Beebly's Watercolor Vault - Your watercolor painting knowledge base.

A lot of pigments are solids. They are finely ground, yet the particles sometimes remain particles even after being treated with water. Therefore, if your paint stain is dry, it’s always best to treat it with some kind of a gentle brush. That way you can break away the solid paint particles before wetting the stain again.

What are you going to use for your palette? If you're like most artists you'll end up with several palettes including one special one that is your favorite. I happen to have aquired 8 ro 9 in my 35 years of painting. Are you a student or beginner on the cheap? For a basic palette use a plate, preferably white. Just something that is white, non-porous, and can hold some water. Ceramic, plastic, or metal, it doesn't matter in the long run, it's just a means to an end...making art. You can use recycled margarine containers, styrofoam meat trays, ice...

Charles Sheeler, an American artist American artist Charles Sheeler, was a "precisionist" who used precisely defined forms and smoothly brushes surfaces to reveal the appearance and experience of American life. Always aware of the importance of abstract design, Charles Sheeler's paintings reflect, as subject matter, the industrialization and isolation of American life. Using photography to isolate the abstract design in realistic images, Sheeler needed "a complete conception of the picture" in his mind before he began painting. His paintings and fine art photography are in numerous international collections. — Watercolor Masters: Charles Sheeler © 2010 Greg Conley — Charles Sheeler,...

History of the Watercolor Industry Origins and Original Recipes Watercolor came to western artists in the late 1400s. Artists had to formulate, prepare and grind their own watercolor paint and tended to keep their secret recipes and methods to themselves. In the 18th century the first paint manufacturers set up shop in major european cities. They not only provided the basic pigments, resins and oils but found a market for ready made color pastes and other artist equipment. A famous example is an "herbal extract" shop in Paris that prepared the colors for Jean Baptiste Chardin when the artist's failing...

American "Born and raised in New York City in a cultured French family, John LaFarge became a leading figure in the arts in New York in the late 19th century, known for his exquisite murals, stained glass designs, and innovations of technique. He also was a noted writer and lecturer on art. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's College in Maryland and then went to Europe where he was much impressed by the stain glass in the medieval architecture. In Paris, he studied with Thomas Couture, and in London, he was much influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites led by John Ruskin,...

Equip yourself with these 13 easy watercolor tips and tricks, and master the basics along with artist Isabella Kung! Alcohol and salt textures included inside.