My Favorite Watercolor Paper, Brushes and Paint! (2015)
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- Опубліковано 16 січ 2015
- You asked for it so here it is. A short video showing you what I use and why. I cover the big three, paper, brushes and paint.
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Arches Watercolor Paper
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• Arches Watercolor Paper
Silver Brush - Black Velvet Squirrel/Synthetic Blend
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Princeton Neptune Faux Squirrel
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M. Graham Watercolor Paint
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*Sees the Brush cost $44 on Amazon, goes and set a trap in my yard for a free squirrel brush*
😄
The Mind of Watercolor
Hi I'm a beginner, I paint with crap it's the only watercolor paper for me.lmao you should really bring back "Crappy Beginner Artist".
Don’t waste the rest of the squirrel. There is a UA-cam video here on how to make squirrel melt sandwiches.
@@onthehill3381 *yummy*
a tip: you can watch movies at Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching all kinds of movies these days.
I've recently started watercolours and I've gotta say, Steve, your videos are really helpful. Also, what I like about your videos is you're pretty casual with the things you say; a lot of artists nowadays tend to act pretty uptight and have this air of superiority about them. You just say it like it is, without looking down on people who don't know how it is.
Thanks for that. It was the attitude I hoped to portray from the beginning and I strive for it.
I recently started watercolor painting and have been using only Arches. I can't even compare with non-cotton paper. Yeah, I'm spoiled 🤩
Agreed, I've been incredibly impressed with the amount of water my Princeton Neptune brushes can hold. They are very soft, but once you're used to using a soft brush they can be shaped to a fine point as you paint, so I use them for detail and washes alike. I use them for all my painting videos for now, though I do love the super fine points on those Silver Black Velvet brushes.
If I could only use one brush it would probably be a quill (large round) of some sort. Like the Princeton. Allows big washes and yet has a fine point for detail.
Thank you for the answer, Steve! :)
The Mind of Watercolor 1recipes
You give such great demonstration. You try too answer questions your viewers ask. We all I am sure learn also from them. Tell. All your young ones at 50 + that they are lucky . Here I am 73 and I my take longer than most I/love Watercolor. It does have a mind of its own and so do I. I have the brush and water without me it ain't going anywhere.
+jean milhollin Thanks so much Jean and thanks for watching!
@Karla- Glad to have you aboard! Nonsense, 50's not old. I have to say that cause I got you beat by 8 years. Anyway, after you've watched the basics playlist there is no special order. I designed this channel to be a quick tips and techniques show and an art materials review show rather than orderly, step by step, long form course instruction. The topics tend to be random and short. To put it another way, I'm sort of the "snack food" of watercolor instruction, hahaha. On top of that, my channel is only 9 mo. old and still in its infancy. I have plans to cover all sorts of stuff in the months and years to come. I've not even begun to scratch the surface, so for a beginner there will be a lot of missing info I'm sure. I encourage input and ideas about what topics to cover so any suggestions you have will be taken into consideration. As for studio organization its a fairly personal thing and depends somewhat on your space but perhaps in the future I will do a tour of my studio set up and that will give you some ideas.
Thanks so much for watching Karla!
Thanks for your reply Steve.
I'm so close to being finished with setting up my art supplies in the garage so I can access them with much more ease and delight... Knowing where and what is needed to do a project will make a big difference because I've been overwhelmed by having loads of boxes and containers of my own but mostly since I recently inherited a large storage unit full of my parents/grandparents belongings... Ugh. What a job and a story behind all of that. Anyway, I purchased a couple of Raskog rolling carts from IKEA that I can wheel from the garage into my kitchen, where I can create. Our house is little so I don't really have a studio space to work in, so these carts will hold any art supplies I need near, and oh so handy too... Just the greatest little carts for sure.
My art interests are wide and I'm happy that I can soon be seated in art class (online). These coming week my new journey will begin in watercolor, calligraphy and other mixed media's since I won a seat in class from Jeanne Oliver called, "Studying Under the Master's, an apprentice. Fun right? I know, I can't play until my chores are done...
I hope to get my blog updated with my art progress along the way too.
Take care, and thanks again for sharing great video's as I will be checking in to see the latest...
Warm regards,
Karla
Thank you for each and every video. You never fail to inform, entertain and always CREATE BEAUTIFUL ART!
Thanks! You helped me decide what paint I want for B-day.
