tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74807551831410555652024-03-13T13:40:06.076-05:00Brush StrokesMy watercolor experiences as I grow as an artist – through new techniques, painting successes and happy mistakes...sharing a tip or two, paintings, and enjoyment along the way. So, grab your paintbrush and let’s begin!Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-79562942691023378092017-05-31T10:05:00.000-05:002017-05-31T10:05:08.192-05:00Dragonfly Days<div>
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Dragonflies are magical! Mosquitoes bite, bees and wasp sting, flies are just disgusting; but there is just something magical about dragonflies.<br />
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Dragonflies were some of the first winged insects to evolve over 300 million years ago. Modern dragonflies have wingspans of only two to five inches, but fossil dragonflies have been found with wingspans of up to 2 feet. Dragonflies are expert flies and can fly straight up and down and hover. Their flight is so special that it has inspired engineers who dream of making robots that fly like dragonflies.<br />
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The interesting wings of the dragonfly will be the challenging aspect of our painting.<br />
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Let's get started!<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) -I used an 11" x 15" 140# paper</div>
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Brushes: round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Alizarin Crimson</li>
<li>Cadmium Yellow Light</li>
<li>Cadmium Yellow Dark</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Thalo Green</li>
<li>Indigo</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch the dragonfly and the leaves on the paper. <br />
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<u>Dragonfly:</u><br />
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<li>Using the round brush, and a pale wash of Cadmium Yellow, paint in the body of the dragon fly. </li>
<li>Wet the wings with clean water and drop in the yellow wash in various location on the dragonfly's wings. </li>
<li>Using Thalo Green paint in the segmented are of the body allowing some of the yellow to show through. Refer to photo above. </li>
<li>Use a pale wash of Ultramarine Blue, paint in areas of the wings dragging the brush from the tip to the body with light pressure at the start of the brush stroke and ending with a heavier pressure at the body to deposit a deeper amount of color. </li>
<li>Use Alizarin Crimson to paint the eyes of the dragon fly.</li>
<li>Mix Alizarin Crimson with Ultramarine Blue to make a purple. Use this to add color to the dragonfly wings. Refer to the photo above.</li>
<li>Caution: In order to achieve the translucent look of the dragonfly wings, be certain to leave areas of the wings unpainted. Allow the white paper to show through in various places. </li>
<li>Using the tip of your round brush or a liner brush paint lines in the wings using a deep wash of Ultramarine Blue. </li>
<li>Using a wash of Indigo and the tip of your round brush, paint the ends of the body segments.</li>
<li>Using a wash of Burnt Umber, paint in the front legs. </li>
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<u>Leaves:</u><br />
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Using the round brush and painting wet on wet, use shades of Sap Green Cadmium Yellow Light and Dark to paint the stem and leaves. Deepen the color of the green at the base of the leaves by mixing Ultramarine Blue to the green. Refer to the photo above.<br />
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Congratulations - sign your name!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-30728018501372861482017-05-24T07:00:00.000-05:002017-05-24T07:00:27.001-05:00Paper and PracticeThis blog is focused on watercolor paper and practice, specifically the type of paper and several practice strokes.<br />
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Beginner watercolor artists are hesitant to use their "expensive" watercolor paper to practice brush strokes. Good quality watercolor paper can be expensive and I can understand the reluctance to use a costly paper to only practice strokes. However, learning the different stokes a watercolor brush can make is important for the execution of a good watercolor painting. And, the quality of the paper does make a difference in helping an artist to produce a good finished product. Thus, the dilemma of paper vs. price. <br />
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I have found a good compromise for the beginning artist. I recommend Strathmore Watercolor paper - Skills level. This paper is 140# weight, cold press and is heavy enough to practice stokes and even a light wash. Although it does not work well for a really wet wash, it is perfect for practice work including lifting with light wet techniques. It comes in a pad of 30 sheets sized 9" x 12". This paper can be purchased at local craft and hobby stores and usually sells from under $5 for the pad. See photo below of pad. <br />
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Beginning artists will build confidence when practicing brush stokes to be used in future paintings. Practice provides confidence and builds good habits for brush control. Here are a few basics on brush strokes:<br />
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<li>A brush is not always held like a pen or pencil. You need to be able to grip the brush loosely so that you can roll it around in your hand when needed.</li>
<li>The tip of the brush is not the only part that is used. Often the sides as well as the end or tip is needed to provide that certain look.</li>
<li>Brush stokes tell a story. They can indicate texture and shape. </li>
<li>Pressure is important. The lighter the pressure the less area you will fill with paint. The heavier the pressure, the more paint will come off of the brush and fill the area.</li>
<li>Pressure is often both light and heavy in the same stroke.</li>
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In this practice exercise, we will be using the brushes shown below:</div>
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Practice Techniques:<br />
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The brush stokes illustrated in the example below will be discussed in this blog.<br />
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Flat Brush Stokes:</div>
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Using a flat, dry brush, the above techniques can be achieved. A dry brush means just that - DRY. That does not mean that you have to have different brushes when you change colors or that you have to wait until the brush dries. Simply have a dry towel and remove excess moisture from the brush. Remove as much of the water from the brush as possible before loading the brush with paint. Once loaded with paint, practice the following:<br />
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<li>Push the brush up to paint the grasses moving the brush up and to either side.</li>
<li>Pull the brush down from the top of the waterfall to the bottom.</li>
<li>Move the brush from left to right and right to left to paint the sparkling water.</li>
<li>Push and pull the brush up and down and move slight from side to side to create woodgrain.</li>
<li>Push and pull the brush up and down and use both the flat side and edge to create fur or hair.</li>
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Round Brush, Liner Brush or Rigger strokes:<br />
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Tree shapes can be achieved by using a round, liner or rigger. These brushes can also be used for bushes or tall grasses.<br />
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<li>Starting at the base of the tree, push down on the brush and as you move up towards the top of the tree decrease the pressure on the brush. This will make a thicker stroke at the beginning and a thinner line at the end of the stroke. Angle the brush to make the branches of the trees.</li>
<li>This method works for the round, liner and the rigger brushes. </li>
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Brush Strokes comparisons: Flat and Round</div>
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Play around the a flat brush and a round brush to see how many different strokes you can make with each brush. Apply light pressure, heavy pressure and vary the pressure in the same stroke. Use the side of the flat brush as well as. Twist and turn the brush as you move across the paper. The stokes above were made with the same size brush - from thin lines to wide heavy lines. </div>
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So, take the time to practice using practice paper and you will be confidence in your painting!</div>
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Happy Painting!<br />Karen</div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-82009054740588228892017-05-17T09:38:00.000-05:002017-05-17T09:38:38.452-05:00Don't Just "Brush-Off" How to Select a Watercolor Brush<div>
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When I first started learning how to paint, I was told by my instructors to buy the best brush that I could afford. When I started shopping for brushes, I was surprised at how expense a paint brush can be. Needless to say, I did not heed that advise; after all, how different can paint brushes be? Well, apparently more than I realized. <br />
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The photo above gives some examples of different quality brushes. I will discuss each one from top to bottom.<br />
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<li>Windsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Brush: These brushes are considered to be some of the world's finest watercolor brushes. They are made from only the finest Kolinsky sable hair in rust-proof, seamless nickel plated ferrules with black polished handles. These brushes are made in England by hand by expert brush makers using standards set in 1866 by Her Majesty Queen Victory. This brush comes to a crisp point and snaps back into shape during use allowing superior control and even color flow. </li>
<li>daVinci Petit Gris Pur Brush: These brushes are made in Germany and contain a mixture of Blue Russian squirrel hair and a synthetic fiber that imitates squirrel hair. This mix of natural and synthetic hair mix makes it a good choice for water and paint holding capacity and will come to a fine point. </li>
<li>Princeton SNAP Brushes: These brushes are machine made from golden synthetic fibers and work well with water medium. Princeton Brush Company was founded 25 years ago in Howard Kaufman's basement in New Jersey. He was assisted by Naohike Takamoto from Japan, who assisted in the development of the Princeton line of brushes.</li>
<li>Royal Langnickel Brushes: Royal Brushes are machine made from a variety of materials, mostly synthetic, mix and/or sable. These brushes are readily available at low prices for all types of painting medium.</li>
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The brushes above were listed by order of price from #1 being the most expense to #4 being the least expense brush.</div>
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When selecting a brush, I would recommend that a beginner select one medium priced brush that will work well. An inexpensive brush can frustrate a beginner by loosing bristles in the painting, not holding a point, etc. and making the act of painting more difficult than it actually is. </div>
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Don't think that just because a brush is made from sable that it is a good quality brush. There are grades to sable. Kolinsky sable is extremely expensive and is subject to regulation and control, thus the finest hairs are in short supply. Experts feel that the finest watercolor brushes are made of the hair found only on the tips of the Russian male Kolinsky red sable's winter coat. Lesser quality sable brushes will use a mix of male and female tail hairs and many have an excellent working quality. Cheaper versions use "generic" red sale of the lowest quality hairs available and are quite inexpensive. These cheaper versions can be perfect for crafts, but not fine painting. </div>
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A good quality synthetic brush can mimic the qualities of a sable brush and be an excellent value for the beginning artist. </div>
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So, don't "brush-off" the importance of a good brush! Good brushes can be found without ruining your budget.</div>
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Happy Painting!</div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-21363226442004365762017-05-10T07:00:00.000-05:002017-05-10T07:00:13.434-05:00How to Paint Weathered Wood<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Hooked on Elkmont</div>
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A watercolor painting by</div>
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Karen A. Cooke</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am focusing on this painting again for this post to discuss how to paint weathered wood. Old buildings and unique points of view from those building (such as the painting above)<u></u> often include weathered wood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Supplies Needed:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Masking Tape</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watercolor board</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span>Fine line marker - black and/or brown<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Paint:</span></div>
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<li>Indigo</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Paynes Gray</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Use the painting from the last blog with the painted hook. We'll paint the weathered wood this time. <br />
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<u>Weathered Wood:</u><br />
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Use a flat brush and dry bush in a bit of color to add texture and weathered stains on the wood. Use pale shades of Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Paynes Gray. MAINTAIN UNPAINTED AREAS OF WHITE. This is the "white" paint on the wood. Spread out the bristles of the brush to indicate wood grain. Don't keep the lines straight, but slightly wavy for the wood gain effect. Layer on washes in various location to indicate shadow and wear and weather patterns on the wood. Refer to the photo for placement. <br />
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Step 2:<br />
Use a liner brush to fill in open spaces and cracks in the wood or shadows with Indigo and Paynes Gray. <br />
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Add knots in the wood with Burnt Umber, Indigo and Paynes Gray. Use the photo for reference. <br />
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Roofing:<br />
There is very little roofing visible, simply an overhand of roofing on the top right side of the painting. This is painted with pale washes of Sap Green and Burnt Umber. Allow to dry. Use a liner brush with Indigo and Paynes Gray to add detail. Refer to the photo above. <br />
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TIP: The key to successful painting of old wood is to work slowly with pale washes and allow the white paper to show through. A dry brush is essential to help achieve this weathered effect. <br />
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Karen Cooke </div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-12434458960747589492017-05-03T09:50:00.000-05:002017-05-09T07:55:23.099-05:00How to Paint Rust<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oiW9Zz_wqgc/WQntj8mk0-I/AAAAAAAABdA/jNwrkQYG1yoiXMNihLBiAI24j9s3-SarACHM/s640/blogger-image--1233046741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oiW9Zz_wqgc/WQntj8mk0-I/AAAAAAAABdA/jNwrkQYG1yoiXMNihLBiAI24j9s3-SarACHM/s1600/blogger-image--1233046741.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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Hooked on Elkmont</div>
