Monday, February 10, 2014




We Made It!  Week #4
Thanks YOU for being a part of my first online Workshop!

I hope you have learned why color theory is a must.  I too have learned so much about creating an on line workshop. We certainly had our problems in Week #1 (I have a few more gray hairs).  I have partnered with Kuzuku, an on line hosting workshop company.  I've been working with their team to create my next on line workshop which will start March 1, 2014.  (Previews Coming Soon)

This week we will learn about Mixing Colors of Dark, Colors of Orange & Brown, and finally the Value Scale.  The Magnolia painting above is an example of why you need Colors of Dark.  Not only does it create a contrast between light and dark, but it creates a radiant light.  I took a workshop from Sue Archer (if you don't know her work, look her up), she mixed a variety of "Colors of Dark" in small plastic containers that she has on hand when needed.  These are the final colors after about 3 layers each.  Make sure you dry before adding another layer.

Colors of Dark







Impatience 11x14




The painting Impatiences is a good example of Colors of Orange & Brown.  Most tube colors end up drying flat.  When you mix a variety of Oranges, with the Gamboge plus Cadmium Red you get a bright clean Orange. Gamboge has Red, Cadmium Red has Yellow, they are in the same family.  As you can see when you mix Alizarin Crimson, which has blue with Permanent Yellow,  also has Blue you are adding the Complement of Orange (Blue). 
Over the years of teaching Watercolor Theory most students have said they would not have done the exercises without the workbook.  So I hope that you finish, you will have a great reference in the future.  A few of my students, using the workbook as a starting point, have made "Color Charts" to hang in their studios.





***** Value Scale Video will be uploaded later this week.  I have a terrible cold & sore throat!*****

The Value Scale has always been a tough one!  I took a workshop a few years ago, that we spent one whole day making a value scale on watercolor paper.  She had us glaze one layer after another to get the desired value.( 7 hours?)  Make it easy on yourself, use your Pocket Color Wheel to help with this exercise.  Take a look at the color wheel below, next to the color wheel is a couple samples of  paint to show how dark they are right out of the tube.  Some pigments may only have a value 5 or 4 at it's darkest.  Use this color wheel to determine what the value is at it's darkest, adding water as you create the value.  If you are doing Oils or Acrylics us a touch of White Paint to lighten the value.

Back about 10/12 years ago I flew across country during a major airline strike!  I had finally landed a spot in a Jan Kunz workshop in Bend, Oregon.  It was a dream come true, so I told Dick I will fly as far as I can, then I will get a car, train or bus.  I didn't care I was going to that workshop.  It changed my life and how I would paint from that week of discovery.  If you notice in the above photograph, above the color wheel is a value scale with Jan Kunz on it.  Also notice the "heart" cut out at the top.  This was for her 40% rule.  When you paint the shadow of an object, it should be 40% darker than the natural color of that object.  Well, try it!  Place the "heart" opening over the object at it natural color,(squint, when the color of the object disappears. that the correct value) then go up the value scale 4 shades.  That is the value of your shadow!  Your eyes won't believe it, but a white petal will be 1 or 2, but in shadow it will be 5 or 6.  Try this in your next painting.  Let me know how it turns out!

The Workshop Blog will be up until April 1st!
Enjoy!


 Preview of the March Workshop Coming Soon!







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