I never thought that I was someone who was able to do art-didn’t have that “gift” and so admired everyone who did. But I love to try and to to learn new things. About six years ago I was given an opportunity to join a group of friends who painted in watercolor and to try it out. I learned that painting is another skill that anyone can study and learn, and I have come to love it! But I was not familiar at all with this planning process that you’re describing so this is very interesting to me. And I love the idea of taking a step back and doing more planning, and thinking about the process before beginning a painting. Thanks for these articles! I’m 74 years old, still learning, and still excited to be seeing how much more there is to learn. In the photo you provided, I see the challenges as getting the light in the right place, and as many have said, the reflections in the water to look like chill reflections. I love the scene, and think the boat will be a great addition.
One challenge is to simplify the scene. I would group the trees into interesting shapes. All the greens need balancing with the right red for a boat ( or the person in the boat).
Also about the photo: the reflections seem to be the same color as the trees. But the color would need to be adjusted to say “I’m a reflection!” and I’m not sure how to do that.
In the photo at the end of your article, I would struggle with the still water reflections. I can do an OK job with rippled reflections but I suspect I’m settling for OK rather than really good.
And in reply to the ongoing discussion, I spend a lot of time thinking through things like pigment choices, the order I’ll paint not just washes but other elements, whether and how I’ll use wet on wet, wet on dry, dry bush, etc., what else I’ll use to apply the paint besides brushes. And more. I’m maybe an over thinker.
“ ... even a few skills, knowing some fundamentals of visual art along with curiosity and a spirit of play has and will serve me well.” <---- this wisdom from Sylvia! ❤️
Not to worry. I didn't stay disheartened for long. I have been used to the opaque media process for planning a painting. When I considered it for longer, I realized some of the process that I used would still be useful for planning the composition. The “ all or nothing” perfectionist part of me thought I would have to learn far too many new watercolor skills/ techniques before doing my next watercolor painting. I remembered that reality for me is that even a few skills, knowing some fundamentals of visual art along with curiosity and a spirit of play has and will serve me well. I look forward to your next articles and learning and playing.
That process is good for learning techniques, but painting should be more spontaneous ... I usually take a small scrap and do a wet on wet triad blended blotch to see if my color choice fits ... do a quick basic sketch ... spend a few minutes THINKING through the steps I plan to take ... the THINKING through is so important
My first step in using a photograph is to edit it by bumping up the contrast (making the lights lighter and the darks darker), then I turn it into a black and white or monochromatic photo. At this point in your photo it is easy to see the meandering dark areas that lead your eye around the scene, the midtones, highlights and white, or high key areas. For me this is the easy part. Because I am new to this media, I find texture to be the biggest challenge.
Yes indeed, I just want to paint without all the planning. I have to snag a few minutes to paint whenever I can, so simple is best for me. I hope you do some more tutorials -- I learned so much from your guidance on postcard paint-alongs. Thank you!
So glad for this discussion and your teaching. I have begun doing some value studies before tackling my paintings with color, in an effort to see if I can plan my lights and darks more effectively. I’ve enjoyed it more than I anticipated, and found a certain freedom while painting these studies in one color. After doing a value study I am having better luck with contrast once I get to the actual painting. It’s hard for me sometimes to tell if the color I’m looking at is a mid tone or a dark.
I have found it useful to determine composition, simplify shapes , do value studies, and connect areas with similar values and paint monochrome study before doing color watercolor. I look forward to considering, sharing and exploration of various ways to approach a watercolor painting.
It is as if you were in my “studio” yesterday! I was watching a video lesson on drawing and he spent at least an hour on value sketches, thumbnails, etc. I look forward to learn more about your approach and creative process. With all this info I can develop my own. I look forward to working on the assignment. I have several photos that I have attempted to paint without any success. Hoping this helps. Thanks, Lynne!
Synchronicity! I am in the process of doing the thumbnails, value studies, notans etc. to prep for a series of paintings of clouds in watercolor. Most of my experience has been working in opaque media; oils. As a fairly new watercolor painter, this post came just in time to show me how many more things I need to work out to make these paintings successfull. Dang, must admit I,m feeling a bit crushed now. However, I must thank you for this article. I look forward to the follow ups. This will be an interesting, challenging, learning opportunity. This helps me know why I can’t just jump in that pond and expect to swim.
