Do you do art besides photographs?

[Allan Bell]

9 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

We must be kindred spirits, then. While Steve has the patience for beautiful detail in his paintings, I tend to throw watercolors at the paper, let them run and see what happens. Often it’s mud, but once in awhile something turns into a painting. Kind of impressionist.

 

Well I took the plunge and kitted myself out with some watercolour materials (paint) and brushes, paper, etc. But not started work yet. Been too busy with the Contract Saga and still work to do on that yet so watercolour painting will have to wait a while longer yet.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Well I took the plunge and kitted myself out with some watercolour materials (paint) and brushes, paper, etc. But not started work yet. Been too busy with the Contract Saga and still work to do on that yet so watercolour painting will have to wait a while longer yet.

 

Allan

 

Thrilled, Allan. Good for you! That’s kind of the story of my life recently. There has been so much going on over buying the computer, tracking it down, installing, yada yada. Then health issues and tests. Figuring out with help how to get Nik working again. Then all the stuff going on at Alamy.

I need a peaceful mind to paint.

[Keith Douglas]

The limited extent of my art is some manipulation of images using Topaz software or more manually in Photoshop. https://www.photo4me.com/profile/12713/ 

 

Although the majority of my images on there are straight photographs with basic processing in Lightroom, well over 80% of my sales on there are of images that have had some manipulation!

[Steve F]

On 23/05/2021 at 14:23, Allan Bell said:

 

Well I took the plunge and kitted myself out with some watercolour materials (paint) and brushes, paper, etc. But not started work yet. Been too busy with the Contract Saga and still work to do on that yet so watercolour painting will have to wait a while longer yet.

 

Allan

 

 

Good luck! Happy to provide tips. Don't use white!

[Allan Bell]

Just now, Steve F said:

 

Good luck! Happy to provide tips. Don't use white!

 

Thanks for the offer Steve.

 

Only if I need to change the depth of colour?

 

Normally would use the white of the paper for the white. Clouds, breakers in water etc.

 

Allan

[Allan Bell]

13 minutes ago, Keith Douglas said:

The limited extent of my art is some manipulation of images using Topaz software or more manually in Photoshop. https://www.photo4me.com/profile/12713/ 

 

Although the majority of my images on there are straight photographs with basic processing in Lightroom, well over 80% of my sales on there are of images that have had some manipulation!

 

Great images Keith. You are very lucky to have variety of subjects.  Yes I do have variety too but around here you need to travel miles for a change of scenery.

 

Hope to see you sometime. Stay safe. (still).

 

Allan

 

[Steve F]

Just now, Allan Bell said:

 

Thanks for the offer Steve.

 

Only if I need to change the depth of colour?

 

Normally would use the white of the paper for the white. Clouds, breakers in water etc.

 

Allan

 

Ok, good, you know what you're doing 🙂

Er, depth of colour... Well, the more colours you mix together, the muddier / less transparent the resulting colour will be on the paper. Otherwise, certain pigments have different tinting and transparency properties, so you'd need to look a the manufacturer's colour chart. Colour intensity is generally just altered by adding more water, but be aware that colours fade slightly when they dry on the paper. Otherwise using adjacent complimentary colours or strong light/shade contrasts is always helpful.

 

I prefer watercolour pans to tubes, but you'll be fine with both.

[Allan Bell]

4 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

Ok, good, you know what you're doing 🙂

Er, depth of colour... Well, the more colours you mix together, the muddier / less transparent the resulting colour will be on the paper. Otherwise, certain pigments have different tinting and transparency properties, so you'd need to look a the manufacturer's colour chart. Colour intensity is generally just altered by adding more water, but be aware that colours fade slightly when they dry on the paper. Otherwise using adjacent complimentary colours or strong light/shade contrasts is always helpful.

 

I prefer watercolour pans to tubes, but you'll be fine with both.

 

I picked up a set of 12 small pans in a container with mixing trays at reasonable cost. the colours are the usual primaries including Titanium White through to Payne's Grey.  Then picked out two tubes to complement the pans of Transparent Brown and Ivory Black.  These are Aquarelle by Sennelier.

 

I use to work as manager of a retail outlet some years ago who were stationers and office equipment suppliers with a comprehensive art department. They sold Winsor and Newton art materials which I would have preferred but my local shop does not sell that make. Probably too expensive now for the students from the university. Although there is a big art community in this area.

 

Sorry too much information.

 

Allan

 

[Steve F]

41 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I picked up a set of 12 small pans in a container with mixing trays at reasonable cost. the colours are the usual primaries including Titanium White through to Payne's Grey.  Then picked out two tubes to complement the pans of Transparent Brown and Ivory Black.  These are Aquarelle by Sennelier.

 

I use to work as manager of a retail outlet some years ago who were stationers and office equipment suppliers with a comprehensive art department. They sold Winsor and Newton art materials which I would have preferred but my local shop does not sell that make. Probably too expensive now for the students from the university. Although there is a big art community in this area.

