BeckerArt FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter Sept. 15th, First Watercolor Wash

Published: Tue, 09/15/20

Hello

Welcome to the FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter #27 First Watercolor Wash

Hello from Grand Marais, MN! I am here for 8 days painting about 2 works of art every day. Painting plein-air meaning outdoors is really something I have to get use to.

www.pleinairgrandmarais.org

I am away for the next 2 weeks so please check here each week to see if I have a sub for the Thursday class.
The Studio McHenry will be closed on Saturday mornings until I return.

Yes to Class at the Civic Center in Libertyville with Sue Macfarlan September 17th from 1pm to 3:30pm

NO Class at the BeckerArt Studio in McHenry September 19th

Email me at Beckerart@gmail.com for any info you may need about my classes or workshops.

First Watercolor Wash

In watercolor, the first wash is the one you really want to get right and get a lot of things accomplished on that first wash which keeps things fresh and sets the foundation for the rest of the entire painting. Listed below are the things you should think about in that first watercolor wash.

1 The color scheme that you will be using is usually set in the first wash... I find a lot of the times they are complimentary colors.

2. You are establishing all the light valued colors in the first wash which can include some of the middle tones also.

3. Learn to watch out for leaving the white of the paper if the painting calls for leaving some white paper. Sometimes that means adding masking fluid before you do the first wash.

4. The first wash usually is the largest washes in the painting and it is also the time you work wet-into-wet which is when you establish soft edges.

5. Sometimes the first wash may take a couple of washes to get it done. This means that you are still establishing the light and middle tone colors in the scene but didn't get it done on the very first wash... meaning its just a continued first wash.

Try working really hard to get as much done of the first wash as possible so that the following dark wash can be easy to apply over the first wash.

BeckerArt WORKSHOPS and DEMOS of 2020

WORKSHOP Artisan Expo, W/C & Acrylics, Santa Fe, MN. Sept. 24th to Sept. 26th CANCELED

WORKSHOP Sangamon Watercolor Society, W/C, Springfield, IL. Oct. 9th to Oct. 12th CANCELED

WORKSHOP Duluth Art Institute, WC, Duluth, MN. October 22nd, 23rd & 24th INFO HERE

BeckerArt WORKSHOPS and DEMOS of 2021

WORKSHOP The Villages, WC, Villages, FL. January 11th and 12th INFO HERE

WORKSHOP The Villages, Acrylics, Villages, FL. January 13th and 14th INFO HERE

WORKSHOP Gold Coast Watercolor Society Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Feb. 16th 17th and 18th INFO HERE

WORKSHOP Michigan Water Color Society, Battle Creek, MI. June 1st, 2nd and 3rd INFO HERE

WORKSHOP Dillman's, Lac Du Flambeau, W/C, Wisconsin, June28th - July 1st INFO HERE

Product of the Week
White Artist tape

Take the color out of your images and turn them a shade of light and dark red letting you see the value pattern.

Artists of the Week

Dan Mondloch

While I was up here at the plein-air fest in Grand Marais I was hoping to run into Dan who usually comes to this fest but due to covid Dan couldn't make it. One of the better plain-air painters.

BeckerArt Demo/PAINT-A-LONG will probably not happen this week as I am up in Grand Marais and have a ton of painting to do. come back here next week to see what I can come up with. Thanks!

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/davidrbeckerart

BECKERART DAILY PAINTINGS

I might not be able to post a daily painting every day while here in Minnesota due to there will be times I won't have any or not great WiFi so I won't be able to download any images into my website and I also can't ship so I may have to take a couple days or weeks off. You can still look at the paintings and even buy the ones on my site, but you will have to wait a couple of weeks to get the painting.

BeckerArt Brushes

Click Here to Purchase BeckerArt Brushes

Shop Amazon by clicking the logo below to help me fund this newsletter... Thank You!

If you are looking to help me fund my BeckerArt Studio/Classroom during this Pandemic may I suggest purchasing a daily painting and for those that want to help a small business stay in business click the Donate button below. For those wishing to send a donation you can do it to:
BeckerArt 3314 Pearl Street, McHenry, IL.60050
THANK YOU!

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