Interview #1

Interview with Josh:

Question: Is there one particular book that gives good step-by-step instructions for watercolors?

No, not really. Most books aren't showing you how to do worthwhile pictures. I just find a picture or concept that I find interesting.

Question: How do you capture light in your paintings?

I work really lightly. I keep a shop rag next to me and always soak up the extra paint as it sits on the paper.

Question: Do you think that gives you control of the color.

Yes, it means I have more control of the medium.

Question: Do you paint with watercolors very often?

No, I prefer other types of paints more than watercolors.

Question: What is your biggest piece of advice for working with watercolors?

Slowly add color by wiping away most of your paint and building it from there. Don't work so fast that you loose control of the medium.

Watercolor paintings by Zhao Haoyi

I love these paintings! I'm amazed how beautiful these portraits are in watercolor.

Andrew Wyeth's Beautiful Watercolor Paintings!

Granddaughter, 1956, drybrush and watercolor on paper, 15 3/4 x 22 1/2 inches, Collection of Wadsworth Athenium, Hartford, Connecticut, Gift of Mrs. Robert Montgomery

Courtesy Moving Space Productions - moving truck rental

Great Video for Week Four!

Week One

Week One: Fail!

Okay, I learned a lot from this first painting.

1) I've got to be willing to do still life subjects or landscapes when learning to watercolor - figures and faces are too advanced for me right now.

2) Use a step-by-step tutorial. No -- I can't just figure it out, despite my thinking otherwise.

3) My biggest problem will using a light touch. I can't treat these like oil paints. I started with good intentions, but in the end I made the same old mistakes.

4) I need more colors. I could do a majority of the mixing, but while I'm learning I should get the list of colors suggested by the book.

I started out painting a white woman, then it turned into a black woman, then it turned into a hispanic man. You are not suppose to do that with watercolors. The end result is a strange layering of washes and bizarre colors. I suppose it is good to be humbled.

Next picture: I'm going to follow a step-by-step tutorial in the book for an arrangement of flowers. It may not be my first choice of subjects, but I need to start simple and get a lot of help. I'll go and get the colors the author recommends, and hopefully it will go better this time!

My Goals

I'm going to create seven watercolor paintings, one per week. Five will be displayed in my classroom, and hopefully I will be able to finally figure out this difficult medium. I will use the book How to Paint and Draw by Hazel Harrison to help with my instruction and I'll find an artist that knows this technique to help guide me through the learning process.