Stumble It!
Day 120 and I was still working on my drawing to painting technique.
The first picture shows the drawing stage of my head study.
I have to slow down a bit more in my drawing stage I think, the structural problems are hard to fix once the paint gets on, but I'm still pleased with the overall result.
I am feeling confident enough with the drawing to painting with the Watercolor Sticks to now approach it with more colour.
I have been asked several times what the difference is between the Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks and watercolour crayons, or watercolor pencils.
I actually have a large collection of each, so I can give you my opinion, but it's still just an opinion and you need to find out what works for you.
Watercolor sticks are bound with Gum Arabic just like watercolours are, there is just enough of the binding agent to stick the pigment together so it can be rolled by hand into a pastel shape. It literally is a paint stick.
Watercolour crayons are usually bound with wax or clay (or both) there is less pigment (in my mind) and I find that the wash from them when they are wet isn't as clear or vivid. In fact sometimes it looks a little cloudy when it dries.
Watercolour pencils have clay in them as well, so the "lead" will stay hard and firm enough to be encased in wood. They can be sharpened to a much finer point than Watercolor Sticks and for drawing they are hands down the winner, but for painting they amount of "pre-drawing" before painting can really kill the spontaneity of the work. Also the colours can also be dulled and not be as transparent as the sticks.
The joy of the Watercolor Sticks by Daniel Smith is that they are made from Daniel Smith paints, and behave exactly as you would expect pan watercolours to react with the bonus of being able to draw with them as well.
So, any other questions?