Thank you for all your feedback on watercolor. Your video is very educational. 👌
After watching this video, I bought the Silver brushes. I love them. I also started using the M. Graham watercolors. I love those also! Thank you for your video.
Thank you, Steve, for your extremely informative and helpful videos. I'll be enjoying them for a while! New to watercolor. I'm crafting cards.
This is great - thank you! I'm intrigued by both the M. Graham paint and Silver Brush brand, both of which are new to me. Your reviews are very helpful!
Glad you enjoy them!
Such an informative video on what looks like great products! Thanks and keep up the videos.
Michael Bernardo Thanks, and thanks for watching!
My favorite watercolor brushes are the Squirrel Quill brushes from Raphael and Isabey. The brush I use the most is my #6 Raphael squirrel brush. I use the cold press Arches block size 12" X 16" and for a treat I use Arches 300 lb sheet. My favorite wc paints are Daniel Smith fine watercolors. I have been painting with these supplies since 1989 and they are still my favorites.
I love your videos. Your style is closest to what I learned from my professor in college. He always told us, "less is more." Thank you for your videos.
+WhippSmart-Carol Thanks for the input. You have some great favorites for sure!
Your videos are the BEST!
Thank you very much!
Alas. I skimped on the paper in college! And the more I watch these the more I realize how little my first year instructor knew about teaching how to paint. :)P Thanks Steve!
Hi Steve! What a blessing this video was.... Super beginner and struggling with gradient washes. This video is really helpful!! Thank you from London
Meant to comment this on the water control video
arches by the roll is the way to go!!
I bought one Silver Black Velvet, round #12, to try them out. My brush had a little speck of something blob that was sticking some of the bristles together. It wasn’t sizing, as it was still there after cleaning. Contacted Silver and they asked me to do the boiling water dip, that didn’t help. So after a string of emails with two different people I gave up and said this was silly for a $15.00 brush that probably any other company would have just replaced. I’ll not bother with silver brushes anymore. Princeton Aqua Elite are wonderful brushes and Princeton Customer Service is FANTASTIC.
Thank you for your tips . Very useful.
The firsts brushes i've bought are two synthetic brushes by Raphael soft-aqua.. and they have really surprised me!!! They are imitations of petit gris, and they are really soft!! I'm loving them...!!!
I love your videos so much! Thank you for your hardwork and for helping out a lot of people to understand watercolors! Ur a great teacher!
Maria Edelyn Gunda .!
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Maria Edelyn Gunda
Thanks again
Maria Edelyn Gunda ?
As always, thank you for posting. I always check here first before moving on to glean visual information from around the Tube. I depend more on visual and hands on learning because of AD although I still read as much as I can, I just have to reread five times over. Also, I enjoy reading what your other followers have to share. But I suspect we have only begun to scratch the surface of what you would be able to teach us. I think we are pretty lucky to have a learned person willing to take the time and effort to teach others and as far as I can see you are one of the best at teaching on the Tube for information and instruction. I for one am willing to donate as much as I can each month to see you continue with longer tutorials to learn from. I hope other followers will try to do the same. Art and watercolor have given me so much comfort, peace,inspiration and joy for the past five years and like most people we start by teaching our self or take classes, then we find UA-cam and Reece. Maybe I can skip some of my paper, paint and brush expense to retain what is vital to learning and at the same time give back to what art has given to me. I ask the followers, who among us could live without the sparkling personality of Reece and the fine lessons of Mr. Mitchell.
dann wiester That is so sweet, thank you. The encouragement means a lot.
Thank you so very much for these helpful tips ! I’m gradually getting back into watercolor painting, and I’m at a loss to what to purchase for paints,etc. This is very helpful !
This is great, Steve! Thanks a lot. I'm a beginner and I've always thought I'm supposed to invest most on paint but you've made it clearer to prioritize paper. And God, I love your cold pressed Arches.
+Arielle Magno 👍
Thank you so much your videos have been wonderful for me.
