Watercolor Artist Blog

Swipe File: Reader Tip for Transporting Paintings

2009-07-01T08:33:54.0512541-04:00

Watercolor Artist reader Bonnie E. Rodgers of Papillion, NE, shares her latest homespun solution for a common painting problem:

"Carrying paintings around can be a challenge because of the possibility of the edges and surface becoming damaged. Pipe wrap can be used to protect any size of painting by cutting it to the length of each edge. This is a great way to package your paintings for shipping also. Simply cut the pipe wrap to the paintings size and slip on. (Note: the black version works best because it comes in sizes of 1/2-inch to 2-inch openings. The beige version shouldn't be used because it has an adhesive that will leave residue on the painting or glass. It's also more brittle than the black.)

"Pipe wrap is also good for carrying brushes. It can be cut longer that the longest brush and then the brushes can be set comfortably in the center. To stop the brushes from slipping out, simply place a tissue or paper towel at the ends and secure it with a rubber band."

Thanks Bonnie! To submit your creative solutions to those nagging painting problems, e-mail wcamag@fwmedia.com.

Traveling Watercolor Show

2009-06-26T11:33:17.5870000-04:00

The Michigan Water Color Society (MWCS) 62nd Annual Exhibition traveling show will be on display at the Rankin Center Fine Arts Gallery at Ferris State University from July 6 – July 31, 2009. The show consists of thirty watermedia paintings from the 62nd MWCS Annual Exhibition including all award winners and selected pieces by juror Matthew Daub. They represent a complete cross-section of styles and techniques and showcase the talent of many Michigan artists. The exhibition is part of a statewide tour that will also include The Art Center in Traverse City and the Studio 23 Art Center in Bay City.

Entering Art Competitions

2009-06-18T11:11:25.4103325-04:00

With competition season in full swing, you might be facing a number of tough questions: Which paintings should I enter? How does the jurying process work? In our latest online seminar, Entering Art Competitions: Enhance Your Chance of Success, editors of our sister publications, Anne Hevener (The Pastel Journal) and Maureen Bloomfield (The Artist's Magazine), will tackle these questions and many more. Reserve your spot for the June 23 session now! Just for signing up for the seminar, you'll receive online access to a recording of the live session and a free digital download: "How to Photograph Your Work for Contests and Shows."

Speaking of contests, the deadline for entry in our Watermedia Showcase is August 1.

Choose the Right Surface for Your Watercolor Technique

2009-06-17T15:05:37.0140000-04:00

Canadian artist Sandrine Pelissier creates rich mixed-media portraits bursting with life. In the August issue of Watercolor Artist she shares in-depth details about her process. Here's what she had to say about how she chooses which surface to use for a particular subject:

“When choosing a subject, I ask myself what kind of paper and technique would help me best convey the effect I’m looking for,” says Pelissier. “Do I want the subtle, controlled effect afforded by layering on absorbent, Arches 300-lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper, or the brighter colors and texture that painting directly on Yupo paper offers? (Yupo is a non-absorbent, synthetic paper that allows paint to stay on the surface and dry by evaporation, making more or less predictable patterns in the process.) For results that fall somewhere in-between, I opt for watercolor board; and for paintings with a lot of texture, I work on wood panels or canvas.”

For more painting tips from Sandrine Pelissier, check out her feature in the August 2009 issue of Watercolor Artist.

Free Sample: Paint Trees With Birgit O'Connor

2009-06-15T08:36:13.6274011-04:00

This week we’re proud to have Birgit O’Connor back with the Watercolor Essentials workshop. This 70-minute video has over 40+ lessons that will help you put the magic of transparent watercolor in action, so you can see how the paint is applied and reacts on the paper. Check out a free sample and learn how O'Connor paints trees below.

Watercolors in Missouri

2009-06-12T10:58:33.5530000-04:00

The Watercolor USA National Honor Society’s (WHS) competitive exhibition, Watercolor U.S.A. 2009, opened last Saturday at the Springfield Art Museum in Missouri, featuring 155 paintings in watermedia. This is one of the biggie juried exhibitions—659 entries by 357 artists from 42 states were submitted this year—so if you’re in the Springfield area, get to it (the show runs through August 2).

Also on display (through August 2) at the Springfield Art Museum is Japan Watercolor Foundation, which showcases contemporary Japanese watermedia paintings. This exhibition is an exchange program between the WHS and the Japanese Watercolor Foundation; next April, 30 paintings from WHS will go on display at the National Art Center in Tokyo.

Also, Missouri State University’s Art & Design Gallery (also in Springfield) hosts the Honor Society Member Invitational, a watercolor exhibition of work by the WHS Members, through July 17. Exhibiting artists are: Wayne Conyers; Kathleen Kuchar; Bob Mejer; Ellen Murray-Meissinger; Karen Poulson; Susan Puelz; Camille Rendal; Sarah A. Riley; Sandra Schaffer; Carol Ann Schrader (who was featured in the June 2007 issue of the magazine); Bruce Thayer; Elizabeth Yarosz-Ash; and Peggy Zalucha.

