Ref 1029 Watercolor // Watercolor experimentation over Stardream bronze color paper 105 Lb

This is the result to following this experimental process:

Notes; as this is an experiment, sometimes I have to rework through out the steps because sometimes I´m not sure of results, however this is the logic to complete this painting

1st step: The color paper is quite dark, however I was able to sketch in pencil the idea --- As I´m going to take advantage of this color as the dark sahadow, my first step is to mask accordingly

 

Also I took advantage of the bar soap  to rub over the paper in a random but horizontal way, so the paint will break over it

2nd Step once completely dry and taking advantage of gravity (for tilting the paper from side to side) I start to drop watercolor painting mixed with White gouache 1:1 background is flesh watercolor  tone 1:1 White gouache midground is just White gouache and foreground is  ochre watercolor 1:1 White gouache in horizontal way

3rd Step.- I took away part of the masking for my own references  and I did another brushing over the painting with just White watercolor (more transparent than White gouache)

4th Step; I start to redifine clear shadows (more contrast) so to do it; you can do it in two ways, with a knife which now I do not recommend because I damage the paper quite easily  as you can see in the upper beach and/or the boy´s shadow so it is better to use an old wear brush dip in wáter and then remove paint from the paper with a paper napkin, the gouache paint is easy to remove once reactivated, where there is watercolor take more time but is easy in some way also, this activity takes time and patience, but is the finishing part

 

 

5th step.- Once you complete previous step I again reinforce ligths with just White gouache trying to conform a logic common sense over the beach, until you be satisfied.- that´s it

 

 

Ref 1034 Another eercise above this paper

 

 

 

Ref 1028 Watercolor // watercolor mixed with permanent White gouache over Stardream dolomite color paper 105 Lb

Ref 1027; Watercolor // Working with colored paper Stardream
                                     Fairway color 105 Lb

This is another exercise with colored paper;  Basically  in order to take advantage of the color base to complete the final painting,
(This paper works quite similar to hot press paper)
This is the result of this particular process:

Material needed; Stardream colored paper Fairway color 105 lbs
Transparent watercolor; Viridian hue; Olive green, Burnt umber; Ultramarine blue; Light yellow, White
Opaque watercolor; (Gouache); Permanent White & Lemon Yellow
Round, flat, riggle basically
1st step; Notes.- I´m a form painter rather than a color painter, so due the translucence of the thin paint during the first lines I start to produce a subsurface in wich to work with,  adding form as painting progress so my lines are not indicated at all, but you can start your painting with a pencil sketch reference
First shadows of reference are made with a mix of burnt umber + ultramarine blue, to indicate where the mainform will be in a loose way

2nd Step.- Into the background I start to add viridian, olive Green and yellow in selective áreas; Into the foreground more olive Green and light yellow trying to mimic shrubbery and branches with the brush application flow

 

3rd Step.- With white I start to indicate lighter tones within the painting

 

 

4th Step As this will be my underpainting I´m reinforcing again shadow´s definition with watercolor

I could do it more precise, but in this ocassion I want to show you how noble this process it is with some few easy lines, but you can elaborate more detais if you want to

 

 

5th Step; Once you´re happy with your underpainting and this is totally dry, it is time to use opaque watercolor (gouache) basically to highlight some painting values .- In this ocassion I´ll be using permanent white and lemon yellow, < all details with this type of painting are really highlighted >

 

 

 

Ref 1032 Another exercise over this paper 

 

 

Ref 1026 Gouache // My experiences with this media over
                                gel ink reference lines

This is the result of this particular process (over cold press paper 240 gr)
Gel ink dilutes with wáter easily, however I left some of those lines if it helps to the painting idea

Main concerns with gouache media
Let them get really dry before you add a stroke to avoid not required mixes
Darks tend to lighten and light values tend to darken.
This is only a problem for big, flat areas or swatches. In that case, mix plenty of paint when you cover an area that needs to be flat.
The matte surface is one of gouache's virtues. It photographs well, and is receptive to drawing media, something you can't say for many other media
Squeeze out the paint on a damp paper towel on the palette. Spritz it with a sprayer
The opaque paint covers up the underdrawing.
Start more transparently and gradually build up opaques.
Keep track of the eye level, vanishing points, and a few key points, and construct forms with the brush.
Experiment with different brands; avoid student brands, which use fillers to extend the pigment.
Get in the habit of re-squeezing palette colors that have run out. Don't run on empty.
Do a grisaille over a bright yellow acrylic gouache underpainting. That forces opacity.
Too many colors on the palette leads to troubles with middle-value-mumbling and disharmony.
Use a simple warm-cool palette. You can paint almost anything with six or fewer

Ref 1025.- Watercolor // Portrait in watercolor (exercise)

Ref 1024 Watercolor // Watercolor over opal Stardream color paper

This paper it´s a Little bit tricky  with watercolor  but base in past experiences I wanted to do it in a different way, so this is the main sequence:

To take advantage of darker colors pencil sketching was made with watercolor pencil
I did just sketch main componentes not all details

So when you add primary colors as first step the pencil dark tones start to dissolve
following picture shows how I manage yellow and blue color  base just in dilution

 

Then I start to add Green /yellow

 

 

If I need light zones I just wet and lift with a tissue and then work negative spaces with a darker blue mixed sometimes with Payne´s grey

Finally White tones 1:1 watercolor and gouache

 

Lesson learnt.- It is better to make a detailed pencil work , because dark at the end dissolve and reactive the painting underneath

 

 

Ref 1023; Watercolor & diluted graphite over Fairway Stardream
                color paper

   Experimental Technique;
First of all .- Stardream paper is not precisely for general watercolor applications however Works quite similar to Hot Pressed (Very Compressed) Watercolor Paper, Therefore
  Very little pigment penetrates beyond sitting on the surface.
  More suitable for fine detail such as pen and ink. Works well for gouache.
  Wet on wet application with diffusion will not work.
  Glazing will lift the underlayer unless you apply some kind of fixative

With previous experimentation, I found that this paper Works better the watercolor with light hues but if you want to work with dark hues the following steps needs to be considered as one proposal

This is the result regarding this process   (ref. photography found in the web)



                   "The Nature has many names and beauty is but one of them"

 

 

1st Step.- This paper is quite reflective because it has a metallic coat the color is Green defined as Fairway of 105 Lb, in which I´m pencil sketching in a loose way main features

 

2nd Step; once pencil has been completed I did some tests to check if I use diluted graphite or watercolor pencil for main shadows references to prepare my underpainting to work with

 

 

As the diluted graphite left a better texture for what I´m looking for .- I start to prepare in a wáter pool the addition of graphite dust, scrubbing the graphite with a knife on it (just enough to make a good shadow regarding my necessity) 

3rd Step.- This is the way the painting looks, after added diluted graphite with a brush over the paper

4th Step.-  It can be messy if you do not fix it "once is dry completely", The fixer it was added in a selective way (basically where the wáter is and mostly in darks zones) (the spray can be also added with a cotton so watercolor can imprégnate the paper otherwise paper becomes waterproof and you need to eliminate fixer with wáter and more wáter until you break the fixer film
Note I like diluted graphite because beside to dark the área gives random texture

5th Step.- I´m working with napoles yellow, sap Green and light yellow to conform stones underwater, the fixer previously added Works preety good with this new lines breaking them in several ways regarding the amount of wáter in the brush,.- so far this is the result, I even signed  because is almost completed

6st Step.- I can use more fixer to add more breaking lines but now above the suggested wáter (spray jus a Little bit)

 

7th Step.-Now I can glaze  over previous colors and mark tones from dark to light to give more perspective etc. 

 

8th Step Final touches;.- I left White lights to complete and/or reinforce  the Project by the end,

As there is fixer in the surface the lines made with a brush breaking in different and random ways

as the painting is shown in the following photo, I was satisfied with a misty color in the cascade

however in the original ref. photo I had darker colors and more defintion, so I did and the result is the upper photo (I liked more this one but all is part of the learning process hope you like it)