 

Sorry too much information.

 

Allan

 

I use Windsor and Newton pans, but yes, shocking how expensive they are these days.

 

Too much information? Revelation for me a few years ago was colour mixing. Bear with me. So if you want to mix a clean purple, you need to use a red shade blue (e.g. Ultramarine) and a blue shade red (e.g. Permanent Rose). If you use Cadmium red, then you'll get brown because cadmium red is a yellow shade red. Same goes for mixing clean greens, you need to use a green shade blue and a green shade yellow. Etc.

Edited May 25, 2021 by Steve F

[Allan Bell]

1 minute ago, Steve F said:

I use Windsor and Newton pans, but yes, shocking how expensive they are these days.

 

Too much information? Revelation for me a few years ago was colour mixing. Bear with me. So if you want to mix a clean purple, you need to use a red shade blue (e.g. Ultramarine) and a blue shade red (e.g. Permanent Rose). If you use Cadmium red, then you'll get brown because cadmium red is a yellow shade red. Same goes for mixing clean greens, you need to use a yellow shade blue and a green shade yellow. Etc.

 

Fantastic Steve thank you very much for that information. I did do watercolour in art class at school but that sort of information is long forgotten and I need to re-learn a lot.

 

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that an old art teacher at that school did suggest I go to art college. But in those days and my families situation it was necessary that I started paid job and career when I left school. Obviously with all the necessary studies etc the art slipped and fell back to zero.

 

Allan

 

[Steve F]

4 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Fantastic Steve thank you very much for that information. I did do watercolour in art class at school but that sort of information is long forgotten and I need to re-learn a lot.

 

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that an old art teacher at that school did suggest I go to art college. But in those days and my families situation it was necessary that I started paid job and career when I left school. Obviously with all the necessary studies etc the art slipped and fell back to zero.

 

Allan

 

 

Well, I'd have loved to have done art, but I didn't want to live in an attic and cut off my ear, so I'm a civil engineer instead....

[Steve F]

8 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Fantastic Steve thank you very much for that information. I did do watercolour in art class at school but that sort of information is long forgotten and I need to re-learn a lot.

 

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that an old art teacher at that school did suggest I go to art college. But in those days and my families situation it was necessary that I started paid job and career when I left school. Obviously with all the necessary studies etc the art slipped and fell back to zero.

 

Allan

 

 

My recommendation to you is 'Watercolour Painting' by Jean Louis Morelle. It's a bit advanced, but a really good book. Almost all other watercolour books I've found are too basic / beginner level.

[Allan Bell]

10 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

Well, I'd have loved to have done art, but I didn't want to live in an attic and cut off my ear, so I'm a civil engineer instead....

 

I went into Production Engineering and ended up at a major blue chip company Project engineer. Retired now for longer than I care to admit.🤫

 

Allan

 

[Allan Bell]

14 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

My recommendation to you is 'Watercolour Painting' by Jean Louis Morelle. It's a bit advanced, but a really good book. Almost all other watercolour books I've found are too basic / beginner level.

 

Thanks will have a look. As you have found out I still need to revise the basics though.

 

Allan

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Allan Bell

[Steve F]

44 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thanks will have a look. As you have found out I still need to revise the basics though.

 

Allan

 

 

Well the book does have the basics in as well, it just goes a lot further than any other books I've read on watercolour.

 

Try to use sable brushes, they always form a good tip and you can do surprisingly detailed work even with a 'fat' brush (or start with synthetics if that's what you've got and upgrade later - gosh it's a bit like this photography malarkey 😅) Bare minimum to have is a wider 'wash' brush and a round brush. And watercolour paper, use at least 150g/m2. I have tried stretching watercolour paper onto a board. But these days I'm lazy and painting on 300g/m2 and it doesn't buckle much at all when it gets wet. I use NOT (cold pressed) watercolour paper which is a bit rough as you can get interesting effects with the pigments in some granulating colours settling out into the dimples.

Edited May 25, 2021 by Steve F

[Allan Bell]

2 hours ago, Steve F said:

 

Well the book does have the basics in as well, it just goes a lot further than any other books I've read on watercolour.

 

Try to use sable brushes, they always form a good tip and you can do surprisingly detailed work even with a 'fat' brush (or start with synthetics if that's what you've got and upgrade later - gosh it's a bit like this photography malarkey 😅) Bare minimum to have is a wider 'wash' brush and a round brush. And watercolour paper, use at least 150g/m2. I have tried stretching watercolour paper onto a board. But these days I'm lazy and painting on 300g/m2 and it doesn't buckle much at all when it gets wet. I use NOT (cold pressed) watercolour paper which is a bit rough as you can get interesting effects with the pigments in some granulating colours settling out into the dimples.