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A watercolor painting by</div>
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Karen A. Cooke</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The painting above titled "Hooked on Elkmont" is a close up of an old hook which was attached to the side of the cabin from my last blog post. I enjoy painting unusual objects and this old hook was a great item to paint. There was also an old shovel (at least part of one) which was also hanging on the side of the cabin which I plan to paint in the future. Today's post will give instructions on how to paint realistic rust. This painting will be covered in two different blog posts: today's post will give instructions on how to paint rust; the next post will give instructions on how to paint weathered wood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u>Supplies Needed:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Masking Tape</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</span><br />
Sand</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Paint:</span></div>
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<li>Indigo</li>
<li>Burnt Sienna</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch this painting on your paper. <br />
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<u>Hook:</u><br />
Step 1:<br />
Paint the hook with a flat wash applied wet on wet. Let the wash dry thoroughly before starting the next step.<br />
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Step 2:<br />
Over the dry base color, paint on a varied wash of yellow ochre, burnt sienna and touches of indigo. Refer to the reference photo for placement of the colors.<br />
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Step 3:<br />
While this wash is still wet, sprinkle sand over the wet wash.<br />
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Step 4:<br />
ALLOW TO DRY! The sand and the wash must be completely dry before brushing it off of the paintings.<br />
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Note: The grains of sand will push the paint in different directions and create the texture.<br />
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Step 5:<br />
Use a dry brush to add details and shadows to the hook. <br />
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Step 6:<br />
Scrape in highlights with a utility knife.<br />
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Step 7:<br />
Spatter across the hook will accent the aged look. Remember when spattering to cover other parts of your painting to prevent the spatter from landing in other locations. Allow to dry. <br />
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We will finish the painting and focus on painting the weathered wood in the next post.<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen Cooke </div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-62513592770567185072017-04-19T07:00:00.000-05:002017-04-19T07:00:24.869-05:00Logs and Landscapes<br />
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Avent Cabin</div>
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Elkmont - Great Smoky Mountains National Park</div>
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Watercolor painting by</div>
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Karen A. Cooke</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In addition to painting, I enjoy hiking and since I live close to the Smoky Mountains, I do quite a bit of hiking in that area. I love to take photos of the cabins to paint later; or if time permits, I like to paint on location. The painting above was painted from a photo I took in late February on a rare warm day. The trees were still bare, but the sky was clear and blue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">History of the cabin above:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">From the 1920s to the 1940s, Avent Cabin served as a vacation retreat and art studio for Mayna Teanor Avent. She spent summers in this cabin and painted watercolors of the Smoky Mountain landscape. The large window was added to let in natural light for Mayna's studio.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Would I love to have a cabin studio like this one! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Today's blog will give directions on painting this landscape with emphasis on painting a log structure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tJNJAOD1Qsc/WPaqnTg_1EI/AAAAAAAABcA/7t17Q-AO-44/s640/blogger-image--1948204313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tJNJAOD1Qsc/WPaqnTg_1EI/AAAAAAAABcA/7t17Q-AO-44/s320/blogger-image--1948204313.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</span></div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Cobalt Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Cadmium Orange</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Hooker Green Deep</li>
<li>Burnt Umber </li>
<li>Vandyke Brown</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch this painting on your paper. I sketched this drawing on my watercolor paper. However, if you feel you may need to erase multiple times, you may want to drawn on a piece of sketch paper and transfer your completed sketch to the watercolor paper. I discuss how this can be accomplished in my blog of May 11, 2016.<br />
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As a reminder: Multiple erasures can damage watercolor paper and cause pooling of water as well as differences in the way the paint is absorbed into or on the paper. Deep sketch marks will show up in a finished painting, even if they are erased. Correct perspective is an important part of this painting. Confirm that you like the perspective that you have executed in your sketch before you start painting. A poorly executed sketch done in a hurry cannot be overcome no matter how great a job one does with the paint.<br />
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<u>Masking the trees:</u><br />
For ease in painting the sky, the lighter trees can be masked in using masking fluid. Do not move forward to painting the sky until the masking fluid is dry. <br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Use a large round brush to paint the sky area. Wet the sky from the top down to the horizon using clean water. Using a pale wash of Cadmium Orange drop in some color in various locations in the sky. See above photo for location. While this is still wet, paint in a wash of the Cobalt Blue, apply the paint working from the top of the painting down to the horizon . However, do not completely cover the entire sky area. Allow some white areas to remain. Using a tissue or paper towel, lift some of the paint to create lighter areas in the sky for clouds, if needed. While the sky is still wet, drop in a pale green made from the Cobalt Blue and Cadmium Orange at the horizon for the shrubs. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Cabin:</u><br />
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Using a wash of light Payne's Gray, Sepia, Burnt Umber and Vandyke Brown, painting wet on wet, fill in the logs of the cabin. Deepen in areas of shadows. Allow the chinking between the logs to remain unpainted. Refer to the photo above for the location of the light and dark areas. Allow to dry. When dry, use a dry brush and darker shades of your paint, paint in the details on your logs. A liner brush was used to add detail to the logs as well as the boards on the porch rains, roof, etc. Again, refer to the photo above for paint color and placement. Allow to dry.</div>
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Windows/Doors: Using Payne's Gray, paint in the windows and doors. Allow to dry. Use a utility knife to scrape off a line in the paint to indicate the panes of the windows. </div>
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Cabin Rock Foundation: Using Payne's Gray, Burnt Umber and Sap Green (very weak washes of all of these colors), painting wet on wet, drop in these colors and allow them to blend and merge. Allow to dry. Using a liner brush and Sepia, outline the shape of the rocks. Allow to dry.</div>
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<u>Trees:</u></div>
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Remove the masking fluid. The hardwood trees are painted in the following manner:</div>
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<li>Wet the truck with a clean wash of plain water.</li>
<li>Using a wash of Sepia and Payne's Gray and using a round brush, paint along one side of the truck and allow the water to pull the paint across the truck. </li>
<li>Deepen the color in various location on the truck especially where a limb intersects. Allow to dry. </li>
<li>Using a round brush and Sepia, paint in the small branches. </li>
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Evergreen tree:</div>
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<li>Using a wash of Sap Green and a round brush start at the top of the tree and brush in the branches referring to the photo above. Deepen the color in various locations especially near the truck by adding cobalt Blue to the Sap Green to deepen the color. Allow to dry. Using Sepia, paint in the truck. Be certain to skip a few spaces to indicate the branches growing across the truck. Allow to dry. </li>
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<u><br />Foreground:</u><br />
Using a pale wash of Sap Green, Payne's Gray and Burnt Umber, lay in the foreground. Use deeper shades near the tree line and under the cabin. Refer to the photo for placement. The lighter area in the center running down from the cabin is a footpath which is painted using Payne's Gray. Allow to dry. Cover the cabin, trees and sky area with a piece of paper or a paper towel, and spatter the foreground with Burnt Umber. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Review your painting and add any shadows that may be needed for depth. Check the cabin and trees for any details you would like to add.<br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen Cooke </div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-79786645701736225142017-04-12T07:00:00.000-05:002017-04-12T07:00:52.034-05:00Sunshine, Blooms and Painting Outside<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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After a morning of yard work, I could not think of a better way to relax than to do a quick loose watercolor outside in the yard. <br />
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Painting outside can be challenging if you are painting on location away from home; however, painting in one's own yard is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon or just an hour. I set up my portable easel in from of an azalea brush that was just starting to bloom. <br />
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All elements of this painting are loosely painted with minimal amounts of detail. The painting was also painted on a slight slant to allow the paint to flow on the paper. <br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" pad of practice paper 140# weight</div>
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Note: Practice paper is intended for practice of brush strokes, quick paintings, etc. This paper does NOT allow for very wet paintings or overworking. Paint cannot be lifted from this type of paper without damaging the paper. Feel free to use what ever type of paper you would like. </div>
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Brushes: round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Alizarin Crimson</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Hooker Green</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Cadmium Yellow Dark</li>
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Note: if you are painting outside you will need to be portable with all of your equipment. If painting at a location away from your home, double check all of your painting supplies before you leave home. While it is easy to simply run inside for a forgotten item when painting at home, a forgotten piece of equipment can often mean an abrupt end.</div>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch the flower on the paper. Do not make this a detailed sketch.</div>
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Background:</div>
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Using a round brush and washes of Sap Green, Hooker Green, Ultramarine Blue, paint in the background area to give some color and shape to the branches of the bush. Drop in some Alizarin Crimson in a pale wash to indicate other flower blooms.</div>
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<u>Flower:</u><br />
Using the round brush and a pale wash of Alizarin Crimson and painting wet on wet, paint the flower working from light to dark and leaving some of the spaces unpainted and white for highlights. Refer to the photo above for color placement. While the wash is still wet, use the tip of your brush and place some dots of a deeper Alizarin Crimson on the middle petal and the two pedals adjacent to it. Refer to the photo. <br />
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<u>Stamen:</u></div>
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Using the round brush and a deeper wash of Alizarin Crimson, paint in the stamen and dot the end with Cadmium Yellow for the pollen. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Add a few leaves, using your round brush and various shades of Hooker Green and Sap Green. Refer to photo. <br />
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Tip: Loose watercolors are intended to be loose and flowing, so not attempt to paint in details - that is the joy of loose watercolor painting!</div>
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-46219132316588847132017-04-05T07:00:00.000-05:002017-04-05T07:00:18.617-05:00Watercolor Journaling - How to Get Started<div>
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The trend today is toward journaling of all kinds - from daily diary type journals to trip journals and everything in between. This post is intended to give some basic tips on how to get started with a watercolor journal.<br />
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Watercolor journaling is simply a way to put down thoughts and locations via the media of watercolor. It takes some drawing skills and a basic knowledge of watercolor painting. But, it does not need to be a scary task. A way to transition into watercolor journaling is by first starting with a daily sketchbook and then moving into adding watercolors. The more one sketches, the better one gets at recording what is seen. So, if you have never considered a daily sketch book before, you may want to do so now.<br />
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Materials needed:<br />
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<li>Pencil (mechanical or drawing pencil with sharpener)</li>
<li>Eraser</li>
<li>Watercolor journal (I use one with 140 weight watercolor paper)</li>
<li>Watercolor brush ( used a portable travel brush specifically for painting on location)</li>
<li>Portable watercolor set (I use a Windsor Newton set which opens to a palette)</li>
<li>Small water container (I use bottled water and use the cap for the brush)</li>
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Where do I start?</div>
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As you can see from the photo above, I like to watercolor journal in specific locations rather than simply doing a daily sketch/watercolor journal.</div>
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The secret to any journaling is to get down the basic shapes with not a lot of detail. This is not intended to be a detailed watercolor painting, but simply your impression of the location. </div>
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Steps involved:</div>
<ul>
