Watercolor

Tips for Painting Water

Water scenes can be a challenge to paint in watercolor.  But with a bit of practice and some careful study of the subject, you can whiz right through any such challenge.  One thing that will be clear to a watercolor painter is the fact that the subject of the work is painted front to back.  To explain:   You can’t over-paint an area with watercolor very easily.  That means that paint placed on the paper will be in the final presentation.  There are ways to remove small amounts of a painted area, but by and large once color is on, it is there to stay.  For that reason careful planning is essential.

Water is painted most often with a wide watercolor brush, filled with pigment and water.  This liquid “soup,” when painted onto thoroughly wet paper, will yield a wash of rich tone upon which additional darks can be added or lights can be created by lifting off paint.  Either way, the initial layer of “water” is painted as a general idea of the end result.  Tones are added with various methods to build a unique and desired effect.

If water is being painted, consider any reflections that you might want present.  As you paint your main subject, e.g., a red barn next to a pond, remember to paint with the same colors you mix for the barn to create its reflection.  As you create the main body of the painting, create the reflection in the water at the same time.  Use short, broken strokes to represent a breeze-ruffled surface.  Or use a smooth, nearly mirror reflection of the subject if the pond is undisturbed.  Grasses, shrubs and trees should also be considered in the layout, so their reflections can be accommodated.

For seascapes, consider using some of the jazzy application methods for creating foam, mist, tide lines and the like.  For instance, alcohol dripped gently into wet paint will create neat halo marks and will add texture and interest to your sea tones.  If you like the sparkle and shimmer of water’s edge, use salt in small areas to create star-like images within a foamy surf or shoreline.  Paper toweling and plastic wrap can also be used to create interest within a large seascape.  They each offer texture that is nearly impossible to create in any other way.  Toweling removes paint in a soft and gentle manner and can create soft-edged areas where added color can be placed.  Plastic wrap is useful in creating pools of tone where the edges are darkest and the lines are subtle.

Waxed paper, computer paper and the like can also be helpful in designing textural elements in your water scenes.  Sponging on topically is another way to add bright light areas.  By gently sponging on foam along the edge of a lake or seascape painting, you can create the look of froth that is very realistic.  Sponging can also be used wet-on-wet to add speckles and multi-toned coloration to the sea or lake colors.

Scratching off the surface of a dry watercolor will give you a sharp, severe contrast line.  Scratch with a needle tool or the edge of a sharp blade drug horizontally across the paper.  The blade will catch the fibers and lift them up, creating stark paper-colored areas.  These lines are not cuts into the paper as much as they are a rough disturbance of the surface fiber.  This irregular scratch is very effective for sharp, pronounced water lap-lines on rocks, tree trunks and the like.

Dive into watercolor painting this summer by capturing a water scene or dreaming one up!  You’ll enjoy exploring the possibilities with materials and methods.

Exhibition

Coastlines:  Images of Land and Sea, at the Dallas Museum of Art (TX) through August 22, explores how visual artists of the modern period have represented coastal landscapes.  Masterpieces include those by Berthe Morisot, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, and others.  An evocative sound installation enhances the exhibition. www.dallasmuseumofart.org.

The Artist’s Marketplace

Iwata – New Spray Gun

Iwata-Medea has announced the arrival of the new Iwata Super Nova Spray Gun, designed by the world-renowned design firm Pininfarina—famous for their state-of-the-art automobile design.  The new Super Nova features:

—Iwata’s advanced atomizing technology with production speed and ergonomics.

—A cup angle design that guarantees perfect balance.

—A quick release air-cap that facilitates quick removal and refitting after cleaning.

—Responsive trigger action that gives the painter stable air flow control.

—A slim ergonomic grip that helps distribute weight and balance through the wrist, reducing the risk of repetitive strains.

The Iwata Supernova LS400-1301 for Basecoat has a 600ml plastic cup (1.3mm), and the Supernova LS400-1402 for Clearcoat has a 600ml plastic cup (1.4mm).  See your favorite Iwata distributor and visit www.iwata-medea.com.

Whitney Museum Store – DVD on Louise Bourgeois

In Louise Bourgeois:  The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine, filmmaker Marion Cajori and art critic Amei Wallach paint a mesmerizing portrait of this French sculptor in this documentary that includes revealing interviews with the now-nonagenarian about her work and painful past.  99 minutes.  Zeitgeist Films, 2009. www.shopwhitney.org/dvlobospmian.html

Taschen Books – New Book on Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Christo and Jeanne-Claude features the life and work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude from early drawings and family photos to plans for future projects and was designed by Christo himself.  Hardcover in a clamshell box, 754 pages.  This collector’s edition of 1,000, numbered and signed by Christo, sells for $1,000 until Aug. 31; thereafter, $1,500.  Also available is an Art Edition, limited to just 100 signed and numbered copies, selling for $5,000.  www.taschen.com.

