Thank you, Lynne. This reality check was most helpful. I have recently begun to realize watching the YouTube tutorials is helpful for inspiration and some techniques, but I think it has slowed down my creative journey. I was getting frustrated because I felt like I should be creating/painting/ improving much faster than I am. The quality isn't there, ergo the frustration. You have given me the permission to slow down and not try to create a perfect painting in a morning or afternoon by showing the reality of painting. Or for that fact, the reality of any creative process.
I will journal this new process and watch how it effects my progress and painting style.
That illusion is so powerful! Even though we know a lot gets edited out, when we watch a video tutorial, our brains think, "What I see is someone put down a fresh sheet of paper, paint start to finish with no hesitation or mistakes and they always wind up with a beautiful painting. So that's what painting looks like, and that's what MY painting practice should look like." I worry about that all the time when I make video tutorials. In my own painting practice, I'm delighted if one painting in 10 or 20 actually turns out to be a keeper. :)
I like watching the process in real time and in a longer version as well. It helps me appreciate the "study/ exploratory" stage of making a painting. I guess I knew this at the back of my mind, but it helped me see that I don't have to know exactly how I'm going to execute every step from the get go. I'm a total beginnner which is probably why I would have such a silly notion. But, sometimes, seeing a finished product can give you that impression. Seeing how you go about it is very helpful. Thank you Lynne.
I like this style. I really got a lot out of this video. More realistic time reference and being able to watch you make decisions is encouraging. Thank you
I love looking over your shoulder as you paint AND the audio (including the self talk that we all certainly do). From the second you put down your brush on the paper to do the 1st sub painting, I was hooked. As a fairly new wc painter I am still in the "paper is expensive, don't waste it fiddling" stage, but this helped me realize you didn't waste a big piece of paper fiddling AND as you do these there is still the backside! Please do more of these, they are SO packed with info I will watch over and over.
Only comment I would make is, please tell us the dampness of paper as you work, it's hard to tell as a viewer from your shoulder. Rock on !!! Could you maybe do a monthly video?
Oh, one more thought: watercolor paper really isn't expensive. Think of it this way: suppose you spend $10 on a full sheet (which is more than it usually costs). Then you cut that into, say, sixteenths, which are 5.5x7.5". So for $10, you can do 32 small paintings (using front and back). I would spend at least 20-30 minutes on each one, often much more. So that's at least 10 or 20 hours of enjoyment and learning. What else do you do that gives you so much for $10? :)
Thanks for the feedback! That's a great question about the dampness of the paper! It's one of the toughest things for every watercolor painter to judge. If there's water still sitting up on the surface, that's one thing (and I do try to show that whenever it's visible). But there's a phase where there's not much visible water, but you know the paper is still damp. How damp? Not sure I could say or describe it. I mean, saying "it's pretty damp" would be open to a lot of interpretation! But, you're absolutely right that it's important to know. Unfortunately, I don't really know exactly how damp my paper is before I touch it again with a wet brush and see what happens. I've made plenty of unintentional blooms getting it wrong! You do learn to get a bit of a feel for it, but it depends a lot how many times you've gone back into it, what kind of brush you're using (how much water vs. pigment it carries), the temperature and humidity in your studio, the kind of paper you use and the kind of support it's on. One thing that helps you get a feel for it is to practice making blooms on purpose. That at least a feel for when you need to stop messing with it. I think I need to see if I can come up with some exercises or activities that would help you get the hang of it faster for your materials and climate. But honestly, it's got to be one of the main things that trips up even very experienced watercolor painters. I live in a cool, humid climate, and I wreck paintings like crazy when I go to an arid location! So you are not alone in wanting to know "How damp is that paper?" :)
Hmmm, I'll have to think about that. Paint characteristics do have some effect on making blooms, but I don't really know if that plays much of a role in how long the paper stays damp. Time to do some experimenting!
You mentioned "Looking Over my Shoulder" originally. I just thought it was a great idea! For me, your biggest asset is your articulation! So easy to follow. Thanks Lynne.
I love my Sketcher sketchbook! And am now excited to try the ones you tested and showed here. Ready to graduate from my homemade version of cutting up big sheets of drawing paper, hole punching and using ring clips! (Pandemic solution). It has worked ok for drawing. No painting as you pointed out. It has had one advantage. It is so informal that I feel free to make totally unedited messes! Lol! Love the beautiful books you shared. Definitely on my going to try list.
I loved your video of the three sub paintings and thought you could call it "Looking Over my Shoulder". I also thought it was good to let your viewers know that repetition is time-costly and they should take the time to familiarize themselves with the way you work and that their questions could be answered by looking at your previous videos. I always learn alot from you Lynne. I'm not a 'planner' and do everything by the seat of my pants, but this little video on sub paintings is something I think will be very useful for me. Thanks again for your generosity. I appreciate it.
