BAL Painting and Drawing with Watercolor Pencils, February 17 and 24

This was the end photo from the former post of this process.

I added watercolor pencil, green and brown.  I wet the bottom half so that you can see the difference between the dry and wet.

Finished wetting the entire background and wet the background into the mane.

I added more dry watercolor pencil to the background and worked on the zebra with dry watercolor pencil refining some areas and re-establishing the mane.

Worked on the zebra some more, all dry watercolor pencil.

Added another layer of dry watercolor pencil to the entire background.

Wet the background.  This Background would work fine.  I worked on the zebra adding darks and lights and some color.  All dry watercolor pencil.

I worked on the zebra some more adding darks and lights.  It still needs more work.  I smoothed out the background with dry whit pencil to show what that would look like.  I could wet it again or add more layers to keep working it.  It is not there yet.

 

Mixed Media with a loose watercolor underpainting with black and white pen & ink and colored pencil on top

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes.  This mixed media started as a loose, colorful, textured watercolor underpainting and salt.  I then used black and white pen & ink with colored pencil layers on top.  

Some of the photos in all of the posts were taken in poor lighting while I was teaching so the color is incorrect.

The start of the pen & ink.  Ignore the white paper peaking in from the side.  I could not get a shot of the pen & ink part completed since I started the colored pencil early for demo/time purposes.

Colored pencil started.

WIP

 

Mixed Media started with an unrelated drawing superimposed over an abandoned watercolor painting

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes.  This was a painting of a man in watercolor that I lost interest in finishing.  I pulled it out one day and decided to superimpose an unrelated drawing in colored pencil on top to see what I could come up with.  I do this every so often with my abandoned paintings. 

I started the value drawing with the white pencil.  

A little more value drawing (wish I would have photographed the value drawing after it was completed).

The layers of colored pencil being added over the value drawing and the background.  At this point I am thinking it needs something more to tell the story that is evolving.  So I added more figures with colored pencil into the background. 

"Atonement"  15 x 22

 

Mixed Media started with a textured, monochromatic watercolor background

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes.  I start with a monochromatic watercolor background.  I transfer the drawing and start with a light colored pencil value drawing, usually using white but every so often I use something like one of the 10% grays or light peach or cream.

The start of the value drawing with white.

I started adding color on one side as a demonstration in a class.

"Fade to Blue" 15 x 22

 

Mixed Media with a more realistic watercolor underpainting

 

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes. I started this piece as a more realistic watercolor underpainting of the subject.  I finished with layers of colored pencil.

"Traditions"  15 x 22

Mixed Media with a more realistic watercolor underpainting

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes. I started this piece as a more realistic watercolor underpainting of the subject.  I finished with layers of colored pencil.

"Dyed in the Wool"  15 x 22

 

Mixed Media with a colorful watercolor underpainting

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes.  This mixed media started as a loose, colorful watercolor underpainting and was finished with colored pencil on top. 

"Thinking Ape"  11 x 15

 

Mixed Media with an semi-abstract colorful underpainting

This is posted to show you one of my mixed media processes.   It started as a loose abstract watercolor and watercolor pencil underpainting, then a dark watercolor layer was added, and then it was finished with the layers of colored pencil. 

"Primal" Thought  15 x 22

 

GNSI-C Fun with Fur, February, 2021, Colored pencil on tan paper, Deer

Step 1.  I typically start on colored paper using a white colored pencil.

Step 2.  Using light peach, cream, peach, and burnt ochre I started shading in the color.  I shade mostly in the direction of the fur to avoid issues later.

Step 3.  Using Raw Umber and Ginger root I added some darks, lights and more color.  Still working mostly in the direction of the fur.

Step 4.  Using all the colors as needed, I start adding the fur texture.  This involves some line work and breaking the edges of the spots.

Step 5.  I added more texture and started refining.  This will need the end process of studying, correcting, and refining which takes time before finishing.

 

GNSI-C Fun with Fur, February, 2021, Watercolor and White Gouache, Cow

 

Step 1.  I wet the paper and covered it in a medium version of the fur color.

Step 2.  After its dry, I used the color and several darker versions of the color to add some darks.  I'm using some negative painting.  This step helps me see the shapes better.

Step 3.  I added more darks on the front pieces of the fur.

Step 4.  I added more darks and a few stands of white with the white gouache.

Step 5.  I added layers of white gouache to make strands of light hairs.  I also continued to add darks, especially some in thin lines for some of the hairs.  This is in process and would need more time looking and refining the shapes, values, and textures.