<li>Start off with a pencil sketch. Don't make this sketch detailed. You are telling the story of the moment and recording it with your own artistic impression. </li>
<li>I try to box off a section of my watercolor journal rather than paint to the edge. So, I drawn a box about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in from the edge and keep my drawing within that area. This will help keep the paper from buckling from the water. (Refer to photo.)</li>
<li>Don't use a lot of water in your painting. You will not be working the paint in the same way as one would in a wet watercolor. Remember this is supposed to be a fun way to record a location or thing - not a watercolor masterpiece.</li>
<li>Approach your painting in the same method as you would any watercolor painting - working from light to dark; i.e. Laying in the sky first and moving forward.</li>
<li>Depending on your location, don't be surprised by people watching you work. </li>
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Most important part of journaling: let this be fun! Don't put pressure on yourself to "achieve" - simply enjoy being and painting. As you get accustomed to painting on location or journaling it will become easier and more natural. As with all things - practice.</div>
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There are many books on the market specially addressing watercolor journaling. One of these books may be helpful and give you additional tips and encouragement. Also, browse through an art store either online or in person and look for specific journals, brushes, paint sets, etc. to make your journaling easier.</div>
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The most important part of journaling is enjoyment! If journaling is not the way you like to paint, then paint in the way and at the place and location that works for you.</div>
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
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<br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-6852453805901834212017-03-29T08:00:00.000-05:002017-03-29T08:00:07.477-05:00Painting in the Style of Edward Wesson<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XkQ1c8-XbNM/WNp6BkkY3UI/AAAAAAAABa4/eZY4oO3vcXI/s640/blogger-image-1447364377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XkQ1c8-XbNM/WNp6BkkY3UI/AAAAAAAABa4/eZY4oO3vcXI/s400/blogger-image-1447364377.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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English Countryside</div>
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A watercolor painting by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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The painting above, titled "English Countryside" was painted in the style of Edward Wesson. Edward Wesson (April 29, 1910 - 1983) was an English watercolor artist. His work is known for its simplicity, boldness and mastery of brushwork. He is remembered by many painters as being a very encouraging teacher as well as for his excellent paintings.<br />
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Today's exercise will be in using his painting style to capture the English countryside. So, let's get started.<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</div>
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Masking Tape</div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Windsor Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Alizarin Crimson</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
No sketching is required. Simply determine your horizon.<br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Use a large round brush to paint the sky area. Wet the sky from the top down to the horizon using clean water. Using a pale wash of Windsor Blue paint in the sky using the painting above as a guide. While the sky is still went drop in a light wash of red and yellow ochre in various locations. Do not completely cover the entire sky area. Allow some white areas to remain. Using a tissue or paper towel, lift some of the paint to create lighter areas in the sky for clouds, if needed. Note that the sky lightens as it approaches the horizon. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Background:</u><br />
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Using a deeper wash of Windsor Blue mixed with Paynes Gray, paint the distant hills. Allow to dry. </div>
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<u><br />Church:</u><br />
Using a darker wash of Payne's Gray and a smaller round brush, paint in the church spire and steeple. Add the roof of the church using a medium wash of Alizarin Crimson. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u>Trees:</u><br />
Using a flat brush use Yellow Ocher and Sepia to paint the trees. Vary the intensity and alternate the colors to achieve the shading in the trees. Be certain to leave spacing between the branches. Using this same mix, paint the shorter trees and bushes. Refer to the painting above for placement. <br />
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<u>Foreground:</u><br />
Using a mix of Sepia and Yellow Ocher, paint the foreground using broad sweeping strokes. Alternate the color. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Finishing touches:</u><br />
Using a liner brush and Sepia, add the tree branches. Also add any detail lines in the foreground. <br />
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Congratulations! Sign your painting! You have just completed a watercolor in the tradition of Edward Wesson!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-21397837742361582522017-03-22T09:42:00.002-05:002017-03-22T09:42:27.332-05:00Happy Spring! How to Paint a Loose Watercolor Daffodill<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BK4hlLOGXZo/WNKM1UsaH4I/AAAAAAAABac/qahMdFuxYKA/s640/blogger-image--52666799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BK4hlLOGXZo/WNKM1UsaH4I/AAAAAAAABac/qahMdFuxYKA/s1600/blogger-image--52666799.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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"Spring"</div>
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A watercolor painting by</div>
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Karen A. Cooke</div>
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Happy Spring! The daffodil has always been the flower that tells me that it is Spring! I have loved this bright yellow flowers since I was a little girl. In springtime, we would pass a huge field of these flowers on my way to and from school. An elderly woman would sell bouquets of these and my mom would stop and let me purchase bouquets of these flowers regularly on my way home from school. These flowers always make me smile!<br />
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The painting above is a quick, loose watercolor from a photo I snapped in our front yard. <br />
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All elements of this painting are loosely painted with minimal amounts of detail. The painting was also painted on a slight slant to allow the paint to flow on the paper.<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 95" x 7" watercolor sketchbook</div>
<div>
Brushes: round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Cadmium Orange</li>
<li>Cadmium Yellow Light</li>
<li>Cadmium Yellow Dark</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch the flower on the page along with the stem and leaf placement. You can use my painting as a reference, take a photo yourself or paint in plein air outside. <br />
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<u>Flower:</u><br />
Using the round brush and painting wet on wet, paint the flower working from light to dark and leaving some of the spaces unpainted and white for highlights. Refer to the photo above for color placement. White the flower is still wet, drop in the Sap Green at the base of the flower.<br />
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<u>Stem and Leaves:</u><br />
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Using the round brush and painting wet on wet, use shades of Sap Green and Ultramarine Blue to paint the stem and leaves. Note the yellow at the base of the stem as well as lighter shades of green and blue. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
See if you need to add addition leaves or splashes of yellow or light green in various locations on the page. <br />
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Tip: Loose watercolors are intended to be loose and flowing, so not attempt to paint in details - that is the joy of loose watercolor painting!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TMKpagutHmo/WNKM2QfUB1I/AAAAAAAABag/F8XXFwgwB-g/s640/blogger-image-1813022168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TMKpagutHmo/WNKM2QfUB1I/AAAAAAAABag/F8XXFwgwB-g/s400/blogger-image-1813022168.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo used for the painting</td></tr>
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
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<br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-8034082991684095552017-03-17T07:49:00.004-05:002017-03-17T07:49:25.295-05:00"Splash" - How to paint a drop of water<div>
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"Splash"</div>
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5" x 7" watercolor painting</div>
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by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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Painting water can be challenging. Since water itself is clear, the key to painting water is to use the color of it's surroundings. In the painting above, I used blue to reflect the color of the sky and make the water stand out on the paper.<br />
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The painting above was painted with only one color of paint - Windsor Blue The intensity of the color is regulated by the amount of water added to the paint and how the paint is layered on the paper.<br />
Using this type of technique will help beginners understand the strength of color when water is added and how much water to use. This technique also helps with learning how to layer the paint to achieve color variation.<br />
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<div>
<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 5" x 7" piece</div>
<div>
Masking tape or watercolor notebook</div>
<div>
Watercolor board, if using sheet paper</div>
<div>
Brushes: round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Windsor Blue</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
I sketched the shape of the water splash to make the painting easier to do. <br />
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<u>Splash:</u><br />
Look at the painting above and using a pale wash of blue start painting at the top and work your way down to the bottom of the splash. While this pale wash is still wet, start adding additional washes of Windsor Blue in deeper intensities allowing the washes to blend together. Refer to the painting above for location. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Water/Reflection at base of splash:</u><br />
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Painting wet on wet add washes of blue in the same way as the splash with the deepest intensity near the base of the splash. Be certain to leave some areas unpainted and white. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Using a liner brush, add a some deeper lines of Windsor Blue to define areas of the splash. Refer to the photo above. </div>
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-15241698008902678502017-03-08T08:06:00.003-06:002017-03-08T08:06:37.404-06:00How to Paint Storm Clouds<div>
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Texas Storm Clouds</div>
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9" x 12" watercolor paper</div>
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by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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This watercolor was painted from a photo taken by a friend during a recent trip to Texas. I liked the clouds in the photo and asked permission to use her photo to demonstrate painting clouds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V56675i8C0E/WL8Z-cnKUKI/AAAAAAAABZ0/OIweYMABVlU/s640/blogger-image--335501680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V56675i8C0E/WL8Z-cnKUKI/AAAAAAAABZ0/OIweYMABVlU/s400/blogger-image--335501680.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Photo used for painting reference on left;</div>
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Painting on right</div>
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The painting above provides great practice for painting storm clouds.. All elements of this painting are loosely painted with minimal amounts of detail. The painting was also painted on a slight slant to allow the paint to flow on the paper.<br />
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<div>
<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</div>
<div>
Masking Tape</div>
<div>
Watercolor board</div>
<div>
Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)<br />
Old credit card or palette knife</div>
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Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Cadmium Orange</li>
<li>Burnt Sienna</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch the horizon on the page. No other sketching will be needed. <br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Use a large round brush to paint the sky area. Wet the sky from the top down to the horizon using clean water. Using a pale wash of Cadmium Orange drop in some color in various locations in the sky. See above photo for location. While this is still wet, paint in a wash of the Paynes Gray, apply the paint working from the top of the painting down to the horizon. Add Ultramarine Blue in various areas of the sky and also increase the intensity of the Paynes Gray in some areas. However, do not completely cover the entire sky area. Allow some white areas to remain. Using a tissue or paper towel, lift some of the paint to create lighter areas in the sky for clouds, if needed. Pick up the painting and tilt to the bottom left to add some flow to the watercolor on the page and create some movement in the clouds. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Horizon Trees</u><br />
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Using a deep wash of Paynes Gray and your round brush, paint in the trees on the horizon. Vary the heights of the trees to add interest. Refer to the photo above for placement. Allow to dry.<br />
<u><br />Grasses:</u><br />
Using a wash of Brunt Sienna and Yellow Ochre, paint the base of the grassy area moving from lighter shades in the back and moving to darker shades in the front. While still wet, drop in a wash of Sepia in various locations for the base of the tall grasses. While this area is still wet, use either the sharp edge of a credit card or a small palette knife and pull up some paint to indicate the grasses. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Using a liner brush, add some additional grasses moving from small and short grasses in the horizon to taller grasses in the foreground. Allow to dry. Using a utility knife, scrape in some highlights in the tall grasses. <br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-561872076187737602017-03-02T14:18:00.001-06:002017-03-02T14:19:53.973-06:00One Color Painting<div>
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Quiet</div>
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5" x 7" watercolor painting</div>
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by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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The painting above was painted with only one color of paint - Paynes Gray. The intensity of the color is regulated by the amount of water added to the paint and how the paint is layered on the paper.<br />
