Comments for Watercolor Affair

Comment on VALUE STUDY GENERATOR by Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:01:12 +0000

In reply to Sandy Lefore McPike. So glad you found this useful Sandy Have fun using it :-)

Comment on VALUE STUDY GENERATOR by Sandy Lefore McPike

Sandy Lefore McPike — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:35:11 +0000

Inspired by your recent Masterclass email, Anthony, I came here to check out this tool for creating tonal values. Wow - how fun and how easy it was to use. I particularly was astounded at how the highest tonal value level demarcated shapes within the image in the foreground that I couldn't see otherwise. It also helped me to realize that the reference photo should be as simple as possible as the background in my photo made for too many shapes and tones to focus on. I suppose that the background can be made into large general shapes to suggest the background. Thank you for this tool and thank you for sharing how to make tonal values for realistic 3D paintings. This tool could even be used to make abstract paintings come alive!

Comment on Day 4 – My Biggest “Aha!” Moment by Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:13:24 +0000

In reply to Diana.

Happy to hear this helped Diana !
Have fun 🙂
Anthony

Comment on Day 3 – Discover the Truth About Watercolors by Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:12:16 +0000

In reply to Diana.

Hi Diana
Using ready-made watercolor pans with dry paint is pretty much the same as using tubes and letting them dry in your palette 🙂
The key is re-wetting the pans or paint wells before your start to paint.
This lets you pick up some pigment with your brush, then mix it into the puddle of water for mixing.
To adjust the strength of the mix, test a little on a scrap of paper — then add more pigment if it looks too pale, or more water if it’s too strong.
Your “two-dab” system actually works! It’s all about finding that balance between pigment and water that gives you the consistency you want.

Comment on EXERCISE: PAINTING PERFECT BOXES by Justin Joyner

Justin Joyner — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:16:34 +0000

Did this quite a few times last week and there was always something to learn: color mixing, the impact of glazing on values and more. My 6 year old critiqued one iteration as “too yellow”. Wow– she was thinking exactly what I was. There *is* a lot to learn from still life and simple shapes (and children)!

Comment on Day 4 – My Biggest “Aha!” Moment by Diana

Diana — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:07:29 +0000

This is a great lesson as well, I’m impressed with what you’re giving away, thank you so much. The Macaron lesson was like 5 in one lesson lol.
Values! just this advice, along with a $5.99 app helped me start looking/learning how to better create a picture I’ve tried a few times to watercolor, pen color, pencil…. etc. It’s words on a folded piece of paper. Lightbulb moment – getting the values wrong. I have “shading” experience from a couple years of acrylic work, but moving into real subjects, and making them pop, this gave me permission to release the subtle shading that most real life images have, and emphasize it. Thank you!

Comment on Day 3 – Discover the Truth About Watercolors by Diana

Diana — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:35:41 +0000

because I have to do things the hard way, my first investment into watercolor paint was a dry palette – I guess childhood conditioning didn’t let me consider tubes, that and I wanted something more portable.
I have a decent dry palette of assorted paints, and have worked my way through the blending exercise and the Macaron, and I’m gaining water control skills (releasing my acrylic habits and control for this…).
Question:
To add paint a bit at a time, to the water, how would you approach this with dry paints? I find myself spraying my paints when I first start, and counting brush dabs (this is a two-dab level of paint…), but I’m curious if you ever work with the dry paints.
Thanks

Comment on Day 2 – Paint THIS to Improve your Skills & Technique by Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 07:24:30 +0000

In reply to Diana Carson-Walker. Hi again Diana If you like I have a complete article about watercolor paper HERE :-)

Comment on Day 2 – Paint THIS to Improve your Skills & Technique by Diana Carson-Walker

Diana Carson-Walker — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:00:25 +0000

In reply to Anthony.

Thank you, Anthony. I will research a bit, and learn more about the papers. The pad says “watercolor” cold press, 140 lb, but yeah, how to know what grade it is? Who knows, I bought it years ago, but the price on it makes me suspect it’s student grade or lower. I’ll dig around on your site, I’m betting you have written something about the papers. None of my “watercolor” pads say anything about cotton. They’re definitely getting the side-eye, now… They may all get relegated to my “make other stuff” pile.

Comment on Day 2 – Paint THIS to Improve your Skills & Technique by Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:32:48 +0000

In reply to Diana Carson-Walker.

Hi Diana
Ouch! Yes it can be very frustrating when that happens.
In my experience this is worse when you use certain kinds of student grade paper.
Student papers are made from cellulose wood pulp, which is not as strong as the cotton fibers in higher quality paper.
Another possibility is that the paper surface was slightly damp when you applied the latex gum… In that case the latex could seep deeper into the fibers making it rip the surface when you remove it.
The secret is to go very slowly and carefully when you remove latex masking 🙁
Hope that helps for future projects…