My "GEM" Collection~Hints, Lessons, Rules & Clues

*LOOK*SEE*PERCEIVE*EXECUTE*SHARE*

Always use the best materials.

 When painting Reflections:

• lights are darker, darks are lighter
• objects appear 2/3 their actual size
• objects are distorted

Create "lost and found" edges.

Joe Boehler:

• Determine and put down the lightest lights and darkest darks first.
• Create "life in the shadows" using 4-5 colors.

 Use indigo to darken colors, not black.

Ed Brookins:

• Proper planning is most important.
• Change a plane; change a value.
• If you're not sure, Don't Do It!
• Just in case you didn't get that, "If you're not sure, Don't Do It!"

Work back to front, top to bottom, light to dark.

Never end a painting session without a clear starting point
 for your next session.

 Subject matter is not nearly as important as the arrangement

 of the elements into a pattern.

  

 5 Tones: mass, shadow, reflected light, cast shadow and highlight.

“When a transparent color lies over another color differing from it, a compound color is composed which differs from each of the simple colors”.

~Leonardo da Vinci

The best way to improve; paint, paint, paint

     “Paint in watercolor can be a joy….or frustrating as the devil.

  Think more about what you can leave out than what to put in.”        Pellew

(I think this is very good advice.)

 The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you

 how to make the small fraction of your artwork that soars.

Remember this every time you complete a piece that you think is a total failure.

Learn to control the water!

Watercolor Painting: A complete guide to techniques and materials  by Ewa Karpinska

I think this book is an absolute must in every watercolorist's library.