Steve,
I found you on Pinterest and am so glad I did! I have taken up watercolor again. My first time was several years ago when I took some watercolor classes. Now I realize why I loved it so. I have been watching watercolor instruction videos for the past few months and honestly I LOVE your videos. They're so well done and easy to understand. My fave so far ... and I haven't watched all of them yet is the one on how to pain trees. I have been struggling with that for a while... but now I can't wait to try the 'shape' study and then actually paint some real ones. Please continue to do these instruction videos. I think it is what you were made to do. Thanks so much. My watercolor learning curve has been accelerated because of you and I am so appreciative of that. My best,
Rosemary Breehl
Rosemary Breehl So very kind and encouraging. I'm glad the videos have been a help. Thanks!
hey Steve! I love your work! i especially love your pieces that flow out. i love how that looks. i would love, love, love to see you do a review and tutorial using inktense pencils. i would love to see what you could do with them! just a suggestion!😊
Love M. Graham watercolors. Superior richness of pigmentation to WN Artist series.
Great as usual☺
Well Hello Steve!
It's so nice to find your wonderful videos! I appreciate your willingness to share your favorites but also that you mention what to look for as it sure helps a beginner like me who has been searching for real honest answers about this subject of supplies. It's sad when you pay good money for a workshop and get frustrated because of the starter grade products they recommend only frustrate instead of inspire since not all products are the same at all... Now that I have my paper, and a few brushes, I'm ready to really learn to paint with watercolor. As for my paints, I have inherited some Windsor Newton from my mother and grandmother but also, I was able to go to a Golden demonstration at a near by art supply store and decided to purchase a set of 6 colors to give a try. I live in Southern California and the weather has been so darn hot that I'd love to give M. Graham a try in the future since I like the idea of the paints staying a little more moist.... I truly look forward to getting started in watercolor painting but I'm not sure where to begin... Can you direct me to your videos in order? I have done the basic but now I'm not sure what comes next..... Also, do you work on a slant at all?
Since I've acquired a load of art supplies and such, I'm organizing my studio space (garage) and would love to hear how you store and organize your art studio and supplies. One side of my garage is being arranged so I can organize by type of supply etc, but mostly so that I can gather whatever I need for whatever art project I'm participating in since I won a class with a mixed media artist last year, Jeanne Oliver, Studying under the Masters. This Masters series will allow me to use my collection of pens, pencils, acrylics, watercolors, neocolor II crayons, etc. So you see being organized is going to help my brain so I can just gather my supplies for each project at hand. Watercolor has been something I've always said I'd love to try and being at my old age of 50, I'm really ready to give this art a fair chance... On days that the temps are in the 90's, I'd love to have a travel bag ready to grab so I can sketch and paint at the shore.... Do you paint/sketch away from your home studio? I'd love to hear?
This comment is a bit long and I'm sorry for that...
Again, thanks so much for your great videos, I don't have the funds to attend any real life art instruction so I've turned to learning what I can with wonderful folks like you.
Warm regards,
Karla
Just getting into watercolour painting as I am an oil based artist looking to convert to other mediums and try something new. this video helped me out a lot and your good sense of humor made me laugh also. Nice work man!
+TheMcMeow Awesome! Thanks for watching!
I would say the best place to get arches is blicks .
Seriously, a block of arches that would cost $79-89 at micheals is $30-40 at blicks,and you can even at that discounted if you are a student or rewards member ! The same goes for most supplies. Always less expensive at blicks.
Steve, I have to agree with you on the paper, funny, I use the Same brushes...love, kove, love! Now, paint....I have mostly Daniel Smith, a few M. Graham, I really haven't compared, my foul! I will definitely do so! I respect and admire you as an artist so gonna have to!!!!!!
Daniel Smith are excellent too!
Thanks again ... both fun and informative ...
👍
Brushes and brush choice are really problematic because there are so many, but you've really got to get good ones. The Silver brushes look good and I've just bought one on your recommendation. Let's see how it goes. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh, I just realized that I hadn't subscribed to your channel! Yes, Arches...so nice! I have one block, but, haha, I don't want to "waste it" until I paint better, or until I have a back up :-) And the Silver Black Velvet brushes, those I really want next! I do have one Neptune #8 round, and haven't gotten used to it yet. I do like it though. And, M. Graham...oh goodness, looking forward to trying those! Thank you!!!
I am going to try these brushes. I have heard that the mixture is a good way to go. I am going to try the hot press paper too. I love getting good advice. I think it is so much work to create a painting and not have the paint lay or mix correctly or blend and set lines in my colors of have brushes that get lay paint with enough water or color in the brush. I am excited to try a little more expensive paper since I am really working to get a good result from my efforts. I realize I can draw out large floral and paint things I long to paint. Your insight is really worth so much. Thanks for sharing.
