Quality papers are essential for good watercolour painting work, particularly, for washes. Arche, smooth, 300 gsm is my favourite. I carry a 185 gsm sketchbook and a 300 gsm A4 pad in a backpack. A tragicomedy is sometimes, I accidentally draw a good work on a thin paper, 185 gsm. (Usually, it is a daily sketch and preliminary research.) Oh, no! It happened on this work. I tried my best to make a smoke and a smooth dark background. I hope you can enjoy it. Btw, have you ever experienced the same pain?
A Smoker's Coffee Break
He was a good young man seeking for his own direction in life.
We enjoyed a chat over life. It inspired me. Thank u!
I tried a background twice or three times, phew! I'm not happy with the outcome of his smoke. As well as the smoke, I'm still thinking of the allocation of vanishing edges in this work.
So, I'll try the work again on 300 gsm. Creating washes and playing with wet-in-wet is easy on thick papers. Thick papers will give us freedom of expression and joy in sophisticated techniques.
Btw, my mentors, Books Illustrated (Ann James and Jess Haddon) has left for Bologna Children's Book Festival in Italy, leading our Australian team. I hope they will have a wonderful time there and a safe trip.
Now, I will get back to the ongoing projects and research.
Friends, Happy Painting!
Good Paper is Vital for Washes
I didn’t realize he was smoking, at first...maybe the cigarette gets lost a bit in his clothing? What about a reddish tip for the fire of the end of the cigarette? I like it, though, and you’ve captured an interesting, common position of a lot of people checking their phones :)
ReplyDeleteThank u, Rhonda! At first, I put the red point at the end of the cigarette and later, made it darker in a realistic approach. But it was not good. I'll retry red. Yes, I want to depict the beauty of ordinary people. Cheers, Sadami
DeleteThank u, Rhonda, I put the red again! It looks better. Well, move on! Cheers, Sadami
DeleteI think the version on the top is very impressive, I can see the smoke and the black is very even. But of course, in my experience too 300gsm is more comfortable for working very wet washes. I love this sketch, Sadami, you captured his character very well!
ReplyDeleteThank u, Judy who does washes very well! I'll retry it on 300 gsm. Yes, I want to depict the beauty of ordinary people. Cheers, Sadami
DeleteHaha! Yes, the same pain many times. We are always our own worst critics. I think you did a great job with the background and the smoke!!
ReplyDeleteThank u, kind Chris, We share the same pain?! I will retry it on a thicker paper. Cheers, Sadami
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