Atmospheric Watercolours

Jean Haines, is without a doubt, my favorite watercolourist. Her loose flowing style is a joy to behold and a challenge to emulate.

The old canal bridge

blue and white

The Venetian door

She has two wonderful books available Colour & Light (How to Paint) and Atmospheric Watercolours: Painting with Freedom, Expression and Style. She also has two great instructional DVDs,  Watercolour Passion and Amazing Ways with Watercolour.

I am currently reading Atmospheric Watercolours and these are the results of my first exercises from her book.  I think I have a lot more practicing to do, but that's ok, attempting to learn her style is fun and very actually very relaxing.

If you are drawn to coloring outside the lines, then Jean's style should appeal to you.  Be sure to follow her blog also, Watercolours with Life.

It is my dream to one day be able to attend one of her workshops, but they fill up really fast and her US classes are few.  Perhaps, one day...

Colour & Light

I recently received Jean Haines book How to Paint Colour & Light in Watercolour.  If there is an artist's whose techniques I really want to learn, it is hers.  Her paintings are so loose and have so much life, I really adore them. 

Here is the result of today's practice.

The first two are on cold press paper while the third is on hot press. They actually look better in person, my scanner is getting old and does not scan watercolor very well.

AEDM #6

I signed up for six months of the Watercolor Workshops at ArtistNetwork.tv and I am really enjoying it.  This exercise is from Chinese Watercolor Techniques with Lian Quan Zhen.

He has two other videos on the network which are very good. Jean Haines studied Chinese Brush Painting and you can really see how it has influenced her watercolor style when you view Lian Quan Zhen's videos.

Monsieur Sketchbook, Kuretake Waterbrush filled with Sumi ink.

AEDM #2 - #5

This is a quick sketch of the California Rolls that G brought back to me for lunch.  He's not a Sushi fan so that means more for me - YAY! (oh, he brought me Guiness Black Lager, too - so I think that he's a keeper).

 I did this while watching The Tale of Despereaux.  The movie is ok, the book is wonderful.

I picked up some Derwent Sketch Watersoluble Graphite pencils at Micheals, so of course I had to test them out.

More practice working with Jean Haines wonderful DVD, Amazing Ways with Watercolor.

First three done in Renaissance Arts Journal, Arches Textwove paper - last on Strathmore 140# coldpress watercolor paper.

AEDM #1

November is Art Every Day Month.  Click on over to the Creative Every Day website to learn more about it and to join.  Of course, you don't HAVE to join to participate in the fun.

I'll be honest, I probably will not post everyday, but I am going to try to sketch, draw, paint, scribble, write, doodle - something everyday.  I just finished Brenda Swenson's 75 Sketches in 75 Days Challenge and earned my Artistic License, so I don't really want the pressure of a new challenge just yet.

But, I do have lots of stuff to work on... techniques, materials.  The above is the result of watching Jean Haines DVD Amazing Ways with Watercolor.  If only it were as easy as she makes it look.  But, that is what practice is for.