Me too Brenda. Most of my work is spontaneous, stream of consciousness rather that a specific scene or photo, but it's still important, I'm finding, to know a little bit about what 'might' happen. You?
I don’t know if I’m spontaneous or not. I start out with a photograph but then I veer off and just paint. One thing I do know is that I often have to do a second one because I learned so much from my mistakes when doing the first. I always learn something! I have a lot of little cut-out 3x6’s from my failed first paintings to test my colors as Lynne taught us to do🥴
Brenda and Linden—I'm a spontaneous, intuitive painter too, actually. One of the reasons I wanted to do this "over my shoulder" format is that I want to do some videos where I'm working the way I really work, with only a general notion of what I'm doing when I start, instead of some pre-planned lesson to teach a specific skill. I hadn't been able to figure out a way to convey how I really work in a short video. If I try to edit it down after the fact, it's sort of sounds like I knew more about where I was going than I did. It's really helpful to know that you found this worth watching. I was afraid people would think it was boring. :D
I totally agree with Brenda’s comment. Looking over your shoulder was really helpful...seeing/hearing what you’re thinking as you work. Thanks! Please bring them on...
Maybe you can make a Subcategory of videos with a Title page saying "This is a Quick-KEY Watercolor Tip Klip". or some other catchy title - and SEE More FULL instructions on my website and other videos. They could be a minute to 5 minutes or so - I think they would be a big hit and drive more traffic to you
Not sure I completely understand what you're looking for or why. Are you saying that a longer, lightly-edited video like this one has no value to you, unless there is also some sort of short summary video? Is that so you can decide whether to bother watching the longer video? Would a short written summary, maybe with a few pictures, be good enough? (I ask because making a short version of a video like this actually takes about 5-10 times longer than making the long version. I know that seems crazy, but it's really hard to figure out how to edit it down to the bare minimum but still say and show enough that you can actually still follow what I'm doing.) What do others think?
Love that “sanity kit” drawing! I sew and have too much cool fabric. 2 chests of drawers full in my living room alone. Don’t ask about the garage! I’m now inspired to make a version of my own. Or at least draw one, maybe in the new sketchbook? Scheduled myself time on Monday to start water reflection sub paintings. Can’t wait!
Just admire the drawing and thought about how fun it would be to make a version with some of all that fabric! I have scraps from dresses my grandmother made for my mom when I was a kid. It would be great to see/have in art related use, rather than in a box or drawer.
I am trying to help YOU - plus selfishly gain more of your wisdom for all of us viewers, in an easier way for you :)
I LOVE your videos! I have watched them repeatedly! I am a graphic designer, so I know what it takes to edit well done video. I think quick, short videos covering a concept or two, would go over big, and be a supplement to your awesome longer ones.
You could post LIGHTLY edited quick videos - with a subtitle explaining people can get in depth training in other videos and the website. They would almost be an advertisement for the others. Youtube is flooded with "shorts" that are TOO short for me.
Ah, thanks for clarifying, and thanks for the suggestion. You are right that videos like that go over big on YouTube. It sure seems like a good idea to market that way on YouTube. That's what YouTube tries to sell creators on doing, and a lot of people (me included) bought into it. That's basically the strategy I've been using for the past several years (although I've been doing videos that are more like 8-10 minutes). I dug into the numbers this spring and discovered that yes, those videos generate a ton of traffic to my website (too much, in many ways), but only about 0.1% of the traffic from YouTube ever results in someone making any kind of purchase, signing up for the newsletter or showing any kind of interest in the topics that I'm developing courses for now. Pulling back from YT is why my newsletter subscribers are ALREADY getting more from me. I now publish a newsletter every week, with 2-3 topics each, instead of one short video every 2-4 weeks. I'm still using YouTube to host the videos in the newsletter, because Viimeo isn't working for everyone in Substack, but they are unlisted. My YT audience isn't seeing them--good thing or my inbox would be flooded with hate mail and whining!
Dolores, does that "like" mean that I guessed correctly that you're saying you would not watch a longer video unless there was a short summary? If so, would a written summary work?
Thank you, Lynne. This reality check was most helpful. I have recently begun to realize watching the YouTube tutorials is helpful for inspiration and some techniques, but I think it has slowed down my creative journey. I was getting frustrated because I felt like I should be creating/painting/ improving much faster than I am. The quality isn't there, ergo the frustration. You have given me the permission to slow down and not try to create a perfect painting in a morning or afternoon by showing the reality of painting. Or for that fact, the reality of any creative process.
I will journal this new process and watch how it effects my progress and painting style.
Thanks again!
