5 Watercolour Lessons under 10 Minutes African Elephant

In this video I give you 5 Takeaways in under 10 minutes, along with shortened video of me painting the subject from start to finish.

PRINTS AND MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE https://watercolor.printify.me/products


This Painting was done on Fabriano 12x18 Rough

Watercolour Philosophy.

“Much Dogma, in Watercolour there is.” - Yoda

“You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee

“There's a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.” -Ty Webb Caddyshack


Definitions from Oxford Languages

con·duit
/ˈkänˌdo͞oət/ noun
1.
a channel for conveying water or other fluid.

2.
(from the Scottish, EweKhanDewit!)

Conduit can also be used in a figurative sense to refer to someone or something that conveys goods, information, or ideas. We are the conduit, water and pigment work through us (and us through them).

Am I the conduit, or is watercolour the conduit - We are the conduit.

Watercolour is to painting, as jazz is to music. We are not conductors, we are members of the ensemble. It is our job to assemble the best ensemble for the visual concerto that we desire to take part in, recognizing each pigment for its unique qualities. Colours can be referred to as notes, certain notes are more suitable than others or if we think of colour notes through various instruments, listening to a song on a harmonica or kazoo is much different than a piano or violin concerto. (Or the agony of 12 kids playing their recorders)

Paper, paper is the playground for your pigments to play, some are smooth some are rough these qualities will help create the effects you desire or don't desire. Paper on blocks will buckle when totally wet, stretched paper will buckle and taped paper will buckle, this is the nature of watercolor paper. If you don't want buckling try painting on synthetic paper, it has its own challenges. Learn the behaviors of watercolor paper, learn to work with the buckling or do smaller washes that don't cause buckling. Embrace the qualities and natures of your medium rather than cursing them.

Paint, each pigment has its own unique qualities. A pigment from one manufacturer may behave differently than the same pigment from another. Knowing what pigments to use where and when, is your job as the painter. When diluted phthalo blue bears a resemblance to manganese blue, however phthalo blue at full strength can take over a painting while manganese blue at full strength is not much different than diluted. Knowing which colors stain, lift, granulate, or are opaque, then recognizing when and where to use them is like knowing the difference between using a hammer or a screwdriver (Everyone knows you drink a screwdriver). Pigments are like children, they have their own unique qualities, allowing them to be their best will allow your painting to be its best.

Everybody is a genius. But “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. - possibly Albert Einstein

Brushes, brushes are merely tools in your tool kit. I have 50 Cent brushes (cost 50¢ not the rapper 50¢) and I have a brush that costs $300 (it was a gift). I get more joy and usage out of the 50 Cent brushes, not because they are 50 cents but because through them, I am able to better communicate my vision.

In closing, many people are defined by their problems; learn to be defined by your solutions, your world and your paintings will change for the better.

If you wish to communicate with me directly, commission a painting or hire for live demonstration please email me at Workshopwatercolour@gmail.com Please follow me on Instagram @jasontaittinger

Thank You

PRINTS AND MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE @WATERCOLOR.PRINTIFY.ME

I use an assortment of products.

Brushes, I primarily use squirrel hair quills(Amazon), and Hogs hair chip brushes (local craft store).

Paints are from Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton, QOR, and Schminke.

Papers are all #140 Arches, Fabriano, Lanaquarelle, New York Central (Jerry’s Artarama), Kilimanjaro (Cheap Joe's) and Saunders Waterford. My preference is rough but I also use cold press, I have some #300 and will note when I use it.