Please do more videos. Yours are some of the most helpful and practical I’ve seen. It’s clear that you speak from experience and not trite cliche. And as a student wanting to actually learn, I can’t tell you how valuable that is. Thanks for the time you put into making these, and please do more when you can.
Incredibly helpful and you touch on a subject each of us has had to fight with in our artistic journey. Thank you for offering a simple, yet effective solution❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for posting these videos, your instructions are clear and easy to understand. You are an incredible artist, I wish that you would do painting tutorials, a start to finish video. I would love to learn the whole process from an artist as gifted as you are. Thanks for sharing. 😊
Thank you so much for your feedback and for your interest. I posted a start to finish tutorial for a small watercolor a while back -- it's titled "Paint a monarch butterfly in watercolor." I hope to put another one together soon, thanks!
Why have I not seen your channel before now? Your instruction is so practical and wonderful! And your work is stunning. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise with those of us who are learning.
You’re the perfect definition of a gifted perfectionist. Your art is the evidence. It’s rare today to witness the degree of devotion that you apply to each course of action. You have a new fan.
Stunning artwork! I love the messages that your paintings have. Truly moving! I really didn't expect you to get such a great result removing that paint. Great job! It just goes to show us to never give up! ❤️
Thank you Rozanky Embroidery! I have been waylaid by some time-consuming life events, but I hope to have new videos to share soon(-ish) 🙃... Thanks for watching!
This is why I do backgrounds first. It's so much easier to mask out an outline or simply paint around if possible, and deal with any resulting issues on blank paper.. than to try to save a finished image you have devoted hours or days to.
Thanks waymire01. I’ll do the same when my background is not so dark, but I have to paint my really dark backgrounds at the end… Otherwise the dense dark paint will bleed into any lighter wet area that touches it.
@@watercolorish I think you misunderstood.. you mask if necessary leaving blank space or paint around the perimeter of the subject, wetting only the portion of the background. There is no wet paper in the area of your subject. If you have seepage it's much easier to correct on the blank paper and/or cover up vs having that seepage on top of your already detailed subject. Often times it just a matter of minor lifting and painting over the top of it. Additionally the masking adheres better to blank dry paper in the first place vs multiple layers of paint... and there is no risk to your subject during masking removal.
Thanks for the clarification@@waymire01… It sounds like you have a system that works well for you. I also usually “over-mask,” that is, leave a margin of safety, in part because it’s too hard to cut complex shapes in drafting tape, but sometimes a leak will still extend in to a foreground area. Whether this is more of a problem after painting the foreground is debatable in my mind, but I have a “whatever works” attitude for sure. I would need to do some experimenting to see if masking really adheres better to unpainted paper, but it’s an intriguing possibility, so thanks!
I salute you for your wonderful level and accuracy in work.. the artist needs a certain amount of daring and spontaneity in the artwork to be distinguished from the camera.. just an opinion that I always tend to in the production of my paintings.. I enjoyed your paintings a lot. Thank you
These are such specific mistakes that no one else talks about and I am so grateful that you're covering them! Thank you so much! Somewhat unrelated, but after scrubbing like that, would it be possible to reapply sizing to help or is the issue with paper damage? Holbein sells bottles of sizing! I only discovered this maybe 2 or 3 days ago and haven't ordered any yet, so I don't have any experience to bring up but I figured I'd being it up and ask.
I've never tried that, and I suspect it might make the paper less absorbent in the spot where it's applied, but it could be worth testing out. If you happen to try this and get good results, I hope you'll let me know, thanks!
Man I hate those creative mark scrubbers. I found a fitch scrubber in my old supplies-it’s still pretty stiff and aggressive, but it’s not the same level of apocalyptic damage to the paper. But Pthalo blue is so staining, so maybe Too Aggressive is just aggressive enough
Have you tried painting the background first? Then you could mask with masking fluid (which would lift paint, in my experience). I'm curious, as I've never found (yet) a good way to protect areas. I'm going to give "watercolor wash-out" tape a shot. Thanks for taking time to make this great video! Very helpful. Would love to see a video on how you set up and shoot reference photos.