That illusion is so powerful! Even though we know a lot gets edited out, when we watch a video tutorial, our brains think, "What I see is someone put down a fresh sheet of paper, paint start to finish with no hesitation or mistakes and they always wind up with a beautiful painting. So that's what painting looks like, and that's what MY painting practice should look like." I worry about that all the time when I make video tutorials. In my own painting practice, I'm delighted if one painting in 10 or 20 actually turns out to be a keeper. :)
I like watching the process in real time and in a longer version as well. It helps me appreciate the "study/ exploratory" stage of making a painting. I guess I knew this at the back of my mind, but it helped me see that I don't have to know exactly how I'm going to execute every step from the get go. I'm a total beginnner which is probably why I would have such a silly notion. But, sometimes, seeing a finished product can give you that impression. Seeing how you go about it is very helpful. Thank you Lynne.
Thanks for sharing that thoughtful feedback. Hearing about what helped you really helps *me* make better lessons. :)
I like this style. I really got a lot out of this video. More realistic time reference and being able to watch you make decisions is encouraging. Thank you
I love looking over your shoulder as you paint AND the audio (including the self talk that we all certainly do). From the second you put down your brush on the paper to do the 1st sub painting, I was hooked. As a fairly new wc painter I am still in the "paper is expensive, don't waste it fiddling" stage, but this helped me realize you didn't waste a big piece of paper fiddling AND as you do these there is still the backside! Please do more of these, they are SO packed with info I will watch over and over.
Only comment I would make is, please tell us the dampness of paper as you work, it's hard to tell as a viewer from your shoulder. Rock on !!! Could you maybe do a monthly video?
Oh, one more thought: watercolor paper really isn't expensive. Think of it this way: suppose you spend $10 on a full sheet (which is more than it usually costs). Then you cut that into, say, sixteenths, which are 5.5x7.5". So for $10, you can do 32 small paintings (using front and back). I would spend at least 20-30 minutes on each one, often much more. So that's at least 10 or 20 hours of enjoyment and learning. What else do you do that gives you so much for $10? :)
Thanks for the feedback! That's a great question about the dampness of the paper! It's one of the toughest things for every watercolor painter to judge. If there's water still sitting up on the surface, that's one thing (and I do try to show that whenever it's visible). But there's a phase where there's not much visible water, but you know the paper is still damp. How damp? Not sure I could say or describe it. I mean, saying "it's pretty damp" would be open to a lot of interpretation! But, you're absolutely right that it's important to know. Unfortunately, I don't really know exactly how damp my paper is before I touch it again with a wet brush and see what happens. I've made plenty of unintentional blooms getting it wrong! You do learn to get a bit of a feel for it, but it depends a lot how many times you've gone back into it, what kind of brush you're using (how much water vs. pigment it carries), the temperature and humidity in your studio, the kind of paper you use and the kind of support it's on. One thing that helps you get a feel for it is to practice making blooms on purpose. That at least a feel for when you need to stop messing with it. I think I need to see if I can come up with some exercises or activities that would help you get the hang of it faster for your materials and climate. But honestly, it's got to be one of the main things that trips up even very experienced watercolor painters. I live in a cool, humid climate, and I wreck paintings like crazy when I go to an arid location! So you are not alone in wanting to know "How damp is that paper?" :)
I am guessing paint quality, stainability and granulation make a difference as well???
Hmmm, I'll have to think about that. Paint characteristics do have some effect on making blooms, but I don't really know if that plays much of a role in how long the paper stays damp. Time to do some experimenting!
You mentioned "Looking Over my Shoulder" originally. I just thought it was a great idea! For me, your biggest asset is your articulation! So easy to follow. Thanks Lynne.
I love my Sketcher sketchbook! And am now excited to try the ones you tested and showed here. Ready to graduate from my homemade version of cutting up big sheets of drawing paper, hole punching and using ring clips! (Pandemic solution). It has worked ok for drawing. No painting as you pointed out. It has had one advantage. It is so informal that I feel free to make totally unedited messes! Lol! Love the beautiful books you shared. Definitely on my going to try list.
I loved your video of the three sub paintings and thought you could call it "Looking Over my Shoulder". I also thought it was good to let your viewers know that repetition is time-costly and they should take the time to familiarize themselves with the way you work and that their questions could be answered by looking at your previous videos. I always learn alot from you Lynne. I'm not a 'planner' and do everything by the seat of my pants, but this little video on sub paintings is something I think will be very useful for me. Thanks again for your generosity. I appreciate it.
Me too Brenda. Most of my work is spontaneous, stream of consciousness rather that a specific scene or photo, but it's still important, I'm finding, to know a little bit about what 'might' happen. You?
