Tag: white nights

Day 365 (Sun Dec 31) watercolor faces, Qor vs White Nights?

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I used kelogsloops again from youtube for these practice entries. I haven’t done faces and admire them but don’t really know how? These are from entries in his watercolor journal… you can find him on youtube and see his originals, which are much nicer. I stayed fairly true with the first one and took quite a few liberties with the second, but it is still very definitely his design, face, and hair. These are quite fun and I’m hoping in 2018 to be able to design my own. The first (blue) used Qor paints, the second (red) used White Nights. I enjoyed both, the Qor kept more vibrancy as they dried. Drying lighter is normal for watercolors, so not a weakness in the White Nights, but an unusual attribute I think of Qor and Daniel Smith.

My last entry for 2017!! I wish I had been able to do something EVERY day, and not missed so many days the last quarter, but I really learned a lot this year and consider my project a success, even though I missed some days. (And I’m so happy that I ended on 365!! I expected my count to be off!) Many days I invested HOURS, not moments, so maybe it kind of evens out. There’s no way I could have painted these faces last Christmas, even copying someone. I didn’t even know I enjoyed watercolor. I have a lot of favorite pieces from this year… even a bunch of things I DIDN’T COPY from someone else’s idea, but created myself, so YAY ME. And I’m figuring out my “style”, which is cool. I expect to continue my project into 2018. If there are things you’d like me to try, or supplies you’d like to see tested, let me know. And happy new year… 2017 was good, and 2018 will be better. There’s a lot to look forward to…  Stuff we don’t even know about yet. Exciting things are coming our way!!

 

Day 364 (Sat Dec 30) WATERCOLOR. Finally.

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NOT. MY. IDEA. I am totally COPYING this image from this youtube video, which you should check out, kelogsloops 2017 watercolor sketchbook tour. His stuff is really nice. I wish I could come up with incredible ideas of my own, even without all of the skill of the people I follow… maybe over time, but can you really teach an old dog new tricks like that?? Anyway, his original is better, but I’m happy with my attempt.

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For this I used my Khadi sketchbook (found here) It is almost $13 plus about $6 shipping, and the photo shows a green paper cover, but mine came with NO cover, just papers sewn together. One edge is rough cut, which is very attractive, and the paper is high quality… made from cotton rags, very textured, kind of a strange book but I have really enjoyed it and get compliments on its unique nature. I used my new leningrad white nights watercolor paints… that I have mentioned in the last several blog entries. They worked fine, pretty much like any other paint, I think? I’m not jumping up and down screaming YOU MUST HAVE THESE, but I do like them and will use them… as I mentioned before, they have a smaller set very suitable to someone starting out and very affordable compared to other student sets (and these are professional grade paints)…this 12 color set with box (my set doesn’t have a palette box) At $28 for 12 FULL pans, not half pans, it’s a good start, I think, with quality paints.

I’m really beginning to believe, after testing so many brands this year, that it comes down to using any (professional quality) brand paints you love using. They all have different qualities, and if something about them stirs something in you, use them!! Just paint. I highly recommend looking through Jane Blundell’s blog. She reviews all types of paints, and even suggests 12 color palettes for most, so you can start with as few as possible, but a SMART few. I’ve heard several other artists say paint with whatever professional brand you want to try.

In the end, as much as I enjoy EVERY paint I’ve tried this year, I suspect I prefer my Daniel Smith paints, and a few of the Qor colors that I love thrown in. Daniel Smith and Qor can be an expensive way to begin, but you really only need 6-8 paints to start, and this Daniel Smith introductory set  at $31 for the 6 tubes isn’t bad at all. You’ll want a palette box and pan, however, and it can still get costly. The problem with Daniel Smiths… there’s always another color you can add!!! It never stops at 6. And 6 is really fine. 12 for SURE.  With these paints you can try this meeden palette box with 6 full pans… so you really won’t be tempted to add more until later!! I like this box a lot and you can get 12 half pans if you prefer. There are so many palette box choices.Honbay 12-color watercolor tin  looks to me just like the meeden tin, but at $2 less! It is new so has few reviews, but all are good. Doesn’t offer the choice of pan size… it comes with half pans. I haven’t tried it myself but for $9 with pans it seems like a decent buy. I will do an updated palette box blog sometime… I have tried PLENTY and have lots of favorites. But really… anything works. A dollar tree tin will hold your paints and a white ceramic plate works great as a palette.

One more 2017 post!!!!

 

Day 363 (Fri Dec 29) Snail Mail?

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So… I basically did nothing today. That’s me drenched in purple and rainbows, under the FUN sign, hooves on the wheel:

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Okay NO, I am not really a fluffy purple unicorn. Usually. But today was spent doing that, and other FUN things, because life should be made of more moments like this… and then I spent 15 minutes on this:

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Which is technically art. And look at those little decorated letters… swap-bot worthy.

I can’t believe I only have 2 days left on my project!! And I can’t believe how far I got! And I can’t believe how much time I lost in December! A habit disappears so quickly. Lesson learned, I hope. It takes dedication and commitment to keep doing something when life intervenes and it becomes inconvenient to continue. It is all too easy to fall OUT of a habit, even one you like. But also, maybe a day off now and then isn’t such a bad idea.

My friend’s friend translated that Russian paint box I talked about yesterday and Wednesday. The St Petersburg White Nights. Basically, it is the name and address of the paints and paint company, and also says if there’s anything wrong with it to contact the company and give them the batch number. (As ridiculous as I know it is, it is still a load off my mind… no scary Russian warnings. It must be nice to know several languages, hmm?) Thank you, friend’s friend! And friend!

Off to bed to dream about the last two posts for 2017!!

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