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panbiker
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 Posted -
28/12/2007
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12:47
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As there are a number of artists among our midst, I thought I would start a topic for watercolour painting.
Ian
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Sue
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 10:59
Nolic, in the town near to our house in France, is a little shop where he makes paints on the spot, out of local rocks. He demonstrated it to us. They are lovely hues of brown , gold, grey etc. Lovely earthy colours. Apparently he goes around France, demonstrating how to make natural watercolours. My friend bought a set of pans and she said they are wonderful to paint with. She did a painting of our house, and the colour match was excellent confirming it was local stone. He also imports ground rocks from other places
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it  |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 11:12
Wow, I'll look out for anything similar on our trip in July. No caravan site this year just a house in its own 1.5 acres near a small village in west Normandy
I've only found one half decent art materials shop in France and that was in Dieppe.... well it had to be hadn't it. Though I've seen many superb and relatively cheap places selling art. We have some brilliant postcards framed from a shop in the Vendee where the owner sold his own paintings, prints and cards. He was really taken on by Dan's interest in watching him paint in oils - with a credit card as opposed to a knife. The guy dedicated one of the cards to Dan ..... might be worth a bit someday.
Most of the shops I've come across have been stationers that sold art materials on the side and these were generally of a low quality... though I once got a Cotman 1.5" synthetic flat wash brush for 6 euros. I did ask the lady if she was sure of the price and she insisted it was correct. When I got back home and checked the list price was around £15 !!!
Some of the big hypermarkets sell some half decent stuff if you look carefully. I've bought gouache paints for a few euros that Charlotte has used quite happily for her design course.
Just one other thing. I use both pans and tubes - White Nights pans, W and N and SAA tubes. Wherever I mix be it paint box lid, ceramic palette or plastic tray I always wash the surface after use( I never squeeze more tha I need for one sitting from a tube) and similarly keep my paint box tidy and relatively clean.
Now whenever I see professional artists who come up with beautiful clean , clear colours in their paintings their boxes and palettes are an absolute mess. Now I've tried leaving mine for a bit and not cleaning it and I just end up with muddy washes.
I'll do a picture of my box and post it .... will others do the same for comparison? Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator"  |
Sue
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 13:39
I use a credit ard alot with my watercolours, for trees, grasses and the outline of stones in walls. i think it is a really good effect. I'll see if I can find a website for the man in La Gacilly. By the way the town is a pretty place, The ladies in your family may like a visit , as it has the Yves Rocher factory and factory shop, plus gardens. I suppose it is too far to visit from Normandy. Oh yes, you can hire a day boat on the river, very pleasant.
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 14:28
Here are my paintbox and palettes. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator" |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 14:49
You missed a bit on the right side of the lid.......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 15:52
Not so Comrade. Some waterolours actually stain and that looks like a violet that was left on too long - won't come off. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator" |
Flutterby
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 21:52
Nolic your paint tin looks so clean! I tend to use the" ceramic daisy" more as i love to use tube paint. But do use a tin from time to time.which gets messy! I did a bit of painting this morning but have got out of regular painting recently. Lots of my stuff needs finishing. Once the springs here i shall start again hopefully!
Kmp |
Sue
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Posted - 15/03/2008 : 23:45
Nolic, after every painting session I soak my palettes and then put them in the dishwasher!!. However the blues always leave a stain behind. I always use tubes, but have two sets of pans given me at Christmas, one in a nice portable set ina small carry bag
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
blokman
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 10:24
Can anyone give me views on their favourite papers...
I have been using Bockingford 140lb, 16"x12" which seems fairly satisfactory, but have been getting some cockling, though I haven't tried stretching the paper.
www.robinsharples.co.uk |
Sue
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 10:43
Thats what I use, recently i bought 50 sheets of practice paper from the SAA. It hasn't much tooth but doesn't cockle much even without stretching. I use it a lot just attached at one end on a board to practice techniques, I have also used it stretched. But it isn't much good for textured painting, which I like to TRY to do with water
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
blokman
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 10:47
That practice paper from the SAA seems like a really good deal, Sue, I must say I am very tempted having had a look through the new catalogue.......
Only problem is that I'am also tempted by lots of other bits of equipment which feel sure will never get used!!
www.robinsharples.co.uk |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 11:01
Bloks its a bit like looking at fishing tackle in a shop or catalogue .... a lot of it is there to catch the angler not the fish!!
Just buy the absolute basics or, else as you say, you can spend a fortune on things you may never use.
Cockling ususlly happens if you are using quite heavy washes with lots of water and is an inconvenience that you put up with or go to a lot of trouble to stretch the paper either on the board you use or buy a "paper stretcher " board.
An alternative is to buy really heavy paper say 300gms which is like card - but is more expensive or buy the paper in blocks (ha, ha !!) which are sealed at 3 edges and don't cockle very much - but again more expensive. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator" |
Flutterby
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 11:48
An art shop to me is wonderfull! I feel like a kid in a sweet shop. So i have a store of things yet to be used. I even bought on E-bay a part of an air paint spray but have yet to get the main part! I get so many ideas into my head . Really i should organize myself firstly and plan things instead .
Kmp |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 11:55
Is that why you are "Flutterby" ? Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator" |
blokman
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Posted - 16/03/2008 : 11:57
Heres a recent attempt, I copied this from a photo in Lancashire Life, I get some really good ideas from this magazine....
Not sure if the colours are just as I imagined they would turn out.
www.robinsharples.co.uk |
Watercolour
