I will have to try doing this for my daughter. She asked my Dad just before he died if he had any pictures of Northern lights for her project she was doing for school. He passed before he could show her any. The night of his funeral my husband called us all out into the driveway. There were the northern lights. We never see them in Stratford Ontario. Grampie never left things undone.
I'm from Thamesford. It's rare to see them that far south for sure. I think it most definitely was Grampie pulling some strings. 😉❤️ He's been VERY busy this year with some spectacular shows!
Thank you so much for this. Not only is this a beautiful painting but also such a smart way to do it. The way you first paint those colourful vertical streaks and then come in with the wavy dark blue. So smart and such a great effect. And then you use the "foggy" lower part of the painting as reflection of the sky. I am absolutely amazed by this. Again - thank you so much!
@@shelleypriorfineart Thank you. I actually tried painting this and I am very happy with the outcome. A few things went wrong (the dark blue was too watery and ran all over my painting when I pulled it up) but I could fix it so in the end I was happy with it. Although the light didn't glow quite as much as I wanted them to due to the dark wash that went over them by accident but I will keep practising and re-try this :-)
Thank you for sharing your talent with us. From Duluth, Minnesota. Enjoy painting the Northern Lights and was asked to do one for a friend. I always like to see what other artists do to achieve the effects.
Used to see them a lot in Alberta growing up, don't ever see them here in southern New Mexico, thank you so much for this tutorial, it is in my mind to try this one.
Yes...started in south east...loved going fishing for our supper every night. We didn't have tv or phones, it was awesome. Then we went north to Anchorage...wasn't my favorite, too many people. On to Wasilla for a couple years liked it. Then on to Fairbanks and North Pole.
Just found your channel! I think I’m going to love your content. Any tips for painting this on a book page? I’d compare the paper of this book to a hot press paper.
I'm curious to know if you've ever tried the technique where you don't use any tape & wet your paper on both sides, where it will sit, wet, on the table? Supposedly, you then gain the advantage of the paper taking much longer to dry. I've yet to try it myself.
This is beautiful!! I'm wanting to make an anniversary card for my husband...but its Monday (31yrs!!🥰) so, we'll see...I'm healing from major surgery that went very wrong and I've not gotten use of my right lung, diaphragm or arm back, but he's been amazing having to do everything while taking care of me so I know how much we dream of seeing the northern lights one day, so thought maybe I could try something like this. But with the fatigue, I'm not sure...just hoping. But this was a beautiful way to do it. I appreciate all the work that goes into this and especially when I'm unable to make much, or any, art for a while now and probably not back to normal for maybe a year or more, if ever...so having this type of thing on here let's me still lose myself in the beauty of art which helps me stay excited and inspired instead of suffocated and terrified...it helps anyway:) So thank you!! You said it is hard to do smaller....I was thinking a card, is there something I should do differently? I may not physically be up to it, but, just in case :) Thanks again!!
Hi Shelley, thank you for the tutorial. I've learnt a lot and loved it! You mentioned that you cannot get snow and stars, but you are wrong. I live in Greenland and we get beautiful starry nights with northern lights and off course lots of snow as 80% of Greenland is covered in snow all year round. We have winter 8 months of the year, so snow always with the northern lights as the summer is 24 hour days. No nights.
North western Washington state, we just had a 4 day long northern lights show, try as we did, my husband and I were probably the only ones that didnt see it
Wow! Gorgeous painting. Love your techniques. I’m new to your tutorials and I love them! You are an amazing teacher. Look forward to viewing more videos. Thank you for the videos and inspiration
I am Subscribed w/ bell alerts so I can join in the live sessions, but I never receive them. User error I'm sure; and I apologize for that. Once again, Shelley. I am simply spellbound with you artistic abilities and creativeness. This came out magical. It really compliments the story of you, your friends, and the cabin up north. Hearing the Loons and seeing, what has to be of all the peaceful weather phenomenon, such a spectacular sight as the Aurora Borealis. Personally, living in Florida, I am QUITE envious. Jealous is the case, but one day I hope to experience the gift of Canada's splendor. Thank you for taking the time to teach, Shelley. - - - James
Very beautiful. I've never stretched my paper but don't you stretch paper so it doesn't buckle? Idk that was my understanding but I'm a super newbie and very well could have misunderstood. Thank you for sharing this! Have a wonderful day
Yes, pre-stretching will insure that when your painting dries it will be flat. While working it may still buckle slightly because when the fibres are full of water they swell.
I've tried (and failed at) following so many northern lights watercolor tutorials, but this is BY FAR the most explainitory. You're a great teacher, thanks! Going to following in a bit and we'll see how it goes 😊
@@shelleypriorfineart well I love your illustration and I’ll attempt it with a wolf howling in the foreground. It will be a super video to follow! Again, thank you!
