My colours (from left to right, top to bottom), as seen at 0:55 - Mauve, May Green, Sap Green, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna Deep, Van Dyk Brown, Vermillion, Perinone Orange, Cadmium Yellow Light, Lemon Yellow, Neutral Tint, Pthalo Blue (Green Shade), Opera, Cobalt Turquoise Light, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Karmin, Viridian, Ultramarine Violet, Cobalt Green/Turquoise, Ultramarine Blue Deep, Cobalt Blue. Gouache is Titanium White. Brands are Winsor & Newton, Horadam, Daniel Smith, HWC.
So I noticed your palette has a couple of fugitive pigments (opera, alizarin crimson)--a lot of watercolor people get really, hyper focused on lightfastness (they also get all up in arms about gouache, but Turner and Sargent obviously disagree with them, and it's hard to disagree with Turner and Sargent on watercolors. ). Do you not care because this is a sketchbook? Or because most of your work is digital? Or is this your full-time palette? Is lightfastness just something the internet made into a cult and "look how brilliant opera is" therefore YOLO? (Love your videos BTW, your videos are beginner friendly but I also feel like full of principles and insights that I'll hopefully, grow into. Like Andrew Loomis. Not just what you did, but why. )
Hey Stephanie, thanks! I'm the least worrisome watercolor artist in the world. I will paint with coffee if I've run out of Burnt Sienna. I'm more interested in the actual moment of sketching - building up my visual library, skills, experience - rather than the longevity of my paintings. I do think that high quality materials are worth it (eg. I only buy professional grade paint), but when it comes to using a few fugitive colours, I haven't found any reason to worry. Not yet, anyway. Maybe in 10 years I'll open up this sketch and it'll be faded to a ghostly white, haha. But I do have 10-year-old watercolour sketches that still seem to have all their colour. Maybe that's 'cause they live in a dark sketchbook, and the light doesn't have much of a chance to get in there and fade them. I also photograph my better work, so I at least will have a record of it that way, should bad things happen. As for my palette: it's always changing. Actually, 'Opera' only made it onto the palette last month! I just peruse the art store and see what catches my eye. Sometimes it's seasonal - like that May Green, which I added last summer. I do have some absolute staples, though: Cobalt & Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna Deep, Vermillion, Cad Yellow, I couldn't do without those. After that, like you said - YOLO. I think I *would* think about lightfastness if, like, the Queen of England hired me to paint something for Buckingham Palace :)
Thank you for sharing your workflow on urban sketching, and the ideas you publish. But, "Horadam" is no brand, it's a name of special kind of watercolor. The brand is Schmincke. They have Horadam and Akademie. ;)
You can just use wacom gloves - at least for me it really helps to keep my arm a little bit warmer and don't hinder the drawing/painting itself. And on the left hand just wear some normal glove. Aaand if it really cold, you can just wear several of them, coz they are so thin!
"It's an expression of the subject, not a literal copy of it." This spoke to me. I've been slacking with outdoor sketching. Standing while drawing was a big difficulty that I tried practicing. But I think keeping that quote in mind may be enough to forget all of that and go for it again. Maybe start nature journaling.
"Its the expression of an object not an exact copy of it." This is really spoke to me on a deep level. Perfectionism and exact-ism are my 2 greatest problems when I do any kind of art.
Beautiful! I subscribed the moment this was finished. Take aways: conte crayon touches. Guache as a thickening agent. Spatter when it feels overly tight! Thank you! 👍👍👍
I gotta say, your video, the editing, the demo, your sense of humour, everything is just on point! You are an amazing artist and I feel so grateful for every tips that you share. Thanks for boosting my confidence considerably
"If you're interested in looking cool, I don't really reccomend doing this." Seeing that every abstract shape has a purpose shows me the genius behind the brushes. It's cool enough to me.
I am not a water medium artist nor interested in painting in streets but honestly tips like: "The image is not my boss" and painting what helps the composition. These type of tips are valuable to me right now. Btw turns out really cool!
cloudsofsunset I’m not a water medium person either. I do oils. but the way he explained what matters in the frame, that ever detail doesn’t have to be in there... all GREAT tips! What medium do you paint in?