Kids’ Korner

Flower Power

Summer is a season of flowers and fun!  Why not use your summer vacation to collect and preserve blossoms and leaves to use as craft items during the coming year?  It is easy to do, fun and gets you outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.  Here are some ideas on collecting, saving and using pressed flowers, using your creative ideas to make wonderful gifts and keepsakes.

Flower gathering is a fun way to start the day.  The one thing to remember is that dew must have dried before you collect; so if you live in a humid area, wait till the sun has dried the blooms before picking.  There are ways to gather flowers for saving, but ideally you would press them into a flower press or other flattening device as you pick.  But, realistically, that may not be practical.  So carry a jar of water as you pick.  Pinch off a stem or bloom and place it in the jar, keeping the flowers as close to their natural freshness as possible.

When you have gathered a collection you are ready to start the pressing.  Flower presses are sold in craft stores and other places, but you can also create a “recycled” press by using an old telephone book.  The pages are absorbent and thin, so you can press many blooms at the same time.  All you need is weight to set on top of the telephone book to assist in the flattening process.

If the flowers are light in color (and to keep the blooms together) use old tissue paper or paper towels to protect the blooms from the ink that might transfer from the page to the flower.  Simply fold the tissue or toweling in half and carefully position the bloom.  Open the telephone book and slide in the folded tissue with the bloom held inside.  You can add more blooms but allow a section of the book between each flower.  That gives you a cushion and more absorbency, plus it will give you the flattest look possible.

Weight the telephone book down with something heavy – like large books, dictionaries or a bag of sugar or flour – anything that will squeeze the telephone book flat.  Leave this stack undisturbed for a couple weeks to a month.  The resulting press should yield lovely blooms to use in projects.

One way to utilize the pressed blooms is to create small, personal “bouquets” on good quality paper.  These bouquets can be framed and presented as gifts for all your family.  Another use of the pressed flowers and leaves is to create unique notes and envelopes.  Carefully glue the items to sets of writing notes for a gift or for your own use.

If you are very adventurous, another use of the pressed flowers is to create an art piece using the blooms and a clear glass vase.  Use acrylic painting gel or medium to glue the flowers to the outside of the vase.  After they are smoothed and flat against the surface, allow the vase to dry, and then add a top coat of gel or medium.  Although the vase won’t survive submersion in water, it can be carefully cleaned after use by rinsing out with water and wiped with a paper towel.

Pressed flowers can also be used to make ornaments to celebrate spring, Easter, summer and the holidays!  Carefully attach the pressed flowers after first coating a glass ornament with the gel or medium adhesive.  Allow to dry and then top coat for durability.   These ornaments are especially good for holiday decorations and gifts and will give you a chance to share your creativity and have fun two seasons of the year.  Collect in spring and summer and then use them for year-end ornaments.

Stockbridge, MA - Scout Programs

Interested in an opportunity for Scouts to complete an art-based badge? The Norman Rockwell Museum offers programs designed to deepen Scouts’ understanding of the life and work of Norman Rockwell while fulfilling certain badge requirements.  Programs are available for selected levels of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.  www.nrm.org or call 413.298.4100, ext. 260.

Washington, D.C. - Summer Drop-In Programs

The National Gallery of Art free summer drop-in programs are organized into two series:  Stories in Art (ages 4-7) and Artful Conversations (ages 8-11)—designed to engage children and parents with works of art in the galleries.  Space is limited to 70 per session and participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. http://www.nga.gov/programs/family/. 202.789.3030.

New York, NY – Shape Lab

Due to popular demand, the Museum of Modern Art has announced that Shape Lab, an interactive space for families, has been extended through Aug. 30.  Explore, build, draw, read and create with a variety of kid-friendly materials and activities as you discover how artists use shape in art.  Free with Museum admission. www.familyprograms@moma.org.

Juried Student Art at the Met

Exceptional works of art by 70 New York City public school students, ages 4 – 20, are on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. Works in the juried exhibition P.S. Art 2010:  Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids were selected from some 800 submissions citywide and are on view through Aug. 8.

