Topic: workshop 2 lesson 1: Consistency of the paint

I use pan WC, either purchased that way or filled myself and then I make puddles. What consistency should the paint be? on the more concentrated/thicker side for the W into W? Also, any advice on color selection regardless of the brand so I don't make a whole lot of puddles and waste-3 primaries, analogous, staining, transparent/opaque? Any advice would be appreciated.
Colors are your choice completely. No guidelines. Consistency is mostly watery, tea like or coffee like, depending on what color intensity you're trying for.
K L
Thank you so much, Steve. I watched your spontaneous painting on YouTube this weekend and was happily surprised to hear you were doing these workshops. Joining today and looking forward to creating a few wet on wet and dry surfaces to use in the upcoming weeks. I’ll try different limited color palettes on each to give myself some options for future paintings. Feeling somewhat apprehensive as to finding the painting within, but also excited to try. Lastly I appreciate the time you took to explain how you control water using a variety of cloths to dry off. This is definitely more environmentally friendly than using the multiple sheets of paper towels I’ve consumed during my painting sessions.
@Skywalkersmom You're quite welcome. Just have fun with it and learn something new about the medium. Finding a picture is secondary, fun but secondary. 😆
Hi Steve So excited to do this again! I did one along with one of your YouTube videos some years back, and have been hesitant to do another. Reason: It turned out so well, that I thought I could never do another good one :D Thanks so much for presenting this series! b.t.w. I see an animal face in the first demo you did, maybe a fox?
L
Hello Steve I am so excited to be doing your Strathmore workshop. Having seen many of your videos. I also am wondering about the paint to water ratios. 1. wet on wet. For the initial colour what is the ratio? I tend to have too much water. Then when you add more paint to that first colour how much thicker is the paint? Do you drop in straight from the palette? 2. wet on dry. What is the consistency of the paint ? Is it the same as when you do the first layer of the wet on wet. Even experimenting I still manage to not get it quite right. I seem to consistantly make the same mistake.
Hi Lotus, Well the ratio is almost infinitely variable. Not a satisfying answer I know, but there is no one single ratio. Too much water is usually indicated by everything running together into one single value blob and creating one color. Also too much heavy puddling is an indication. Once water and color is initially added and the surface is good and wet then as you go along water should usually be decreased more with each color application. It is not the same ratio in every instance or all the way through. Don't forget that this process is an experiment and learning study. Solving problems such as consistency and water load is a matter of experiencing it, trial and error. If you seem to keep making the same mistake note what you did and vary the amount of water and paint. I will say that the tendency is almost always to keep using too much water as you proceed. Steve
L
Okay thank you Steve. You made some valid points to keep in mind that are helpful.