I ordered a no. 8 Silver Black Velvet brush that came today. WOW.. now I see what you mean. Nice balance, amazing tip, smooth... Thanks for the tip.
Diana Breithaupt You bet! Glad you like it.
Being new to watercolor and frustrated with student grade paint I have made the jump to professional paints. After considering a large number of brands it came down to Daniel Smith vs M. Graham. I am waiting for my paints to arrive and can't wait to see the differences. I was pleased to see your favorites, thx for the video!
+Jo Anne Owens you'll find the constantly moist aspect of M Graham pretty awesome I think.
You give me courage to stop "saving" the 300 lb paper. I always think I'm not good enough to use more than 140 lb. THANKS!
+Mary Walter Its wonderful stuff! No buckling at all. But if you must save it, save it for the very wet washes and wet in wet technique. Once you get 300 lb. primed with water it stays that way a long time and you can work the wet washes much longer. Great for incredible skies for example.
I know that feeling I have bought some good paper to try and keep thinking I should save it for something special. Occasionally I do something good and think what would that be like on the good stuff. Just do it. Wish I could take my own advice. Good luck.
You are so right, paper, paper , paper.. That's the most important.. Not a big fan of M. Graham, but Winsor Newton, and Daniel Smith... are my pigments of choice. Brushes ,, I have all kinds from sable to synthetics.. All good.
i got the same thing except for the brushes. great stuff
Thanks Steve....i am such a beginner with watercolours, but I am determined to learn. I don't plan to become a master lol, but just want to create some soft beautiful pics. Thanks again, Melodie
Melodie Fairburn You're welcome. You can do it!
Thanks a LOT !
Purchasing those babies right now ! :)
I liked this video, I love to see what other artists use to create their work. Turns out we use the same stuff. I use same paper and same paint. And I use Neptune brushes. Since it was pretty hard for me to get authentic sable brushes where I'm at. Keep up the great videos, I really enjoy watching this channel.
Thanks for watching!
Paper first, brushes, then paint. Good tips.
ahhh your videos are so helpful! how was i not subbed!
Roll Tide! Enjoying your videos!
Thanks for responding to my questions below. I just watched this session again and maybe next time I shall try the pad ( glued on all sides).. You have mentioned that there are GRADES of papers ,maybe I purchased an inferior grade,however it cost $60.00 AUD for 15 A3 sheets. Thanks for your time it is greatly appreciated.
Hey! Just saw your Bama sticker! RTR! 💕
The problem with M Graham, because of the honey is that it gets messy with travel palettes. Love it for studio painting. Love your tubes! Thank you!
I've heard that comment on occasion but its never happens to me. They always dry to a very firm but sticky glob. I've not had them ever run unless I put the travel palette away with water puddles in it.
I have heard that too. I have used M Graham for about 8 years and never had that happen to me either. I also never make a puddle in my paint pans or compartments.
Thanks for the info, very helpful!
+Anita Holmes 👍
I love your videos... thanks for sharing... very informative :)
👍
Hi Steve, Thanks for sharing your favorites. I also only use Arches (and prefer the 140lb. over 300lb. Not sure why...just do). I tend to stick to a Dynast squirrel/synthetic blend round brush (but gonna check out the ones you mentioned). I have several fav paints, QOR is one of them. There are so many awesome choices out there. I have to admit I've accumulated quite a collection over the years.
Look forward to your next video! Truly enjoy them.
Marjolein
Thanks Marjolein, good choices all!
I use schminke watercolors and dr ph martins, Arches paper, and strathmore paper, i like strathmore because its whiter..and i have a mix of brushes, my small spotters are winsor newton series 7 sable, and the larger brushes are da vinci, cosmotop synthetic, and da vinci russian blue squirrel petit gris pur, mop.
Strathmore 500? It's good stuff. I like both the Gemini and Imperial varieties. Schminke is good stuff too. Only recently started using the Cosmotop spin. Awesome brush!
Thank you for sharing your favourites! I really enjoy your videos. And I am so glad that you recommend the synthetic Princeton Neptune brushes! I really want to purchase one or three of those brushes. I will do later when I have the budget for shipping and tax. I have just bought some synthetic Loew Cornell 7020 Ultra Round. But I do not know how they are compared to Princeton Neptune, and cannot wait to test that out. It is so great that there are good, high quality alternatives of synthetic brushes for people who for different reasons do not want to use animal hair brushes. Now I will indulge in some more of your excellent videos! : )
Thanks for watching.