Ok but this is like, magic?!? I've ALWAYS had trouble with just loose expression vs copying the subject, and this just makes it look so fun and effortless!
Thanks! I've logged years of failures and less-than-satisfying paintings before now. The real secret to this is practice, failure, and experience, which all need lots of time. Solid training in the fundamentals of art helps a ton, too. I just hope this video can inspire people to get out there and get that process going for themselves :)
Well, there you go--a great, simple working set up and the process explained in action. This is just an outstanding video from which anyone trying to break through in sketching outdoors can learn so much. Thank you, John!
I love how you’re nonchalant about the watercolor bleeding. It’s definitely a medium that requires a ton of control, but also full freedom. Your video allowed me to see that I need to stop nit picking everything. I always seem to get discouraged when my colors bleed. Especially when the mixture ends up looking muddy. Great work!
your a awesome watercolorist painter, that video was perfect , short and to the important points without over expressing nonsense, I hope to one day paint like you do Brave & Loose ! see ya
Nice! Love the painting. Love the cat. Cannot decide between oil and water color for plein air type stuff. New to painting after years as a photographer.
Just recently found your videos, I was considering to take online art classes to pursue my passion..but they're not cheap and kinda boring 😬 Then I found your channel. Thank you so much sir Marco, you are now my favorite art teacher!
Thank you! This was such an enjoyable video. Your wife did a great job with the video process, and you DID look cool standing on the street sketching. LOVED THIS!
I'm usually a harsh judge but I LOOOOOVE this, make more and more video like this pleasee!!!!!! I enjoy people drawing in youtube, but your explanation and voice is much more fun!!!
that was pretty awesome. more outdoor sketching, im trying to get the very basics down. I tend to fuck up with colour tho, have a hard time making things pop, achieving a nice sense of 3dimensionality tends to escape me often once i try adding paint / colour to a sketch,
Brilliant! Love that you did this despite the dreadful cold! Although I'm seeing it now. I keep straying away and coming back to painting. I've started watercolour sketching now and this is the perfect video! I love your demeanor as an artist as well as a mentor. Thank you! Can I say more like this please? Its summertime 🌸😀
You keep popping up on my suggested viewing from you tube.. UA-cam got it right.. you are great viewing, love your water coloring, your attention to detail, the impressionism, cool stuff, and love your quick no-nonsense video.. you have a new subscriber.. yeah.. i am no. 132,887..lol. Plus that answered one of my questions.. most sketchbooks suck.. just make your own..
Hey, nice stuff. I did a course on a similar matter recently about it (Nathan Fowkes at schoolism), I even feel I started to get confortable and its super fun, but there is one thing that amazes me is, you do it while standing!! I use a kids palette for now, very simple, and I saw this model you are using online, with the hole but i didn't realize it was a hole. Thanks for this video, see, that's the deficiency that Nathan's course has, all his demos are in studio. I will definitely have a go at the sketching tutorial that you have!
Thanks! And Nathan Fowkes is a beast. I've seen a few of his videos as well. I used to hate standing, but so often there is nowhere to sit, and usually finding a nearby seat ruins the perfect painting spot. I also don't want to carry around an easel ... so I had to condition myself to paint while standing out of necessity :) All the best out there,
This video was awesome, I love the description for all the steps, and the pace at which you delivered the info. Great! Just subscribed to your channel!
thanks for painting from Life. I find it so fresh and fascinating, and encouraging even. One day I will learn watercolours and weather permitting go outside to sketch/paint everyday. (drawing from photographs is boring, unoriginal, not as challenging)
I enjoyed your video very much. This is my first time viewing any of your videos. I watched on the recommendation of Brandon Schaefer, another artist who recommended people to watch. You did not disappoint. :)
I love your travel sketches so much. Would you be able to recommend a limited palette out of the colours you use? I'm going traveling soon and normally use oils, but your videos have really inspired me to give watercolours a real chance.
Thanks! And sure - bare essentials, I'd go for Ultramarine Blue, Quinacridone Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Burnt Sienna. If you wanted to add just a few more: Cobalt Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, Neutral Tint. Good luck!