5 Tips for Painting Water from Charles Reid

2009-06-10T10:41:12.3550000-04:00

1. Water should be painted with hard edges between the light from the sky and the reflections from trees, buildings or boats.

2. Paint wet-in-wet within the reflections but rarely where the reflection meets the sunlight.

3. For distant water on the horizon, try moist Antwerp blue or peacock blue (Holbein). Sometimes I use ultramarine violet if the horizon line of the sea seems very dark.

4. In shallow water, use diluted Antwerp blue, peacock blue or Winsor blue. These are all transparent blues that retain their color identity when diluted.

5. Sometimes water near the shore can turn a delicate turquoise green. You can add turquoise green to your palette, or simply mix diluted cadmium yellow pale or lemon yellow with one of the diluted blues to achieve the same color.

For more painting tips from Charles Reid, check out:

New Watercolor Workshop: Dramatic Light

2009-06-08T10:14:51.4436865-04:00

Check out a free sample of the latest watercolor video from ArtistsNetwork.tv: Dramatic Light With Patrick Howe. Howe starts very simply with just one watercolor and a brush, and then takes you through the different stages, explaining how to turn the white of your paper into sunlight. In his final demo, he’ll show you how to sketch out a dimly lit street scene in oils. Enjoy!

Roadster as Paintbrush

2009-06-03T11:37:24.9550000-04:00

Those BMW ad execs are smart cookies. Probably the most expensive paintbrush I’ve ever heard of, the 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster was used as such a tool in continuing the company’s art car legacy with its unveiling of the new model.

BMW commissioned South African visual artist Robin Rhode to express on canvas the experience of driving the Z4 Roadster. The ad not only caught my eye but prompted me to do as it said—not buy the car, but witness what happened next on its website. See how the artist created the painting (pictured) by clicking here.

Illustrator Brings Favorite Children's Stories to Life

2009-05-28T13:12:09.8670000-04:00

Check your child's or grandchild's bookshelves and you're sure to find a classic illustrated by acclaimed artist Jerry Pinkney. Since the early 1960s, Pinkney has illustrated more than 100 children's books and received numerous awards, including five Caldecott Honor Medals and five Coretta Scott King Awards.

Through August 16, the Orlando Museum of Art is hosting Jerry Pinkney: Aesop's Fables and Other Tails, featuring more than 65 original watercolor illustrations. The exhibition focuses on Pinkney's delightful portrayals of animals from such well-known Aesop's fables as “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing” and “The Goose and the Golden Egg,” as well as a number of favorite children's stories including “The Ugly Duckling,” “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Tales of Uncle Remus.”

To learn more about Jerry Pinkney and his work, visit www.jerrypinkneystudio.com .

Creativity Flourishes in Hard Times

2009-05-20T08:47:25.1050000-04:00

A recent New York Times poll shows that, for the most part, artists remain defiantly upbeat in the face of the recession. To be sure, times are tough, but, looking for a bright side, many artists are finding it in a renewed dedication to their art. In addition to having more time to paint what they want (as freelance work dries up), artists are pointing to a rise in art collectives and cooperatives that connect creative people with common interests and goals as a positive outcome of the economic downturn.

“I feel that artists are well equipped to deal creatively with such situations and with a bit of persistence and optimism, can turn this recession into a point of strength,” says Cadine Navarro (pictured above), an artist in New York and Amsterdam. She added that she hoped the economic pressure would weed out “market-oriented art that is being churned out by the bulk. Onward!”

How are you keeping your chin up and your head above water in this tough economy?

Photo: Wineke Gartz

Catch Cathy Johnson in June

2009-05-18T14:50:04.4460000-04:00

Watercolor Artist contributor and North Light books artist Cathy Johnson will demonstrate her techniques for watercolor painting at the 2nd Friday Art Crawl in Excelsior Springs, MO. Johnson regularly shows her work at Olde English Garden Shoppe, along with photographer Polly Jaben. The 2nd Friday art crawl will include a number of other shops and galleries in downtown Excelsior Springs, including Gallery 105, Frame of Mind, the Mercantile, and others. There will be music, wine tastings, and food. Sounds like a good time to us!

(Catch Johnson's next column in the August 2009 issue of Watercolor Artist to find out everything the artist knows about watercolor resists.)

Secrets to Getting Your Artwork Published

2009-05-13T15:02:41.7500000-04:00

Are you ready for the limelight? Learn how artists get their work featured in books and magazines like ours, and what you can do to put your best foot forward when approaching publishers in our live online seminar, Get Published: How the Industry Works & How You Can Make an Impression.

You'll discover:

How publishers and editors discover artists
What you can do to get noticed
How to pitch an idea
What editors expect
How an article or book evolves
How to work with book and magazine editors

You'll even get the chance to ask questions during the seminar on Wednesday, May 27, at 1 pm EST.

