Watercolor Painting for Dummies (64 page)
Read Watercolor Painting for Dummies Online
Authors: Colette Pitcher
Tags: #Art, #Techniques, #Watercolor Painting, #General
How do you get into the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Practice, child!
Improve your drawing skills. Draw every day. Keep a sketchbook and use it. Set up a studio space you use only for creating art. Paint every day. Paint from life. (Chapter 8 covers drawing, and Chapter 2 talks about painting habits.)
Why reinvent the wheel? Find out what already exists and what is left to say with watercolor.
Take workshops. Watch how-to videos. Read art books. Visit art galleries. Join an art club. Subscribe to an art magazine. Look up art sites on the Internet. Take a life drawing class. Copy an old master work for study. Ask advice from experts. Study with a master. Do the exercises in a how-to book. Explore art movements in history. Read biographies of other artists.
Dig within you. You are the only one with your unique perspective.
Observe your subject and really “see” the details. Think of a title that captivates the audience even before you paint. Incorporate symbolism. Tell a story. Communicate. Incorporate feelings. Create mood. Illustrate a cause. Paint what you know. Research your subject.
Design your composition before painting. Plan a color scheme. Plan and use a value pattern. Use thumbnail sketches. Make sure to include a center of interest. Obey the laws of perspective in realistic landscapes. Balance the painting. Take the image all the way to the edge of the paper. Use thick and thin and broken lines. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Make more gradation. Variety, variety, variety. Make no two shapes the same. (Chapter 7 has details on good composition.)
Watch a sunset. Appreciate beauty. Visit local galleries and museums wherever you are. Put a professional mat and frame on your paintings. Wonder at the world. Collect art you admire. Listen to Mozart. (His symphonies are linked to creative brain stimulation.) Travel for new discoveries and perspectives. Buy a new color of paint just because you like it.
Make your work area ergonomic and comfortable. Clean your palette before putting on fresh colors. Set up your painting area in a room with a view. Play your favorite music while you paint. Find a painting coverall you like to wear over your clothes. (Chapter 2 gives advice on setting up your painting area.)
Look for an unusual angle. Try a new tool or technique. Drink CreativiTea, a blend of herbs said to boost your creativity — look in health food stores. Look at the painting in a mirror. Create a series of related paintings. Portray an odd number of items. Choose a theme. Turn the painting upside down. Zoom in. Include an element of surprise. Wear an amethyst, a gem linked to creativity. Have a camera handy at all times for unexpected subject opportunities. Step away from the painting and look at it from a distance. Create something totally new.
Layer paint. Change colors every inch. Use economy of brush strokes. Loosen up. Add interesting shadows. Leave some white paper for sparkle. Observe light and shadow. (Chapters 3 and 4 offer a variety of techniques to try.)
Teach someone a technique. Show a child how to watercolor. Start a critique group with other artists. Organize a show just for yourself or for your painting group — it’s a wonderful motivation to keep painting. (Chapter 15 has tips on how to promote your art.)
In This Chapter
Deciding you’re ready to sell
Finding great places to display your work
Setting your prices
S
o you made your first piece of art that you think maybe someone will pay you money for. It’s burning a hole in your easel, and you’re ready to sell it for a million bucks. All you hear in the media is how art brings millions at the East Coast auction houses. Well, hang on for a minute. Although it’s possible to sell art and make a living as an artist, it usually doesn’t come quickly. Before you go out to sell your first painting, make a hundred more. Then you have a little experience behind you and an inventory in front of you.
On the other hand, you may not want to show your paintings to anyone. You don’t have to show them or sell them. They may be just for you. The same advice applies. Make a hundred paintings. See how you feel after looking at them. Spread them out in the privacy of your own space. Then decide if you’re ready to share them with the world or you still need to explore your own direction.
If you’re going to show your paintings to the public, they should be presented properly, usually in a mat with glass and a frame. See Chapter 3 for more on presentation. Some shows and galleries have specific rules regarding how work should be presented.
Don’t forget to photograph your art before you part with it. Better yet, take a snapshot before it goes behind glass. You want to have a record of all your masterworks for your portfolio.
Every artist wants to know: How much should I ask for my art? How do you put a price on your heart and soul? Well, first it’s impossible. Second, here’s how. Some of the things to consider when you price your art include:
Market:
Visit galleries and art shows to see what amounts similar pieces bring. I said “bring,” not “ask.” Be realistic if you want to sell. Look at your own spending habits. What do you spend when buying art? That’s probably what your neighbor wants to spend as well.
Your reputation:
If you’re a famous artist with lots of experience, you can charge more.
Presentation:
Factor in the cost of framing and matting.
Size:
Size matters, so consider how big the piece is. Some artists even have a square-inch formula, so a larger painting costs more to purchase.
The pedigree of the piece:
If the painting won a prize or is better than most you’ve done or most other works of its type, put a higher price tag on it.