Watching you do this on an anniversary 20yrs to the minute of my dad passing, and without realising 10yrs to the minute I was watching a display of the northern lights in Iceland which was stunning, so I'm going to try this and see if I can put in some of that display I saw - your demos and lives are some the best on UA-cam - thank you for them.
I watched this about a year ago and gave it go as a newbie water colourist and again today at the wee hours of the morning. Thank you Shelly for this wonderful tutorial as it just gets better every time 😁
So beautiful, Shelley! You've captured the light and spirit of the Aurora with such incredible technique. And the conifers and their night reflections on water are deftly recreated, just like I remember distant shores on canoe journeys. Thank you so much for this gorgeous lesson!
I’m confused as to what the point of ‘stretching’ your paper prior to painting if it still buckles when you paint? I thought the point of doing that was so that wouldn’t happen.
Thanks and that’s certainly a legitimate question. When you wet the paper the fibres will swell. There’s no avoiding that BUT if you soak your (cotton) paper front and back and staple it wet, it will shrink the most and dry totally flat instead of staying wrinkled after painting. This looks so much better under a mat which can really accentuate any ripples if the paper wasn’t pre-stretched.
@@shelleypriorfineart you’d think of this is how the paper was supposed to be used and worked best, this would be a step done on the manufacturing process.
@@Lacroix999 yes, you would think so but knowing that it would get wet and buckle again as you paint with washes, they would need to sell it already attached to a board. That’s why they designed the watercolour blocks which are glued on 4 sides. Personally I don’t like blocks because the paper is slightly different (not sure why, but it is) and they never seem to hold as securely as paper sheets that have been stapled. I work on several paintings at a time so I would have to buy several blocks which are quite expensive. Sheets are more economical for sure.
Lovely idea for painting northern lights. I am from North East Scotland
Thanks so much Johanne. 😊
I will have to try doing this for my daughter. She asked my Dad just before he died if he had any pictures of Northern lights for her project she was doing for school. He passed before he could show her any. The night of his funeral my husband called us all out into the driveway. There were the northern lights. We never see them in Stratford Ontario. Grampie never left things undone.
Thank you very much for sharing your lovely story. What a nice way to remember your dad.
That’s amazing. ♥️♥️
.😊
I'm from Thamesford. It's rare to see them that far south for sure. I think it most definitely was Grampie pulling some strings. 😉❤️ He's been VERY busy this year with some spectacular shows!
❤
Thank you so much for this. Not only is this a beautiful painting but also such a smart way to do it. The way you first paint those colourful vertical streaks and then come in with the wavy dark blue. So smart and such a great effect. And then you use the "foggy" lower part of the painting as reflection of the sky. I am absolutely amazed by this. Again - thank you so much!
Thanks very much Sally. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the technique. I hope your northern lights glow and delight you.
@@shelleypriorfineart Thank you. I actually tried painting this and I am very happy with the outcome. A few things went wrong (the dark blue was too watery and ran all over my painting when I pulled it up) but I could fix it so in the end I was happy with it. Although the light didn't glow quite as much as I wanted them to due to the dark wash that went over them by accident but I will keep practising and re-try this :-)
Very effective Shelley. I really enjoyed watching. Thank you so much for sharing your skills and talent. WONDERFUL.
Thank you for sharing your talent with us. From Duluth, Minnesota. Enjoy painting the Northern Lights and was asked to do one for a friend. I always like to see what other artists do to achieve the effects.
Thank you for uploading this! I'm trying to paint after a little gap and this kind of helped boost my confidence:)
Thanks so much for this great video ! I'll try to paint this beautiful landscape 😁👌🌞🌈
I love this! My daughter saw the Northern lights last summer and they always speak of the magic! I will try this as a surprise for them! Thank you!
This was so fun! Thank you for the lesson. I used more purple as I often seen greens and purples in the NLs I see.
Used to see them a lot in Alberta growing up, don't ever see them here in southern New Mexico, thank you so much for this tutorial, it is in my mind to try this one.
Thanks Patricia. Yes, I'm sure northern lights would be highly unusual in New Mexico! Have fun painting.
From Arizona but spent 11 years in Alaska....so l love the northern lights.
Welcome Charlene. I bet they were amazing in Alaska!
Yes...started in south east...loved going fishing for our supper every night. We didn't have tv or phones, it was awesome. Then we went north to Anchorage...wasn't my favorite, too many people. On to Wasilla for a couple years liked it. Then on to Fairbanks and North Pole.
@@charlenebyington7405 sounds amazing. A bit chilly for me though ;)
This is absolutely lovely!
Very nice! thank you for this demo!
Beautiful class ,there is so much to learn
I will be enjoying your tutorial from St. Paul, MN
Thanks for joining Cheryl. Welcome!