It is when I started drawing that I more heavily noticed that photographs don't capture reality so perfectly either, and what's worse, they don't capture the parts that _I'm_ interested in. Things like the expansiveness of a hilly cliffside, the subtle hues of a photograph... there was one Sony executive who said that there is no such thing as a "natural photograph", and these are things you have to remember (at least with the terrible camera on your smartphone). That is perhaps the best example of something which is "real", but does not capture the right expressions, or rather, is fixed and optimized for one particular type of expression.
Wait, the position of the shadow on those buildings didn't seem to shift at all while you were painting. That is the hardest thing for me when I'm sketching in bright sunlight - to catch a scene before the light changes. Your painting must have taken at least half an hour to make, but the shadows remained stationary!
Hi Marco, i do love your urban sketches, that inspired me a lot and keep me to paint and I tried to follow you but it wasn’t easy. I had’t used water color before. Would you give me any feedback ? It will help a lot thanks!!-from your fan
I have just discovered your channel. It is wonderful. I really would love if you add what colors are you mixing on the palled like maybe write it somewhere on the screen while you are editing or something. That would really help me to learn I am not good at mixing colors in my paintings the colors always look unreal
The creativity of an artists perspiration is absorbed into the supplies, effectively causing them to take on a life of their own. This seems amazing, until your attempting to create power lines... a disaster unfolds as you begin to consider supplicide.
Why electrical tape and not masking tape? Also did you use a water double pencil or regular coloured pencil? A tip, very slim fabric fingerless gloves!Thanks for your video.
My colours (from left to right, top to bottom), as seen at 0:55 -
Mauve, May Green, Sap Green, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna Deep, Van Dyk Brown, Vermillion, Perinone Orange, Cadmium Yellow Light, Lemon Yellow, Neutral Tint, Pthalo Blue (Green Shade), Opera, Cobalt Turquoise Light, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Karmin, Viridian, Ultramarine Violet, Cobalt Green/Turquoise, Ultramarine Blue Deep, Cobalt Blue.
Gouache is Titanium White.
Brands are Winsor & Newton, Horadam, Daniel Smith, HWC.
So I noticed your palette has a couple of fugitive pigments (opera, alizarin crimson)--a lot of watercolor people get really, hyper focused on lightfastness (they also get all up in arms about gouache, but Turner and Sargent obviously disagree with them, and it's hard to disagree with Turner and Sargent on watercolors. ). Do you not care because this is a sketchbook? Or because most of your work is digital? Or is this your full-time palette? Is lightfastness just something the internet made into a cult and "look how brilliant opera is" therefore YOLO? (Love your videos BTW, your videos are beginner friendly but I also feel like full of principles and insights that I'll hopefully, grow into. Like Andrew Loomis. Not just what you did, but why. )
Hey Stephanie, thanks!
I'm the least worrisome watercolor artist in the world. I will paint with coffee if I've run out of Burnt Sienna.
I'm more interested in the actual moment of sketching - building up my visual library, skills, experience - rather than the longevity of my paintings. I do think that high quality materials are worth it (eg. I only buy professional grade paint), but when it comes to using a few fugitive colours, I haven't found any reason to worry. Not yet, anyway. Maybe in 10 years I'll open up this sketch and it'll be faded to a ghostly white, haha. But I do have 10-year-old watercolour sketches that still seem to have all their colour. Maybe that's 'cause they live in a dark sketchbook, and the light doesn't have much of a chance to get in there and fade them. I also photograph my better work, so I at least will have a record of it that way, should bad things happen.
As for my palette: it's always changing. Actually, 'Opera' only made it onto the palette last month! I just peruse the art store and see what catches my eye. Sometimes it's seasonal - like that May Green, which I added last summer. I do have some absolute staples, though: Cobalt & Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna Deep, Vermillion, Cad Yellow, I couldn't do without those. After that, like you said - YOLO.
I think I *would* think about lightfastness if, like, the Queen of England hired me to paint something for Buckingham Palace :)
Thank you for sharing your workflow on urban sketching, and the ideas you publish.
But, "Horadam" is no brand, it's a name of special kind of watercolor. The brand is Schmincke. They have Horadam and Akademie. ;)
Hey so where do you get your water colors?
