The color palette is this, with the addition of Jane’s Black, which I wanted to put to the test on a large painting. I’d tried it on small sketches, but wanted to note its performance in a big piece with a bunch of black in the image. (The reference photo is by James Mehl)

Watercolor a swimming duckling

I tested out a color in hopes I’d finally found a black watercolor that I could see using…Jane’s Black!

Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!

First pass: loose

The first wash covered everything that’s not white. I knew lots more color would go over this so I didn’t have to have perfect edges, but I did try to get some multicolor wash sections in.

Duckie!

It was a lot of fun getting into all the little feathers on the duckling. My attempts to research the breed led me to consuder putting a dark strip across the crown but opted to follow the photo instead. But the colors used in the first wash completed the duck, adding in the first of the Jane’s while still in a limited section. That gave me the courage for the further water areas to come.

Black water

Once I started painting large swaths with the Jane’s Black, I saw its potential! No more weirdo black color that dies on top of my paintings…this feels like the kind of black I typically mix – and now I won’t have to!

Finished!

I adapted a number of things in this painting, simplifying the background a good bit to keep it from trying to grab attention from the duck. 

Need your own duckling for your wall?

If you’d like to purchase the original or a print, feel free to hang my little duckling on your wall!

Supplies

1. House of Hoffman Palette
2. Daniel Smith Watercolors:
   1. Aureolin
   2. Yellow Ochre
   3. Transparent Red Oxide
   4. Cobalt Blue
   5. Cascade Green
   6. Green Gold
   7. Sap Green
   8. Janes Black Blue/Orange 
3. Artist tape 3/4″ 
4. Incredible Art Board, Grafix 
5. Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #10 
6. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 4 
7. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 12 
8. Arches Cold Press sheets

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If you need to practice an encouraging exercise for artists, today is your day. I’ve got just the thing!

I started watercoloring in 2016 – in advance of a trip to Europe. I wanted to do some art while there, and wanted color….I figured I didn’t want to carry markers with me, but a tray of watercolors seemed doable. Oh my was I wrong! I didn’t know what I didn’t know. 

Within a year of starting, so many of my YT followers were asking me for a class on watercolor that I decided to do it; even though I really didn’t know what I was doing. ha. Didn’t stop me! But going back and redoing the paintings again in my current style, well that’s been fabulous for my ego, showing me what I’ve learned since then!

A few days ago I tackled the Barn – check that out here.  Today: the lighthouse!

Tutorial: Encouraging exercise for artists

Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!

Tips to pay attention to

Choose a previous painting or drawing. Then it’ll be something you’ve already studied and completed. When we start something entirely new, we’ve got a lot more to think about the approach for; if it’s a redo, you can limit the list of things to think about.

Keep your eye on the prize: techniques you’ve mastered (or often done really well at! none of us “masters” watercolor). That’ll help you CELEBRATE success rather than trying new techniques.

Plan well. If you need to make a tiny thumbnail first before a larger painting, do it! I painted this twice in my thumbnails sketchbook first to work out colors. (That one doesnt have the nice Arches paper in this one, so I picked a cheaper one for color testing.) Practicing first also let me practice drawing a lighthouse and getting the house angle the way I wanted it.

That Inlaid Long Needle Brush

The inlaid long liner brush is one that generates questions every time I use it! I still like the one that’s not available the best – however, there are some others that I’ve listed in the supplies at the end of this post that are similar. They’re synthetics – which means they won’t release paint quite as nicely, but they do function. I’ll be testing them out in comparison to each other sometime next week, so hang tight for that if you want a demo before shopping.

Free Paintalong Class for beginners

Paintalong Watercolor was created ages ago – with much easier paintings than today’s lighthouse! There are sketches in the class, so you can just trace those onto your paper and start painting. Give it a try if you just want to see what it feels like to paint a watercolor—then you can try out some deeper learning in something like Watercolor Jumpstart. 

Watercolor courses and resources

Check out the new watercolor page! It’s got more info than just the classes – there’s even a vocabulary list!

Does this sound like an exercise you’ll try?

It’s made me feel a lot better – and I bet it would do the same for you. No matter your medium, no matter the level you’re at….you’re better today than you were a month ago! Celebrate that….and prove to yourself that you’re learning! 