Love it thank you
Thank you for the video. Can you please show how to do the sunset’s reflection in the ocean ?
Thanks for the suggestion Kimberly. I will definitely consider it for a future demo. 🌅
Just found your channel! I think I’m going to love your content. Any tips for painting this on a book page? I’d compare the paper of this book to a hot press paper.
Thanks for watching. I think a book page would be difficult because it is thinner and would wrinkle a lot with these wet colors.
I’m in Brighton uk :)
California
A bit late to your channel, but I am watching from San Juan Cosala, Jalisco, Mexico.
I'm curious to know if you've ever tried the technique where you don't use any tape & wet your paper on both sides, where it will sit, wet, on the table? Supposedly, you then gain the advantage of the paper taking much longer to dry. I've yet to try it myself.
i am from Colorado, I am a old painter starting a new form which is water color.
This is beautiful!! I'm wanting to make an anniversary card for my husband...but its Monday (31yrs!!🥰) so, we'll see...I'm healing from major surgery that went very wrong and I've not gotten use of my right lung, diaphragm or arm back, but he's been amazing having to do everything while taking care of me so I know how much we dream of seeing the northern lights one day, so thought maybe I could try something like this. But with the fatigue, I'm not sure...just hoping. But this was a beautiful way to do it. I appreciate all the work that goes into this and especially when I'm unable to make much, or any, art for a while now and probably not back to normal for maybe a year or more, if ever...so having this type of thing on here let's me still lose myself in the beauty of art which helps me stay excited and inspired instead of suffocated and terrified...it helps anyway:)
So thank you!!
You said it is hard to do smaller....I was thinking a card, is there something I should do differently? I may not physically be up to it, but, just in case :)
Thanks again!!
Wet both sides of paper then start, it’ll stay flat
I pre-stretch my paper so it's wet through on both sides before securing it to a board with staples. Then it dries perfectly flat and ready to frame.
I'm from the Bronx New York City
Live in northern canada northern lights here
I love it I made 5 Christmas cards and they are very cute. Not as nice as yours but there free lol
That is awesome!
Which type of Arches, please? My favorite Arches is torchon. I find that it holds water a lot longer when doing wet-on wet. Thank you so much.
I’ve not t heard of Arches torchon. I’m using 140lb cold press watercolor paper, bright white. 22x30” sheets
@@shelleypriorfineartTorchon is a rough grained paper. Thanks for your feedback.
hi, i'm from germany
Winnipeg Canada
South Carolina
Hi, I'm Gail from England
Hi Gail. Thanks for watching!
watching from Lanzarote island off Africa, thank you for demo...need inspriration for this year's batch of cards and running out of time.
Hi Shelley, thank you for the tutorial. I've learnt a lot and loved it! You mentioned that you cannot get snow and stars, but you are wrong. I live in Greenland and we get beautiful starry nights with northern lights and off course lots of snow as 80% of Greenland is covered in snow all year round. We have winter 8 months of the year, so snow always with the northern lights as the summer is 24 hour days. No nights.
I am from Australia. I have seen the Aurora Borealis in Alaska. AMAZING
North western Washington state, we just had a 4 day long northern lights show, try as we did, my husband and I were probably the only ones that didnt see it
I would love to see your video on student grade paper technique, since I’m using that right now as I learn. I’m from Arizona!
Wow! Gorgeous painting. Love your techniques. I’m new to your tutorials and I love them! You are an amazing teacher. Look forward to viewing more videos. Thank you for the videos and inspiration
Quebec
Shelley, you’re my favorite watercolor artist; such an amazing teacher, who covers every detail for us.
Disappointing that the pink did not show up in the final painting 😢
Debra from Michigan. Love your channel!
I love how well explained this video is, greetings from New Zealand
I am Subscribed w/ bell alerts so I can join in the live sessions, but I never receive them. User error I'm sure; and I apologize for that.
Once again, Shelley. I am simply spellbound with you artistic abilities and creativeness. This came out magical.
It really compliments the story of you, your friends, and the cabin up north. Hearing the Loons and seeing, what has to be of all the peaceful weather phenomenon, such a spectacular sight as the Aurora Borealis.
Personally, living in Florida, I am QUITE envious. Jealous is the case, but one day I hope to experience the gift of Canada's splendor.
Thank you for taking the time to teach, Shelley. - - - James
watching from Michigan and always enjoy your post and how you show us color theory
Thanks so much Kari. 😊
Very beautiful. I've never stretched my paper but don't you stretch paper so it doesn't buckle? Idk that was my understanding but I'm a super newbie and very well could have misunderstood. Thank you for sharing this! Have a wonderful day
Yes, pre-stretching will insure that when your painting dries it will be flat. While working it may still buckle slightly because when the fibres are full of water they swell.
Thank you for this! I just successfully painted my 1st northern light scene and it looks very believable thanks to you!