Using this type of technique will help beginners understand the strength of color when water is added and how much water to use. This technique also helps with learning how to layer the paint to achieve color.<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 5" x 7" piece</div>
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Masking tape</div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Paynes Gray</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
The only pencil line I used on this painting was the one for the horizon. This helped keep me focused on the horizon and allowed me to keep the waterline/treeline consistent across the page. <br />
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This painting was painted quickly wet on wet.<br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Wet the sky area all the way down to the waterline. Using a very pale wash of Paynes Gray, paint in areas of the sky. Do not paint the entire sky, leave wide spaces of unpainted area.<br />
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<u>Trees:</u><br />
The trees are painted first with a pale wash of Paynes Gray, slightly deeper than the sky. Paint the background trees from their tops down to the treeline. While still damp, add in some deeper shades of Paynes Gray to indicate trees closer to the front. Continue adding trees and painting deeper shades of Paynes Gray to the waterline. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u>Water/Reflection:</u><br />
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The reflection is painted using the same method used in the trees. If you feel more comfortable, rotate your paper and paint in the "normal" direction rather than painting "upside down." Allow these trees to be "wavy" to indicate the reflection in the water. Allow to dry. <br />
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The water toward the front of the painting was painted in the same method as the sky. This painting is basically a mirror image from the treeline to the sky and the treeline into the water. <br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Using a liner brush, add a few trucks/branches in several locations. Refer to the photo above. <br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-35632524916738926452017-02-22T08:30:00.000-06:002017-02-22T08:30:26.816-06:00"Island in the Lake" - Sky, Water and Reflections<div>
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Island on the Lake</div>
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9" x 12" watercolor painting</div>
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Karen A. Cooke </div>
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The painting above provides great practice for painting sky, water and reflections. All elements of this painting are loosely painted with minimal amounts of detail. The painting was also painted on a slight slant to allow the paint to flow on the paper.<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</div>
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Masking Tape</div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Cobalt Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Cadmium Orange</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Hooker Green Deep</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Lightly sketch this painting on your paper. This is not an involved sketch, simply drawn the horizon, the island and make exterior shapes of the trees. <br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Use a large round brush to paint the sky area. Wet the sky from the top down to the horizon using clean water. Using a pale wash of Cadmium Orange drop in some color in various locations in the sky. See above photo for location. While this is still wet, paint in a wash of the Cobalt Blue, apply the paint working from the top of the painting down to the horizon . However, do not completely cover the entire sky area. Allow some white areas to remain. Using a tissue or paper towel, lift some of the paint to create lighter areas in the sky for clouds, if needed. Work around the island and trees. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Water:</u><br />
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Deeper the wash of Cobalt Blue. Continue using the round brush and paint in the water. Again, do not complete cover the area, leave some spaces unpainted. Add a light wash of Cadmium Orange in various locations in the water was well as wash of a deep brown mixed from the orange and green. This will create the shadows of the island. Refer to the photo above for placement. The reflections closer to the island are painted with a mix of Payne's Gray and Cobalt Blue. Paint this quickly while the water area is still wet. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u>Trees:</u><br />
The trees are painted with a light wash of Sap Green and the deeper colors are added next working light to dark. Mix Sap Green with Cobalt Blue and Hooker Green with Cobalt Blue and add the shadows. In some locations, use only a deep Blue from Cobalt Blue and Payne's Gray. Allow to dry. Note: Tree branches will be painted in a later step. <br />
<u><br />Island and Rocks:</u><br />
Using a pale wash of Payne's Gray, start painting the rocks and land areas of the island. Drop in the blue and Sepia in various locations to create the land areas and the rocks. Refer to the photo above for location. <br />
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<u>Tree Branches:</u><br />
Using a liner brush, paint details of branches on various trees (not all of them) with deep shades of the green. Do not overdo....less is more. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Review your painting and add any shadows that may be needed for depth. <br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-33783137603002704992017-02-15T08:00:00.000-06:002017-02-18T09:48:31.431-06:00Jed's Barn - Painting a Winter Landscape<div>
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Jed's Barn</div>
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9" x 12" watercolor painting</div>
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Karen A. Cooke</div>
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Painting winter landscapes can and usually do involve painting snow. Snow can be achieved with watercolor painting by simply painting shadows and leaving the other areas of the landscape unpainted. Sounds easy - but this can often be tricky. In order to contour the ground, shadows and shapes need to be considered as well as intensity of color. Shadows can be shades of blue or grays and even browns, depending on the object creating the shadow. The painting above of the old barn is an example of a winter landscape. The focal point of this painting is the red barn; however, the snowy landscape is a large factor in emphasizing the barn.<br />
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Let's paint!<br />
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The watercolor above was painted on 140 lb. cold press paper. I did not use my usual preferred paper (Arches). This paper is Strathmore. This paper is a heavyweight paper suited for beginning watercolorists or for experimenting with new techniques. It is less expensive than Arches paper and does not allow for excessive working or lifting of color. I always recommend a 140 lb. weight paper for beginners as it is easier to work the paint on the page. A good student grade paper is less expensive and keeps the beginner from being as worried about the possibility of ruining an expensive piece of paper. Use the brand and type of paper you prefer, can afford, and feel comfortable using.<br />
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Don't worry about ruining a piece of paper. Feel free to explore and learn new techniques......after all - "it is only paper!"<br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (type and size of your choice) - I used a 9" x 12" piece</div>
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Masking Tape</div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: flat, liner and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Cerulean Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Van Dyke Brown</li>
<li>Alizarin Crimson</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
I sketched this drawing on my watercolor paper. However, if you feel you may need to erase multiple times, you may want to drawn on a piece of sketch paper and transfer your completed sketch to the watercolor paper. I discuss how this can be accomplished in my blog of May 11, 2016.<br />
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As a reminder: Multiple erasures can damage watercolor paper and cause pooling of water as well as differences in the way the paint is absorbed into or on the paper. Deep sketch marks will show up in a finished painting, even if they are erased. Correct perspective is an important part of this painting. Confirm that you like the perspective that you have executed in your sketch before you start painting. A poorly executed sketch done in a hurry cannot be overcome no matter how great a job one does with the paint.<br />
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<u>Sky:</u><br />
Wet the sky from the top down to the horizon using clean water. Using a wash of Cerulean Blue, apply the paint working from the top of the painting down to the horizon. Using a tissue or paper towel, lift some of the paint to create lighter areas in the sky for clouds. As the wash begins to dry. paint in the impression of trees in the distance using a mix of your blue paint and Payne's Gray. Allow to dry. <br />
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Note: <br />
Larger trees: You will paint over the top of the trees you sketched with the sky color so that the sky will be smooth. Since the trees are painted using a darker color than the sky, they will be painted after the sky is completely dry. <br />
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<u>Barn:</u><br />
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I painted the siding of the barn first and left the roof for last. The wood siding is painted with Crimson and Payne's Gray. <br />
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Prepare a wash of crimson, varying the intensity from a deep red to a pale red. Using the photo above as an example, paint the siding of the barn varying the color intensity of the red in various locations. While the red is still wet, drop in the Payne's Gray. Allow these colors to blend. <br />
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Note: Deepen the shadows under the roof line on the side of the barn with a deep shade of Payne's Gray. This is done while the paint is still wet so that there will be no transition line from the shadow to the side of the barn. <br />
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<u>Barn Roof:</u><br />
The roof of the barn is covered in snow. Therefore, only the shadows are painted to indicate areas where the snow is blanketing the roof. Areas of the roof are old and missing. Painting wet on wet and using a mix of Payne's Gray and Cerulean Blue, paint in shadows referencing the photo above for shadow placement. Using a deep shade of Payne's Gray, paint the areas where the roof is broken and missing on the right hand side of the roof. The areas of broken roof where the siding shows through on the side of the barn were painted when the siding shadows were painted. Allow to dry. <br />
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<u>Snow - Land contour and shadows</u><br />
Using a pale wash of Payne's Gray, paint the snow on the left hillside, deepening the shadows cast by the trees. Referencing the photo above, paint the contours on the ground and around the barn using a pale wash of Payne's Gray and Cerulean Blue. <br />
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Note: The shadows closer to the bottom of the page are painted with a light wash of Cerulean Blue with the intensity deepening as one moves further away. <br />
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<u>Trees/Grasses:</u> <br />
Using a wash of Vandyke Brown paint the trees. Deepen the color on the trunks of the trees in various locations with Sepia. <br />
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Add some grasses showing through the snow in various locations near the barn and under the trees.<br />
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Allow to dry.<br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
A few details can be added in the siding on the barn now that the paint is completely dry.<br />
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Use a liner brush and Payne's Gray, paint in a few lines for the boards adding a few deeper areas where the boards are cracked. Do not make this very detailed. When the paint is completely dry, use a utility knife to scratch off the paint on the siding in a few areas for highlights. <br />
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Look over your painting and paint any finishing details you would like to add. Then, sign your painting!<br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-75417449580526256672017-02-08T14:57:00.002-06:002017-02-08T15:01:22.629-06:00Walking in the Rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G4dDnUHlD8Q/WJuHIVaby8I/AAAAAAAABYk/NFTEkxG0uBA/s640/blogger-image-1797823452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G4dDnUHlD8Q/WJuHIVaby8I/AAAAAAAABYk/NFTEkxG0uBA/s640/blogger-image-1797823452.jpg"></a></div><br>
The painting above is a "loose" watercolor painted with a minimum of sketching. I did drawn the lines for the sidewalk and the basic shapes of the people and their umbrellas. Needless to say, there is very little detail in this paining. The object of this painting to provide a feeling of the rain not a detailed "photo."<br>
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The watercolor above was painted on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper.<br>
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Watercolor paper (size of your choice) </div>
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Masking Tape</div>
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Watercolor board</div>
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Brushes: flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)<br>
Spray Bottle of water</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Cerulean Blue</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher </li>
<li>Crimson</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br>
This a very simple painting done quickly in wet on wet. <br>
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<u>Background Buildings, Sidewalks and Street</u><br>
The light colored umbrellas are the only objects left unpainted on the first wash of color. The umbrellas can be painted around or masked out with masking fluid or a piece of masking tape cut to the shape of the umbrella. I simply painted around the umbrellas, but painted over the shapes of the bodies since the colors are very pale. <br>
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Wet the entire sheet taking into consideration the umbrellas and your choice of masking. While the paper is still wet drop in the following colors: Ultramarine Blue, Payne's Gray, Yellow Ocher and Crimson mixed with Ultramarine to create purple. Using a vertical stroke, pull the colors down to meet the sidewalk leaving the impression of buildings in the background obscured by rain. Using the same colors, brush horizontally across the sidewalk areas. Brush strokes in this area can also be vertical to indicate the falling rain. While the area is still wet, use a tissue to pull the paint from areas, leaving white streaks. Allow to dry.<br>
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<u>People and Umbrellas:</u><br>
Using Payne's Gray, paint in the silhouettes of the people allowing areas to be lighter on various parts of their clothing. Allow to dry and then paint the umbrella. I used Cerulean Blue on one umbrella and a pale mix of Crimson and Yellow Ochre on the other colored umbrella. The dark umbrella was painted with undiluted Payne's Gray. Allow to dry. When dry, add the shadows of the people with a wash of Payne's Gray and the purple used above. Spray the shadows with plain water to allow them to blur. Allow to dry.<br>
