New Workshop just added! Plein Air painting in Watercolor!

New workshop just added! I'm teaching a 1-day plein air watercolor workshop at the Community Arts Center in Wallingford in September! This workshop is already starting to fill up, so sign up now if you want to get in before it's too late.

Students will learn how to break through the confusion of choosing a plein air painting subject, and learn how to plan a landscape composition by eliminating distractions and focusing on their subjects. They will learn how to capture light and shadow in their paintings, and how to see the landscape in simplified shapes of colors and values. They will learn how to mix colors with a limited palette, and depict a variety of perspective techniques to create depth and dimension in paintings. Students will learn how to sketch quick value studies, and add buildings, architectural elements, and gestural figures to the landscape to create drama and interest in their paintings. A variety of techniques will be demonstrated, and students will receive lots of hands on individual instruction and critique.

• This workshop takes place outdoors, so please bring a folding chair.
• Rain date will be September 19.

Instructor -- Annie Strack
Annie Strack has earned Signature Membership in 9 artist societies including the International Society of Marine Painters, and she is an Official Authorized Artist for the U.S. Coast Guard. Her paintings are exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the world and have been featured in over 20 solo shows. She is the author of the art instruction video Painting Seascapes in Watercolor which is broadcast on television stations worldwide and also available on DVD, and since 2005 she’s been a Contributing Editor for Professional Artist magazine. She teaches painting at Artists Network University, and she travels around the world to teach workshops, jury art exhibits, and paint en plein air. Her artwork has received hundreds of awards and hangs in over 1,000 collections worldwide including U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Pentagon, U.S. Senate, Veterans Administration, and many more.

Required supplies for this course:

• Palette containing your favorite (or standard) watercolors
• Assorted watercolor brushes (natural hair such as sable and squirrel preferred)
• Sketchbook or journal for sketches
• Several pieces of 140# CP or rough watercolor paper, small sizes, no larger than quarter sheet (Watercolor Blocks preferred)
• Water container
• Pencil
• Value Finder (you may purchase one from instructor for $5 if you don't have one)
• Optional: Watercolor easel, plein air umbrella, hat

Art Tip: How to paint a Sunset

One of my most popular 1-day workshop subjects is "How to Paint Skies." I teach my students how to paint a variety of different atmospheric conditions in skies, such as different types of clouds, sunny weather, rainy skies, stormy skies, fog, etc. My students always enjoy painting sunsets, which are the most difficult because of the multiple colors introduced to the wash.

The most common mistake that watercolor painters make, is layering colors or letting the wrong colors mix on the paper, resulting in the odd colors. For instance, both yellow and blue can be found in the sky during a sunset, but if the yellow and blue are layered or mixed on the paper they will result in green -- a color that is not found in the sky.

(Sunset, 9x12 WC, $125)

The second biggest mistake artists make when painting sunsets, is not painting the colors in the order of the color spectrum. The colors in a sunset (or sunrise) follow the same spectrum order as the colors in a rainbow. The color closest to the Sun is yellow, the next color is orange, then red, with violet being the color that appears furthest from the light source. The sky might be dark blue or light blue depending on the position of the Sun. Values will also deepen as they get further from the light source, with the lightest value being the light source, itself.

The third mistake artists make, is not realizing that sunset colors only appear on clouds. The sky doesn't reflect the colors -- the colors are reflected on particles of water, which is why the colors appear on the clouds.

In this demonstration painting, I started by painting a wet-on-wet blue wash for the sky, and blotted out the edges of the clouds. Then, starting with the Sun's position in the center of the horizon, I used yellow ochre and worked my way outward using cadmium orange, permanent red, and dioxide violet. Some of the colors overlapped each other, which is fine because the overlapping colors are analogous so the order of the color spectrum is still maintained. A few more cloud layers were blotted out while the colors were still wet. To create the reflection in the water, I did the same thing but without the blotting, and I kept the water movement horizontal in appearance.

I teach this in workshops pretty often, so keep an eye out for a workshop near you!

Tips for using watercolor masking fluid

One of my favorite tools in my paint box is masking fluid, also known as liquid frisket. Masking fluid is a liquid rubber product that is used by watercolor painters as a water resist - in other words, it preserves the white of the paper and protects it from paint. These tips will help you use your masking fluid well and get the maximum benefits for your paintings.

1. Masking fluid that is old or contaminated will be difficult or even impossible to remove from paper. For best results use fresh fluid, and write the date on the bottle when it is first opened. Discard any unused products after one year, or sooner if the product has become difficult to remove from your paper or if it's colorant  has left a stain on your paper. Also, paper that is very old will have deteriorated sizing, and that, too, will affect how your masking fluid adheres. Always use fresh products for the best results. 

2. Never EVER shake bottles of masking fluid, it will incorporate air into the fluid which will shorten the shelf life of the product, and make it more difficult to use. Instead, gently swirl or stir the liquid until thoroughly mixed. Adding a pair of small glass beads, marbles, or steel ball bearings into the masking fluid’s jar will help you to mix the fluid easier.

3. To apply the fluid, use a brush that has plastic bristles. The kind that are often found in dollar stores in the children’s or toy section, and usually come in a package of a dozen or so for around a dollar. The stiff plastic bristles allow for maximum control, and can be trimmed with scissors to any needed shape. The plastic bristles do not absorb the fluid, making it easier to clean and reuse. 

4. Apply masking fluid generously. The thicker you apply it, the easier it will be to peel it off later. Thinly applied masking fluid will be difficult to remove.

5. Even with the plastic brushes, it is still best to rub a little liquid soap into the bristles before using them with masking fluid. The soap creates a barrier between the brush and fluid, and makes it easier to clean.

6. Make sure your paper is perfectly dry before applying or removing masking fluid. Never apply it to wet or damp paper, and never try to remove it from wet or damp paper.

7. If you spill or spatter masking fluid somewhere where you don’t want it (such as on your workbench, floor, or other areas of your painting), don’t try to wipe it up. You’ll only end up rubbing it into the surface, making it even more difficult to remove. Instead, let it dry completely and then peel it off.

8. Once you’ve applied the fluid to your paper, don’t leave it on for more than a week. The longer it’s there; the harder it will be to remove. Also, heat will harden masking fluid and make it more difficult to remove, so don’t leave your painting in a hot place or apply heat from a hair dryer while the masking fluid is on your paper.

9. When you’re ready to remove the masking fluid, use a rubber pick-up tool. This inexpensive square tool is made of crepe (aka: gum) rubber and will stick to the dried mask to pull it off your paper with little effort and no damage. 

10. Exposing your masking fluid to air, water, soap, and other contaminants will cause it to go bad faster, so the more you use it -- the faster your bottle of fluid will deteriorate. Decant your fluid into a smaller nail polish bottle to keep the large bottle fresh longer. The nail polish bottle already has mixing beads and a self storing plastic brush that never needs cleaning. It's also a perfect size for traveling. 

(Masking fluid decanted into a nail polish bottle)

This photo shows plastic brushes, steel ball bearings, masking fluid (aka: liquid frisket), and a rubber pick-up tool. To see how masking fluid is used, click here to see a step-by-step tutorial of one of my recent maritime paintings...

Watch this short video for more masking fluid tips!