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Overview
• An approachable, stress-free introduction to watercolor; fine drawing skills are not a requirement
• Explore each color in the color wheel, while learning about their mixing qualities and the emotional symbolism of colors
• Tips and advice on carving out time to create, sharing your work with others, and owning your own voice
• 12 step-by-step demonstrations show how to merge watercolor with a bit of mixed media
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781440351549 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Penguin Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 10/30/2018 |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Sales rank: | 632,381 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.20(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.60(d) |
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
PART 1
Tools for the Artists Life
We'll set off with some basic information about the art materials and supplies I use in my studio. Then we will explore the fundamental aspects of color theory and how to interpret certain color combinations. An informative pigment chart will help you choose your watercolors. (This is something I wish I'd had when I was starting out!)
Next, I'll walk you through my personal painting approach and working method. I'll provide tips for keeping preparations simple and for creating a workstation that respects your artist tools.
Finally, we'll devote some time to honoring the artist's life, with advice on inviting lifelong creativity and cultivating a healthy sense of artistic well-being. How do we sustain an art practice? How do we handle creative frustrations and setbacks? How do we stay motivated? How do we entice the muse to stay a little longer? We'll consider these questions and more while learning to create a healthy and inviting physical, mental and emotional space.
I don't consider myself a creativity expert, but I can share with you the strategies that have helped me navigate this world and embrace my own vulnerability as a working artist. That's what I love so much about sharing inspiration — when I get inspired, it not only helps me on my own path, it stirs something very tangible and hopeful in others. At the end of the day, we all could use some kindness and support.
Watercolor Supplies
Not all of the items shown here are mandatory to get started. Art supplies are expensive, so I always encourage my students to use what they have already and slowly build from there.
I like to organize my art supplies into two categories: watercolor and mixed media. Because I'm primarily a watercolorist, my studio table is dedicated to watercolor supplies that are nearby and always available.
PALETTE AND PAINTS
* Tube watercolor paints
* Gouache paints (make sure to have white)
* Color wheel palette or any palette that has at least twelve wells
BRUSHES
* no. 20 round (extra large or jumbo)
* no. 12 round (large)
* no. 8 round (medium)
* no. 5 round (small)
* no. 6 script liner or rigger
ACCESSORIES
* Water containers (one for initial cleaning and another for final rinsing)
* Paper towel or rag
* Salt (creates star-like textures)
* Rubbing alcohol (creates ring-like textures)
* Crayons (make sure to have white)
* Watercolor pencils
PAPER
* Heavier paper means less warping. I use 90-lb. to 140-lb. (190gsm–300gsm) cold-pressed watercolor paper
Mixed-Media Supplies
When it comes to mixed-media art supplies, the sky is the limit, and there are many materials that perform well alongside watercolors. Whether the art supply was originally intended for acrylic or fabric artists, pastelists or scrap bookers, there are no rules. Before incorporating any mixed-media material with watercolors, it's good to think about the following:
What is the drying time?
Is it waterproof or water-soluble once dry?
Is the color or texture opaque or sheer?
Does it smear?
Can I write over it with a pen?
GROUNDS, PASTES AND MEDIUMS
* Golden Light Molding Paste
* Golden Fiber Paste
* Golden Crackle Paste
* QoR Watercolor Ground
* QoR Cold Press Ground
* Liquitex Ceramic Stucco
* Liquitex Natural Sand
* Golden Glass Bead Gel
* Golden Clear Tar Gel or Clear Leveling Gel
* Winsor & Newton Gum Arabic
* Winsor & Newton Iridescent Medium
COLORANTS
* Acrylic paints
* Inks (walnut dye, liquid/fluid acrylic, metallic ink and India ink)
* Paint marker pens
* Dimensional fabric paint
* Viva Decor Pearl Pen (enamel accents)
* Oil pastels
* Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Artist's Crayons
* Gel crayons
* Gelatos
* Ranger Stickles Glitter Glue
CRAFTING TOOLS
* Synthetic brushes (glues, gels and mediums will ruin natural bristles)
* Palette knife
* Spreader tool (or an old gift card or hotel key card)
* Brayer
* Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool (or cosmetic sponge)
* Craft sheet
* Stencils and templates
* Scissors (regular and fringe)
* Circle punch
* Sandpaper
* Bamboo stick
ADHESIVES
* White glue
* Glue sticks
* Matte medium (or Mod Podge Matte)
* Kuretake ZIG 2-Way Glue (or foil glue)
* Washi tape
* Masking tape
* Tape runners
EPHEMERA
* Collage paper (origami or book paper)
* Fiber (threads, strings, yarn)
* Foil sheets
* Metallic gilding (or foil flakes)
Color Theory
It's easy to develop an effective tool like a color palette when you have a solid understanding of color theory and the color wheel. Color comes from light. It was Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727) who noticed light gets refracted when shined through a crystal prism and splits into a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. When Newton took this color spectrum and placed it end to end to make a circle, he created the very first color wheel.
THE COLOR WHEEL
A color wheel is made up of twelve hues: three primary colors, three secondary colors and six tertiaries. Color relationships built on these color groupings (or schemes) form the basis of our color theory.
