BeckerArt FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter Oct. 29th, Fixing a Mistake

Published: Tue, 10/29/19

Hello

Welcome to the FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter #231, Fixing a Mistake

Today's newsletter covers a little about making mistakes in watercolor. These last couple of weeks I have been trying loads of new products and techniques and I can tell you I have been making a lot of mistakes. The greatest thing about making mistakes is that it teaches you so more then if you would have never made those mistakes. Here's to making a load of mistakes and learning from them!

If you ever feel like you want to look back for a newsletter I put out in the past, there are 2 places you can go to,
one is here on Pinterest and the other is where they are all archived at https://archive.aweber.com/awlist3588442/2019/10

Yes to Class on Halloween, at the Civic Center in Libertyville,Thursday, Oct. 31st 1pm to 3:30pm

Yes to Class at the BeckerArt Gallery in McHenry, Saturday, Nov. 2nd 9:00 am to 11:30 am

Fixing a Mistake

I'll have you know that I too make mistakes and a lot more then you may think.
There has always been a misconception that watercolor can't be fixed and that it is a one-shot deal. I'm here to say you can fix a watercolor and still make it look fresh. If that doesn't work you can always turn it into a gouache or acrylic painting and some people even like to take pastel to their piece when the watercolor didn't work.

Last week in class we were all painting this lovely house with a wishing well in front. Well, when I finished it I didn't like the composition and how the well was getting more attention than the house. I took it home and a couple of days later decided I would do something about this painting where I didn't like the well.

Check out my progression below and then watch me correct it in the end.

Here is the photograph that I used as a reference.
If I had done a value sketch it would have helped me to see that the well wasn't a good plan for the value pattern.

I put in the first wash and at the end of this wash I was already scrubbing out a little as I had a wash on the left drip down, so I washed it out with a light brush stroke and wiping of paper towel.

Second wash I started with the lighter dark areas. At this point, I wasn't sure what to do with the values by the well. Again if I would have done a value study I would know where to go with the bottom part of the painting.

I finished off the detailed dark's and thought I was done.
The next day I looked at the demo and I realized the well was taking away from the center of interest which was the house. Decided to take it out completely.

To scrub out the well from the foreground I used my watercolor brush and slightly went over the bottom part of the painting wetting it, scrubbing it and dabbing with a paper towel. I did this about 3 times watching out that I don't scrub too hard as to wreck the paper.

I then re-wet the foreground to make a wet-into-wet wash and try to paint in some soft-edged grasses. I let that wash dry and then I put in hard-edged grasses. I also used a little bit of white mixed in the first wash mixed into the color to give the wash a little opacity. Now the foreground doesn't take away from the center of interest.

WORKSHOPS and DEMOS of 2020

WORKSHOP Village Art Center, W/C, Summerfield, Florida, Jan 13th and 14th, INFO HERE

WORKSHOP Village Art Center, Acrylic, Summerfield, Florida, Jan 15th and 16th, INFO HERE

PAINT PARTY Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin, Florida, Jan 24th INFO TO COME

WORKSHOP Dunedin Fine Art Center, W/C, Dunedin, Florida, Jan 25th INFO TO COME

WORKSHOP Morris Watercolor Guild, W/C, Morris, IL., March 6th INFO TO COME

WORKSHOP Brevard Watercolor Society, W/C, Melbourne, Florida, March 15th-17th INFO HERE

WORKSHOP Lake Superior Watercolor Guild, W/C, Duluth, MN, March 26th- 28th INFO TO COME

WORKSHOP Dillman's, Lac Du Flambeau, W/C, Wisconsin, June 29th to July 2nd INFO TO COME

Product of the Week
Tool Box for my Class Art Supplies

I finally found the perfect art supply box for all that I have to carry around for my classes. Can't wait to fill this box with art supplies.
Buy it here

Artist of the Week

Ted Nuttall

Here is one of those artists that once you see his work you know instantly that he is the artist that painted that portrait. His distinct style is amazing!
I met Ted Nuttall at the Scottsdale Artist School many many years ago when we both were teaching there at the same time.

BeckerArt Brushes

Click Here to Purchase BeckerArt Brushes

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For any other info please email me at david@davidrbecker.com