A 365 day art project… one drawing a day
Just following a youtube tutorial again for ideas, inspiration, practice and play. (check out CreationsCeeCee!)
In this tutorial, she shows how she makes little doodle books to keep with her each day. She watercolors shapes on the pages, then doodles in ink later, as she finds opportunity.
In honor of the first day of spring, coming up quickly, FLOWERS!
Lots of people on youtube show techniques for painting delicate, transparent watercolor flower petals. The first time I ever tried this technique was following a Jay Lee tutorial on youtube. I’ve found several since then… Here is Emma Lefebvre’s video “Layered Watercolor Flowers”
This is the one I was watching a few days ago. I watched it again tonight, and made this little page of practice blossoms.
Use lots of water. and let each layer dry before applying the next.
With practice I know I can get better at this. It’s pretty relaxing, too. 🙂
I watched a Youtube tutorial by Makoccino (seen below, and linked here)
I used EEM (Eventually, Everything Mixes) and QoR watercolor paints, and my tiny Stillman and Birn Beta Series pocket journal.
And then tried the ideas on my own yesterday. Here are my results:
This is a very small journal, and a kind of flattish masking fluid pen, AND the middle of the page tore beneath the fluid on the flower one.
This was a simple, quick, relaxing (except the tearing page) exercise. Thanks, Makoccino!
I watched THIS youtube video by Iraville, one of my current favorite artists, and tried to copy her cute little bird. I couldn’t find my masking fluid, so had to try it a little differently.
The first one, on the right, used the wrong paints. Don’t use QoR for this. For the second, on the left, I found the proper paints (listed and linked below) , and it was a bit better, but not right. Cute, though. Third try, on the top… still not right. But I see progress. It’s a good, simple technique that I think I can do better, over time, and create my own cute little fuzzies. Also… paper makes a difference.
By the way, the black here is not actually black (on tries 2 and 3), but Daniel Smith Bloodstone Genuine, a very granulating paint made from… well, bloodstone, a rock also known as heliotrope. This is a GREAT paint. I’ve linked it above to Amazon, $14.26 for 15 ml, free shipping, for as long as the price lasts. It’s a pretty good price. (It’s about $2 cheaper at Jerry’s Artarama, but you have to pay shipping, making Amazon is a better deal, if you aren’t purchasing several other art supplies as well.) I’ve only really used the color for shadows before, and love it here. It was one of the first colors I found on my own (accidentally) and I hope to find lots of uses for it.
(There’s only one 15 ml of Bloodstone with that seller at Amazon at that price right now…HERE is a 5 ml tube of the same color, currently $6.41, plus $1.99 shipping)
Look at that granulation!
That bright red tummy you can tell is QoR, with it’s tendrilly edges… You can use any paint, but I liked the Schmincke and Daniel Smith better for this.
To make the birdie, you lightly pencil in the general shape. Then use masking fluid to block the eye, brush water across the page, dot in the red (Schmincke Horadam Cadmium Red Light, 5 ml tube, or half pan.) and the Bloodstone, and let them do their thing. Use a dry-ish brush to clean up the edge when they get too carried away.
Watch the video… she explains it really nicely. And it is a relaxing exercise.
This is from the Youtube channel Maremi SmallArt; the tutorial is called “Reflected Forest For Beginners.” Marta offers cute ideas that are fun and simple, using lots of different media… She says she isn’t a watercolorist, but she is naturally creative and has a good eye, and great suggestions. Mostly she reminds me to try, and to have fun.
ThreeSixFiveArt 