 

Hi Steve, I bought two pads of paper both 300g/m2, one is rough as I like the effects it is possible to achieve and the other is smooth for different effects. From my work in the stationery shop art department if did know the best brush is a sable hair. I picked up a set of five "Pro Arte" brushes to begin with and will change when I get more into the painting after practicing with these. The premiss being if I can do reasonably well with these then I know it will be worth upgrading to sable. The widest brush I have at the moment in the set is 3/8" Square shader. I know I will need a wider brush when I start on larger paintings but for now I will not go too big while I practice.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

On 15/05/2021 at 21:16, Steve F said:

Love your digital art Betty! A skill that I'm totally lacking...

I set myself up as a full time artist for 9 months in 2019 before I came back to the UK because I was unemployed. In some respects I was successful, but I don't think I could ever live off it. I'm not really pushing it now because I have a full time job, just doing the odd commission for friends. My art is too traditional and 'conventional' to ever sell well, but I like what I do so I'm not changing my style for now at least. I actually learned to code from scratch to create the website, so any flaws are mine!

 

https://www.frostsfineart.com/

 

Wow, those are really good, Steve. 😀

[Allan Bell]

Cripes! Just checked ebay and seen the asking price for "Watercolour Painting' by Jean Louis Morelle."

 

Anything from £104 to £9.75.

 

Allan

 

[Steve F]

2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Cripes! Just checked ebay and seen the asking price for "Watercolour Painting' by Jean Louis Morelle."

 

Anything from £104 to £9.75.

 

Allan

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Watercolour-Painting-Complete-Techniques-Materials/dp/1843305216

 

...personally, I'd give the £104 a miss! 😝

[Steve F]

5 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Wow, those are really good, Steve. 😀

 

Thanks Ed! It's a fun, if time consuming, hobby.

[Steve F]

9 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Hi Steve, I bought two pads of paper both 300g/m2, one is rough as I like the effects it is possible to achieve and the other is smooth for different effects. From my work in the stationery shop art department if did know the best brush is a sable hair. I picked up a set of five "Pro Arte" brushes to begin with and will change when I get more into the painting after practicing with these. The premiss being if I can do reasonably well with these then I know it will be worth upgrading to sable. The widest brush I have at the moment in the set is 3/8" Square shader. I know I will need a wider brush when I start on larger paintings but for now I will not go too big while I practice.

 

Allan

 

 

Sounds like you're off to a really good start. Don't worry about 'mistakes'. Watercolours can be a bit random, embrace it

[Allan Bell]

9 hours ago, Steve F said:

 

Sounds like you're off to a really good start. Don't worry about 'mistakes'. Watercolours can be a bit random, embrace it

 

Yes it is easier with other mediums as it is possible to paint over mistakes. Definatly not with watercolour though.  It may be possible to include the mistake as part of the finished image but I would not be happy with it.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

I have Windsor Newton paints, but also have more M Graham and Daniel Smith.  They are also high quality paints. I get the tubes, because it is easier to mix the strength I want, if I want to go strong.

As for brushes, I do have a couple of sables, but most aren’t. There are some very good brushes out there now that hold a lot of water with nice points.

I watch and subscribe to a Utube channel called “Mind of Watercolor”. This guy uses watercolor, watercolor pencils, ink, and has a lot of reviews on brands of paints and brushes. He uses a lot of techniques. I have ordered a lot of brands he tests and recommends. He finishes off very loose washes with detail, (appeal to you, Steve) but the whole is a mix of loose and detail. He used to be an illustrator.

Yes, he’s American. I also subscribe to a few other artists videos, some English, if you’re interested, I can tell you who they are.

[Betty LaRue]

On 25/05/2021 at 03:56, Keith Douglas said:

The limited extent of my art is some manipulation of images using Topaz software or more manually in Photoshop. https://www.photo4me.com/profile/12713/ 

 

Although the majority of my images on there are straight photographs with basic processing in Lightroom, well over 80% of my sales on there are of images that have had some manipulation!

Very nice port! The trains especially caught my eye.

I know what you mean about manipulation. This one is a photo with use of a Nik filter.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/fallen-betty-larue.html

it’s rather amazing what a few tweaks can do, sometimes.

I don’t do well on PHOTO4ME, buyers seem to search for UK subjects. I sell only occasionally.  I do much better on Fine Art America. I pretty much quit uploading to P4M for a couple of years until recently, since it felt like wasted effort.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Betty LaRue

[Keith Douglas]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Very nice port! The trains especially caught my eye.

I know what you mean about manipulation. This one is a photo with use of a Nik filter.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/fallen-betty-larue.html

it’s rather amazing what a few tweaks can do, sometimes.

I don’t do well on PHOTO4ME, buyers seem to search for UK subjects. I sell only occasionally.  I do much better on Fine Art America. I pretty much quit uploading to P4M for a couple of years until recently, since it felt like wasted effort.

 

Thanks for that Betty, You have some fantastic pictures.

A high percentage of your portfolio is not specific to any particular region so you should do as well in the UK as you do in the USA. However, when I looked at recent sales on P4ME, the majority are of locations or things in the UK. Perhaps there's another POD outlet in the UK with a better fit for your art? 

 

Keith