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<u>Sidewalk:</u><br>
I used a fine liner brush to put in the sidewalk using broken lines. <br>
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<u>Details:</u></div>
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Use a utility knife to scratch in highlights on the umbrellas.</div>
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Congratulations! <br>
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Happy Painting!<br>
Karen<br>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br>Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-76645328416975001782017-02-01T10:06:00.000-06:002017-02-01T10:23:09.510-06:00A Painting a Day - Every Day?A Painting a Day - Every Day? Why?<br>
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I counter with "Why not?" Daily painting can be a habit and can make a painter more creative and successful and painting more enjoyable whether one enjoys painting as a hobby or a profession. I received the book above for a birthday present and it offers a few tips on daily painting. <br>
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I am often asked these questions:<br>
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<li>"How often you paint? </li>
<li>Do you paint every day?</li>
<li>How do you know what to paint?</li>
<li>Is painting work for you or is it fun?</li>
<li>Why paint?</li>
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Some of these questions will attempt to be answered in today's blog. The frequency of my painting has changed over the course of time based on the various seasons of my life. If painting is not one's full time profession, then painting must fit into one's schedule of life, family, work and recreation. As with all things, priorities must be set and how often one paints depends on those priorities. Painting for me has been a hobby and a profession during various times. </div>
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When painting is a profession, painting is a top priority and one paints more often - at least, if one would like to be successful. When painting is a hobby, it often gets set aside to allow for other items in one's life. When painting as a hobby, then one must address painting as one would any other hobby - make time for it!</div>
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This post will address painting as a hobby rather than as a profession. Work is work; and like any job, painting should be treated as any other profession. However, if painting is a hobby that is a different subject.</div>
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So, let's start off with reasons one starts a hobby. According to info I have read from numerous sources and from my own experiences, here are a few reasons:</div>
<ol>
<li>Hobbies are healthy for the mind and body. If you take time for a hobby that you enjoy, you can lose yourself in it and forget about your worries for a while. Great stress reliever!</li>
<li>Hobbies make one more confident - period! When one finds a hobby they enjoy (and one does not have to be good at it), one practices a skill and improves by practice thus creating the motivation to continue. According to the <i>Huffington Post</i>, pursuing a passion is a great way to build self-esteem, giving one an enhanced sense of purpose and improving overall quality of life. </li>
<li>Hobbies help one structure time by "making" time for the hobby - no matter how small the amount of time. Now, this does not need to be daily, but can be weekly, etc. Whatever will fit into your schedule. The point is to avoid stress, not create more by trying to fit too much into one day. (I have been guilty of this.) </li>
<li>Hobbies can help you grow as a person by building new social connections, adding to your identity and richness to your self concept. You will not only feel more inspired when you have a rich and active life, but you will inspire others as well.</li>
</ol>
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What does one paint? Anything and everything! Look around the house, outside, on the internet, in books - paint whatever catches your interest. </div>
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Schedule time to paint or draw - just do it! Invest 5 minutes, 15 minutes, half an hour or more. Whatever amount of time fits your schedule. I have found that the more I paint, the more I want to paint! Practice, as with all things, make one better. </div>
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In the past, I have taken a few minutes each day to sketch in a small sketchbook. One that can be carried to work for a quick lunch time sketch, taken to your child's afterschool activities while waiting in the car, grabbed while you are waiting for the water to boil for the spaghetti noodles, picked up during a commercial of your favorite show (instead of the potato chips), etc. You get the idea - be prepared and art will happen. Like any habit, it will become 2nd nature to have that sketchbook with you. </div>
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So, pick up that sketch book, pencil, paint brush and get started! You'll be glad you did!</div>
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Happy Painting!<br>Karen</div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-85462281049399780272017-01-25T12:02:00.001-06:002017-01-25T12:02:21.129-06:00Painting Dogs - Easier Than It Seems<div>
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"Diesel"</div>
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A watercolor painting by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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Following along with painting animals from last week, this week's post discusses how to paint a bulldog. I am not a "detail" painter and prefer a more Impressionist style of painting, the bulldog painting, conveys the dog's personality without detail - not even detailed fur. However, you can add as much or as little detail in your painting as you like and that fits your style of painting. <br />
<br />
Below, I have again included some tips on painting fur from last week's blog post:</div>
<ol>
<li>Most animals will have different types of fur in their coat - short smooth, long wispy and thick/clumpy fur.</li>
<li>Animal fur is thick and will require layers of color and or detail.</li>
<li>When working with watercolor it is important to paint the lightest color fur first and build up the darker layers. The light base color is painted first with brush stokes placed on top. </li>
<li>Vary your brush stoke to keep the fur from looking uniform. Animal fur is usually a little bit "scruffy" and unkempt looking. </li>
<li>Also, be certain to leave some white unpainted areas for highlights. </li>
</ol>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
The watercolor above was painted on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper.<br />
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</div>
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (size of your choice) </div>
<div>
Masking Tape</div>
<div>
Watercolor board</div>
<div>
Brushes: round, liner and flat or fan</div>
<div>
Spray Bottle of water</div>
<div>
Paint: </div>
<ul>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Black</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Crimson</li>
<li>Burnt Sienna</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Mars Black</li>
</ul>
<div>
Note: The colors above are the ones I used to paint the dog above. Your paint colors will vary based on the color of the animal you are painting. </div>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Sketch the basic shape of the dog with the most detail and attention given to the eyes, nose and mouth. The detail of the body will be shaped by the color of the fur to define and shape. </div>
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<u>Body</u><br />
I painted wet on wet by first wetting with clean water sections of the dog's body that I wanted to paint. I left a dry, white area in places where I did not want the color to blend. This white area will help define the shape of the dog rather than having one large painted area. This gives shape without having to define it with color. In the case of this bulldog, it also indicates areas of wrinkled skin. Blend your colors allowing some of the painted areas to be lighter than others. <br />
<u><br /></u><u>Ears:</u><br />
The ears are painted in the same manner as the body per the instructions above. Vary the intensity of the paint leaving some areas white. Refer to photo above.<br />
<br />
<u>Eyes:</u><br />
Paint the eyes. In this case the dog's eyes are brown. Use a wash and paint the outer section of the eye with this color and allow to dry. Paint the pupil last leaving a small white dot of white paper unpainted. Allow to dry. Using a liner brush or a watercolor pencil (see tip below) outline the eye. Allow to dry. <br />
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<b><u>TIP</u></b>: Watercolor pencils can be used to help outline and define the eyes. This is especially helpful if you feel uncomfortable or unsteady using a fine liner brush for details. Steady hands come with practice and becoming comfortable with painting. However, remember - it is only paper!<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<u>Nose, mouth and muzzle area:</u><br />
<u></u></div>
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Using a pale wash of Crimson, paint in the lower muzzle leaving some areas lighter fading into white unpainted paper and drop in some Payne's Gray. Allow to dry. Using a pale wash of Payne's Gray to add shading and color in in the nose and lower muzzle. Refer to photo above. Add dots of color using the tip of a round brush for the part of the muzzle where the whiskers are growing. Allow to dry. The nose is painted with Payne's Gray leaving some areas white and using black to deepen some of the areas. </div>
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Details:</div>
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Using the liner brush and black, brunt umber and burnt sienna, paint in a few details to indicate lines, claws, etc. Refer to painting. Don't let this become too involved. </div>
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Foreground:<br />
Using Crimson and Payne's Gray in a very light wash, add a shadow in the foreground to help "ground" the dog in place rather than leaving him "floating." <br />
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Check for any other details you would like to add. When you are satisfied, sign you painting!<br />
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Congratulations! </div>
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-6618564866021539672017-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:002017-01-25T11:41:15.719-06:00How to Paint Cat Fur<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
"Prince"</div>
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5" x 7" watercolor painting of my cousin's cat</div>
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Karen A. Cooke </div>
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Different types of animal fur require different types of techniques and different brushes. What method used depends on the animal and the final result you desire. The following are some things to remember about fur:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li>Most animals will have different types of fur in their coat - short smooth, long wispy and thick/clumpy fur.</li>
<li>Animal fur is thick and will require layers of color and or detail.</li>
<li>When working with watercolor it is important to paint the lightest color fur first and build up the darker layers. The light base color is painted first with brush stokes placed on top. </li>
<li>Vary your brush stoke to keep the fur from looking uniform. Animal fur is usually a little bit "scruffy" and unkempt looking. </li>
<li>Also, be certain to leave some white unpainted areas for highlights. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now. let's paint!</div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
The watercolor above was painted on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper.<br />
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (size of your choice) </div>
<div>
Masking Tape</div>
<div>
Watercolor board</div>
<div>
Brushes: round, liner and flat or fan</div>
<div>
Spray Bottle of water</div>
<div>
Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Black</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Crimson</li>
<li>Burnt Sienna</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Yellow Ocher </li>
<li>Hooker Green</li>
</ul>
<div>
Note: The colors above are the ones I used to paint the fur on the cat above. Your paint colors will vary based on the color of the animal you are painting. </div>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
Sketch the basic shape of the cat with the most detail and attention given to the eyes. The detail of the cat's head will be shaped by the color of the fur to define and shape. </div>
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<u>Basic head shape:</u><br />
Use the lightest wash of yellow ocher and a round brush to define the outline of the cat head and fur. Remember to leave some areas white for highlights. While this paint is still wet, pick up some of the deeper colors (burnt sienna, etc.) and place in various locations to indicate the changes in color of the fur. Leave the area around the nose and mouth as well as around the eyes white. This will be shaded in later. <br />
<u><br /></u><u>Ears:</u><br />
The ears are painted using a pale wash of crimson. This paint will blend with the color of the fur surrounding the ear. Vary the intensity of the paint leaving some areas white. Refer to photo above.<br />
<br />
<u>Eyes:</u><br />
Paint the eyes. In this case the cat's eyes are a gold green. Use a wash and paint the outer section of the eye with this color and allow to dry. Paint the pupil last leaving a small white triangle of white paper unpainted. Allow to dry. Using a liner brush or a watercolor pencil (see tip below) outline the eye. Allow to dry. <br />
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<b><u>TIP</u></b>: Watercolor pencils can be used to help outline and define the eyes. This is especially helpful if you feel uncomfortable or unsteady using a fine liner brush for details. Steady hands come with practice and becoming comfortable with painting. However, remember - it is only paper!<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<u>Nose, mouth and muzzle area:</u><br />
<u></u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Using a pale wash of Crimson, paint in the nose and mouth leaving some areas lighter fading into white unpainted paper. Allow to dry. Using a pale wash of Payne's Gray to add shading and color in in the nose and lower muzzle. Refer to photo above. Add dots of color using the tip of a round brush for the part of the muzzle where the whiskers are growing. Allow to dry.</div>
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Details:</div>
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Using the liner brush and black, brunt umber and burnt sienna, paint in a few individual pieces of the fur. Don't let this become too involved, just the illusion is all that you will need. </div>
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Whiskers:</div>
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The whiskers of the cat can be done in two different ways:</div>
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<li><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Using a utility knife, scratch in the whisker, or</div>
</li>
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Using a liner brush and white paint, paint in the whiskers. </div>
</li>
</ol>