Hi Bob, thanks for the great suggestions. I prefer drafting tape to masking fluid, because I can mask over most painted areas without ruining them, except for my dark background paint, which would be damaged by any masking (tape or otherwise). That’s one reason why I can’t do the background first... The other reason is that I wouldn’t be able to paint up to the edges of the dark areas without them bleeding into the new work.
I just recently started doing art cause for some reason I just stopped once I was out of highschool.... and as you could expect, my skill level is exactly where I left it, which is pretty low haha but you channel just gave me a new drive to do this 🥺 even though Im not very good at it yet, creating art helps me relax and clear up my mind... your videos have been very helpful, thank you so much!!
I am completely new to water coloring. So the part where you taped the bottles and flowers to paint your background? Hv you painted the bottles and leaves already. But how did you cover them so perfectly. Pls do excuse this very goofish question of mine😮
That's a great question... I mask the foreground with drafting tape so that I'm covering a slightly larger area than I need to protect from the background color... This allows me to simplify complex shapes like leaves and flower petals, and it also helps protect from the occasional leakage. I use scissors to cut the drafting tape... I will post a video on this subject soon (-ish), thanks.
@@watercolorish that would be great to show the process of using the drafting tape. Looking forward to it. Honestly this makes so much sense to cover the white areas and paint the background freely. Amazing technique. Grateful.
Hi Shtee Vale, part 2 is coming soon (-ish), hopefully, thanks! Beginning to end would be a very long time lapse... not sure my camera has enough storage, but it would be an interesting challenge. Thanks for your note!
Hi Johanna, liquid frisket is fine for preserving white in small areas and for irregular shapes, but I find drafting tape works better for straight lines and smooth curves, and for covering larger areas. And liquid frisket has a very short shelf life - it’s always dried up in the bottle when I need it. And if you’re talking about frisket film, I have not had success using it with watercolor.
@@watercolorish I have some (it's blue) in a fine line dispensing bottle but I'm afraid it would peel my colour off. Great tips though and the result was perfect. Your work is amazing!!!
@@blackbearybears, I have successfully used a similar frisket fine-line system for masking narrow flower stems, butterfly antenna and such, but it always hardened in the bottle before I could use much of it, so nowadays I mostly just use narrow strips of tape or an x-acto knife to make fine lines. I might buy it again one of these days. Meanwhile, thanks for your very kind appraisal of my work!
Hi Chena Pan. If you are asking about masking fluid (aka liquid frisket), great question! I do occasionally use masking fluid in small areas, but I feel it's less useful for masking straight edges than it is for irregular shapes or small spots. I much prefer drafting tape for masking straight lines and gentle curves. Also, if you apply liquid masking fluid over a painted area, the fluid can re-dissolve the underlying paint and alter your previous work. Also, it dries out in the bottle very quickly, so I can rarely keep it around in the studio very long. I will share more details about my masking preferences in a future video, thanks.
Hi Ben, I’ve found masking fluid is fine for preserving white in small areas and for irregular shapes, but I find drafting tape works better for straight lines and smooth curves, and for covering larger areas, even with the occasional leakage. Thanks for your input
A very good explanation of how and when to use each tool to fix mistakes, and also how to clean up the edges afterward! Thank you,
Please do more videos. Yours are some of the most helpful and practical I’ve seen. It’s clear that you speak from experience and not trite cliche. And as a student wanting to actually learn, I can’t tell you how valuable that is. Thanks for the time you put into making these, and please do more when you can.
Thanks Bree for the great feedback! I hope to post a new video in the next week or two.
