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PaintBox Tip #67, 7 things I'm thinking while I'm painting

25/3/2022

12 Comments

 
Hello there *|FNAME|*

The superbly cool thing about watercolour is, once you've done all your research and preparatory drawings, design etc and you're hitting paper with water ... it's all on ... right now!!

The difficult thing about watercolour is that once you're hitting the paper with water, it's all on ... very scary ... right now!!

watercolour is FULL of dichotomies!!

ooohhh ... what to do?

here are 7 things I'm thinking while I'm painting ...
  1. this part is wet but it's raw sienna and it looks stunningly luminescent and glowingly beautiful with burnt sienna dropped next to it ... let them mingle. i'm using harmonious colours.
  2. this part should be a dark shadow so i'll drop some dark cool violet or a neutral violet mixed from my palette. i'm thinking about my value range.
  3. I've got too many hard edges, while it's still damp i'll spray some water to get some of them to run and blend. I'm thinking about Edge variety.
  4. In my focal area, i'm about to place my brush next to a vibrant green so I'll need some neutral lightish red next to it ... maybe alizarin with some of the vibrant green mixed into it or burnt sienna with a tiny amount of cobalt blue in it - depends on what palette I'm using. Here I'm thinking about complementary colours.
  5. i've painted enough brush strokes with my 1 inch flat brush time to change to my number 16 round. I'm thinking about shape variety.
  6. this part should be in the background but is has a light yellow pulling it forward, I'll neutralise it and make it recede into the background with a glaze of a dark coolish purple - perspective.
  7. I've got a really super shape here, i'll repeat it 2 more times, different sizes, different directions and not exactly the same shape - repetition.
and there's much more as you can imagine.

Watercolour painting demands your complete attention, keep focussed while you are painting and stay in the zone. 

keep playing my friend!!​

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12 Comments
Jana
25/3/2022 09:39:32

What a grand list! Love that you share your thought process. I remember my mind being blown in your class when you shared many of these tips. If only reading them and watching you do them could translate into 1) me remembering them all and 2) me being successful with them. Alas...it takes SO MUCH PRACTICE!!

Reply
Amanda Brett
26/3/2022 13:25:53

Thanks so much Jana!! I hear you!! I've just started a "creative development" process for myself - EVERYDAY!! it includes lists of things I like plus elements I want to include. Practice is the word alright. I'm going to see my Dentist at his Dental Practice on Monday, hope he's practiced enough!! lol!!

thanks for reading and commenting xx

Reply
CS
25/3/2022 12:35:53

Love these tips!
More! More!!

Reply
Amanda Brett
26/3/2022 13:26:15

will do!!
thanks for reading!!

Reply
Steve Norris
26/3/2022 06:39:14

Bit 'dry' the tips today. All text and so not easy to envision.

:)

Reply
Amanda Brett
26/3/2022 13:26:55

lol!!
excellent - my point exactly - go and do it!!
thanks for reading!!

Reply
Thelma Muir
15/1/2024 11:42:14

Amanda,
Love reading your tips, I must keep practicing 😊

Reply
Biunca
15/1/2024 16:36:13

Awesome, that's great thank you, loved how this is framed.

Reply
Maureen
16/1/2024 03:52:49

Thanks great reminders

Reply
Chantal GADEIX
20/1/2024 20:32:16

Thanks very much for your advice and comments ! So useful !!

Reply
Suzanne
24/7/2024 07:57:29

I love this post Amanda - really clear explanations with a touch of whimsy. Thanks!

Reply
Paulette Cassidy
24/7/2024 09:18:26

Another gem so chock full of hard learned examples thank you

Reply



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    PaintBox Tips, secrets, random thoughts,
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    Poetry in watercolour is made in the freedom of the here and now. Amanda Brett
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    Your emails are so informative! I must confess I've watched a couple of your demos from beginning to end, and it makes me want to watercolor!!! I've only ever painted with oil or acrylics and haven't know how to begin with WC. Your content is excellent! 
    Susan VN
    Hi Amanda
    Thank you for your tips. They inspired me to practise and I realised I haven’t been loading the brush properly. I learnt about adding more paint, and not water, to washes. In today’s tips I like the idea of painting with purpose. Your tips are very helpful. I very much appreciate receiving them. Elizabeth
    Hi Amanda I enjoyed your post and generous tips. Looked up Dan Burt I begin to see that you can colour any subject to give it pizazz so long as the tone and form is correct Certainly adding value now to my attempts Thanks heaps Annie
    Yes very wise words. Agree with not fussing and agree with comments about good quality paint. Well written and inspirational as always. Cheers Janet xxxx

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Copyright © 2022 All images and text on Amanda's blog and website are the legal property of Amanda Brett and may not be reproduced without express permission from Amanda Brett or her authorised agent. Thank you for respecting her art and the livelihood of all artists.
Quality Guarantee: All my watercolours are painted with only modern professional grade watercolour paints on Museum exhibition grade watercolour papers, they are extremely lightfast and will become a family heirloom and passed down to subsequent generations. ALL art of ANY medium should be hung away from direct sunlight. If​properly cared for, watercolour paintings will last as long, if not longer, than oil paintings. I only paint on 100% cotton rag paper, mostly Arches and Fabriano, and frame to conservation standard with acid free materials.
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