Not All Watercolor Papers Are Created Equal

As an artist, I like to use the best materials I can. Sometimes though, my thrifty money pinching side decides that though I know one brand of watercolor paper is better, this other brand comes in a bundle that will save me money and I end up buying the lesser brand bundled pack. This of course always ends horribly and makes me remember why I spend the money and get the single sheet of the better brand. I had that realization...again...for probably the millionth, and not the last time. I should have gone to Art City and bought my preferred Arches 140lb cold press watercolor paper for $7 bucks a sheet...but instead I rummaged through my old college portfolio of left over paper and pulled out some cheap brand bundled watercolor paper. I knew it was going to be a disaster before I even started. As soon as I felt the paper I knew. But I wanted to save money, and I wanted to paint now and that cheap paper was available. So I set my sketch up on the paper and prepared for painting. With the first stroke of alizarin crimson I realized my error in judgment. The color didn't spread, but absorbed right into the paper looking like someones bloody nosebleed dropped on the spot and smeared. On the second stroke it became worse until I finally just waded the paper up and threw it in the trash.

Do you know the definition of insanity? It's doing the same stupid thing over and over, but expecting a different outcome! At least, that's what I've heard. The moral of the story? Don't be stingy with quality art materials to save a buck. There's a reason the good stuff is more expensive and the not so great is so cheap.

Dallin WIP Udate

Wow, the color on this is horrible! Anyway, just an update to show the progress I've made since the last post. The skin and sleeve are now complete. I will be completing the background next and then this piece will be finished! When I finish this I will take a better scan of the piece rather than just a camera photo. =)

Dallin WIP in Color Pencil

After 3 hours, the shading on the front of the shirt is nearly complete, and the sleeve is starting to get it's darker areas blocked in. I am still saving the face for later to make sure the skin tone isn't too harsh a contrast with the colors in the rest of the drawing. My next step will be to complete the sleeve and start on the background.
I put in the basic color for the shirt, which right now is only magenta, but will add more colors later to give depth and richness to it. The face will have the same undertones of blue that the shirt and hat have, so I have already blocked those areas in to give some definition to areas that will be richer later. At this point, the drawing is just starting to pull together.
My basic sketch completed (which you can't see here because I draw it so light that the camera can barely pick it up) I start working in the area that has the most color to it, which in this case is the hat. It looks mostly blue on here, but there is actually yellow and green and some burgundy in there as well. I also start with the area that I know I will probably flake out on most later because it has the most detail.

This drawing is classified as a "sketch" in my sketchbook. It is mostly a practice run with color pencil to get back into the grove of working with that particular medium. As of the last few years, I've been primarily working in watercolor and neglecting the very medium that got me interested in art in the first place. This drawing is being complete with RoseArt color pencils in exchange of my Prisma Color Pencils simply because my Prisma pencils have mysteriously disappeared since my recent move. The work is taken from a picture from a friend's blog of her son. I thought it was adorable and would make a great piece of art. This drawing is not being sold or redistributed and no infringement of copyright is meant. I will post a picture of the completed piece soon. =) I am currently starting a project called, "Mothers and Children", based off more realistic ideas of what it is to be a mom. No glamorized make up and glitz, just the raw everyday aspect of motherhood and what it is to be a child. This drawing is sort of a warm-up to that series. If you'd like to submit ideas and/or photos to reference for this series, I'd be appreciative! Feel free to email them to me at marianneguymonart@yahoo.com Thank you!