Pear #1 in real life
Pear #2 in real life
Oh, I'm having the best time playing with my old (and new) art supplies. Today it was watercolor that caught my desire. Since we were grocery shopping, it seemed like a good idea to buy some apples and pears to paint from (and eat later). These are the two watercolors created this afternoon from two of the pears. One refused to sand upright - individuality is sometimes a great thing!
I'm using Arches watercolor papers. Pear #1 is done on 300lb rough. Pear #2 is done on 140 cold press. I prefer 300lb rough, it has a slight creamy cast, and it's terribly EXPENSIVE!
My brushes - Grumbacher Golden Edge numbers 6 (small) and 10 (medium).
Here's my watercolor palette - it's so clean! Hasn't been used in quite awhile:
Here are the watercolor tubes, mostly Winsor Newton Artists' Watercolors and Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors with a few Grumbacher Finest Professional Watercolors. I love the Daniel Smith colors - they have lots of Quinacridone and Iridescent colors to choose from. The Quinacridones are quite strong and vibrant, but easily toned down with water.
FYI: new tubes of watercolor cost any where from $5.00 or so to $20.00 and more per 14/15 ml tube. Pastels can cost from $2.00 to nearly $20.00 per 1/2" x 2" stick - so my hobbies are not cheap! Thankfully, I've been collecting watercolors and pastels for over 30 years...along with fabric, threads, yarns, etc. I pity the people who are stuck figuring out what to do with all my supplies once I've moved on to the other side!
Step 1: quick, light pencil drawing making sure the shapes and shadows/lights are accurate.
Step 2: first light wash over much of the pear laying in the base color. Adding water or using a clean, dry brush to lift out various highlights.
Step 3: continue layering in darker colors while keeping the highlights
Step 4: Sharpening up the edges and continuing to deepen shadows and color intensity.
Step 5: adding shadow beneath the pear(s) When all is dry, sign & photograph
Bartlett Pear #1: 7x9" without mat/frame (c)Pat Dolan 2010 $30.00 plus priority postage
Bartlett Pear #2: 7x9" without mat/frame (c)Pat Dolan 2010 $30.00 plus priority postage
4 comments:
Pat, this is great!!! I really enjoyed looking at your process....is there anything you CAN'T do?
More watercolors, please!!!!
Mary
Yes, Mary, there's a LOT that I cannot do... The reason I'm going back to pastels and watercolors is that I'm no longer able to "draw" with my sewing machine to make the fiberart quilts I've been making for the past 10-15 years. Before fiberart, I did watercolor paintings for nearly 20 years. I got bored with them when they became too realistic and I drew out all the details. Then it was like "painting by numbers" except I did the drawing and the paints were watercolors, not oils or acrylics!
Thanks for your note.
Pat
Love your work, Pat, just love it. I've been a fan of your work since I moved back to the State College area, and I too have been a watercolourist for many, many years, and have recently branched out into a less realistic painting approach. My paper of choice: 400lb hot press. Love it! Oh, also, I will be dropping by you and your friends' fiber arts/quilt show in Nov.
Please introduce yourself when you come to the show. Would love to meet you!
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