Chicago Picture Book Exhibition

The Art Institute of Chicago presents Everyday Adventures Growing Up:  Art from Picture Books.  An integral component of picture books, the artworks bring stories to life, presenting new and familiar situations in surprising and engaging ways.  Included are works of Nancy Carlson, Timothy Basil Ering and Peter McCarty.  After viewing, families are invited to visit the Vitale Family Room and enjoy their favorite picture books together.  Through Nov. 28.

Art Events

—Beacon, NY – Electric Windows—A Public Art Celebration – July 31 – Twenty-four artists will converge at 510 Main St. to create artwork (measuring approximately 8’ x 12’) and have their work installed on the exterior of a 19^th century factory building. Electric Windows turns the idea of a gallery inside out by using the large industrial windows as frames for each artist’s work.  www.electricwindowsbeacon.com.

—San Diego, CA – The Summer Salon Series – San Diego Museum of Art – Thursdays, 5-9 p.m. through Sept. 2 – Celebrate the legacy of Toulouse-Lautrec and his work in the salons of Paris at The Summer Salon Series.  Explore the works of living contemporary artists as they perform and present their works inside and outside the Museum, participate in art making activities and view the Museum’s current exhibitions. Free after Museum admission.  NOTE: Toulouse-Lautrec’s Paris opens July 10 and features 100 works by the artist including spectacular drawings, lithographs, posters and paintings. www.sdmart.org.

—Minneapolis, MN – Open Field – Walker Art Center – Through Sept. 8.  Open Field is an experimental project that invites the public to help transform their big green backyard into a cultural commons.  You can make an activity to share with others and submit it to the Open Field calendar; come to a Center activity; or just do your own thing—surf on the lawn with free Wi-Fi, join in a spontaneous activity, sketch, check out equipment for relaxation and play from the Tool Shed, etc.  www.walkerart.org/openfield.

—Hudson Valley, New York State – 2010 Art Along the Hudson – In this seventh year, nine cities along the Hudson River—from Peekskill to Woodstock—celebrate the arts with exhibitions, open studio tours, street fairs and more.  Celebrations are anchored by rotating Saturdays that spotlight each of the cities.  Visit www.artalongthehudson.com and request a free brochure.

Art Competitions & Opportunities

—Sierra Pastel Society 8^th International Exhibition:  Pastels on High – Hang It Up Gallery, El Dorado Hills, CA – Oct. 1–23.  All artists working in soft pastels are eligible and original work must have been created in the last three years. Awards total over $5,000.  See http://www.sierrapastelsociety.net/inter.html. Entry Deadlines:  Digital, July 31; Shipped, Sept. 25; Hand-delivered on Sept. 30.

—The Allied Artists of America 97^th Annual Exhibition – National Arts Club Galleries, NYC – Nov. 12-30.  Open to all artists, eligible works include paintings in oil, watermedia, pastel and graphics; sculpture in the round or relief.  All subjects and styles are eligible.  Awards total $24,000. Deadline:  Sept. 13.  See www.alliedartistsofamerica.org/prospectus.htm.

—You Tube Play.  A Biennial of Creative Video – Developed by YouTube and the Guggenheim Museum in collaboration with HP, this program aims to discover and showcase the most exceptional talent working in the ever-expanding realm of online video.  It hopes to attract innovative, original and surprising videos from around the world.  Through July 31 participants are invited to submit new or existing videos created within the last two years at www.youtube.com/play.

Submissions may include any form of creative video, including animation, motion graphics, narrative, non-narrative or documentary work, music videos and entirely new art forms.  The Museum will then identify up to 200 videos for online viewing at youtube.com/play, and from this group up to 20 videos will be selected by a jury of experts to be presented at the Museum in New York during a special event on Oct. 21 and then be on view to the public from Oct. 22-24, with simultaneous presentations at the Guggenheim Museums in Berlin, Bilbao and Venice.

Airbrush

Mediums for Airbrush
Part 2 – Oil-Based Media: Artist Oil Colors

Water-based paints are the easiest paints to work with in airbrush technique.  While artist oil colors may present more of a challenge, once you become used to spraying them this becomes second nature.  In addition, an advantage is there are some surfaces that cannot be painted with water-based paints but can be painted with oils.

Artist oil colors are very familiar to most artists, e.g., DaVinci, Grumbacher and American Art Clay Company’s “Genesis” (which requires heat drying).  Oil colors come in tubes and must be thinned or reduced with solvents (turpentine, mineral spirits, or prepared paint mediums for oils) to the consistency of ink to render them sprayable.   The drying time of artist oil colors is the biggest drawback to using them. 

