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Monday, August 29, 2016

Making Whites in Watercolor

Friends, thank you for patience for my long absence! The picture book illustration is right on a track. So, I can find time for blogging and sketching. I enjoyed sketching this wedding dress in a shop from a street. Let's have fun to create white in watercolour on spot. Technically, the white bridal dress was challenging in watercolour (A4, Arches, 300gsm). 

White is not always a breached white in paintings like you soon realise. 
My main methods : 
1) leave white on paper, 
2) wax / crayon,   
3) use different colours to show white.  
Let's have fun in creating "white" in watercolour painting. 
Take the wedding dress for an example. I used all methods 1), 2) and 3). 
1) leave white on paper
In my eyes, the wedding dress had a bit vintage image = old. 
Arches 300 mgs does not have a breached white, as you know. It just suited to my colour image of the dress.   
2) wax / crayon
Wax worked to create laces. The point was to show the mood of the dress, I felt, not the detailed or exact information. 
3) use different colours to show white
I chose a very soft raw sienna for a first wash to create a slightly sepia image. Then, I played with colours. 
Do you often use masking fluid or a tape? I hardly use them. Embarrassing though, a masking fluid bin often gets "out of order" on my working desk (= I do not use it for years! and gets bad). Another problem, masking fluid and a tape leave a clearly edged white that annoys meIn my experience, it's wise to choose a technique or combine them to match a painting's need and its texture. 
However, I'm not a skillful technician! If you can teach me how to do it or a more effective way and share it, it would be wonderful. 

Also, I'd add my belief that technical things will follow a person pursuing it. So, don't get disappointed, if some trials did not work well. My admiring illustrators and great artists have simple techniques and create amazing and touching work. Think about Michelangelo or Turner. Did they have masking liquid or a tape? I believe if a person wants to find a way to create an effect to describe something in a subject, an individual will find a way. If I made it upside down(= if I chased up only techniques first), I make empty work, I feel. Where there's a will, there's a way. Friends, just have fun! You'll find a way to go!    

Back to the first topic, the picture book illustration. I've been working hard on a storyboard and roughs. Already many blog Friends have read the record of my drawing process. If any Friends and blog visitors want to know the process, you can browse the labels related to picture book on the right side of this blog. 
I hope I will update this "Monday" blog as much as I can. *Honestly, it's hard while I'm working on projects. But your cheers and support encourage me to go on. Thank you so much! I'm sure many blog Friends striving for dreams in their lives and art industry. I'd send you my best wishes!! 
Friends, Happy Painting!     




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20 comments:

  1. Wow, Sadami, I love this wedding dress painting - it does look so vintage and amazing how white it looks in spite of all the colour you've used. I've tried masking fluid on and off for years and have never been happy with the results. Best wishes with your new picture book - so much work, but exciting!

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    1. Thank you, sweet Cathy! I'm sure you'll enjoy white. I know you have very rich skills and enthusiasm in creating art work. Your work is always eye pleasant and very interesting. Yes, and I will work on the picture book!! Cheers, Sadami

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  2. Sadami, has logrado perfectamente el efecto deseado. Muy bien. Te felicito y tu acuarela es preciosa!!!
    No uso nunca goma líquida. Procuro dejar los blancos, para un futuro, sobre el papel. Oscurecer el resto para que destaque el blanco. A veces un poco de guasch, también va bien. Y cuando se trata de líneas finas, como los palos de los barcos, cuerdas sobre fondo muy oscuro y pequeños detalles de luz sobre las personas, cuando están en la sombra pero les da la luz en la cabeza o sus hombros. Todo ésto último, utilizo un bolígrafo de GEL blanco, de la marca "uni-ball SIGNO, Pigment ink UM-153 WHITE. Me ayuda para rematar detalles donde hay unas líneas de luz (brillo de un metal, o el canto de cualquier superficie). Eso es lo que utilizo en mis acuarelas. También toques de negro con pincel Pentel.
    Esos son mis trucos...
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Hola, Joshemari, eres tan generoso para compartir sus técnicas preciosos. Gracias. Su forma, el establecimiento de un fuerte contraste de valor entre blanco y un resto de una pintura, es muy inteligente y sabia !! Lo usaré para mis pinturas. No estoy familiarizado con Guasch. Voy a comprobar los productos inforamtion usted ha mencionado. Suena muy útil. Sus acuarelas se ven tan bien y se vuelven más intensos. Disfrutar de ella, Joshemari!
      Los mejores deseos, Sadami

