Intro to Spontaneous Watercolor Landscape Painting with Steve Mitchell | Lesson 1 of 4
Why spontaneous landscape painting? In this introductory video, Steve covers materials, methods used and a rationale for making spontaneous watercolor painting part of your regular art practice.
In this video Steve demonstrates practicing the background layer with 2 different methods; wet-on-wet approach vs. wet-on-dry approach.
SUPPLIES:
► Strathmore 500 Series Ready Cut Watercolor Paper, 8"x10", 100% cotton:
www.strathmoreartist.com/pain...
► MaimeriBlu Watercolor Paint: Dragon's Blood, Van Dyke Brown, Mars Brown, Ultramarine, Permanent Violet Blue, Neutral Tint, Phthalo Turquoise, Cobalt Green Light, Primary Blue Cyan, Green Gold, Payne's Gray
► Princeton Neptune & Aqua Elite Brushes:
princetonbrush.com/brushes/wa...
INSTRUCTION SHEET:
strathmoreartiststudio.com/fi...
WATCH THE OTHER VIDEOS IN THIS SERIES:
► Lesson 2: Spontaneous Landscape Painting - Wet-on-Wet Method
• Spontaneous Watercolor...
► Lesson 3: Spontaneous Landscape Painting - Wet-on-Dry Method
• Spontaneous Watercolor...
► Lesson 4: Merging Spontaneity with Planning in a Watercolor Landscape
• Merging Spontaneity wi...
See more from Steve: @mindofwatercolor
Steve, this was really excellent. I hope everybody appreciates how outstanding you are at clearly explaining the details of watercolor process. Thank you Strathmore, for keeping this free and accessible to all, and thank you Steve for your detailed teaching. Wonderful!
I wish Strathmore would bring back their 100% cotton travel sketchbooks. I love those portable, flexible sketchbooks, and it made me very sad to see them discontinued 😢
They have a Multimedia sketchbook that's a 500 series. I just bought one. It's a portrait 5x8 tho'
YES!!
@UJB123 I have those too, they're nice but they aren't like the watercolor paper sketchbooks they used to offer, which were excellent and had thick, 300gsm, cold press, cotton paper. Sigh.. I miss those sketchbooks!
I agree! They are much easier to use &/or transport. I found a solution though. I purchase a package of pre-cut sheets and take them to a local print/copy shop. I ask them to "pad the sheets." They stack the paper, apply a small amount of pressure, and add an adhesive "binder" to one edge. This creates a "note pad" of sorts, that I can peel a page off of as I need it. I have some chipboard (saved from other projects) and leftovers mat board scraps. I cut 2 pieces 3/4" - 1" larger than my paper pad, stack them, and cover them with some old canvas to make a "folder" for the padded sheets. It's a lot less effort than it sounds, and it gives my mind a break when I don't know what to paint.
Bee paper now has a large spiral bound notebook with good cotton rag. Made in USA it says. I'm deliriously happy with it. Found on Amazon.
Please tell Strathmore to make a cotton journal!!! I was delighted to see you hosting this, Mr. MOW!!! Thanks Steve and Happy New Year!!!😊 A California Gramma ❤
I’ve always loved your spontaneous paintings, and I’ve had so much fun trying them. Thank you for making watercolor come alive.
Thank you, Steve! I think you’ve just helped me break through my WC block. I’m looking forward to the next sessions. You’ve been my favorite for a long time and I learn so much from your channel.
I love Steve Mitchell's work!! so happy for this partnership!!!
I am SO grateful I found your video!!! I am a beginner watercolor painter and found this video extremely helpful and thorough. I even sensed a "patienceness" in your voice that helped my confidence grow a little and feel less intimidated. You have a gift in teaching watercolor painting! I look forward in journeying with you in your other beginner videos. Thank you kindly!😊
I LOVE this workshop!!! Can’t wait to watch the next few in the series!
Awesome! Great seeing you here Steve. I always look forward to your spontaneous paintings on your channel too. Blessings to you!💗
Thanks for starting with the basics. I need reminding often, how much water, or what brush to use. I am so glad you are clarifying because it will help me determine what I want to paint. I am looking forward to this series!
Congratulations Steve! I have been following your channel for about 4 years! I learned so much from your instructions. I am delighted to hear about your partnership. Well deserved .