I don’t know if I’m spontaneous or not. I start out with a photograph but then I veer off and just paint. One thing I do know is that I often have to do a second one because I learned so much from my mistakes when doing the first. I always learn something! I have a lot of little cut-out 3x6’s from my failed first paintings to test my colors as Lynne taught us to do🥴
Brenda and Linden—I'm a spontaneous, intuitive painter too, actually. One of the reasons I wanted to do this "over my shoulder" format is that I want to do some videos where I'm working the way I really work, with only a general notion of what I'm doing when I start, instead of some pre-planned lesson to teach a specific skill. I hadn't been able to figure out a way to convey how I really work in a short video. If I try to edit it down after the fact, it's sort of sounds like I knew more about where I was going than I did. It's really helpful to know that you found this worth watching. I was afraid people would think it was boring. :D
Boring? Not at all. I’m going to use what I learned from watching your video. Please continue.
Not at all boring. Inquisitive minds prevail! Besides, have you seen Picasso/Matisse/Klee/Kandinski's early work?
Thanks for the feedback, Brenda. (That's exactly what I was thinking of calling these videos, so thanks for that encouragement!)
I 2nd the name.
I totally agree with Brenda’s comment. Looking over your shoulder was really helpful...seeing/hearing what you’re thinking as you work. Thanks! Please bring them on...
Well, that's two votes for and none against. "Looking Over My Shoulder" series, it is! (That should bring out the dissenters, if there are any. ;) )
Maybe you can make a Subcategory of videos with a Title page saying "This is a Quick-KEY Watercolor Tip Klip". or some other catchy title - and SEE More FULL instructions on my website and other videos. They could be a minute to 5 minutes or so - I think they would be a big hit and drive more traffic to you
Not sure I completely understand what you're looking for or why. Are you saying that a longer, lightly-edited video like this one has no value to you, unless there is also some sort of short summary video? Is that so you can decide whether to bother watching the longer video? Would a short written summary, maybe with a few pictures, be good enough? (I ask because making a short version of a video like this actually takes about 5-10 times longer than making the long version. I know that seems crazy, but it's really hard to figure out how to edit it down to the bare minimum but still say and show enough that you can actually still follow what I'm doing.) What do others think?
Love that “sanity kit” drawing! I sew and have too much cool fabric. 2 chests of drawers full in my living room alone. Don’t ask about the garage! I’m now inspired to make a version of my own. Or at least draw one, maybe in the new sketchbook? Scheduled myself time on Monday to start water reflection sub paintings. Can’t wait!
Oh, gosh, I can’t take credit for the sewing. I do sew, but I bought that little organizer on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBPXJMW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Just admire the drawing and thought about how fun it would be to make a version with some of all that fabric! I have scraps from dresses my grandmother made for my mom when I was a kid. It would be great to see/have in art related use, rather than in a box or drawer.
Oh, absolutely! Would love to see what you create! Just didn’t want to give the impression I was more ambitious than I actually am. ;)
One of the many ways that you are wonderful! Very sincere!
I am trying to help YOU - plus selfishly gain more of your wisdom for all of us viewers, in an easier way for you :)
I LOVE your videos! I have watched them repeatedly! I am a graphic designer, so I know what it takes to edit well done video. I think quick, short videos covering a concept or two, would go over big, and be a supplement to your awesome longer ones.
You could post LIGHTLY edited quick videos - with a subtitle explaining people can get in depth training in other videos and the website. They would almost be an advertisement for the others. Youtube is flooded with "shorts" that are TOO short for me.
Ah, thanks for clarifying, and thanks for the suggestion. You are right that videos like that go over big on YouTube. It sure seems like a good idea to market that way on YouTube. That's what YouTube tries to sell creators on doing, and a lot of people (me included) bought into it. That's basically the strategy I've been using for the past several years (although I've been doing videos that are more like 8-10 minutes). I dug into the numbers this spring and discovered that yes, those videos generate a ton of traffic to my website (too much, in many ways), but only about 0.1% of the traffic from YouTube ever results in someone making any kind of purchase, signing up for the newsletter or showing any kind of interest in the topics that I'm developing courses for now. Pulling back from YT is why my newsletter subscribers are ALREADY getting more from me. I now publish a newsletter every week, with 2-3 topics each, instead of one short video every 2-4 weeks. I'm still using YouTube to host the videos in the newsletter, because Viimeo isn't working for everyone in Substack, but they are unlisted. My YT audience isn't seeing them--good thing or my inbox would be flooded with hate mail and whining!
Dolores, does that "like" mean that I guessed correctly that you're saying you would not watch a longer video unless there was a short summary? If so, would a written summary work?
I don’t really understand. But I’m quite happy with what you shared as is. Thanks!!!!