Incredibly helpful and you touch on a subject each of us has had to fight with in our artistic journey. Thank you for offering a simple, yet effective solution❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for posting these videos, your instructions are clear and easy to understand. You are an incredible artist, I wish that you would do painting tutorials, a start to finish video. I would love to learn the whole process from an artist as gifted as you are. Thanks for sharing. 😊
Thank you so much for your feedback and for your interest. I posted a start to finish tutorial for a small watercolor a while back -- it's titled "Paint a monarch butterfly in watercolor." I hope to put another one together soon, thanks!
Great instructional video 👍
Thanks
Why have I not seen your channel before now? Your instruction is so practical and wonderful! And your work is stunning. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise with those of us who are learning.
Thank you Kim! I hope to have more videos uploaded soon(-ish)! 🙃
You’re the perfect definition of a gifted perfectionist. Your art is the evidence. It’s rare today to witness the degree of devotion that you apply to each course of action. You have a new fan.
Just found your channel...amazing☆☆☆☆☆
Stunning artwork! I love the messages that your paintings have. Truly moving! I really didn't expect you to get such a great result removing that paint. Great job! It just goes to show us to never give up! ❤️
Thank you! I have given up on a watercolor painting a few times over the years, but it's rare... There's usually a path forward 🙃
This channel is goddish! Waiting for new videos 🤠
Thank you Rozanky Embroidery! I have been waylaid by some time-consuming life events, but I hope to have new videos to share soon(-ish) 🙃... Thanks for watching!
Oooh there really help! Thank youu!!
This is why I do backgrounds first. It's so much easier to mask out an outline or simply paint around if possible, and deal with any resulting issues on blank paper.. than to try to save a finished image you have devoted hours or days to.
Thanks waymire01. I’ll do the same when my background is not so dark, but I have to paint my really dark backgrounds at the end… Otherwise the dense dark paint will bleed into any lighter wet area that touches it.
@@watercolorish I think you misunderstood.. you mask if necessary leaving blank space or paint around the perimeter of the subject, wetting only the portion of the background. There is no wet paper in the area of your subject. If you have seepage it's much easier to correct on the blank paper and/or cover up vs having that seepage on top of your already detailed subject. Often times it just a matter of minor lifting and painting over the top of it. Additionally the masking adheres better to blank dry paper in the first place vs multiple layers of paint... and there is no risk to your subject during masking removal.
Thanks for the clarification@@waymire01… It sounds like you have a system that works well for you. I also usually “over-mask,” that is, leave a margin of safety, in part because it’s too hard to cut complex shapes in drafting tape, but sometimes a leak will still extend in to a foreground area. Whether this is more of a problem after painting the foreground is debatable in my mind, but I have a “whatever works” attitude for sure. I would need to do some experimenting to see if masking really adheres better to unpainted paper, but it’s an intriguing possibility, so thanks!
I salute you for your wonderful level and accuracy in work.. the artist needs a certain amount of daring and spontaneity in the artwork to be distinguished from the camera.. just an opinion that I always tend to in the production of my paintings.. I enjoyed your paintings a lot. Thank you
Thank you, Khaled, for your interest and for your very nice note!
I love your work!
Thank you! I really appreciate that!!
I would love to see how you paint a clear jar with water or glass with a small item inside of it.
I hope to be able to post a video on this subject soon, thanks! 🙂
These are such specific mistakes that no one else talks about and I am so grateful that you're covering them! Thank you so much!
Somewhat unrelated, but after scrubbing like that, would it be possible to reapply sizing to help or is the issue with paper damage? Holbein sells bottles of sizing! I only discovered this maybe 2 or 3 days ago and haven't ordered any yet, so I don't have any experience to bring up but I figured I'd being it up and ask.
I've never tried that, and I suspect it might make the paper less absorbent in the spot where it's applied, but it could be worth testing out. If you happen to try this and get good results, I hope you'll let me know, thanks!
Man I hate those creative mark scrubbers. I found a fitch scrubber in my old supplies-it’s still pretty stiff and aggressive, but it’s not the same level of apocalyptic damage to the paper.