Love Steve's work. I saw the thumbnail, thought it was a MoW video because of the style, read the title and that made me question it. Opened the video and there he is. Totally unique painting style. Great collaboration.
We all thank you so so very much for your wonderful tutorials
Genius! Just what I need!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful video and dedicating so much effort to creating valuable content that benefits all watercolor artists. Wishing you a truly wonderful day!
Well done Steve, look forward to the next video.
I am envious of these supplies. I’ve only been painting for a little over a year and am slowly building up my professional supplies. Cheap supplies are nice to start off with but better supplies give a better result
This guys channel is so awesome and this class is really good! Thanks for doing it with him! I'm going to have to check out that paper too!
Thank you so much! I absolutely love how you have represented the sky and mountains❤ I have been testing mountain ideas for weeks (I live in the Cascade Range) and picked up several great ideas. Cheers!
Thanks for your thought process through these paintings. So helpful
Thank you for the great tutorial. I’ve been trying to paint for quite some time. Your advice is really helpful and appreciated. I can’t wait for more! You’re amazing!
Thank you Steve. From France
Yay! I’m looking forward to this series.
What a nice surprise in my inbox. I said oh goody, Steve. Then said , wait this is Strathmore.. then double yay! For Steve! I am looking forward to watching all of these. You are the first KZhead artist I followed when I was introduced to KZhead and I think when you started your channel…slow to join the masses I know… YOU taught me water control, and being aware of where it is. I kept giggling when you repeated what repeats in my head…. Where is the water?…😂😂 be aware of the water… thank you FOR ALL OF YIUR GENEROUS SHARING! And so glad you have this pairing.
Thank you! A nice surprise to see you! Great fun project too!
I really like these methods. Thank you for sharing
Love this method. Looks like fun!
Hi Steve love your style of teaching nice and relaxed and very informative. Looking forward to seeing more of your tutorials, that ol Princeton is getting a good workout !
Steve this series is excellent. My personal style is spontaneous abstract landscapes. Your thoughts have influenced my thinking, ..in a good way.
Best tutorial ! Learned a lot
Thanks Steve 💝
Very beautiful. I personally feel that there are talents that are innate and can grow with practice. However, there are also those that can try but never deeply understand color, form, line, and light and no matter how much they practice or you try to teach them, they just don't get it. That's been my experience with one one art lessons for years. What made me share this is when you start instinctively adding the "right" color to the wet on wet and the painting become more developed and pleasing. That's part of innate talent.
Thank you so much for sharing! This is wonderful!
I’ve been trying to find you for years! I used it watch you years ago and then couldn’t find you. Love your style!
Thank you for this ! ❤
Hi, Steve. So nice to see you. This sounds exciting 😊
This was fantastic! Thank you❤️
Thank you Steve. I’m glad you made that point about water control. I really had no idea about what a difference that could make in my entire painting and having a successful outcome. I’ve been painting with watercolor for many years and have learned a lot from KZhead by the way. The thing that really caught my attention just a couple weeks ago was the watercolor clock by Joseph Zbukvic. For now my paintings will have to be planned in detail so that I don’t forget to include the various layers and how much water is in the brush, the paper or the paint. I have already started to get some success! Anyway, I can see how starting like this could be a way to develop a loose botanical type of painting. It’s got me thinking now and I am going to give that a try at some point. Maybe just a sketch at first. Thanks again for showing your Spontaneous Painting. I think it is another little detail that will help me to come up with some unique finished paintings. And have fun at it.😊
Thank you for your helpful ideas!!
i have used the Strathmore precut 500 series paper for several years now, along with other cotton papers, and I really, really like the performance. I think it's a great value for the price.
Thank you so much. It's a really fantastic tutorial!!!!
Great lesson. Thank you.
In college my watercolor instructor showed us how to flood the paper and look across the paper from the side. Once the sheen disappears, the paper is ready for the wash. Of course, if you want more bleeding and pooling use the paper while is shiny or drier for less bleed. I find my blends are more predictable if I have a way to gauge saturation.
Your start method techniques are very helpful. I'm excited to see where you go with these start methods. Good explanations. This was your first video that I watched. I have now subscribed. Thank you.