Supplies

1. House of Hoffman Palette 
2. Daniel Smith Watercolors:
   • New Gamboge
   • Hansa Yellow Light
   • Quinacridone Rose
   • Anthraquinoid Scarlet
   • Transparent Red Oxide
   • Cobalt Blue
3. Artist tape 3/4″ 
4. Brushes:
   • Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #10 
   • Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #8 
     
   • Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 4 
   • Da Vinci Series 17 Maestro Long Needle,Size 9
   • DaVinci’s synthetic version of this brush:
     • Size 12
     • Size 8
     • Size 6

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After I made 31 gouache paintings in January, I figured I’d let them be a group and achieve something….so after you check out the video, please feel free to pop over to my fine art site and bid on a favorite or two in the charity auction! Tap on the image below to get there.

Tutorial: 31 Gouache Paintings and what I learned from making them

Warning, this is a long one! I seem to have a lot to share lately, huh!?! lol!

Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!

My biggest learnings

1. Avoid using too much water! That causes lifting. Cheaper brushes don’t hold water so try more of those than the good watercolor brushes.
2. Mix enough paint the first time. Nearly impossible to match in  2nd mix.
3. Use colors more inventive than “out of the tube” – I think I may need to make myself a mixing chart to remember all the colors I found that worked well, like Hansa Yellow Deep + Permanent Green Light making a great olive, and figure out which blue made a good purple with Quin Magenta because I’ve already forgotten!
4. Use bigger brushes and fewer strokes unless you want a 5 hour painting. If I’ll be going plein air sketching, I can’t dawdle like I’ve been!
5. For the first pass, block in colors everywhere except whites or very lights to avoid lifting and muddiness.
6. Watch out for green creeping into the orange paint for the shiny cherries! 

Missed some!

The bunny ran away with the sheep when I was shooting, so these two didn’t make it – see the IG post about how to paint sheep HERE, and the bunny HERE. Patrons saw today’s birch forest on my Patreon page….and I did fix those shadows on the snow on the fence!

Got gouache questions?

I’ve already filmed Saturday’s video, but….leave me your gouache questions! I’m new enough I hardly know what to ask, especially since I’m the type not to ask if something works, I just try it myself. LOL. 

Supplies

• Daniel Smith Gouache
• Joybest airtight palette
• Etchr Postcards, Hot Press
• Blick Master Synthetic Round 4
• Blick Master Synthetic Round 6
• Utrecht Sablette Round 1
• I won’t link to the icky brushes, nobody needs those…:)

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In today’s episode of Rankin & Bass tributes – it’s Rudolph and Clarisse the reindeer out on a special date! A lot happened to get to this point with a finished painting…and I’m glad I went through it even if it was tough. I learned a ton from painting it wrong, and even if I didn’t recover from all those things – and made new mistakes – the result was nice enough I’m willing to put this out there to show you what not to do! 

Tutorial: Watercolor Fix-it tips

When I mess up…you benefit. LOL!

Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!

Bonus tips 

Some things that weren’t in the video:

When struggling, make part of your painting something you KNOW. I know how to paint a galasy sky. That built up my confidence to get back on the horse – I had been feeling terrible after messing up so many attempts!

Save the best bit for last to help pull you through: like the red nose. I left it for the end, and told myself not to paint it til I was happy with everything else already!

Do you struggle with replicating things exactly?

Whether photos or art – do you find it hard to try to redo something that someone else already nailed? Does it discourage you when it’s not like theirs? 

Supplies

1. Saunders Waterford Cold Press Sheets
2. Grumbacher Miskit
3. Galaxy sky:
   1. New Gamboge
   2. Quinacridone Rose
   3. Prussian Blue
   4. Nickel Azo
   5. Da Vinci Mottler Flat Wash
   6. Winsor and Newton White Gouache
   7. Toothbrush
4. Trees:
   1. Prussian Blue
   2. Permanent Alizarin Crimson
   3. Da Vinci Series 17 Maestro Long Needle, Size 9
5. Deer:
   1. Yellow Ochre
   2. Transparent Red Oxide
   3. Cobalt Blue
   4. Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #10
   5. Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #8
   6. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 4