      Hi, Joshemari, you're so generous to share your precious techniques. Thank you. Your way, setting a strong contrast in value between white and a rest of a painting, is very clever and wise!! I'll use it for my paintings. I'm not familiar with guash. I'll check the products inforamtion you mentioned. It sounds very helpful. Your watercolour paintings look so nice and get more vivid. Enjoy it, Joshemari!
      Best wishes, Sadami

      >>>Joshemari said...
      Sadami, have perfectly achieved the desired effect. Very good. I congratulate you and your watercolor is beautiful !!!
      No never use liquid rubber. I try to leave white, for the future, on paper. Darken the rest to stand out white. Sometimes a little guasch, also goes well. And when it comes to fine lines, such as boats sticks, ropes on very dark background and light small details about people when they are in the shade but gives them light in the head or shoulders. All this last, I use a pen white GEL, brand "uni-ball SIGNO, Pigment ink UM-153 WHITE. It helps to finish details where there are lines of light (brightness of a metal, or the singing of any surface ). that's what I use in my watercolors. also hints of black Pentel brush.
      Those are my tricks ...
      A hug.

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  3. That wedding dress is stunning, Sadami! The way you made the white look white and vintage is amazing, I love it. Me and masking fluid don't go along very well either. It is a question of style, I think. Good luck with your projects!

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    1. Thanks, kind Judy! I hope my storyboard will go well, gulp! Regarding the dress, it was my childish ? challenge spirit. If I want to do it, I'll do it on spot before a subject will be gone. It was very interesting and exciting. A great bonus was that I've learned lot. I'm sure you will enjoy watercolour. Cheers, Sadami

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  4. Fabulous dress, Sadami, and it even appears to glow. Don't work too hard. Remember to take some time to relax and recharge.

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    1. Thank u, Carol! I had a fun. We do not need to make masterpieces every time. These experiments give me lots of knowledge and tips. You, too, enjoy art activities.
      Best wishes, Sadami

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    1. Oh, sweet Rhonda, thank you so much! Let's have fun in watercolour. Best wishes, Sadami

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  6. Your wedding dress glows .... is beautiful!

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    1. Thank u, Elva! Very happy to know you enjoy it. Best wishes, Sadami

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  7. I like the frilly lacy look of the dress. Saving white in watercolor is still a challenge for me. Sometimes I use masking fluid although I don't like it. One has to be patient and very meticulous using it. Hard edges left after removing mask I usualy soften and it's not the problem. But I rather avoid masking.

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    1. Hi, Agnieszka, thank you for a kind feedback and help! I do not use masking fluid. While softening hard edges, my work will lose freshness and spontaneity. Masking fluid seems to be not so popular among my friends. Btw, your many works are lovely. Keep up!
      Best wishes, Sadami

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  8. Dear Sadami just fabulous work. You managed to capture texture giving the dress a feel of lace. Also the golden spots within the whites definitely gives a vintage feel to this work. Thank you so much for sharing. Hugs!

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    1. Oh, sweet Debby, always thank you! I'm becoming very busy with the picture book illustration. I hope you, too, enjoy bloggin. Best wishes, Sadami

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  9. So interesting! Thank you for this post, Sadami. The dress is marvellous! I mean the painting of the dress, of course :)

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    1. Oh, Blaga, you're soooo sweet and kind. Thank you for encouragements. I'll keep up. I'm working on a storyboard. xxx, Cheers, Sadami

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  10. what a wonderful sketch and a very educational blog on white as 'color' :)Thank you!

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    1. Oh, Meera, you're soo sweet and encouraging. Thank you. Sometimes, we want to know technical stuff. Find something fit to you. Best wishes, Sadami

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