Thank you for the advice. I was tempted to buy a kolinsky but they're so expensive and not readily available. I'll give the princeton a try. About paper, I agree hi-quality paper really makes a difference. I love Arches and am planning to bind my own journal with their papers.
Jamie Tr The Princeton Neptunes are great. No real reason to buy kolinsky anymore. I have some and don't use them much. I'm planning on trying to bind my own journal too. If I do I'll make a video.
Thanks for sharing! I, too, love M. Graham paints. They're cheap and go a long way (major plus for me since I live in a place where good art materials are hard to come by.) Arches paper is a rarity as well, so I hoard it every time it gets in stock.
But ooh... the brushes! I bought some pretty good synthetic ones back in college. I'm definitely getting a black velvet or a princeton on my next art splurge. The synthetics I bought back in college (which were pretty good) are a bit worn now, and the available brushes are not of the same quality anymore.
If you don't mind answering a question: If you could only use one brush (just ONE brush) which one would it be?
Love it no nonsense
You are so lucky to have so more choice in the States and so available….in New Zealand, it’s so limited and pricey
Thanks so much! I'm new to watercolour and appreciate the guidance! It's more expensive without it...;)
I recently got back into watercolors after setting them aside for some 10+ years in favor of other mediums. For some reason they just turned something on for me and I now find them to be the most intuitive and versatile medium, plus the easy cleanup. I'm curious to know if you have tried the St. Petersburg white nights, and if so what you thought of them. Personally, I love these Russian made watercolors. So much quality at such an inexpensive price. Truly beautiful paints.
No, never tried them. Have heard good things though.
For those who don’t want to use sable or squirrel, there really are some great synthetic brushes out there....I just got the DaVinci Casaneo and Escoda makes the Versatil and Prado line....all excellent!
Versatil and Escoda are really good. They dont hold near the water/paint load a Neptune or Silver will. Versatil and Escoda have more snap to them also than Neptune or Silver.
Crystal Martin I like the DaVinci Casaneo quill brush the best out of all the synthetics I have tried. They have the nicest point, compared to the Escoda synthetics, which I think had great points when new, but after a few weeks, not so much. I just ordered some of the synthetics from the Jackson’s Art line. Seen some good reviews, hoping they will live up to my expectations.
Hi Steve, do you think that Reece and yourself could upload in future a vid on stretching and preparing water color paper? Or how to remove the gum tape of edges? Thanks dearly. Kezza
Kerryn Seymour Yes, at some point I probably will. I hate stretching, its such a hassle but sometimes its necessary.
I bought some Arches full sheets - they were on sale for $1.99 at Michaels. Seemed a much better deal than the expensive tear-out pad paper! I have yet to try it though.
+Jessica ExAngel 👍
Is that the mijello water bucket- love it
Yep!
hi, love watching your painting info, thanks for taking the time to share your info. I have the water color blocks and love them. I do have a question about the paper though. Is there a front & back side &/or does it matter which side is painted on? I ask this because on one of my blocks - don't think it was Arches- but it came off the glued spine part so I have the watercolor block without the cover flap and cardboard back...I didn't know if it made a difference which side one paints on. Thanks...
Yes sometimes it does. Textures are usually different and the washes can act differently. Usually the front has the most consistent texture. Arches is one of the brands that doesn't seem to matter as much.
+The Mind of Watercolor Thank you. I have held it up to a window and flipped it over and over to see if I could tell a difference, - I was thinking of fabric- but I could not tell by just looking at it. I may try painting on the one side then flip the pad over and paint the other side to see if there is a difference. Have a great day/night...week.
M. Graham watercolours are so lovely--I bought one tube of a colour that I was missing (cool red), Quinacridone Rose, and I have never seen so much colour come out of _one dot). I will slowly replace my colours with them, for sure.
Great choice!
Thanks for the helpful information! I didn't know De Niro painted! You talkin to me!
LOL! You're welcome.
Love mgraham. They don't seem to lighten as much when drying. More of a what you see (lay down a wash) is what you get. Great for me as a beginner.
thansk, good informations!
Hi Steve!