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This is your preference. In the photo above, I used a liner brush and white paint since this would show up better on this color fur. Darker fur would make the scratch method more useful in that the scratch would be more easier seen.</div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Now, track down a pet or pull up a photo on line and get started painting!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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<br />Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-2102963319706643442017-01-11T08:00:00.000-06:002017-01-17T08:45:25.444-06:00Magic Tea - Blending Watercolors<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Magic Properties of Tea</div>
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Watercolor Painting - 5" x 7"</div>
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by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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I received several blends of tea this Christmas and while waiting for a cup to brew, I watched the swirls of steam rising from the tea. This made me think of how the swirls of steam were moving and how this might be accomplished in a watercolor. Teas are blended to create pleasing tastes and aromas, so I wanted to play around with color to accomplish a similar result in my painting. <br />
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The magic of watercolor painting is how the paint can be blended to create pleasing and unique designs. This painting will illustrate how to accomplish the magic of watercolor blending in a simple painting of a cup of tea and it's "magic" steam. <br />
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</div>
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Now, let's paint!<br />
<br /></div>
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</div>
The watercolor above was painted on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper.<br />
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
<div>
Watercolor paper (size of your choice) </div>
<div>
Masking Tape</div>
<div>
Watercolor board</div>
<div>
Salt (table salt and/or larger grain sea salt)</div>
<div>
Brushes: flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)<br />
Spray Bottle of water</div>
<div>
Paint:</div>
<ul>
<li>Cerulean Blue</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Crimson</li>
</ul>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
This a very simple drawing of a teacup and saucer. Do not draw in the steam rising from the cup. The paint will take care of this. <br />
<br />
<u>Cup and Saucer:</u><br />
Wet the cup with clean water and using a blend of Payne's Gray and Sepia, drop in color to indicate shadows. The cup is actually white, but you are simply painting the shadows. I used a round brush to paint these shadows and used it to line the outside of the cup to separate the cup from the background. Make this line very faint and light. Allow to dry. Be certain to allow the cup to dry before painting where the cup touches the saucer so that both appear as distinct items. If the paint is wet, the colors will blend and the cup and saucer will appear as one piece rather than two distinct pieces. <br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Tea:</u><br />
Using a blend of Payne's Gray, Ultramarine and Crimson, paint the tea in the cup using a wet in wet method. Start with the Ultramarine and Crimson in the center of the cup and add the Payne's Gray on the edges. Allow the colors to blend and swirl together. While the paint is still wet, drop in some salt crystals to push the paint around and create an interesting texture. Allow to dry and brush off the salt crystals. <br />
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This is one of the "magical" qualities of watercolor painting: each crystal of salt chases away the pigment to make a lighter area beneath it. <br />
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<b><u>TIP</u></b>: Salt does not always work the way expected. It involves the paint pigment at the correct wetness as well as the speed that the paper and air dry. However, the best results usually occur when the paint is damp and shiny. If the paint is too dry, the technique won't work. Conversely, if the paper has puddles of water, it will be too wet for it to work. Practice this on a scrap piece of paper to determine the right ratio of paint and water. This technique can be used for snowflakes, small flowers, etc. <br />
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<u>Magic Steam:</u><br />
Wet the area of the painting above the teacup in a pattern to indicate the swirling mist of steam rising from the hot cup of tea. Drop in Payne's Gray, Crimson and Ultramarine Blue. Refer to the painting above for location. The Crimson and Ultramarine will blend on the paper to create a purple. However, you may want to blend these two colors on your palette as well to apply to the painting. <br />
While the paint is still wet, mist the outside edges of the paint with the spray bottle and add the salt crystals to the swirls of paint. Allow to dry and brush off the salt crystals. <br />
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Congratulations! You have learned one of the "magical" qualities of watercolor painting! <br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-44209525798995165962017-01-04T08:00:00.000-06:002017-01-04T08:00:20.949-06:00Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway - How to Paint old Buildings<div>
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Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway</div>
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Watercolor painting by Karen A. Cooke</div>
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I have always enjoyed painting old building such as the mill above as well as cabins, old doors and windows, etc. This painting was done from a photo taken on a recent trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia in early fall of this year. Before we start painting, below is just a little background information on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the mill above.<br />
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The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and an All-American Road which is the longest linear park in the United States running for 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina. It runs through the Appalachian Mountains from its northern terminus in Virginia at the Shenandoah National Park south through Virginia and North Carolina to its southern terminus at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Mabry Mill is a watermill located at milepost 176 of the Blue Ridge Parkway approximately 70 miles southeast of Richmond, VA. It was built in 1903 by Edwin Mabry. The mill was first a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, then a sawmill and finally a gristmill. The mill is considered to be the most photographed structure in the United States. <br />
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Now, let's paint!</div>
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The watercolor above was painted on Arches 140 lb. cold press paper. <br />
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<u>Supplies Needed:</u></div>
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Masking Tape</div>
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Brushes: flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your paper)</div>
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Paint:</div>
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<li>Cerulean Blue</li>
<li>Yellow ocher</li>
<li>Sap Green</li>
<li>Ultramarine Blue</li>
<li>Sepia</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Burnt Sienna</li>
<li>Payne's Gray</li>
<li>Van Dyke Brown</li>
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<u>Painting Instructions:</u><br />
I sketched this drawing on my watercolor paper. However, if you feel you may need to erase multiple times, you may want to drawn on a piece of sketch paper and transfer your completed sketch to the watercolor paper. I discuss how this can be accomplished in my blog of May 11, 2016.<br />
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As a reminder: Multiple erasures can damage watercolor paper and cause pooling of water as well as differences in the way the paint is absorbed into or on the paper. Deep sketch marks will show up in a finished painting, even if they are erased. Correct perspective is an important part of this painting. Confirm that you like the perspective that you have executed in your sketch before you start painting. A poorly executed sketch done in a hurry cannot be overcome no matter how great a job one does with the paint.<br />
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Let's Paint!<br />
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<u>Sky and Background Foliage:</u><br />
Wet the sky from the top down to where the sky meets the buildings and the horizon using clean water. Using a wash of Cerulean Blue, apply the paint working from the top of the painting down to the horizon allowing the intensity of the color to become lighter. <br />
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While the sky is still wet, drop in a small amounts of Sap Green, Burnt Sienna and Yellow to paint in the shapes of the trees. This was early fall so there were hints of color change in the background trees. Allow to dry. Using a liner brush add in some tree trunks and branches in various locations. Refer to finished painting above. <br />
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</span><u>How to Paint Old Wood:</u><br />
Wet the wood area with clean water and apply a place wash of yellow ochre, Payne's gray, and sepia. Drop in the colors in various locations. Some areas can even remain without color. Since the area was wet before the paint was applied, the color will run and blend. <br />
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Let this dry. Using a flat brush with the bristles fanned out slight, dry brush in wavy grain lines with a wash of Sepia and Payne's gray. <br />
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Let this dry and use a fine liner brush and draw in a few lines to further indicate the wood grain.<br />
Don't forget to deepen the color in the shadows under the roof line.<br />
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<u>Mill:</u><br />
Paint the mill siding and roof as above in the "How to Paint Old Wood" section. After the initial wash drives, add a few lines to indicate shingles. Do not paint each individual shingles/siding. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u>Mill Run:</u><br />
Using Payne's Gray, Sepia and Burnt Umber paint the mill run using various intensities of paint. <br />
Refer to the photo above for the deeper areas. Use a clean brush to remove the paint for the posts. I originally thought I would mask out the posts with masking fluid, but decided that I preferred the indistinct quality of the posts. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u>Mill Wheel:</u><br />
Use a clean dry brush and painting wet on dry, paint the wheel with Burnt Umber. Add Payne's Gray for the water paddles and between the spokes of the wheel. Keep these lines fairly straight, but do not go completely top to bottom, leave a few gaps. Allow to dry. Using a utility knife and referencing the finished painting above, scrape in the water cascading down the paddles to the pond below.<br />
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<u> Mill Pond:</u><br />
Using a wash of Ultramarine Blue and Cerulean Blue Refer to the painting above. Painting wet on wet, drop in paint for the reflections from the mill, stone wall and grasses on the bank using the same colors. Let the colors mingle for the reflections. Use a deeper shade of blue at the base of the water wheel. Allow to dry. Use the utility knife to scrape in some water splotches at the bottom of the water wheel to show reflected lift from the water as it enters the pond.<br />
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<u> Foreground Grasses and Foliage by the Mill Run:</u><br />
Using Sap Green, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber and Ultramarine, paint wet on wet. Refer to painting above for colors and placement. Allow to dry.<br />
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<u> Finishing touches:</u><br />
Using a mix of Payne's Gray and Burnt Umber, add the split rail fence on the left side background. <br />
Using Sap Green deepened with Ultramarine, add some taller grasses near the edge of the pond.<br />
Using a sponge and various shades of green mixed from Sap Green, Yellow Ochre and Ultramarine, add the foliage on the building.<br />
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Look over your painting and paint any finishing details you would like to add. Then, sign your painting!<br />
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Congratulations!<br />
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Happy Painting!<br />
Karen<br />
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-33063275789334738612016-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:002016-12-25T08:00:14.740-06:00A Simple Christmas Acrylic Painting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bringing Home the Perfect Tree<br />
an acrylic painting<br />
16" x 20"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">MERRY CHRISTMAS!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A Simple Christmas
Acrylic Painting</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sometimes a simple painting can be the perfect decorative
item for your home during the winter months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The acrylic painting above, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bringing
Home the Perfect Tree</i>, is an example of just that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What says winter and Christmas more than snow, a sled and
an evergreen tree?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This simple version
is painted as a “sketch” with even a few pencil marks showing for the scale of
the sled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The painting shows movement
and allows one’s imagination to come to life in the painting….it encourages one
to use imagination to tell the story of the painting <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through the sled and tree moving off of the
painting on the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><u>Supplies Needed:</u> <br />
Canvas panel:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used a 16” x 20” white
primed stretched canvas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Brushes:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>flat and
round<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(sizes of your choice)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Paint:</span></div>
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White</div>
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Black</div>
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Ultramarine Blue</div>
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Medium Orange</div>
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Cadmium Red Lt.</div>
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Crimson</div>
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Cadmium Yellow</div>
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Raw Umber </div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
Sap Green<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning to
mix colors is an important part of achieving harmonious colors in your
paintings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Practice mixing the paint
rather than using a premixed color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
Brown can be mixed from the colors above (red,
yellow and blue or orange and blue)<span style="font-family: "georgia";">.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
Green can be mixed from the colors above (yellow
