of edges is to wet your paper at the beginning of the painting and continue working on it as the paper is drying. Your edges will get more and more precise as the paper is drying
At the final stage regarding main focal subject; I re-define with a fine brush and watercolor-pencil main dark lines


                                                 Ref 811
             Painting art; is the silence of thought and the music of sight

Painting is just another way to keeping a diary
I said so, because the following exercises, were made to check different solvent médiums instead just wáter, I tried with soap diluted in wáter for the first paint ref 807,(regarding the river), and some color glazing through the following paintings, that didn´t work at all but give some learning from them on references 808 & 809 and finally just for fun the Painting ref 810 "Our family characters from Wii .- So as somebody wrote.- I have not failed I ve´just found some ways that won´t work.- my next watercolor should be better .- I´ll keep learning bye

Ref 807

 

Ref 808,809,810

 

 

 

 

 

Watercolor.- Working with masking fluid some tips:

1. Plan Thoroughly
2. Dilute to Taste
3. Handle with CareNever shake the bottle of masking fluid. This can cause the masking fluid to coagulate, resulting in a ‘stringy’ lump of masking fluid that, if used directly from the jar, can land in a blobby mess right where you don’t want it! 
4.Choose Different ToolsI use a variety of tools to apply the masking fluid to the paper, dependent on the effects that I wish to achieve. It can be applied using a brush, dip pen, a colour shaper, toothbrush, stencil brush or rolled up paper. Allow masking fluid to build up on a ‘grotty brush’ and you will end up with a unique tool that offers the artist a number of exciting application possibilities, useful for adding sky holes to trees or highlights to stones or pebbles on seashores and riverbanks
5. Soapy water is invaluableWhen choosing a brush to apply the masking fluid, I will go for an old brush that has lost both spring and point; a nylon-haired brush will stay cleaner than one made from natural fibres. I will also have a jar of soapy water to hand, into which I dip my brush, removing any excess with kitchen roll before I dip it into the masking fluid. Coating the hairs of the brush with this weak detergent solution helps to prevent the masking fluid from clinging to them, making dispersal much easier. It also helps to prevent the masking fluid drying out too quickly and clogging the brush in mid application
6. Vary your ApplicationMasking fluid can be painted, drawn, spattered, dabbed or flicked on to your painting surface.
7. Don'tWork WetMake certain that the paper is thoroughly dry before applying the masking fluid, otherwise you run the risk of the masking fluid penetrating the top layer of the paper. This could result in the paper being torn when the masking fluid is removed
8. Remove it CarefullySome artists use a soft rubber to remove the masking fluid from the paper. I remove it by gently rubbing with my fingertips, but only when I have checked that the paint and paper are both completely dry
9. Soften the EdgesMasking fluid can leave hard-edged marks on your work. If the wash painted over a masked area is not a staining colour, then once the masking fluid is removed the edges of these marks can, if desired, be softened by gently lifting out with a damp brush

                               Ref 805   SUNLIGHT IS PAINTING

Watercolor.--- Bold watercolor

Drawing & Transferring

1. Draw or sketch the elements of your composition on tracing paper.

2. Refine the drawing and composition making sure that there are no drawing errors.
3. Transfer the drawing onto watercolor paper. There are various methods of4. Refine the drawing on with a 2H pencil and add any small details. Make sure the
drawing has precise clean lines. Minimize erasing on watercolor paper as it tends to roughen the surface and cause damage to the paper.
5. Use a kneaded eraser to lift/blot the tone of the pencil so the line is visible but not too dark.

Mixing Color

Before painting, it is important to mix the colors FIRST!

1. Start by squeezing out a generous amount of paint into each compartment or well of your palette.

2. Add a few drops of water to each color. The paint should be the consistency of heavy cream. If 2 or more colors are to be mixed together to create a new color start by mixing in a separate well. Start with the lightest color first and then gradually add the darker colors to the mix.
3. Test a small swatch of paint on a scrap piece of watercolor paper and let dry.
4. If you are starting with a palette that already has a lot of paint in it, use a wáter bottle and spray the palette to rehydrate the paints.

The 1st Layer of Paint

This watercolor technique works differently than other methods because the paint is applied in a thick layer, working from dark to light.

1. Establish where the darkest parts of the painting are, and drop a heavy amount of paint in this area. Avoid areas where you want to have highlights. The wáter acts as a vehicle for the paint. It travels across the watery surface. When done properly the result is a graduated wash from dark to light.

2. Let the paint settle into the paper. If the paint is moved around too early, it creates a muddy over worked effect.
3. When the surface of the paper changes from a shimmer to a semi-matte appearance, "sculpt" the area. Paint can be added, moved, pushed or removed at this stage. The moisture level in the brush should always be the same as the paper. If the brush is wetter, a bloom will occur. A bloom is where pigment gathers at the perimeter of the wetter area, leaving a lighter area in the middle.
Remove unwanted color with a paper towel to avoid adding paint to other places as you move the paint around.
 

4. Let the paint dry. Do not over work! It is easy fuss at this point. Don't touch it!

Let it dry. Go to another section of the painting and repeat the same process.
 