This is excellent! Thanks
I've had a lot of fun doing spontaneous watercolours lately. Made it even more fun by letting friends pick the colours for me. Some went with a few similar shades, others went crazy with a whole bunch of bright colours. It's really fun and relaxing either way. Just splashing around with paint, water and salt and then try to find the landscape in the chaos. :)
Hello I am so happy 2 find ur vids ❤ Thank you
The first one makes me think of the sky in a bushfire. It would be fabulous with trees under it.
This is so stunning, it looks wonderful ☺
Interesting and useful, thank you
Great video
Very informative, Thanks for sharing!!! Subscribed!!!
Hullo Steve, I was surprised to see this posted on the side of my regular subscriptions! I heard you were going to represent Arches papers from your interview with Lindsay and so I was surprised when this was posted! I have not used the Neptune brushes, but I have quite a few Aqua Elites and I love them as they are so like the Kolinsky brushes my Gran used when she taught me as a kid! I could not afford the expensive natural hair brushes when I started out, NOW the synthetic brushes are so good it is hard to tell them from natural hair brushes! I am glad your doing this workshop on Spontaneous Painting! I am sure they are some of your more popular videos on your channel! Thanks Steve and Please keep them coming!!
The microfibre car sponge is a great idea
Спасибо, хоть и не знаю языка, но доступно визуально. Впечатляет❤
Fantastic! I would love to know what you thought of the paper.
Hey dude this is a nice surprise. 😎
Hi Steve, is there a special adjustment sprayer that you are using? Can you recommend one. I have a mister. Love watching your demos.💜💜💜
How do you gather the inspiration to dish out such an enormous amount of wonderful creativity? I would love to watch your drawing videos as well.
Great👍
Great instructions and supply list. Just one question, what tape do you use for taping the paper to the board?
Is that sponge covered with microfiber or terry cloth? I'm having a hard time finding one like it. Excellent teaching here!
❤️
I had the Gemini 500 series, 300# paper and loved it. Now I can't find it anywhere. Has it been discontinued?
Hello Steve, please tell me about the easel on your desk, dark wood with the black knobs on the side?
Hi Steve - Do you use any "rules" for deciding which colors to start with - Light to dark? How do you determine when you have enough going on? I tend to overwork my spontaneous paintings and to have too much mid tone value...
Question on the drawing board, what is it made out of? I myself like to have a mobile board to tape my watercolor paper to but found that some materials will not work well and some do, just curious if anyone else has this problem
I had a large drawing board that warped from the water. What material is your drawing board?
Abstract watercolor
How to paint sunflowers in a vase
what does 500 series mean/indicate?
It's the professional artist line, made with cotton and not pulp.
@@suzy7301 Thank you - I'm still learning! The brands all seem to have their own lingo.
@@sesanger712 Yeah, they do. Sometimes it's mad frustrating. Things to look out for in decent watercolour paper are - 100% cotton, 300gsm and as far as texture, cold press has some, hot press is smooth. In the end it's about preference, and that is probably the most frustrating part is trying to figure out which paper you enjoy the most. For me, Strathmore 500 is ok, but I much prefer a different brand and it took me a lot of paper to figure it out. One thing I will say is that Strathmore is good for people just starting out because it's affordable and has plenty of sheets to play around with.
Can you do a video for beginners that doesn’t have 37,000 brushes and a bunch of explanations? I would love to do some spontaneous watercolor but I’m so intimidated now that I wouldn’t know where to start. I was thinking maybe three brushes plus the wide one that you use to wet the paper.I’d love to see something more simplified that I might be able to do.
Just jump in! Mistakes and false starts are part of the process. We all make them. Get whatever brushes/equipment appeals to you and start messing up paper. Learn how the paints react and play around learning to control how the pigments move. Practice various techniques without trying to "make" anything. Watch a lot of different tutorials. Eventually you will find the tools and techniques that work for you. PSA: watercolor is addictive. Be prepared to get obsessed. 😉😀
Your hands look so... So young looking!!!
He doesn’t look very old. What an odd observation 😊
Did anyone else see the fairy on the right and the hibiscus on the left?
Wow. I suck. 😂
Be kind to yourself and play.
The first painting, after the first wash, looks like a wart hog
Please keep your hands still
I don’t learn anything from you so I won’t be subscribing to your channel
love this technique!!!!!! mine came out great!!!
strathmore watercolor papers that are available in stores are very very poor quality. The cold press ones have almost no grain or texture. Improve your quality