and blue).</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Painting Instructions: </u><br />
Lightly sketch the sled on the canvas with detail given to the sled
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refer to painting above.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<u>Snow:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Using a flat brush, lay in the snow areas of your
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snow is not only “white.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice the shadows in the snow (especially
under the sled) and add a little black to make gray or a little bit of blue
paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See where the snow was compacted
under the sled runners?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Painting those
areas with a white mixed with blue or black will show those shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snow under the sled is also in shadow
from the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paint a light wash of
white over the pencil marks around the sled, allowing these markings to show
through the paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Sled:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The sled is painted in various shades of brown mixed from
Raw Umber as well as a brown mix from orange and blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>White and/or yellow can be added to lighten
the shades of brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blue can be added
to deepen the shade or brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Black can
be used sparingly to add shadow on the runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Work with the colors and refer to the painting above for shadows and
light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Evergreen Tree:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Trunk:</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Block in the truck with Raw Sienna and come back over the top and add in
darker and lighter areas of brown to indicate the bark on the trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This does not need to be detailed.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Branches:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Prepare several shades of green paint before starting to
paint the branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The branches will be
shades of light, medium and dark green to show light and shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using either a large round brush or a flat
brush, paint the branches in a sweeping motion painting from bottom to
top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add layer on layer of varying greens
to make the tree realistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, this
is not detailed – step back from your painting to view your painting and see
where you need to add paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let some background
white snow show through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Details:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Check the sled for any details you would like to
add.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snow can be deepened and
movement can be created in the background snow using shadows to show “humps” in
the now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rarely is snow on a completely
flat surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “pencil marks” can be enhanced by using a
liner brush and painting these sketch marks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
You can make this painting your own by add</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Sign your painting! Congratulations!<br />
<br />
Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-16270183800939496172016-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:002016-12-21T08:00:06.081-06:00Painting Leaves with Salt<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n7uKbOCd-xE/WCsregovz8I/AAAAAAAABWA/4ipn_fRes5c/s640/blogger-image-1543840061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n7uKbOCd-xE/WCsregovz8I/AAAAAAAABWA/4ipn_fRes5c/s640/blogger-image-1543840061.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter Trees<br />
9" x 12" watercolor painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Salt Technique to
Paint Fall Leaves in Watercolor</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many techniques can be used to create leaves and foliage
in watercolor painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
watercolor above, salt was used to create the leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
blog entry will discuss the technique for using salt in watercolor
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Salt can be used to create interesting patterns in the
paint for various subjects. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When salt
is scattered into wet watercolor paint, the salt absorbs the water in the paint
pulling the pigment across the paper in abstract patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All sizes and types of salt can be
used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, remember the bigger the
piece of salt, the more it will absorb and the larger the abstract patter you
will achieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I wanted abstract patterns in the background and leaves
with only a definite shape in my tree trunks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I selected blues, golds and orange as my dominate background
colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trees are a nice contrast in
white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Select whatever colors you would
like in your background and foliage and let’s get started painting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><u>Supplies Needed:</u> <br />
Watercolor paper – your choice of size – I used a 9” x 12” piece of 140# Arches
watercolor paper<br />
Masking Tape<br />
Watercolor board</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Salt – small grain table salt as well as larger, coarse
grain salt</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Masking Fluid and old brush<br />
Brushes: flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your
paper) <br />
Paint:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
Yellow Ocher</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
Windsor Blue</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Burnt Sienna</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
Payne’s Gray</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Sepia</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
I made green from mixing the colors above
(yellow ocher and Windsor Blue).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Green
made from mixing the colors used in the painting make for a more harmonious
color blend.</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Also, the brown in the painting was mixed from
the blue and burnt sienna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="border-image: none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="border-image: none;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u>Painting Instructions: </u></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Sketch only the tree trunks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The darker
branches will be painted in last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apply
masking fluid on the areas of the tree trunks you want to remain white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left a break in the trunks to allow the
foliage to cover parts of the trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allow the masking fluid to dry.</div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u>Foliage and Background:</u></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Wet the entire area of your paper with clean water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using the painting above as a guide or painting
as you would like, drop in deep concentrations of watercolor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leave some areas of the paper white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let the colors mix on your paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the paint is still wet, drop in the
salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used both small grain and coarse
grain salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The coarse grain salt was
used where I wanted larger “leaves” – mainly out the outside edges of the
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The finer grains were used in
the center section of the painting and along the bottom edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
When the paint is dry, gently rub off the salt.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="border-image: none;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Tree Trunks:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Remove the masking fluid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each tree truck is painted separately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the trunks touch, let one dry before painting the adjoining
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wet each trunk with clean
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While still wet, use a round
brush and Payne’s Gray and/or Sepia, and apply the paint along the right side
of the trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water will pull the paint
across the trunk leaving a dark line on the right side of the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pale wash of Windsor Blue also be added on
the trunk for additional shadows and to tie in with the background. Allow to
dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When dry, use the same color paint
and make small lines and indentations on the trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Branches</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The branches were painted using a small round brush and
Payne’s Gray and Sepia paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These can
be added randomly; or if you are uncomfortable with only using your brush, the
branches can be added with a pencil and then the paint applied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Details:</u></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The only details I added were a few spatters of “leftover
paint” on my palette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few spatters of
green, orange or brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you do add
spatter, be certain to cover your tree trunks so that they remain white.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Sign your painting! Congratulations!<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-63288843310411140732016-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:002016-12-14T08:00:09.472-06:00Painting Small Buildings with Few Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SHymjNG5UD4/WCYc5Hzqi6I/AAAAAAAABVg/S7_GBNb-bF0/s640/blogger-image--1181781534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SHymjNG5UD4/WCYc5Hzqi6I/AAAAAAAABVg/S7_GBNb-bF0/s1600/blogger-image--1181781534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SHymjNG5UD4/WCYc5Hzqi6I/AAAAAAAABVg/S7_GBNb-bF0/s640/blogger-image--1181781534.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Echoes of the Past<br />
5" x 7" watercolor painting<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Painting Small
Buildings with Few Details</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Elkmont</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Abandoned Cabins
in the Mountains</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The painting above was painted from a photograph I took
in the Elkmont area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is a good
example of painting small structures in a landscape with little detail in an
Impressionistic style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">To add a little background to this painting, below is a
short history of the Elkmont area:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Elkmont was a
former community in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee named for the numerous elk
which once inhabited the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
community grew up adjacent to the former logging town of Elkmont when the
Little River Lumber Company sold land to individuals to create a private social
club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What began as a “Gentleman’s
Hunting Club” soon developed as a place for affluent Knoxville, TN families to
escape the hot urban summers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Elkmont Campground of the GSMNP exists where the original town of Elkmont was
located.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></i></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When land was
acquired for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the
1920’s and 1930’s, most farms and homes of the mountain people were purchased
and residents were required to vacate the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Elkmont Club residents were able to
negotiate lesser sale amounts in exchange for lifetime leases on these
properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last lease expired in
2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Park General Management Plan
calls for all structures to be removed and returned to their natural
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the park is currently
conducting an Environmental Impact Statement to determine the future of this
district.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All Elkmont buildings are
closed to the public; however, photos can be taken from outside the structures
along the trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One can see the beauty of many of these mountain cabins
in spite of the ravages of time and the elements. </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I enjoy painting cabins and these were interesting in
spite of their condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As one can
see from the painting above, the buildings are in disrepair and the red cabin
on the right has braces holding up the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this painting, I wanted to give a general feeling of the area, not a
photographic representation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This painting was done quickly with few details in the
cabins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The emphasis was getting the
feeling of the area as indicated by the muted color tones as well as the misty
background trees and the lack of details in the foreground as well as the
cabins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><u>Supplies Needed:</u> <br />
Watercolor paper – your choice of size – I used a 5” x 7” piece of 140#
watercolor paper<br />
Masking Tape<br />
Watercolor board<br />
Brushes: flat and round (size of your choice based on the size of your
paper) <br />
Paint:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Yellow Ocher</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Sap Green</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Ultramarine Blue</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Viridian Green</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Crimson</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Sepia</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Burnt Umber</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Payne’s Gray</div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
VanDyke Brown</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u>Painting Instructions: </u></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Lightly sketch in the cabins and background/foreground with very little detail.
