Saturday 15 June 2013

My Husband's First Watercolour!!!

I have been nagging him to let me practice on him for a few days now and he finally capitulated this afternoon!! As many of you will know I have some beginners workshops coming up and I have been doing some prep and I wanted to get some idea of how it was going and whether I was pitching it right.

So we started with some washes where I guided him through how to use the brush, how much water, the consistency of paint and of course a little mixing of the paint on the paper. He really seemed to take to it very well but was a bit unimpressed as he said he just did what I told him..... I do know from experience that in itself is definitely not a given and of course it was like one to one tuition and he painted along with me so that I could correct him before he made a mess.

After the washes, we did a bit of dry brush practice then drew a very simple mountain scene with a bit of water in the foreground. We built it up glazing layer after layer using UB, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna so that we could see some aerial perspective, the mountains getting darker as we came forward, and here is his finished piece!!


I think for a first attempt this is fantastic and only serves to reinforce my view that anyone can learn to paint... it is a skill not a talent and I am absolutely delighted that he has done this as a complete beginner and proved that someone who doesn't seem to have an artistic bone in his body can actually produce something as good as this!!

10 comments:

  1. Dear Judith my compliments to your husband!
    Nice when a couple likes the same things!
    I wish your husband with the guidance of a painter, experienced, passionate and enthusiastic as you a great future as a watercolorist!

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    1. Thanks so much Rita... not sure he will continue with this he seems to prefer football, golf, cricket, cycling, gym in fact anything other than painting... but I am hoping he will do one of two more of the practice exercises with me.

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  2. certainly a very good first go, remembering back to my very first class in the 90's there were some shockers LOL

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    1. I think he's done well too Lorraine, we've certainly had a laugh about it at least he listened to what I was saying... now that's a first!!!

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  3. Hi Judith, my compliments to your husband, some nice freshness to the lower sea wash, I like the way the paper shows through, it looks like some relatively dry brushwork has gone on which I love, he should be very encouraged with the results on a first painting especially in watercolour, beats my first attempt hands down, please let him know and thanks for posting.

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    1. Thanks Karl..... I have told him and I can see his head swelling as I write!! He said Quote "I told you the sea was good!!!" Yes we did some dry brush practice, trying to get him to do that was the most difficult bit, but he managed it in the end. He seems to think because he copied what I did it doesn't count..... wish I had got him to do it by himself first to show him how a bit of tuition can help. Ah well there's always next time!!!

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  4. Oh blimey. If he could only see the things that litter my recycling bin that I have 'copied'. It's not that easy to just get it like that by copying. I think watercolour in particular is very hard to master and think that he has done brilliantly - as have you teaching him. What a great idea! I love that most distant mountain and the ones coming forward - gorgeous colours.

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  5. The guy done good! Great recession. Could it be he had a good teacher I wonder? I would my hubs to try but he will not, it would make for wonderful arty hols.

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  6. Heel mooi gedaan mijn compliment lieve groetjes Danielle

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  7. Hey tell your hubby he has mastered aerial perspective, dry-brush, and the use of warm and cool colours. Nice sky also. Maybe you could teach him birds, and he could pop a bird of 3 into the sky. Off to a solid start!

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