I’m very glad that you found it helpful. Thanks for watching 😊
That's awesome Tonya. I'm so glad it worked for you! Happy Painting :)
Thanks, I've learned what I needed to know. 🇺🇸
Awesome. Happy painting Roger and thanks for watching.
❤️❤️❤️👍
Thank you very much
Hi! I’m from California, USA.
Hi Linda, From SpringHill Fl
Welcome Linda
I've tried (and failed at) following so many northern lights watercolor tutorials, but this is BY FAR the most explainitory. You're a great teacher, thanks!
Going to following in a bit and we'll see how it goes 😊
I had the same problem. However, I found that you can watch a few tutorials on Northern lights to get the basics. Then let your imagination go wild!
I just discovered your channel! Wow! These are some of the nicest Northern lights I've seen! Thank you
Love this!
Thanks very much Janet 😊
I could watch watercolour paint dry all day.
I’m not sure if I’ve already said, but this is stunning! My grandson wants me to paint one with a wolf in it! 🤔
That’s very sweet of you. Thanks and I hope your wolf turns out awesome as well 🐺😊
@@shelleypriorfineart well I love your illustration and I’ll attempt it with a wolf howling in the foreground. It will be a super video to follow! Again, thank you!
Im from Nz! Gotta try this :)
Hello from the Rio Grande Valley in deep southern Texas where the Northern lights never show.
Hi Donna and welcome. I hope some day you get to see them live and in-person. Thanks for watching!
This is stunning and I can’t wait to try it, just need a few supplies, thank you x
Just beautiful! I love what you’ve done. Thank you!
Watching you do this on an anniversary 20yrs to the minute of my dad passing, and without realising 10yrs to the minute I was watching a display of the northern lights in Iceland which was stunning, so I'm going to try this and see if I can put in some of that display I saw - your demos and lives are some the best on UA-cam - thank you for them.
Thank you very much. The Icelandic lights must have been amazing! Happy painting! ☺️
Beautiful
Thank you very much Leann
Beautiful! One of the nicest Northern Lights tutorials! I was watching the lights early this morning from Alaska❤
Thank you Debra. I bet they are spectacular in person 😊
What a cool technique! 😍
I just found this tutorial, but it is so real-like. Just fabulous, thank you, Shelley. 😊❤
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it Linda. Thanks for watching.
I live in Connecticut.
Welcome Diana
Wow! Almost thought not for me and then fast forward to see the end and amazing !
Thanks so much Arlene 😊
Loved this video. Thanks for sharing your talent.
Thanks very much Diana. Happy painting
I watched this about a year ago and gave it go as a newbie water colourist and again today at the wee hours of the morning. Thank you Shelly for this wonderful tutorial as it just gets better every time 😁
Thanks very much Nancy! Happy painting!
This is Beautiful, Shelley. Thanks for sharing and I will be doing this tomorrow. It's late in the evening now. Thanks again for sharing.
Hixton, Wisconsin. Hello!
So beautiful, Shelley! You've captured the light and spirit of the Aurora with such incredible technique. And the conifers and their night reflections on water are deftly recreated, just like I remember distant shores on canoe journeys. Thank you so much for this gorgeous lesson!
Thanks so much for joining my demo Susan. I'm happy to share it and I'm glad it was helpful and even brought back a few fond memories. :)
Wonderful! Thank you again, Shelley! @@shelleypriorfineart
I love all the tips. Glad I found your channel! Thanks
I’m delighted that you found me too. Welcome and thanks for watching 😊
Love this.
Not only is this so beautiful but very dramatic and so realistic. You are so talented and generous🥰 Thank you for the tips
Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊
Watching from Norway 🇧🇻
Welcome. Thanks for watching :)
I’m confused as to what the point of ‘stretching’ your paper prior to painting if it still buckles when you paint? I thought the point of doing that was so that wouldn’t happen.
Thanks and that’s certainly a legitimate question. When you wet the paper the fibres will swell. There’s no avoiding that BUT if you soak your (cotton) paper front and back and staple it wet, it will shrink the most and dry totally flat instead of staying wrinkled after painting. This looks so much better under a mat which can really accentuate any ripples if the paper wasn’t pre-stretched.
@@shelleypriorfineart you’d think of this is how the paper was supposed to be used and worked best, this would be a step done on the manufacturing process.
@@Lacroix999 yes, you would think so but knowing that it would get wet and buckle again as you paint with washes, they would need to sell it already attached to a board. That’s why they designed the watercolour blocks which are glued on 4 sides. Personally I don’t like blocks because the paper is slightly different (not sure why, but it is) and they never seem to hold as securely as paper sheets that have been stapled. I work on several paintings at a time so I would have to buy several blocks which are quite expensive. Sheets are more economical for sure.