Mixing Colors

Over the summer I have been teaching lots of workshops from California, to Southern France, to Vermont, to home again. Time and time again I hear students say "why don't the colors on my palette mix like yours?". What I have found is students often show up with new palettes or palettes that have been barely broken in. The problem with new palettes is the finish is new and slick. And sometimes the surface may even have a oily grime from the factory. Watercolor when mixed on a new palettes has a tendency to bead up and not lay down. Not only do the colors bead up they have a tendency to pull back from the colors you are trying to mix them with. When you get a new palette clean it first with a liquid cleanser. You can find this cleanser under the brand name of Soft Scrub but any inexpensive off brand will work. It only takes a small amount (teaspoon) to do the trick. I periodically clean my current palette with the formula that also contains bleach. One word of caution-clean all the liquid cleanser off your palette with water and paper towels. Don't let the cleanser get into your paints.

In the photo the paint on the left hand side has beaded up and pulled back from the others colors. On the right hand side the paint lays down and the colors mingle.

Go clean your palette!

75 Day Sketch Challenge

I have heard from lots of people who are taking the "75 Day Sketch Challenge". Great news! I like to have fun with the "Challenge" and not let the exercise start to feel like a burden. Some days my sketches are small and quick and others days they become involved and span over two pages. The idea is to have fun and grow during the challenge. In this sketch I did continual line contour drawing. Once I put the pen on the paper I don't lift the pen until it is done. The image becomes a little distorted but I think that is part of its charm. Give it a try.

Sketch Bag

Many years ago the idea came about to keep all my sketching supplies in one place. Nothing is worse than setting out for a day of sketching and painting to find I forgot something major like my brushes, paint, or sketchbook. I keep my bag packed with all the necessary supplies and never unpack it. I have a separate set of brushes, palette, ...for studio work. I even keep a snack and enough money for lunch tucked in a pocket and of course my Artistic License! I have been toting around my canvas sketch bag for so many years I've lost count. We have traveled all over the United States, Prague, Berlin, Florence, and most recently Southern France.

Many of my friends and students have nicknamed the bag the "Brenda Bag". If you would like to get one they are very inexpensive and available at Harbor Freight Tools. It is a Canvas Rigger Bag.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?category=&q=canvas+rigger