You can just use wacom gloves - at least for me it really helps to keep my arm a little bit warmer and don't hinder the drawing/painting itself. And on the left hand just wear some normal glove.
Aaand if it really cold, you can just wear several of them, coz they are so thin!
"It's an expression of the subject, not a literal copy of it."
This spoke to me. I've been slacking with outdoor sketching. Standing while drawing was a big difficulty that I tried practicing. But I think keeping that quote in mind may be enough to forget all of that and go for it again. Maybe start nature journaling.
Absolutely, otherwise the detail can do your head in
"Its the expression of an object not an exact copy of it."
This is really spoke to me on a deep level. Perfectionism and exact-ism are my 2 greatest problems when I do any kind of art.
candiigurl7893 I know exactly how you feel! I have such a hard time not picking up my liner and painting every little detail.
it is a pretty impressionistic way of going at it but after all it's in the freedom of expression and mind
Beautiful! I subscribed the moment this was finished. Take aways: conte crayon touches. Guache as a thickening agent. Spatter when it feels overly tight! Thank you!
👍👍👍
“I’m letting them bleed, i don’t care” sounds terrifying out of context
😆
Hahah
I gotta say, your video, the editing, the demo, your sense of humour, everything is just on point! You are an amazing artist and I feel so grateful for every tips that you share. Thanks for boosting my confidence considerably
Where can I download the brushes you used here?
When that comment popped as a notification just now, I sighed. Then I noticed which video you were commenting on, and I laughed. Nice work.
So can we have the brushes????
"If you're interested in looking cool, I don't really reccomend doing this."
Seeing that every abstract shape has a purpose shows me the genius behind the brushes. It's cool enough to me.
I am not a water medium artist nor interested in painting in streets but honestly tips like: "The image is not my boss" and painting what helps the composition. These type of tips are valuable to me right now.
Btw turns out really cool!
cloudsofsunset I’m not a water medium person either. I do oils. but the way he explained what matters in the frame, that ever detail doesn’t have to be in there... all GREAT tips! What medium do you paint in?
This video is a quintessential lesson in watercolor drawing. Loved it
You paint so confidently. Enjoyed watching.
Ok but this is like, magic?!? I've ALWAYS had trouble with just loose expression vs copying the subject, and this just makes it look so fun and effortless!
Thanks! I've logged years of failures and less-than-satisfying paintings before now. The real secret to this is practice, failure, and experience, which all need lots of time. Solid training in the fundamentals of art helps a ton, too. I just hope this video can inspire people to get out there and get that process going for themselves :)
Oh, it definitely inspires, and I shall, thanks!:)
if anyone is curious, the bag is the Trespass "Strapper" shoulder bag
Thank Marco, I've learnt loads from this channel and your Sketchbook painting videos!
The whimsical beauty the colors added compared to the source is so pretty🤩
Well, there you go--a great, simple working set up and the process explained in action. This is just an outstanding video from which anyone trying to break through in sketching outdoors can learn so much. Thank you, John!
Your videos never fail to inspire me to paint. The way you teach and explain the topics always eases my insecurities about my own art. Thank you!
I love how you’re nonchalant about the watercolor bleeding. It’s definitely a medium that requires a ton of control, but also full freedom. Your video allowed me to see that I need to stop nit picking everything. I always seem to get discouraged when my colors bleed. Especially when the mixture ends up looking muddy.
Great work!
your a awesome watercolorist painter, that video was perfect , short and to the important points without over expressing nonsense, I hope to one day paint like you do Brave & Loose ! see ya
Thanks for watching!
Nice! Love the painting. Love the cat. Cannot decide between oil and water color for plein air type stuff. New to painting after years as a photographer.
one of the best watercolor tutorials It realty takes guts to paint outdoors
Just recently found your videos, I was considering to take online art classes to pursue my passion..but they're not cheap and kinda boring 😬 Then I found your channel. Thank you so much sir Marco, you are now my favorite art teacher!
Thanks, I'm flattered!
Thank you! This was such an enjoyable video. Your wife did a great job with the video process, and you DID look cool standing on the street sketching. LOVED THIS!
