After a week of waiting – I’ve watercolored my stick! I know, I know, it’s not a terribly exciting or popular subject. But it’s very forgiving – I mean really, a stick is a stick, and no one will know if you got it a little wrong, eh? If you didn’t see the sketching video, be sure to check that out here.
I’m pretty excited about the results of this simplification process – the sketch really did take the pressure off to try to add every detail when I painted! See the video for the process – and if you need to see it all at realtime speed, you can become a patron to go see that. (Patrons get a weekly video or preview of something coming up that week.)
- Mentioned in the video:
- Live class at Etchr Sunday May 1 (will be able to be purchased and viewed later on replay)
Video
Watch the video below or click here to see it on YouTube.
When picking colors from your swatches, see if you can pick some colors that are in several mixes; while you won’t see those hues individually, they’ll go together more naturally. I have one mix (Moonglow one) that doesn’t have any crossover, but the others all share some color – so the oddball will add a little spice! Color mixes for my painting: Transparent Red Oxide + Yellow Ochre / Cobalt Blue + New Gamboge / Transparent Red Oxide + Cobalt Blue / Moonglow + Aureolin / at end, added a little Payne’s Blue Gray to the final grey mix.
I have nice large mixing wells in my House of Hoffman Palette – that gives me plenty of space to have puddles of color that are thicker in one area and thinner in another, or half cool and half warm. It gives your brush lots to choose from as you paint!
Paper and brushes can be whatever you have and like to use, though I strongly recommend a nice big fat, soft brush for the first pass, and something of a smaller size for the second. For paper, I’m a “rough” girl so used a Arches Rough sheet. For brushes I got out some sables – Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Round 8 and Round 4.
Below on the left, the stick in the video, and the one on the right was a practice version; both are very different but also both very nice!
Download my three views of this stick and create your own art with it!
ICYMI
All week I’ve been sharing more trees and bark….links to each are here so you can go watch the short videos and see the posts for tips on creating trees.
- Learning to simplify, part 1 the sketch
- Tall tree trunk looking up (short video)
- Tree trunk sketch (short video)
- Yes another tree trunk watercolor (short video)
- How I plan a painting (Tiny Tutorial)
- See original location of this tree painting (short video)
- Two fave watercolor techniques (short video)
- Full speed painting (short video)
- Sketchbook flipthrough (short video)
Supplies
Some product may be provided by manufacturers for review and use. Compensated affiliate links are here at no cost to you. If you choose to shop using my EH (Ellen Hutson) links, please accept cookies on that site in order to retain the link to my blog, or that compensation does not happen for me. I appreciate your support of my work with your purchases! Full affiliate and product disclosure | My trusted partners in art
- Paper:
- Brushes:
- House of Hoffman Palette – https://bit.ly/3hH5fnP
Fabulous painting Sandy!
Totally love watching the proces of painting this stick.
Thank you so much for sharing, stay safe and have a wonderful weekend.