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5TZdyDpGW9o/WCYc546j1TI/AAAAAAAABVk/dAFI09QmOP8/s640/blogger-image-1030146916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5TZdyDpGW9o/WCYc546j1TI/AAAAAAAABVk/dAFI09QmOP8/s640/blogger-image-1030146916.jpg" /></a><u>Background:</u></div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Wet the top background area with is basically all foliage
with clean water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Painting wet on wet,
drop in Sap Green, yellow ocher and Vandyke Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refer to photo above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.</div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u>Foreground:</u></div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
Wet the front section of your painting and again painting
wet on wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drop in the following
colors:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>VanDyke Brown, Sepia, and Sap
Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refer to the photo above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.</div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u>Cabins:</u></div>
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Green Cabin:</u><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
I painted the roof first and worked my way down the cabin
from top to bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I painted the rock
chimney on the right side last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not
use masking fluid around the doors and windows, but painted carefully around
the inside and outside of the window and door frames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The roof was painted wet on wet using a very light wash
of Payne’s Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Touches of Sap Green
and Yellow ocher were dropped in various locations to show moss growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The underside trim of the roof was painted
with a mix of Sepia and VanDyke Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paint the areas under the edge of the roof a bit darker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The cabin siding was painted next from a wash of Viridian
Green mixed with Burnt Umber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refer to
the photo and deepen the color in the shadow sections near the roof, under the
windows and near the bottom of the cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allow to dry and then dry brush the same colors of paint onto of the
wash to provide a little bit of siding texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allow to dry.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Paint the inside of the cabin seen through the windows
using Payne’s Gray and allowing for the view to continue through to the outside
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use a light wash of Payne’s Gray
to paint the screen door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Red Cabin:</u><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
The red cabin was painted using a wash of Crimson mixed
with VanDyke Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vary the shades
based on light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roof was painted
with a wash of VanDyke Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to
dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add a few darker area of VanDyke
Brown to indicate the siding on the cabin.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Paint the windows using Payne’s Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leave the frames white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<u>Details:</u><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
I prefer to paint with few details. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the following details were added:<br />
<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
</ul>
<br />
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
Add the chimney using short brush strokes of
VanDyke Brown.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
Add a light wash of Payne’s Gray around the
window and door frames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
Using a liner brush, paint in a few very faint
lines for the screen in the door.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
Using the liner brush, paint in a few tree limbs
in the background using VanDyke Brown.</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
Check for any additional details you would like
to add; however, remember it is not intended to be a photographic
representation, but a general feeling of the cabins in that area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
Sign your painting! Congratulations!<br />
<br />
Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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</div>
Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480755183141055565.post-50848028852296964632016-12-07T08:00:00.000-06:002016-12-07T08:00:33.330-06:00How to Paint an Old Brick Wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tA5b6rzcPRU/WCTWhDpjwfI/AAAAAAAABU4/rFvNDwhiI5o/s640/blogger-image--1315584589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tA5b6rzcPRU/WCTWhDpjwfI/AAAAAAAABU4/rFvNDwhiI5o/s640/blogger-image--1315584589.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Tredegar<br />
9" x 12"<br />
Watercolor painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The painting above is an example of an old brick
structure painted using watercolor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
reference material for this painting was a photo of an old abandoned foundry
located on Belle Island in Richmond, VA on the James River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brick structure was crumbling with vines
and trees growing around and inside the structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Supplies Needed:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Watercolor paper (I used Arches 140 lb. paper – 9” x 12”
size)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Watercolor board </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Masking tape to anchor paper</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Brushes:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Round brush – your choice of
size</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Flat brush – 1/8” or ¼ “ in
size</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Paint:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Burnt Umber</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Yellow Ochre</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Sepia</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Payne’s Gray</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Cadmium Red Pale
(Light)</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Crimson</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Grumbacher Red</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">VanDyke Brown</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Sap Green</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Hunter Green</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="color: black;">Ultramarine Blue</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Cerulean Blue</span></div>
</div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">White</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><u><span style="color: black;">Painting Instructions:</span></u><span style="color: black;"><br />
Lightly sketch your painting with very little detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Draw
in the large tree trunks; however, the branches will not need to be sketched in
with a pencil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These can be painted with
your brush after the foliage is in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Check your perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are happy with your perspective, use a
ruler and a pencil to draw lines for the bricks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jOkBQuIkuE8/WCTVBEgsMqI/AAAAAAAABUs/qkwF_iCr_yE/s1600/blogger-image--407768995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jOkBQuIkuE8/WCTVBEgsMqI/AAAAAAAABUs/qkwF_iCr_yE/s640/blogger-image--407768995.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Note: The lines are not all
parallel to the top and bottom of your paper, but will be angled to an
“invisible” point to the right of your painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need to do so, align your ruler to
your vanishing point in the distance on the right with a masking tape “X”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and place your ruler on that “X” as you
lightly draw your pencil lines for your bricks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="color: black;">Background Foliage,
Foreground and Sky:</span></u><span style="color: black;"><br />
It is easier to work from top to bottom on a painting to prevent your arm/sleeve
from dragging across your wet work when working from bottom to top.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="color: black;">Sky and Trees:</span></u></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Using Cerulean Blue paint the
sky working wet on wet from top to bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While the sky is still wet, drop in Sap Green for the trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Foliage will be added later in the painting when the tree trunks and
branches are added.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="color: black;">Background Foliage:</span></u></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">This is the foliage that can be
seen behind the arched opening in the brick wall.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Moving from top to bottom
working wet on wet, paint the background with a light yellow green and then
drop deeper shades of Sap Green in various areas for the tree foliage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this is still set, drop in a deeper
shade of green mixed from Sap Green and Ultramarine Blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, additional foliage, branches, trunks and limbs will be added
later.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="color: black;">Foreground and Foliage on
Right:</span></u></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Wet the area for the greenery
on the lower right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drop in various
shades of green:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sap Green, Sap Green
mixed with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yellow Ochre and Sap Green
mixes with Ultramarine Blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to
dry.</span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="color: black;">Sidewalk area:</span></u></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Wet this area with clean water
and paint in this area with Payne's Gray and green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deepen this near the greenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leave some of this area unpainted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While still wet drop in some<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spatter of Sepia and Payne's Gray for
pebbles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">Now for the fun part – painting
the brick wall!</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<u><span style="color: black;">Brick Wall:</span></u></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Apply wet on wet a light base
of yellow ochre on all the brick area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Allow to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prepare several
colors of paint for your brick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use different
shades of red, orange, gray, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using
your flat brush, paint the brick wet on dry using the pencil lines you drew in
previously as your guide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vary the color
of the bricks that are placed side by side and alternate your pattern so that
no 2 edges are lined up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can be
time consuming; however, it does not have to be perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember this brick wall is part of a
building which has fallen to ruin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are sections of the arched entry where bricks are missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow the bricks to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Prepare a light wash to Payne's
Gray, Sepia,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yellow Ochre and Sap
Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using the photo as a guide, paint
the wash over the bricks deepening the wash in some locations and keeping it
light in others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drop in green to
indicate the moss growing on the brick in some locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allow to dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The brick had various locations
with white brick from paint, etc. over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can be achieved by using one of two
methods.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<ol style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="color: black;">Use a small piece of
sandpaper and sand off the paint in various areas to expose the white paper, or</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">Use Chinese White
Watercolor paint and a dry flat brush to add areas of white.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I used white paint in this
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<u><span style="color: black;">Details:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adding foliage and tree trucks and limbs</span></u></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Using the previous mix of
greens (light and dark) and a small sponge, add the foliage in the top section
of the painting as well as through the archway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, drop in some of the green onto the brick wall to indicate where
greenery is growing over the top and up from the greenery near the walkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A brush can also be used if you prefer to add
the greenery.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Using a round brush, paint in
the tree limbs and tree trunk using VanDyke Brown and Sepia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refer to the photo above for placement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">View your painting to see if
any additional details need to be added in the painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you are satisfied, sign you name.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> Congratulations!<br />
<br />
Happy Painting!<br />
Karen</span></div>
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Karen A. Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597393431853050595noreply@blogger.com1