Also love "make sure the painting knows You're in charge here" haha
I'm usually a harsh judge but I LOOOOOVE this, make more and more video like this pleasee!!!!!! I enjoy people drawing in youtube, but your explanation and voice is much more fun!!!
Thx for this demo, this will absolutely help me on my watercolor painting exam next week
(Its on the spot😢)
What a beautiful painting! Thank you for editing lovely videos for fans!
that was pretty awesome. more outdoor sketching, im trying to get the very basics down. I tend to fuck up with colour tho, have a hard time making things pop, achieving a nice sense of 3dimensionality tends to escape me often once i try adding paint / colour to a sketch,
I found your channel through your digital work, but these watercolors even more!
Best birthday gift ever.... Love your paintings , You are a huge inspiration and your book is amazing!
Thanks a lot, and happy birthday!
I think this is the best art video I’ve ever watched! Thanks to the references to some of your other videos...must watch now
My medium is Charcoal and Acrylic Paint, but i love you're Vidoes.
Brilliant! Love that you did this despite the dreadful cold! Although I'm seeing it now. I keep straying away and coming back to painting. I've started watercolour sketching now and this is the perfect video! I love your demeanor as an artist as well as a mentor. Thank you! Can I say more like this please? Its summertime 🌸😀
Thanks - and here you go, another sketchbook painting video :)
ua-cam.com/video/T06k-vBVY8o/v-deo.html
A joy to watch.
my mother does this when she goes on trips - last time i was home I took a long look through them. I may have to start doing this.
You keep popping up on my suggested viewing from you tube.. UA-cam got it right.. you are great viewing, love your water coloring, your attention to detail, the impressionism, cool stuff, and love your quick no-nonsense video.. you have a new subscriber.. yeah.. i am no. 132,887..lol. Plus that answered one of my questions.. most sketchbooks suck.. just make your own..
Thanks for checking out the videos :)
I watched this video atlest for 10 times....... Love it 😍
This was amazing, I loved watching the process of you making a painting from the subject and it really is great seeing the full finished product
the music in combination with your style of VO makes me feel like i'm in some late '90s platformer video game lol
I fricking love your videos; they are informative, fun, simple.. 11 minutes past without noticing. Hope you'll upload more frequently in the future!
Hey, nice stuff. I did a course on a similar matter recently about it (Nathan Fowkes at schoolism), I even feel I started to get confortable and its super fun, but there is one thing that amazes me is, you do it while standing!! I use a kids palette for now, very simple, and I saw this model you are using online, with the hole but i didn't realize it was a hole. Thanks for this video, see, that's the deficiency that Nathan's course has, all his demos are in studio. I will definitely have a go at the sketching tutorial that you have!
Thanks! And Nathan Fowkes is a beast. I've seen a few of his videos as well. I used to hate standing, but so often there is nowhere to sit, and usually finding a nearby seat ruins the perfect painting spot. I also don't want to carry around an easel ... so I had to condition myself to paint while standing out of necessity :)
All the best out there,
congratulations , beautiful drawn. It's so nice see and hear about the process of drawing
Espontáneo, original, me encanto!!! congratulation for your Art!!!
infectious. Made me want to dig my paints out and get out there. Well done!
Wow! This is wonderful.
Wow was getting bore..then I found you thanks u r so good..
First vid of yours I've seen. Very well painted and explained. Really good vid production too. Bravo!
love your videos! they're packed with great tips and they are fun to watch :D the narration helps keep the video speed and length perfect.
amazing, love your process
Can u upload more videos like this.
You draw and say the drawing process in details. Its so informative. Appreciate :D
Yep, more like this are definitely on deck. Here's one that's already on my channel that's similar: ua-cam.com/video/T06k-vBVY8o/v-deo.html
Incredible! Thank you for sharing!
👍 Black tape and lines for value comparison! Thanks!
Very nice sketch. Enjoyed the video.
Idk how often you make sketchbooks, but it may be worth it for you to get a cinch and bind your own.
Good job balancing the watet
This video was awesome, I love the description for all the steps, and the pace at which you delivered the info. Great! Just subscribed to your channel!
So inspiring! Thank you so much for this video. It helps so much to see you break down your process. 😊
really loving the music!
thanks for painting from Life. I find it so fresh and fascinating, and encouraging even. One day I will learn watercolours and weather permitting go outside to sketch/paint everyday.