I never thought that I was someone who was able to do art-didn’t have that “gift” and so admired everyone who did. But I love to try and to to learn new things. About six years ago I was given an opportunity to join a group of friends who painted in watercolor and to try it out. I learned that painting is another skill that anyone can study and learn, and I have come to love it! But I was not familiar at all with this planning process that you’re describing so this is very interesting to me. And I love the idea of taking a step back and doing more planning, and thinking about the process before beginning a painting. Thanks for these articles! I’m 74 years old, still learning, and still excited to be seeing how much more there is to learn. In the photo you provided, I see the challenges as getting the light in the right place, and as many have said, the reflections in the water to look like chill reflections. I love the scene, and think the boat will be a great addition.
One challenge is to simplify the scene. I would group the trees into interesting shapes. All the greens need balancing with the right red for a boat ( or the person in the boat).
Also about the photo: the reflections seem to be the same color as the trees. But the color would need to be adjusted to say “I’m a reflection!” and I’m not sure how to do that.
In the photo at the end of your article, I would struggle with the still water reflections. I can do an OK job with rippled reflections but I suspect I’m settling for OK rather than really good.
And in reply to the ongoing discussion, I spend a lot of time thinking through things like pigment choices, the order I’ll paint not just washes but other elements, whether and how I’ll use wet on wet, wet on dry, dry bush, etc., what else I’ll use to apply the paint besides brushes. And more. I’m maybe an over thinker.
Sometimes I end up liking my studies better than the paintings. Internal editor much quieter in studies perhaps.
“ ... even a few skills, knowing some fundamentals of visual art along with curiosity and a spirit of play has and will serve me well.” <---- this wisdom from Sylvia! ❤️
Not to worry. I didn't stay disheartened for long. I have been used to the opaque media process for planning a painting. When I considered it for longer, I realized some of the process that I used would still be useful for planning the composition. The “ all or nothing” perfectionist part of me thought I would have to learn far too many new watercolor skills/ techniques before doing my next watercolor painting. I remembered that reality for me is that even a few skills, knowing some fundamentals of visual art along with curiosity and a spirit of play has and will serve me well. I look forward to your next articles and learning and playing.
That process is good for learning techniques, but painting should be more spontaneous ... I usually take a small scrap and do a wet on wet triad blended blotch to see if my color choice fits ... do a quick basic sketch ... spend a few minutes THINKING through the steps I plan to take ... the THINKING through is so important
My first step in using a photograph is to edit it by bumping up the contrast (making the lights lighter and the darks darker), then I turn it into a black and white or monochromatic photo. At this point in your photo it is easy to see the meandering dark areas that lead your eye around the scene, the midtones, highlights and white, or high key areas. For me this is the easy part. Because I am new to this media, I find texture to be the biggest challenge.
Yes indeed, I just want to paint without all the planning. I have to snag a few minutes to paint whenever I can, so simple is best for me. I hope you do some more tutorials -- I learned so much from your guidance on postcard paint-alongs. Thank you!
Thanks Lynne for this inciteful view on watercolor planning. I look forward to the follow up.
For me, looking at the photo you provided, my biggest worry would be getting the water and reflection right.
So glad for this discussion and your teaching. I have begun doing some value studies before tackling my paintings with color, in an effort to see if I can plan my lights and darks more effectively. I’ve enjoyed it more than I anticipated, and found a certain freedom while painting these studies in one color. After doing a value study I am having better luck with contrast once I get to the actual painting. It’s hard for me sometimes to tell if the color I’m looking at is a mid tone or a dark.
This is a good idea. And thanks for relieving me of guilt over not doing studies!!
I have found it useful to determine composition, simplify shapes , do value studies, and connect areas with similar values and paint monochrome study before doing color watercolor. I look forward to considering, sharing and exploration of various ways to approach a watercolor painting.
It is as if you were in my “studio” yesterday! I was watching a video lesson on drawing and he spent at least an hour on value sketches, thumbnails, etc. I look forward to learn more about your approach and creative process. With all this info I can develop my own. I look forward to working on the assignment. I have several photos that I have attempted to paint without any success. Hoping this helps. Thanks, Lynne!
Synchronicity! I am in the process of doing the thumbnails, value studies, notans etc. to prep for a series of paintings of clouds in watercolor. Most of my experience has been working in opaque media; oils. As a fairly new watercolor painter, this post came just in time to show me how many more things I need to work out to make these paintings successfull. Dang, must admit I,m feeling a bit crushed now. However, I must thank you for this article. I look forward to the follow ups. This will be an interesting, challenging, learning opportunity. This helps me know why I can’t just jump in that pond and expect to swim.