I am getting a late start on learning to do watercolor painting since this year in May I turned 58 years old! I have done Art work, crafts, and other kinds of painting but I was always so terrified to even try watercolor. :/ I always thought that watercolor painting was so unforgiving. Well, that's because I just didn't sit down and try it! I was wrong...so wrong! Like you have implied in your videos, paper, brushes, and paints made just for watercolor use makes all the difference in the world! When I first started trying this I just used the brushes that I had used for my crafting and acrylic painting. Ugh! When I finally broke down and bought me a set of good quality brushes it was like a whole new world opened up to me. Luckily for birthday, Mother's day and anything else that makes people ask you what you would like. This year I said gift cards to amazon please. So therefore it enabled me to buy some really great paper and brushes and paints. Now I am so terribly hooked on learning all I can about products and technique that the thoughts about this and that on the subject rattle around in my head all day long. I have truly found a new passion and was able to finally go about it with great products and a few really good teaching videos like yours to help me along the way. So all that being said, I am now a new subbie and very eager to learn. So hang in there and keep those videos coming! WE NEED YOU TO GUIDE US!!! lol It's true. Thanks so much Steve, I'm loving your videos, they are just what I needed!
Chauchetta Green sounds like Ka-Cheetah, like the big cats. lol
Chauchetta Green Awesome! Thanks so much for this great testimonial. I'll be pumpin out the videos, "God willing and the creek don't rise". Neat name, and by the way I just turned 58 in April. Yikes!
Lol I use that expression ten times a day. The good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise. I noticed you have on an Alabama tee shirt. We live in Muscle Shoals. Alabama. Are you from here too. Auburn fans here. Small world isn't it!
Have a blessed day!Oh yes!!! I think it is so wonderful that you have a bible verse at the end of each of your videos.
My YT channel is chauchetta green. Not much there right now but I'm working on a few videos that I hope to have up soon!
Thanks Steve!!!
Chauchetta Green Ah yes, north part of the state. I've never been to Muscle Shoals but I know where it is. I grew up in the South Birmingham suburbs. Living in South Carolina now. I cheer for Auburn most times unless they are playing Alabama of course. God's rich blessings to you as well. Hope the videos go well. :-)
+Chauchetta Green Don't feel bad Chauchetta, I'm 63 and just starting! Thanks for these videos Steve!
+Teresa Cassidy yes Teresa, just a beginner here but I'm trying to do a little each! And I ask lots of questions! I think that is the best way to learn! watercolor is what I am trying to tackle right now, but I do Art Journaling, sketching other crafty things. I finally broke down and got me some really good quality paints and paper and for me it has made a world of difference! I would love it if you would check out my channel on YT. It's just my name chauchetta green. not much there now but I am starting to add new videos slowly. I have found Steve's channel is extremely helpful to me!! i always check in to see what he has added. Thanks Steve for everything!!!
Blessings to you for a good week!!!
chauchetta
Honey was used for cntury not only for paint but for glues also for all the mosaics :)
Skimp is a weird word. Interesting thoughts. 😊
I ADORE those Black Velvet brushes, have several...they are the best! I hope no squirrels are harmed in the making of them, though...
+ChainsawKitten Nope don't believe they were and I agree, adoration for these brushes all around!
+The Mind of Watercolor ...dick blick's master stroke red sable brushes are nice too, and not very pricey compared to some sable brushes. The rounds keep a nice point. Lucky for me, I've been painting since I was 8, and I had an aunt who also painted when she was younger, so I have her brushes as well as the ones I have amassed over the decades. They last a long time if you take good care of them.
+ChainsawKitten Cool! Thanks for the input!
I doubt the squirrels are lining up to donate their tails...
Well then, with all the below off my mind. I too would like more information on stretching watercolor paper. I have read about many varied methods and use them mostly for wet in wet paintings, but one recent video I watched from Cheap Joe by an artist named Joy,I think and is the author of Painting Glass in watercolor really caught my attention. She actually soaked her 140# paper and stretched it over a frame or bars then stapled it down and let it dry. Wow! drum tight is the term she used to describe the results and she was not kidding. I tried it with Shizen 140# and I now am working up the courage to paint on it to see what happens next. I can tell you that it is so tight it took the Shi out of the zen as the paper no longer has the extra rough texture I wanted and is now more like a cross of hot press and cold press ??? truly I am afeared to paint on it.
dann wiester As I told another commenter, I despise stretching. I will always avoid it if I can, but I will get around to making a vid on it I'm sure. There are times its necessary but there are also lots of ways to avoid it and lots of considerations. For example, if you soak paper too long you wash all the size out and it become like a blotter. Another problem, all the gummed tape methods out there really don't work 100% of the time. I was taught that way in school but most times the paper pulls away from the tape. Stapling is usually necessary and thats what makes it a hassle. I saw the Cheap Joe's video and its one of the best methods actually. I've also been experimenting with the stretching frames you can buy that require no tape or staples. Expensive though.
