Oh daughter, drawing preliminary to watercolor

[Mike McCarty]

I recently posted a photo of my daughter in the photo critique section. This drawing, from that photo, is approx. 12 x 18 on 140# arches paper, done with a #2 pencil. This paper is so tough it could weather a hurricane.

My intent when I began was to make a minimal drawing and then make my first attempt at a watercolor. Well, predictably, I took the drawing a little further. Now I'm scared to slosh water on it.

Assuming that I gain courage and begin to slosh, I wonder about your advice regarding color. There will be only two colors besides the flesh tones. The shirt and a splash of color beside it on our left under the arm.

What are your fav color combo's and any other advise one would like to offer.

[Lon Haverly]

A drawing this nice should be left a drawing. I don't usually shade watercolor sketches, as the graphite dirties up the wprks. There may be a fixative that you can use which can be used under watercolor.

Just have a paper of the same kind on the side where you can test your color selections. Different paper gives different results.

Enjoy!

[Chris Saper]

Dear Mike,

There are many painters more qualified than I to advise on watercolor. For what it's worth, though, in the few that I have done, I have LIGHTLY sketched the general shapes and feature placement with a #2 pencil, using the fewest possible strokes, then ERASED the pencil as thoroughly as possible before applying paint.

You will still have a light ghost as a guide to begin your painting. Because you will have passages that will only hold a single wash, the pencil will always show through if you don't get rid of it up front. Once the washes are applied, you can't erase the pencil marks.

I think watercolor is the most difficult of all the media. But the results in the hands of a skilled watercolorist (I clearly do not count myself among them!) can knock your socks off!

Good luck!
Chris

[Mike McCarty]

Lon, there is something about drawing, I can't make myself stop. I thought that maybe, after I had already made the drawing, that the blended graphite might act as an underpainting of sorts.

I bought 2 big sheets of the same paper. On the scratch sheet I put down some graphite and washed over it. It didn't seem to disturb the pencil marks at all, or discolor the wash. I then, just for curiosity, laid down some soft vine charcoal to see what would happen to the wash. I thought it would just liquify and integrate into the wash but to my suprise it also stayed in place.

My first attempt at flesh tones on my scratch sheet was way to heavy handed. This is such a delicate medium. After a couple more attempts I'm getting better at, and understanding more, the subtlety.

Chris, your point about some passages having only a single thin wash concerns me the most. I may finish this out with some charcoal shading and call it a finished drawing. If I do I'm going to start over and do less drawing. I do want to make a stab at w/c.

[Mike McCarty]

As of this date I consider myself to be totally intimidated by watercolors.

I also think that I was wrong about the watercolor not being corrupted by the graphite.

I haven't given up but I am sniveling just a bit.

[Chris Saper]

If you REALLY want to paint watercolor portraits, I think it's best to take a basic watercolor class. There is (I think) an enormous amount to know before just diving in: like, which colors are staining, non-staining, transparent, opaque; the mechanics of laying down smooth washes; how much to dilute the paint; how to judge the relative wetness of the passage you just finished; or how the brushes behave. And that's before you even contend with your subject matter!

I am even more in awe of painters who handle watercolor portraits well after making many efforts myself. I also think that some of us the temperament for a medium like watercolor, and some just don't. I figure I have enough challenge in front of me with oil and pastel!

[Mike McCarty]

If you REALLY want to paint watercolor portraits, I think it's best to take a basic watercolor class.

Chris, I have no doubt that you are right. I have never had an art class in my life. What little I know I have scratched out on my own. It's just my natural modus operandi to blurt into something like this. This mentality has served me well in some respects and held me back in others. No doubt I could benefit from some good instruction in all areas. I'm going to try and adjust my thinking. Thanks for helping.

[Mike McCarty]

I have done all the damage I can do to my first watercolor.