Productivity

Depending on how you define the word, I had a very productive or a not very productive weekend. Regardless, I do have something to show for it.

Watercolor on paper.

Sidenote: It looks like Strathmore recently discontinued their “visual journal” line, which is unfortunate. However, there are plenty of other options out there. I recommend going for heavier (140 lb) paper if you can find it.

I use mostly Fuumui brushes, which are my favorites and an amazing value, and I use Winsor Newton’s Cotman series paints. Some people have very strong opinions on paints; I don’t, really. What I notice is that, having worked extensively with industrial pigments in my “professional” (God I hate that word) life, I recognize most of the colors and pigment classes so I feel like I have a decent handle on how to work with them.

This was inspired by a Rusty Nelson video, I used a different one of his images as a reference (because I couldn’t find the original reference image), modified the composition slightly (mainly for simplicity) and then it kind of took on a life of its own as I started filling in the details. Not as far of a left turn at Albuquerque as I sometimes take (what’s up, doc?), but by the end I think I mostly used the techniques covered in the lesson but made it more mine than his.