Since the paint stays wet and workable for a long period of time, usually weeks or months, the airbrush painter will likely work freehand (without stencils/templates), since you can’t touch the work surface without lifting paint.  The drying time can be hastened by adding drying mediums, but these weaken the paint film, thus making it brittle.  Artist oil colors will never come close to the drying time of artist acrylic colors, although spraying thin layers of oils will help to reduce the drying time.  And sprayed oil paints will always dry faster than oil paints applied with a paint brush.  In addition, the air stream from the airbrush will help accelerate drying. 

Oils are usually painted on canvas or panels that are primed with gesso, but they can also be painted on Mylar, acetate, ceramics, glass, metal and plastic.  However, though oils can be used on paper and illustration board, their longevity on paper surfaces is questionable. 

Paintings rendered in artist oil paints should be given a final varnish after they are thoroughly dry.  Airbrushers usually spray varnish onto the painting to continue with the non-brushstroke appearance of the painting.  Again, it may take up to six months for the painting to be thoroughly dry and ready for varnishing.

To clean your airbrush either between color changes or at the end of a painting session, flush it and clean the parts with a suitable solvent such as turpentine, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner or commercial gun and equipment cleaner.  Next rinse the airbrush with a mixture of a small amount of liquid soap and water; and then spray plain water through until all soap has been removed. 

It is absolutely essential to work in a well-ventilated area with an exhaust fan and to wear a respirator/dust mask because oil paints can be toxic, particularly when sprayed.  However, airbrushed oil in conjunction with brush work is a unique method of painting and you’ll quickly become accustomed to spraying oils.

Next month we will continue a discussion of oil-based paints with alkyds and airbrushing.

ArtPourri

Postal News — The new 64-cent Butterfly stamp is the first in a new series of postage stamps designed to be used on cards that have an irregular shape requiring additional postage.  Participating manufacturers will print a silhouette image of a butterfly on their envelopes for easy identification.  Acclaimed artist Tom Engelman used images of mounted butterflies to inspire the stamp art he created by computer.  The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of a monarch rather than an exact replica. 

Jazz Returns – The National Gallery of Art’s (D.C.) popular summer tradition, Jazz in the Garden is now in its 10^th consecutive season.  The free concerts feature an array of jazz artists performing a range of styles every Friday evening in the Sculpture Garden, rain or shine. 

Director Named – The Miami Art Museum has named Thomas “Thom” Collins as the Museum’s new director.  An arts administrator, art historian, educator and author with more than 15 years of experience at several of America’s top museums, he will begin his tenure on August 16.

NEA News – To help military families with their Blue Star Museum visits (free through Labor Day 2010), the NEA offers a free downloadable publication, Imagine!  Introducing Your Child to the Arts, which gives parents practical ways to share the arts with their children.  With a specific focus on encouraging young children (ages 3-8) to discover the arts, the guide presents parents with activities and suggestions on visual arts, music, theater, media arts, dance, folk arts and literature. Military families planning summer vacations can also visit the Blue Star Museum Map to help plan their next trip.  http://www.nea.gov/news/news10/blue-star-museums-3.html.

Sculpture Displayed — Earlier this year Lincoln Center paid tribute to Mayor Michael Bloomberg (NYC) at its annual spring gala by offering to move a work by Alexander Calder to any place in NYC of his choosing for 90 days.  As a result, Le Guichet (The Box Office) will be displayed in the Osborne Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which is celebrating its centennial year, through the end of summer.  Note that the garden is closed on Mondays.

Art/Nature Park Opens — 100 Acres:  The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park has opened adjacent to the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  It is one of the largest museum art parks in the country and the only one to feature the ongoing commission of site-specific artworks.  100 Acres will present art projects, exhibitions and discussions designed to strengthen the public’s understanding of the unique, reciprocal relationships between contemporary art and the natural world.

Book Club Selections – The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Online Book Club has announced the summer selections:  The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and My Antonia by Willa Cather.  Visit www.mfah.org/bookclub to participate.

Milestones – Acclaimed illustrator Donald Moss has died in Farmington, CT, at age 90. For 30 years he was the premier artist for Sports Illustrated, was named “Sports Artist of the Year in 1986 and won many honors and awards for fine art paintings as well as for his sports art.

—Influential German artist Sigmar Polke has died at age 69 in Cologne, Germany.  In 1963 he founded the painting movement “Kapitalistischen Realismus” with fellow artists Gerhard Richter and Konrad Leug.  Polke was the recipient of many awards and was represented by the Michael Werner Gallery.

SIGN UP -FREE ARTtalk e-Newsletter©
Search all of ARTtalk!!

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 20 No. 9 — July 2010