Sunday, December 09, 2007

These are a few of my favorite things...

This is my secret weapon against a dirty water bowl. I always use a dropper to wet my paints. Keeps me from having to dip my brush in the water bowl too many times, which allows me to be more productive with less breaks to change the water.


If you use watercolors and you have never used sea sponges, you don't know what you're missing. They are pretty amazing multi-taskers. There is even a special trick you can try, when you absolutely, positively need to lift some pigment and have no other recourse. I always have some level of success trying my method wirth the sea sponge. Some tries are without a doubt more successful than others, but the sea sponge is a miracle worker, nonetheless.



Some of my favorite paints! I favor Holbein brand watercolors. I also like Daler Rowney. These are some of my favorite colors as well - these colors are standards in my own unique 'universal palette'!



Brushes are so important, and these are my favorite: Princeton. They are pricier, yes but they are great brushes for fine brush work. There are others I like too, but this line of brushes is my consistent favorite, plus they are innovative as well - I've seen some interesting brushes from Princeton which I have not seen anywhere else : A for innovation!




This is my secret weapon against eraser bits. I don't know how I ever got by without this brush. It belonged to my sister Julie (a framing goddess) and I asked her if I could have it one day... so if you covet this brush, I'm sure you can find one in a framing supply store catalog..

Next to the brush is my standard eraser - - Staedtler white eraser. It's a good consistency to do the job I ask of it, while keeping it's shape. I do have some special tricks I have to do to keep the eraser from getting hot from friction, though. I never erase one section too aggerssively for too long of a time because the eraser/paper friction can cause problems - it builds up a lot of heatr and can actually rip the paper! Fascinating, huh!





Here is my favorite favorite paper - - Arches hot pressed 140 lb watercolor... and I don't just love it because of the cover design, although it is yummy, no?

1 comment:

Kim Morin Weineck said...

Kathy, This post was fabulous! I love the pictures of your art supplies...inspiring lovely still lifes in their own right.

I love your paintings, too. The framed portrait is just perfect.

Thanks for signing your book for my daughter and nephew. I'm looking forward to giving them to them this Christmas.