The 2nd Layer of Paint

1. Evaluate the dry area. Is it too light? Too dark? The wrong color? This is the time to correct and make adjustments.

2. Mix or remix paint to correct the painting.
3. Apply water over the entire section (make sure the paper is dry) in the same manner as before. Do not use as much water as the first layer. Do not press heavily on the surface. Avoid lifting the existing color or disturbing it.
4. Apply color in the area that needs the correction. Sculpt or move the paint as needed.
5. Let the area dry and move to another section.
 

Applying Details & Cleaning up the Edges

1. For edges that are wobbly, I use the chisel brush to gently remove or clarify the edge. It is important to keep the fibers in brush aligned. I use the brush sideways and slightly moist. Clean brush whenever paint is removed so paint doesn't travel to an unwanted area.

2. Using a small spotter brush apply details using a dry brush technique. The paper is dry and the paint is moist enough to flow paint onto the surface without clumping or being too wet. Test the consistency on a scrap piece of paper.
 

Apply a Glaze

Glazing is a term used for applying a very thin, transparent wash of watercolor over an exisiting layer or layers of dry watercolor. The watercolor layers underneath shine through the glaze when applied properly.

1. Use a small cup, baby food jar or similar and place a small amount of transparent watercolor in the bottom. Begin adding water. The paint should be the consistency of tea. You should be able to see through it.
2. Using a large round brush over a DRY surface, gently and quickly apply the glaze mixture over the area in one stroke if possible. The more the color is moved it around the more it may lift the dry layer up. The glaze should sit on top of the surface.
3. Let it dry. Evaluate and reapply if necessary.

These are the basic steps for creating a bold watercolor. Remember to use LOTS of Paint!
Ref 804

     

Watercolor.- Bold lines --Exercise through cold-pressed watercolor paper 140 lb; because it has a slightly textured surface, somewhere in between rough and hot-pressed paper. It's the paper used most often by watercolor artists. I decided to check on this paper based in the way I use to paint as reference for my future exercises,

                                                     Ref 802

So; I´ll be testing another watercolor papers, to check on results to verify which of them suit me more,

The opposite side of the watercolor paper which doesn´t show the chracteristic grain exercise ref 803

Watercolor .--- Sprinkling salt -watercolor effect.- ref 802

A little table salt sprinkled on damp watercolor paint creates a delicate spot. Each crystal of salt chases away the pigment to make a lighter area beneath it. You can use this texture to create a field of flowers, snow, or leaves on a tree. It also creates interest in a background or foreground where not much else is going on.

Salt doesn't always work the way you hope it will. It involves the right pigment at the correct dampness and speed that the paper and air dry. Sometimes you just can't predict what will happen, and that's half the fun. But if you use the following steps, you should get an interesting result from using salt:

 

1. Wet a watercolor paper with clear water.

2. Place the paper on a flat surface and paint the area where you want to use the salt.

3. Wait for the magic time when the paint is damp and shiny. If the paint is dry, this technique won't work. If the paper has puddles, pour them off or absorb the excess water with the corner of a paper towel.

4. Add the salt. Less is more. Take a pinch of salt in your fingers and sprinkle a few grains rather than dumping a whole shaker on your painting.

5. Let the painting dry without disturbing the salt.

6. Brush away the salt after the paint dries.

 

                                       Ref 802

 

Markers and watercolor .---Architectural sketches ref 801
2nd exersize:_ After gathering drawings references;  some of my own; I make the main reference renderings I started by splash wáter color … can't really explain in any detail… just going with the flow at a crazy exciting pace. As soon as I thought "should I do sky? - I paused and then realised it was time to go for the show and tell
I didn't necessarily intend to use ink but in my mind I had to get on as soon as possible. So I quickly splashed on some colour in the areas of shade/shadows. After doing this, I realised that it would take too long to try to build this sketch up with paint - it would be a lot quicker if I had ink lines to hold it together so pulled out my pen and added the major edges. All of that scribbly pencil work provided guidelines and helped me be strong and confident with my ink.
Anyway - there are a lot of 'mistakes' in this sketch - things that don't align or are not evenly spaced… but do you think I will lose sleep over that? NO!

This sketch is another example of my approach to sketching architecture:  the most important thing is to understand the major components of the building form ..

Ref 801

Ink and Markers.----Architectural sketches ref 800;

Sketches; Are many things but they do NOT need to be perfect / meticulous or even pretty.  Sketches are tools and without rules.  Often times we shy away from sketching because we think they need to be pretty perfect replicas of whatever we are sketching

Sketching offers so many benefits such as:

• a record of something you have visited and seen in person
• a record of one or more aspects of something you want to keep record of
• a way of learning how materials and forms come together
• is a great alternative when cameras are not permitted
• sketching is slower than photography which lets you take a moment and really appreciate and look at the architecture you are visiting
• you can add notes and thoughts to your sketches
• a rough description – it’s OK if they lack detail; don’t fill the page or are not even completed

A lack of confidence and worrying about a perfect sketch inhibits your work and enjoyment of the process.  Sketches are a means of conveying an idea, they are tools to learn, understand and communicate so they do not need to be perfect or finished

Ref 800 ink & Markers