Splash Dynamic – Bold Watercolor Painting with Tim Saternow: April 17 and 18

Materials

These notes and guidelines will help you understand how I approach a painting and what to expect from my workshop.    You DO NOT have to choose an image like mine, but it will give you a very good idea about what my painting subjects and techniques are like.

 

Please look at my website ( http://www.timsaternow.com ) and see what I paint.

 

This is a painting workshop, so please arrive at the workshop with your

DRAWING COMPLETED on watercolor paper.    See below.

 

You may paint on any size paper you wish – but if you haven’t painted large, try it!

 

 

WORKSHOP GENERAL OUTLINE:

Intros and guidelines

Preparing a Value Sketch of your research

Discussion of correct Linear Perspective

Demonstration (I will be painting throughout the workshop).

Grisaille Technique

Focal Point importance

Counter Points

Spatter, drip and bloom demonstration

One-on one instruction

 

RESEARCH PHOTOGRAPHS:

I tend to paint NYC urban landscapes and older houses.

Any city, town, industrial area, gorgeous travel shots, or farm scenes are great.

Research should be mostly of architectural subjects.

 

Be aware of photos that look GREAT as a photo (sunsets, night scenes, lots of reflections, ‘photo effects’ like blurring, stars, etc.).  Photography effects are very difficult to reproduce in paint.

 

 

 

Ask yourself: Where can I take this research with paint that goes beyond this photograph?

How can I make this painting much more exciting than the photo?

If you’re not sure how to answer this, then this workshop is perfect for you.

* Please remember: We are not here to duplicate photographs. *

If you paint fast, have a second painting ready and drawn out on paper.

 

 

 

If you are unsure of any of these following notes, please feel free to email me: Tim.Saternow@gmail.com

 

 

RESEARCH PHOTOS:

• All your research photographs must be printed on paper (5×8” or 8×10”),

One in color  AND  one in black and white (this can be a photocopy of the color photo).

* We will be tracing your research photo.

 

• DO NOT have this photo on your phone or iPad. This drives me crazy.
• Find an image you like. It’s a drag to spend hours on something that doesn’t excite you or that doesn’t connect with you.
• There should be a strong sense of light direction (sunlight & shadow) — good highlights and shadow areas. Hint: The shadow shape and light shapes are the most important aspect of your composition – not the details.   If you are unsure, look at your research with your eyes squinted.   This will take out the details and show you’re the broad shadow and light shapes.  If you don’t see these shapes, then your research does not have a very good VALUE RANGE (or Value Pattern).
• Find an image with a strong composition. Foreground, middle ground, and background details are important.
• Do not choose an image that is overly complex, or a street scene with too many windows, or delicate line work.
• Not too much sky – 20% or less is good.
• Note: If you plan to submit your painting to ANY art show, your research image must be your own photograph. If you are not planning on submitting, then go search the web for a photo, but be aware that someone holds the copyright to that image.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

• All students must come to the first class prepared with a full drawing in pencil on a sheet of 15×11” (quarter sheet) 22×15” (half sheet) or 22×30” (full sheet) Arches   ROUGH or COLD PRESS watercolor paper (either 140 lb. or 300 lb. paper).

 

THESE ARE ONLY SUGGESTED SIZES.    USE WHAT’S COMFORTABLE.

Your painting may be completed during the workshop, so if you paint fast, plan ahead with others drawn out on paper.

 

How to get your image onto the watercolor paper: freehand draw it; blow up the image by photocopying and trace it or transfer it onto the paper; or grid the image up; or project it (art projector or digital projector) and trace.

 

If you are unsure about getting your research blown up and transferred on the wc paper, please contact me.     Tim.Saternow@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Note:   Tim will have books and a limited number of archival digital prints of his paintings for sale at the end of the workshop.

 

 

 

 

SUPPLY & MATERIAL LIST

 

Paper:          Arches Watercolor paper: 30×22”  Rough or Cold-pressed

(140 lb. or 300lb)      Only use very good paper!

 

Brushes:      Range of good Flats* (1’’, ½”, ¼”) – I almost exclusively use flat brushes.

Range of good Round watercolor brushes that you like.

2” ‘chip brush’ (“white China bristle brush” — very cheap at any hardware store)

Range of cheap ‘craft’ paint brushes, rounds and flats, ¼” to 1” (great for texture.)

Any other brushes you like. Oil painting brushes are fine (what’s the difference?)

 

Paints:         I use: Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colors (5ml)

You may use any similar professional watercolor brand. (NOT ‘student grade’ Cotman, Grumbacher)

 

          * You must include:  W&N Payne’s Gray.

 

My suggested range:

Payne’s Gray (semi- opaque). Must include this exact paint brand.

 

Cobalt Blue (staining)

French Ultramarine Blue (transparent)

Cerulean Blue (semi- opaque)

Cadmium-Free Red (opaque)

Cadmium-Free Orange (opaque)

Cadmium-Free Yellow (opaque)

Indian Yellow (transparent)

Naples Yellow (opaque)

Sepia (opaque)

Burnt Umber (transparent),

Vandyke Brown (semi- opaque)

Raw Umber (transparent)

Burnt Sienna (transparent)

Yellow Ochre (semi- opaque)

 

Suggested additional colors you might like, not required:

Titanium White (opaque white)  or  White Designer’s Gouache (Small)

Winsor Green-Yellow Shade (transparent)

Prussian Blue (transparent)

Quinacridone Violet Blue (transparent)

Quinacridone Gold (transparent)

Venetian Red (opaque)

Permanent Alizarin Crimson (transparent)

And any additional colors from other brands you might like.

 

Additional tools:

Watercolor Palette – any kind or style you like (I use Corelle bowls and plates!)

Drawing pencils, soft and hard (2H – 6B*   We will be shading in pencil…)

White eraser (best is ‘Staedtler Mars’) or any gum eraser

Straight edge (ruler or ‘C-thru Transparent Ruler’ – from any art store)

Drawing board just a bit larger than your paper (cardboard or foam board)

Binder clips or drawing board clips (to hold paper to board) OR

½” Drafting tape  or  ‘Blue’ tape used in house painting

Water container

Rags or paper towels

 

Suggested Additional Tools (I will have these, too)

Water spray bottle

Sponges – natural and/or commercial

Scrapping tools: X-Acto #11 blades  or  safety razor blades

              ‘Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Sponge’

 

Only if you use Masking Fluid: Winsor & Newton is the best:  W&N Colourless Art Masking Fluid

 

 

NOTES:   During this workshop I will be constantly asking you:

 

FOCAL POINT:

What’s the FOCAL POINT of your painting?

How can you make anything the FOCAL POINT?

Emphasis by color

Emphasis by contrast

Emphasis by isolation

Emphasis by placement (in center, use of line, arrows, people looking)

Radial Design

(There is also Absence of Focal Point – think Jackson Pollack.)

 

CONTENT:

What do you want to say? 

This is also known as ‘content’ – what is the artist (you) trying to say?   (Not easy…)

 

COUNTER POINTS:

 

Below are what I call my Counter Points (or contrasts and variations).

These are what will make any painting exciting:

 

Bright / Dark

Sharp / Soft

Cool / Warm

Solidity / Transparency

Chroma / Grey

Vertical / Horizontal   (Diagonals suggest movement!)

 

 

 

 

“Most artists look for something fresh to paint; frankly I find that quite boring.

 

For me it is much more exciting to find fresh meaning in something familiar.”

 

Andrew Wyeth