Click here to reserve your space in our live online seminar on getting published.

Meet Our Creativity Workshop Winners!

2009-05-12T11:54:22.8600000-04:00

The competition was thick, but we are now pleased to announce that artist Joyce Heuman Kramer of Cortez, Colorado was selected as the winner of our prize for her painting, Together We Blossom (above). Our runners up for this challenge include Margo Voermans, Mary Johnson, and Grace Rankin, whose paintings and thoughts appear on our site. Congratulations to all of our remarkable Creativity Workshop artists. Keep the paint--and the fun--flowing!

Check out the latest Creativity Workshop Activity from artrist Nicholas Simmons by clicking here.

Swipe File: Tips from Watercolor Artist Readers

2009-05-06T08:36:07.5050000-04:00

Over the years, we've amassed a vast collection of reader-submitted tricks of the trade, many of which we've published in our popular Swipe File column or on our website. We thought now would be the perfect time to re-introduce this department and invite readers to share their best timesaving, budget-friendly tips and techniques. Here's one of our favorites from Bonnie Rodgers, who saved herself a nice chunk of change with a bit of grit and ingenuity:

Recently, while preparing for a plein air journey, I searched for a journal of the right size for my art travel bag. I wanted one that had 140-lb., cold-pressed paper. Local stores only allowed me a 90-lb. version. So, I looked on the internet and found a journal maker, but she was having trouble finding the right glue to adhere to the heavier paper. I tried to make my own from leather, watercolor paper and binding thread, but due to my limited time and knowledge, I gave up on that idea.

Then I came up with the solution: different-sized photo albumns that I could populate with watercolor paper, cut to the size of the albumns' sleeves or smaller. I found I could also extend the book size by adding larger spine pins to accommodate more sleeves. It worked wonderfully! I could paint on any size (as long as it was smaller than the paper I had brought with me). I could also collect tickets and memorabilia for future use and memory ticklers in the photo sleeves. On days when I needed to reduce the weight I was carrying, I could undo the spine screw pins and take pages out.

The best thing of all was that I saved myself about $125. Journals with enough pages, the proper paper weight, and the right-sized paper for sketching and journaling, with a sturdy binding that would hold up to rigorous use cost about $150 to $200, when available. Photo albums cost $7.50 to $15 and one sheet of 140-lb. watercolor paper costs $7.99. Each sheet of watercolor paper allowed me to cut several pages of 3x5-inch, 4x6-inch, and 6x8-inch journal pages for three different-sized journals. This idea will serve me well for all my plein air journeys.

Thanks Bonnie!

Send a description of your method and a photo or JPEG (with a resolution of 300 dpi) illustrating a tip or technique to wcamag@fwmedia.com for your chance to see your bright ideas in print, on our site or in our e-newsletter. Who knows? Your idea might be just the thing that a fellow artist needs to find his or her way back to the easel.

Juried Watercolor Exhibition

2009-05-04T14:08:06.8680000-04:00

Check out the Perkins Center for the Art'sJuried Watercolor Exhibition (May 3 - June 19), and, while you're in the area, head over to their Annual Members and Faculty Exhibition (May 9 - June 13). Click here for the Watercolor Exhibition prospectus and check out the flyer for both events below.

Take Better Reference Photos

2009-04-28T12:26:12.4120000-04:00

Watercolor artist Henry Dixon helps you start your painting composition out on the right foot by sharing his best advice for taking good reference photos. To download, click here: wc-dixon.pdf Save the PDF to your desktop and reference it whenever you like, print it out or e-mail it to a friend. For more great ideas from Henry Dixon, check out his book Paint Amazing Watercolors from Photographs.

Bay Area Watercolorists

2009-04-21T09:00:12.3557985-04:00

Calling All Watermedia Artists

2009-04-14T09:04:00.9460000-04:00

Competition season is here and Watercolor Artist is getting into the mix. We're now sponsoring the Watermedia Showcase Competition. Prizes include: Best of Show ($500), 2nd Place ($250), 3rd Place ($100), 4th Place ($50). Award Winners will be published and Honorable Mentions' names will be listed in the February 2010 issue of Watercolor Artist. All Winners and Honorable Mentions will receive a certificate suitable for framing. Start painting today! The deadline for entry is August 1, 2009.

Need inspiration?
• Watercolor Artist June 2009 issue
• Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes
• Pros' Tips for Entering Juried Shows

Rachel Collins Online Gallery

2009-04-13T09:07:18.3930000-04:00

Rachel Collins' subtle and tonally sophisticated paintings of natural forms reveal an artist who isn't afraid to look closely at the world around her. Learn the story behind the artist's fascination with the subject of her most ambitious series of paintings and find out how she achieves such elegant watercolor gradations in the June 2009 issue of Watercolor Artist. Plus, enjoy an exclusive online gallery of her watercolors on our website.

Recommended Reading: