Category: how to paint with watercolor

Watercolor: good choice for any style artist

Watercolor has been one of my most favorite painting medium options for more than 5 decades. I still have a few of my first paintings somewhere, deep in my numerous art folders. I was about 10 years old, I was drawing very well, just like I do now, but my watercolors were not sparkling. I come from a family which didn’t have any relationship with art. In the neighboring house, an artist was renting a room. Her watercolor paintings were way larger and way brighter. They had more volume and more contrast. I asked her to see her paints. She showed me the most fantastic box of watercolor paints. Back then, they were Leningrad watercolor paints which later transitioned to St. Petersburg, and then White night paints. The difference was astounding. Clarity and saturation of pigment charmed me on the spot.

Why to invest in good art supplies

Ever since I tried St. Petersburg watercolor paints, I always tried to find them and use. When I relocated to Canada 18 years ago, I had only a tiny paint box with me, but I quickly realized I will need more paints. So, I shopped the brands available in North America. Expensive they were, the artist grade paints, but they didn’t come even close to my favorite brand. Now with all the Russian issues, I’m in trouble again, but I hope to get some replacement paints. The most understated feature when learning to paint with watercolor is the quality. That refers to quality of paints and quality of watercolor paper. With bad paints and using them on a bad paper, all we can get is unsatisfactory color and contrast, plus bad paper simply cannot take layers and corrections and it buckles and warps. It is limiting.

Captures of fall using watercolor washes and fine detail

Importance of good watercolor paper

Good watercolor paper is very expensive in Canada. The 300 lb cotton cold pressed paper comes to almost $30 or more (with taxes) per 1 sheet. Sheet is approximately 29 to 30 inches x 22 to 23 inches depending on brand. The use of bad paper and weak paints might be the main reason many potential watercolor users give up. Well, I am using sometimes non-cotton papers, too, but no other paper compares to the real thing when you need to apply a wash, gradual wash and fine detail. I prefer using the large size and full-sheet paper since there’s no way to paint something meaningful on tiny size paper.

Autumn leaves and sunflower, both are 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Fall colors for beginner artists

Fall season is a great time to consider painting in colors because it is very simple to apply warm and cold opposites and create something great. It is easy to use more abstracted style or add definite detail when necessary. Inspiration is everywhere assuming you get a chance to be in an area which has trees and other landscape elements. Even a few leaves can create a good composition and then you can just add fence, brick wall or washes for background. It is definitely more rewarding to use real things as models for painting. Not everybody knows how to use photo, and your style will emerge sooner when you are not affected by pre-set colors and composition. You have more freedom.

Relaxing experience with watercolor paints

I usually do not participate in challenges because days are filled with numerous tasks as it is. I cannot be sure I will have enough time to paint something of decent quality every day. For me, it makes sense working when the time is right and I don’t feel rushed. People who have similar conditions to mine, frequently experience depression. It comes and goes, and can be of different severity grades. I noticed, however, a few days ago when I finished up the Fall tree on lake shore, I felt simply excellent. For me personally, painting with watercolor is an extremely relaxing and calming experience. Creating the bright color transitions makes me feeling way better than usually. I could say, using bright colors cures and soothes upset mood.

Birch path is large, 30 x 22.5 in or 76 x 57 cm

Dark colors without actual black in watercolor

I never use black color in watercolor painting, and I do not like dark watercolor paintings also. The reason is simple: black color indicates areas absent of light. If you are in a totally dark and black space no light waves are coming through. Generally speaking, I don’t like dark spaces, dark clothes and dark living environment. From the practical painting perspective, black color can make other colors muddy in watercolor painting. For extra strong values, we can use raw umber (very dark tone of brown), Payne’s grey (almost black blue), sepia (practically black with brown undertone) and mixes of dark blue, dark violet with other colors of your palette. The safest combinations in my experience are with Payne’s grey.

Art classes for adults in Ajax, Ontario

While there are many art classes, it’s so that lots of them are the paint-night type where there is no actual learning. Good painting takes time and skill. You might want to paint more abstract art, but you still need to know how your paint pigments interact and what your brush, sponge, other tools and materials, as well as paints can do on that particular paper you’re using. Every type of paper acts differently. With globalization, art classes have become part of online domain. However, I’ve never met a student who was able to paint whatever they had intended after watching online instruction videos. In reality, you need to obtain some habits which facilitate painting. My art classes are different. And I provide students with skills which root in my many-decades-long experience.

Lake tree watercolor is 24 x 18 in or 61 x 45 cm

Adult artists in and around Ajax, Ontario! You might find your passion this fall season engaging in creation of colorful watercolor art. Calming, soothing and very uplifting! Especially when the days get shorter. Thanks and have a good fall season!

5 stages you can count on

Fall still life

Group art classes

Private art lessons