But Pthalo blue is so staining, so maybe Too Aggressive is just aggressive enough
Have you tried painting the background first? Then you could mask with masking fluid (which would lift paint, in my experience). I'm curious, as I've never found (yet) a good way to protect areas. I'm going to give "watercolor wash-out" tape a shot. Thanks for taking time to make this great video! Very helpful. Would love to see a video on how you set up and shoot reference photos.
Hi Bob, thanks for the great suggestions. I prefer drafting tape to masking fluid, because I can mask over most painted areas without ruining them, except for my dark background paint, which would be damaged by any masking (tape or otherwise). That’s one reason why I can’t do the background first... The other reason is that I wouldn’t be able to paint up to the edges of the dark areas without them bleeding into the new work.
@@watercolorish I knew there was a reason! Thanks!
I just recently started doing art cause for some reason I just stopped once I was out of highschool.... and as you could expect, my skill level is exactly where I left it, which is pretty low haha but you channel just gave me a new drive to do this 🥺 even though Im not very good at it yet, creating art helps me relax and clear up my mind... your videos have been very helpful, thank you so much!!
Hi @2692paty, I hope you will keep creating more art, and thanks for watching!
I am completely new to water coloring. So the part where you taped the bottles and flowers to paint your background? Hv you painted the bottles and leaves already. But how did you cover them so perfectly.
Pls do excuse this very goofish question of mine😮
That's a great question... I mask the foreground with drafting tape so that I'm covering a slightly larger area than I need to protect from the background color... This allows me to simplify complex shapes like leaves and flower petals, and it also helps protect from the occasional leakage. I use scissors to cut the drafting tape... I will post a video on this subject soon (-ish), thanks.
@@watercolorish that would be great to show the process of using the drafting tape. Looking forward to it.
Honestly this makes so much sense to cover the white areas and paint the background freely.
Amazing technique.
Grateful.
Where's part 2??
I'd love to see a video of you painting a whole piece from beginning to end.
Hi Shtee Vale, part 2 is coming soon (-ish), hopefully, thanks! Beginning to end would be a very long time lapse... not sure my camera has enough storage, but it would be an interesting challenge. Thanks for your note!
I would love see a whole video as well. Your work is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Why can’t you use frisket?
Hi Johanna, liquid frisket is fine for preserving white in small areas and for irregular shapes, but I find drafting tape works better for straight lines and smooth curves, and for covering larger areas. And liquid frisket has a very short shelf life - it’s always dried up in the bottle when I need it. And if you’re talking about frisket film, I have not had success using it with watercolor.
@@watercolorish I have some (it's blue) in a fine line dispensing bottle but I'm afraid it would peel my colour off. Great tips though and the result was perfect. Your work is amazing!!!
@@blackbearybears, I have successfully used a similar frisket fine-line system for masking narrow flower stems, butterfly antenna and such, but it always hardened in the bottle before I could use much of it, so nowadays I mostly just use narrow strips of tape or an x-acto knife to make fine lines. I might buy it again one of these days. Meanwhile, thanks for your very kind appraisal of my work!
Why don't you user liquid arabic gum ? It seems a very effective product.
Hi Chena Pan. If you are asking about masking fluid (aka liquid frisket), great question! I do occasionally use masking fluid in small areas, but I feel it's less useful for masking straight edges than it is for irregular shapes or small spots. I much prefer drafting tape for masking straight lines and gentle curves. Also, if you apply liquid masking fluid over a painted area, the fluid can re-dissolve the underlying paint and alter your previous work. Also, it dries out in the bottle very quickly, so I can rarely keep it around in the studio very long. I will share more details about my masking preferences in a future video, thanks.
use masking gum!!
Hi Ben, I’ve found masking fluid is fine for preserving white in small areas and for irregular shapes, but I find drafting tape works better for straight lines and smooth curves, and for covering larger areas, even with the occasional leakage. Thanks for your input