GNSI-C Fun with Fur, February 2021, Mixed Media, Zebra

Step 1.  Wet the surface and drop in color.  The paper needs to be wet enough that the color moves,  I used a mixed red brown (burnt sienna will work), ultramarine blue (cobalt will work), and mixed brown (neither a red or yellow brown, burnt sienna with a little blue will work).

Step 2. After it's dry, I wet the stripes and added a dark blue (something like indigo, indanthrene blue, anthraquinone blue or phthalo blue mixed with a little yellow and red will work).  I dropped in the red brown in a few areas that are warm.  I wet the ear and also added some color to the ear.  I wet the mane and added some color there as well.

Step 3.  After its dry, I added black ink.  When I add the ink I can render it loosely as I have done here.  Or I can add it in a tighter more controlled fashion.  Either will work for this subject.

Follow the direction of the fur.

Step 4.  I then added the white ink using it in particular for breaking the straight dark edges of the stripes and mane. 

Follow the direction of the fur. 

Sometimes I finish the mixed media with the pen & ink, which would work great for this subject.  But, since I wanted to also show some colored pencil I will move on to the next step.

Step 5.  I started adding colored pencil.  I used white, black, burnt ochre, ginger root, true blue, Spanish orange.  I used it to soften some of the areas, add more texture and values.  I also started adding some details.  This is far along but not completed yet.  The end of the process is mostly looking and making adjustments.  It takes time.

 

BAL Painting and Drawing with Watercolor Pencils, February 17 and 24

I started lightly shading with Burnt Ochre (reddish brown) and Dark Chrome (warm yellow).  I shaded these colors lightly and loosely around the zebra.  I added Chrome yellow heavily in the eye.  Don't be concerned if you do not have the exact colors. We could change these colors if we wanted.  We could make a zebra with purple and green undertones.

Using Warm Grey V (a medium dark warm gray) and Warm gray II (a light warm gray) I started adding the stripes and the muzzle (I finished adding the stripes before going on to the next layer, I wanted you to see the zebra with and without the stripes in one photo).  I also started lightly adding Pthalo Blue (a green blue blue). 

 

I added black and Raw Umber (yellowish brown) to the color palette.  I added black to the stripes and also added pthalo blue in some areas of the stripes and burnt ochre in other areas of the stripes.

I wet the front part so that you can see where this is going.  I left the back part dry pencil so you can see how different it looks once water is added.

I added white to the palette.   I wet the back half and realized I forgot to continue shading the ear, oops.  After the back half was dry I used more of the same colors adding textured and detail as well as some form.  I am shaping the zebra and I am adding the fur and mane texture.  I used the white to lighten areas and to add fur and mane texture.

This is where I catch the ear up to the rest.  I shaded the ear (using Burnt Ochre, Warm Gray V, Warm Gray II, and Chrome Yellow) and then added water. 

After the ear was dry, I used an eraser along with White, Black, Burnt Ochre, Warm Gray V to add the various hair texture and to shape the ear.  

So at this point the zebra could be finished.  But I will continue refining the values and details.  

Even though I like this with a white background, I have added a background so that you can see how that looks.  I will post those photos before next class.

I will go through all of this and more step-by-step over both sessions of this class so that it will make more sense. 

 

NCBG Drawing and Painting with Watercolor Pencils, Short Course, Jan. 30, 2021

WIP.  This is the demonstration leaf that I started in the workshop as a drawing with no watercolor pencils added before class. I used this to show you how to add the pencils and then wet them after the watercolor pencil layers were on the leaf.  I have not started detailing and refining this yet.  I started adding values on the upper left side.  I demonstrated sanding, so I re-wet the upper right side and using a small metal strainer I scraped the watercolor pencils in the strainer to get a fine spotted texture on the leaf.  And of course on the top background you can see where I dropped my paintbrush and it rolled.

WIP. This is the last photo from the previous post below.  This photo is of the leaf I worked on before class to get it part of the way finished and used as an example and for demonstration during class.  I wet the right side and left the left side un-wet so you could see the difference. 

 

WIP.  This photo is of the leaf I worked on before class and also demonstrated on during class.  I demonstrated wetting the watercolor pencil on the left side during class.  I demonstrated adding more darks and darker darks using a black pencil.  I demonstrated lightening areas and adding highlights with the white pencil.  I demonstrated adding more color in areas as needed. I demonstrated adding details and refining (especially edges).  There are still areas that need the darks, lights, highlights, refining, and details.