Really liked hearing your thought process as you painted. Also found your technique fascinating - so much teaching about watercolor focuses on washes over large areas rather than working in a more detailed manner.
I've missed just watching you paint/draw. I learn so much every time and the narrative puts me right there in the botanical gardens with you. I know you're not live streaming as much now, but I really would like an occasional stream like the bread fairy ones where we get to watch you create an artwork and hear you talking about your thought process. Any medium, I don't care, it's all fabulous.
These are hands down my favorite vids too, there's something so personal about them! Thank you as always Blue, you are delightful :) - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Not only is your painting and process mesmerising and beautiful, but the commentary of this video is a work of art in itself. I fully agree that one of the best things about travel is to absorb the magically cacophany of new botanicals and life.
Thanks for watching, the travel art videos are always my favorites too! Did you see the Guangzhou, China one? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PhvdICsX1w0.html -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
I love the movement in this piece. It’s spectacular. I remember back when you weren’t a fan of watercolor, in the early days of this channel. Look at you now! Creating masterpieces.
Hello, I don’t comment very often but today, I clicked your channel for the picture and heard the perfect!! Excellent English ever, I’m not from USA but I live in Florida for the last 30 years. I don’t know why but most of the time if someone is talking to me ... I can barely understand them, I smile and act like I got it but... I’m not! Love the logic that you use to describe watercolor and, I noticed something too, if I’m painting outside and I do the same painting but in my house, the differences a big!!! Most of the time, I used more color when I paint outside, like the park or whatever, I’m glad you’re in the same page. I’m a new subscriber, thank you for sharing!!! Blessings
We are so excited to hear this, thank you SO MUCH Elvia!! Welcome to the Art Prof family-- good luck with all of your paintings, we're excited to hear about them :) - Mia, Art Prof Staff
I love these videos so much, thank you for making them! And it looks like you had fun too! I picked up some watercolor supplies inspired by Prof Lieu 's pineapple stand and this one is so cool too! I'm excited to start because of Art Prof
I have never seen aloe this big! It was fascinating to see you paint something so complex in watercolor, the finished painting looked eerie and whimsical
How brave to paint without a sketch! I agree that watercolour has a superpower...and I am totally bewitched by it. Loved the composition, the contrast and the colours. Clever to add violet /purples. I am curious about atmospheric perspective. I haven't heard about this before...I am going to look it up.
We have a lesson about atmospheric perspective that might help you out! Feel free to watch here: artprof.org/learn/fundamentals/perpective/atmospheric-perspective/ - Mia, Art Prof Staff
I really love Plein air painting....thanks for this...Any artist can identify with you...you are one amongst us... although you are so expert in art👌👌👌
It’s a very dense video, rewatching it again. It’s interesting to see how you combine waterbrush and sumi. Also tonal perspective not only helps to reduce some details but contributes to the impression of gigantic plant greatly
I love all the textures and cool shapes! I'm wanting to tackle that draco tree or whatever it's called, but still haven't worked myself up to it yet. I appreciate what you said about not drawing all the leaves. That's what I'm afraid of, that if I start, I'll be trying to hard to draw everything I see. I may try it with watercolor because, as you say, it kind of forces you to be a bit looser. I'll get there! But don't hold your breath. Going to start on a Bread Fairy pic in oil pastels in a few minutes....
I totally get this-- I think as soon as you get sucked into details, it's impossible to stop obsessing over them! I like to save the detail work until the end, like a treat for myself, haha - Mia, Art Prof Staff
I always try to carry a small water spray with me (ranger min-misters are a great compact size) and I’ll spray down my watercolors liberally at the start of the process when I decide I’m going to paint something. This way there is a little bit of time for it to be soaked up by any dried watercolors I’ve squirted out while I think and plan. Gives me a good in between of watercolor pans vs fresh squeezed without needing to scrub the dried paints with my brush (poor bristles). Though nothing recreates the feeling and lushness of freshly squeezed paints. (btw random tidbit: W&N tubes and pans are different formulations. Their tubes are meant to be used fresh only though they can be used dried then reactivated, it’s not recommended. Their pan formulation is made specifically for it. I think they are one of the only artists’ grade wc paints that have separate formulations between the two.)
Thanks for this tutorial! The flora is surprisingly like San Diego. I tried plein air with gouache yesterday and the wind kicked up and the palette paper started blowing around, so I gave up! I’ll have to try a few tubes of watercolor paint; I have a travel palette for watercolor with hard pans, and a million water brushes.
Sometimes nature can make it really obnoxious to try plein air painting, but other times it all falls into place wonderfully! We wish you luck :) - Mia, Art Prof Staff