Primary colors are yellow, red and blue. These colors are pure in that you cannot create them from other colors, and all other colors are mixed from them. Secondary colors are orange, violet and green. They appear between the primaries on the color wheel. This makes sense because secondaries are formed when two primary colors are combined in equal parts. Tertiary colors are my favorite hues of all. They are formed by mixing a primary color with the secondary color right next to it.
The color wheel makes it so much easier to discuss color. We can reference a hue's placement within a chromatic system and start seeing color relationships and connections. We can also make predictions about how certain colors will react. For example, being directly opposite each other on the color wheel, yellow and violet might annihilate or neutralize each other if overblended (i.e. create mud).
A color wheel is the ultimate tool and visual inspiration. In fact, it's how I envisioned and organized this book!
PIGMENTS FOR A COLOR WHEEL PALETTE
Instead of squeezing out fresh paint every time, I like to harden my watercolors onto a palette. When filling a color wheel palette, I fill each well to the brim and let the pigments dry for 48 hours. This strategy gets me ready for any painting session, helps my watercolors stay cleaner for longer and saves time overall. Plus, it looks pretty!
I fill my color wheel palette by starting at the top or high-noon position, then I go around counterclockwise as follows:
12 o'clock: Yellow = Hansa Yellow Light
PIGMENT CHART
The pigment chart below is an important watercolor reference. Colors that are listed in bold are the twelve foundation watercolors that make up the color wheel palette. We will explore each of these colors more closely in the next section.
The rest of the colors listed are nice to have either premixed or just nice to have for their convenience. Treat the Comments section like a friendly guide. Color preferences are deeply personal, and I encourage you to test the performance of your own watercolors as well.
Paint names alone are misleading because they vary by manufacturer, whereas the precise pigment chemical cannot deviate. A color index can be found on every reputable tube of watercolor paint. It's required by the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), and it can help you choose the right pigment between different brands. For example, Daniel Smith's Quinacridone Burnt Orange and M. Graham's Rust have different names, yet their color indexes are identical (PO48). You can confidently purchase one or the other and get a color match.
If there is no information on your tube or pan watercolors, you might have a dye-based product rather than pigment-based. Keep in mind that dye-based colors are highly staining — they will fade over time — and they won't have some of the beautiful properties of pigment-based watercolors (blendability, liftability, granulation, etc.).
Interpreting Color
Now that we've covered some of the basics of color theory and how to set up a palette, I'll share with you some of my creative strategies for the art-making process and how I ultimately use color as a powerful artist's tool.
Color can spark an idea, convey a feeling or set a mood. We all have a unique response to color. Some colors will be pleasing to you, like listening to harmonious music. Other colors will hit all the wrong notes. There's an infinite number of color combinations possible.
Below are just a few amalgamations that were taken from a color wheel. Note how each color relationship (also known as a color scheme) makes you feel. Do any of them spark joy?
COLOR SCHEMES
My all-time favorite color combination is to work analogously. Analogous means to take a starting color, then add one or two neighboring colors on either side of it. This produces a localized, chromatic range that's very pleasing to the eye. Analogous colors are a sure way to create appealing, harmonious and attractive artwork. It's an arrangement you'll often see out in nature, and it's my secret to making beautiful paintings. For best results, stay within three to five neighboring colors. If you use six or seven analogous colors, some of the hues will begin counteracting with or neutralizing each other.
COLOR TEMPERATURE
Another way to think about analogous colors is to observe their temperature. I love working in this way. Colors are considered warm or cool because of their association and relative position on a color wheel. Analogous hues can definitely carry yin and yang attributes following the principles of Eastern philosophy. This isn't color dogma, but it is interesting to see colors as energy. Yin is the passive female energy of the universe. She has cool characteristics that are nurturing and sustaining. Yang is the active male energy of the universe. He has warm characteristics that are bright and assertive.
Honoring Physical Space
An art studio isn't just an area for art-making. It is a deeply personal and sacred space we give to ourselves. During the past fourteen years of working as a part-time artist, my art space has evolved from a kitchen island to a renovated living room converted to an art studio.
All creative spaces are precious and valuable. They serve as incubators of ideas, a safe haven to dream and a permission slip to play. Sometimes, I would take my art studio outdoors or sitting down at a café. An art studio, no matter how tiny or spacious, rented or owned, conventional or unconventional, is ultimately a symbol of self-care. It is where I tune out the rest of the world so I can begin listening to myself.
When I had a dedicated workspace for art, something within me changed. I took myself more seriously as an artist. I became a bit braver each day. I began submitting my artwork to magazines and building relationships with publishers. Sometimes my art submissions would get rejected, but that didn't matter. I was grateful for the opportunity to do something daring in my life and for having a physical place to start making art again. A studio setting gave me the room to grow and nurture my skills. My wish is the same for you. Please honor yourself, your creativity and your dreams. You don't need a fully decked-out, custom studio; a cleared-out corner of a table will do. You just need a warm and inviting environment with good intentions. The world needs to hear and see your art. You need to hear and see your art.
ORGANIZATIONAL TIPS
Following are some tips and advice on keeping your art studio (and your art life) well organized.