(drawing from photographs is boring, unoriginal, not as challenging)
you make art bro thats awesome
Great painting
I love this guy!
it's refreshing , thank you
You are such a talented.....!
I love it 凄い！ from Japanese
It's like Christmas when you upload a video ^^
I enjoyed your video very much. This is my first time viewing any of your videos. I watched on the recommendation of Brandon Schaefer, another artist who recommended people to watch. You did not disappoint. :)
This is the video I was waiting for, Marco! Thank you!
Wow! Amazing! Thanks for creating that! So helpful!
This is absolutely amazing!
wow. beautiful
Incredible! Your comments are really helpful! I've just found and subscribed! More!! More!!
thanks for the tips ,,, i love watercolor
Marco Bucci lives in Munich?! That's so close by, I never knew :) Lovely video as always!
I also wondered about this. :) With a "Toi toi" in the middle :D
Very beautiful! I like you art.
man you are amazing on doing videos. keep up that good word. it will pay off. even more.
Thank you so much! I learned a lot mostly from the advices here!
Fabulous--thanks for sharing your approach! Very helpful!!
I'd love to see more of these videos :)
Thank You 👍
I love your travel sketches so much. Would you be able to recommend a limited palette out of the colours you use? I'm going traveling soon and normally use oils, but your videos have really inspired me to give watercolours a real chance.
Thanks! And sure - bare essentials, I'd go for Ultramarine Blue, Quinacridone Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Burnt Sienna.
If you wanted to add just a few more: Cobalt Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, Neutral Tint.
Good luck!
Thanks so much for responding. You're one of my art heroes!
It is when I started drawing that I more heavily noticed that photographs don't capture reality so perfectly either, and what's worse, they don't capture the parts that _I'm_ interested in. Things like the expansiveness of a hilly cliffside, the subtle hues of a photograph... there was one Sony executive who said that there is no such thing as a "natural photograph", and these are things you have to remember (at least with the terrible camera on your smartphone). That is perhaps the best example of something which is "real", but does not capture the right expressions, or rather, is fixed and optimized for one particular type of expression.
thats awesome! thanks!
Awesome ! Also congratulations on over 50k subscribers !
im enjoyed that
Vow love your work man :O
Hear Sok he is incredible isn’t he. I hope I can do plein air studies as well as him!
This is amazing! Thanks for sharing. 👏🏼🎨
you got another subscriber haha You make great art! Still overcoming the fear of spilling colors on the paper butt yah i'm getting there :))
This is amazingggggg!
Do more sketchbook painting pleasee
Awesome channel! Just found it.
Wait, the position of the shadow on those buildings didn't seem to shift at all while you were painting. That is the hardest thing for me when I'm sketching in bright sunlight - to catch a scene before the light changes. Your painting must have taken at least half an hour to make, but the shadows remained stationary!
those colorful grays 😩
Just found you great job both of you 🙏🏼
Hi Marco, i do love your urban sketches, that inspired me a lot and keep me to paint and I tried to follow you but it wasn’t easy. I had’t used water color before. Would you give me any feedback ? It will help a lot thanks!!-from your fan
Pentanox yeah same here, I tried to follow but didn’t work lol but keep it up!
Good job....👍❤️
I have just discovered your channel. It is wonderful. I really would love if you add what colors are you mixing on the palled like maybe write it somewhere on the screen while you are editing or something. That would really help me to learn I am not good at mixing colors in my paintings the colors always look unreal
Good job .I only wonder ,on the top of white building, it looks like a fallen red car ! Where it come from!!!
yo, did those art supplies just move by themselves?
Its called stop motion animation. For example (Kubo and the two strings) :)
It's a joke lol
The creativity of an artists perspiration is absorbed into the supplies, effectively causing them to take on a life of their own. This seems amazing, until your attempting to create power lines... a disaster unfolds as you begin to consider supplicide.
Why electrical tape and not masking tape? Also did you use a water double pencil or regular coloured pencil? A tip, very slim fabric fingerless gloves!Thanks for your video.
Wow wow wooooww!
NICE!!!