If you like cold press texture and don't like to stretch, I usually recommend Arches 300lb cold press. No stretching needed.
I love the rewetting qualities of M.Graham. And I absolutely love the strong/bright pigments of Holbein series...however, seems like a lot of folks are crazy about Daniel Smith. I do have several tubes of DS but after a couple of years of NOT painting with them...I had to throw a few away. When I went to squeeze some Cerulean out on my palette...it smelled baaaad. The color was brownish oily at the top...(which I figure most have that anyways?) but as I continued to squeeze...there was really no 'blue' in it...mostly brown! It literally smelled like human crap. lol I'd like to know if anyone else out there has ever had this problem with DS or not. Maybe it was a fluke, but none of the other brands did this. (W&N, Holbein, M.Graham, DiVinci) Again, I had these tubes laying around for 2-3 years...untouched!. Sadly I had to toss my cerulean away and 2 others.
One more reason I like M. Graham. Honey was discovered centuries ago to be a preservative. In addition to the rewettable consistency it adds to the paint.
I loved that you said Ar-sh😛 Colombus 😂😂😂
Youth is in the mind
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on materials. It is very much appreciated and so helpful. Would you recommend the M. Graham & Co. Intermediate Artists' Watercolour 10 Colour Set as a beginner upgrade? What colours would you add if you had to choose 2 more?
I'm currently using a 12 colours Winsor & Newton Cotman set but I want to look at my options for the future. The ¸price for M. Graham is better suited for my budget than the Artists version of Winsor & Newtor or Daniel Smith.
Yes, the M. Graham 10 color set is an excellent set.
I’ve seen several videos where you review different watercolor papers. I was wondering if you had ever tried the paper made by Bee Paper Company. It is 100% cotton 140lb cold press. It comes in a pack of 25 6x9 in. sheets for around $10. I’ve heard that it’s comparable to Arches, and it’s a lot cheaper. I’d love to hear your opinion on it.
Its not bad and cheaper for sure but I wouldn't say its comparable. I like Arches much better. Bee is a good practice paper though and still much better than pulp. I have a couple of Bee cotton sketchbooks and I like them.
Just wondering why you enjoy the M. Graham Watercolor Paints over Professional Winsor & Newton? This video did entice me to purchase my first Arches $140# hot press. I also purchased the Silver Black Velvet brush set and I am considering more sizes. I have several kolinsky sable but they do not have the points that the SBV. Thanks for this video...
I love the intensity and honey formulation of M. Graham. They never dry out on the palette making them easier to rewet. I also like some of their pigments better than W&N. Pigments can differ depending on where the manufacture buys them. Art Graham has a reputation for being a top pigment expert and is very picky in choosing pigment suppliers. Their fine ground formulations are the most intense I've ever come across. W&N is a fine choice but M. Graham is just the best I think. I would put Daniel Smith and DaVinci a close second to M. Graham.
I did order a tube of M Graham Azo Green...I ordered three more Silver Black Velvet brushes...so thought I would try a tube of A Green to compare. I have been tempted by Daniel Smith also. Thanks so much for your reply and I am learning a lot from your videos!
Steve, I'm completely new to watercolor (have dabbled in acrylics and tempera.) Admittedly, I dove in with the brushes first and not the paper. Is there a way to keep it from buckling when I'm doing a wash? Or does the block paper resolve that? I tend to have several sheets going because I'm not letting everything dry...how to approach that?
Also, do you have a video on mixing some colors? (sorry if I missed that) I'm finding that all I want to do is paint! Thanks for the encouragement.
Leslie Irwin The only thing that alleviates buckling is stretching your paper beforehand. I don't have a video on stretching but I did do a Q&A video. ua-cam.com/video/62YafzknWNQ/v-deo.html You'll find some good videos on stretching in the description. I have not done a video yet on color mixing. Thanks!
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Hi Steve, Thanks for all the wonderful information! Would I need to stretch Arches 300 lb paper if I did a big painting e.g. 20" X 30"?
No, you never need to stretch 300 lb paper.
Thank you so much as always for your helpful videos!