Functional Storage: Storage doesn't have to be expensive or uniform. You can be thrifty and eclectic with containers. Seeking out garage sales, flea markets and furniture marked for clearance is how I slowly built the foundational pieces of my studio. Bookcases serve as fantastic vertical storage. I use boxes, stackable trays, drawers and pretty cups to take advantage of every inch of shelf space.
Accessible Supplies: I used to diligently put away and store my art supplies in their original packaging. But this was a cumbersome task that was hindering my work flow. I also needed to stop treating my art supplies as too precious and start using them in this lifetime. When I gathered all my colored pencils and arranged them into containers, I was using them more often. In my son's craft room, he has a variety of tantalizing art supplies that are always accessible: watercolors, markers, pastels, glitter glue, stencils, beads and clay. Kids love process-oriented art because the materials look irresistible; they need the freedom to use any art supplies at their disposal. This is a good reminder for us adult artists.
Colorful World: You deserve to decorate your surroundings with beautiful things you love, especially color. It's been said that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, but I think it works both ways. When I am surrounded by uplifting, gorgeous colors, my heart feels like it's being hugged and I am more inspired to create. Inspiration is definitely a cyclical relationship, and color fuels this happiness.
Let Go: Decluttering is a tough subject because as a mixed-media artist, I want to keep everything. Who knows when I'll need something someday! However, the accumulation of art supplies over the years was getting in the way. I noticed I was spending more energy organizing my space rather than creating in my space. After learning about the KonMari Method of organizing and streamlining, I realized where my anxiety was coming from. I was holding onto too much stuff, and the struggle was not serving my higher purpose. Nowadays, if I cannot find a home for an item or if I haven't used an art supply in a while, I donate it to friends, schools or a local charity. I want to spend less time decluttering and have more time for painting and playing.
Share Joy: Throw an art and wine party! I do this about once a month or every other month in my studio space, and it is a dream come true. I can comfortably fit six people and no one has accidentally dipped their paintbrush in a wine glass yet. As a working artist and a mom, this is how I reward myself after finishing big deadlines. It's how my creative cup gets full again. Nothing blesses a space more than sharing your life and joy with others.
Honoring Mental Space
Certain routines help my mind stay clear and on track. No matter how late it is or how tired I am, I make it a habit to rinse my brushes, clean my palette and replace any dirty water. The rest of the studio (and house) can be a disaster but my watercolor station will always be fresh and ready to go, beckoning me to come back to the craft table. It's how I honor the space. I learned this honoring-of-space concept many years ago in a college karate class. Whenever we entered or left the arena, we had to bow to the space as a sign of respect. I may not literally bow to my art studio, but I do know how lucky I am. I make sure to respect my creative space and show gratitude by taking care of it.
Another routine that supports my sanity is to take frequent breaks from social media. We live in strange times where one can get instant access into another person's life. Unfortunately, this may lead to comparison. And comparison may make us feel self-conscious about our art and about ourselves ... that what we're working on is somehow not good enough. On the one hand, social networking sites like Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest can be a wonderful way to find inspiration and likeminded people. These websites can also serve as important professional platforms for sharing our work. But when I get too caught up in what the rest of the world is doing, it's easy to get overwhelmed and overstimulated. My mind cannot handle constant distractions and interruptions. Unplugging from technology and restricting my social media diet is analogous to putting healthy blinders on so that I can focus on running my own race. When I mind my own business, stop procrastinating and head straight to my studio to do the work, I feel like I am once again channeling and serving my highest self.
Honoring Emotional Space
Author Ursula K. Le Guin once said, "The creative adult is the child who survived." I was ten years old when my mother died. From then on, art was how I survived. Expressing myself through painting didn't just keep me emotionally alive, but it also gradually helped me change my inner narrative. I didn't want my life's story to focus only on loss; I wanted to redefine my experiences under the lenses of hope and healing, too. As an adult, I continued to explore and nurture my artistic curiosity. I still remember the day I took my first watercolor class at a local community college. I was twenty-nine when I fell madly in love with this medium. Years later, when I became a mother myself, it was clear that watercolor was taking me further into a deeper artistic practice.
Motherhood has become my greatest teacher in artistic compassion. I make sure I'm gentle and kind to myself when I'm painting. Negative energy or self-criticism isn't allowed at my craft table. You would never criticize or say harsh words to a child, so then how is treating your inner child any different? I also don't carry maternal guilt for taking time for myself. Making art isn't being selfish, it's part of good self-care. And when I take a moment to pursue the things that nourish my soul, I know I'm sending a profound message, especially to my son — that it's never a waste of time to seek beauty, find meaning in your work or to believe in your dreams. This compassionate spirit is how I always want to parent, how I always want to treat myself and how I always want to approach the art-making process. If we can abstract and preserve what's most precious in this world, then we are all creative. We are all artists.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Fast & Fun Watercolor"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Gina Lee Kim.
Excerpted by permission of F+W Media, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction, 3,
PART 1 Tools for the Artist's Life, 4,
PART 2 Steps for the Artist's Journey, 22,
Index, 142,
About the Author, Dedication & Acknowledgments, 143,