Please, if you do not mind and when you would have a time, if you could let me know what is the best high end quality for watercolor sketchbook 100% cotton and 300 gsm with my thanks and appreciations?
Etchr and Hahnemühle both make cotton watercolor sketchbooks. Cheap Joes also has a spiral bound cotton sketchbook with Kilimanjaro paper which is a good quality.
@@mindofwatercolor Thank you so much sir! I would really appreciate your help!
Have a great time!
Thanks ai much for your videos and hi from Canada! The silver brushes on Amazon have different names (extensions) so am wondering if the company has different product line versions. What is yours? And what sizes are tge3 you showed please?
Yes, Silver Brush makes several lines of brushes for all sorts of mediums and several suitable for watercolor. Black Velvets are distinctly different from the others. Some of their others are Renaissance, Golden Naturals and Silver White just to name a few. Unfortunately I didn't make a note of what sizes were in this video.
#4, #6, #10 Probably.
NOV., 2022, is the black velvet still your favorite synthetic? I've heard good things about Cheap Joe's - Miller's pseudo sables and Winsor & Newton Professional synthetic brushes. Thanks!
One of them yes. It's a soft brush. I use a variety of brushes. The Princeton Aqua Elites are a nice series if you want a snappier brush. Miller's brushes are fine too.
My Silver Wash brush fell apart. The hairs started sliding out after 3 years use. I always rinsed them off very well after each use and never let it set in water and never stored them damp with hair side up. I was so careful.
Wow! Thats sad. Somethings not right. I have Silver Black Velvets I had for going on 10 years now. Never lost a hair that I've seen.
Hi Steve,
Just curious, what are the Graham colours you are using? Do you use a limited number or many? Sorry if the question is answered somewhere else, I couldn't find it.
I almost always paint with a couple three colors as well.
What palette do you use for your M. Graham watercolors? I have 45 tubes and want something that will not be giant but very accessible. Any help is greatly appreciated!
I'm watching this to see if there's anything interesting but I use the same paper you use as well as your favorite brushes. I've used M. Graham before, not my favorite.
Edit: Try Escoda brushes, I have one of those and I love it
I have a couple Escodas and love them.
Thank you for sharing your art tools! Love your watercolor paintings!
I want to ask a question, if you don't mind!
I'm looking for a paper, that does not create border lines when my watercolor dry, the final result I'm looking for, and some other painters, ilustrator said the cold press helps and has no texture on the paper, and the hot press do, but in here (I guess you said it, maybe not, very sorry if it's not) you said the hot press is more clean ou smooth, and the cold press have texture.
I'm kinda lost in those two types, which one will give me less line borders?If you could explaint to me I will be very happy, and if you already have awnsered some question like this one, I'm very sorry, I didn't know.
Again thank you for your videos, they help me alot, love the humor hahah!
Yes, cold press is textured and hot press is smooth. Hard edges is a typical characteristic of watercolor unfortunately no matter which paper you use.
The Mind of Watercolor Thank you for your time, I'm looking foward for your videos in the future, and to buy the Arches watercolor paper!
I've heard that happens more if you use too much water. I'm inexperienced, but I think from my understanding that if you use a lot of water, there's a lot of movement of pigment, as it's 'sucked' to the edges as the pieces dries (as the edges dry faster.) You may want to test this yourself though, or ask more experienced painters.
Can you suggest some cheaper paint that performs fairly well for baby beginners on a budget? Thanks. So glad I found your channel, you are awesome in every way.
I don't review or really own student quality paints so I can't confidently recommend. Some have recommended Koi or Gansai Tambi as pretty nice for a non professional grade.
Okay, thank you
Hi Steve, Really great information! Thanks.
My watercolor teacher uses a similar looking brush to your favorites called the Daniel Smith series 24-3, and I have been trying to find the Daniel Smith 24-3 watercolor brushes and not been successful... Have you ever heard of these? I have even emailed the Daniel Smith company, because I love their paint! I believe they are a synthetic mix according to Jane Blundell's art blog.
I may have to go with the Silver Black Velvet brushes, as they actually look like the Daniel Smith brushes. I appreciate any info you can share.
I haven't heard of them, sorry. I don't own any DS brushes though they are probably very good.
Thank you!
+Brunilda Marrero 👍
But you can take the pans version of Winsor and Newton proffesional paint and they won't do that , plus M. Graham hasn't got pans version of their paints...