5 Steps For Making Your Own Watercolor Mixing Grid

Plan Your Mixing For Better Creative Flow

I use mixing grids as tools, because it saves so much guesswork.  Clearly seeing which mixes I want to use in my work,  I am less frustrated and make fewer mistakes.  It's less, "oh, I don't like that!"  There's more "oh, it's coming together!"  

Would you like to make one?  Does it seem intimidating?  Can I give you some tips to get you started?  It's an enjoyable process, methodical yet relaxing at the same time.  In the past, artists have shown interest in making a chart like this.  It's just paper and paint.  Really.  I promise.  Don't hold back because I'm just sure you can handle it.  

(Well, no...I don't know you that well...what do you have to lose?  You might have a great time!)

After the many years I've painting with watercolors, there's a stack of various watercolor paper scraps with free form brushstrokes of color.  Each one of these pages is a record of my time exploring how to achieve a certain mix for a painting.  The earliest mixing "notes" are filled with blobs of color with a few scribbled notes in my handwriting.  I sorted this stack into the following collections.  Some of them instantly take me back to the specific painting, others not so much.  It's interesting to see how my methods changed over time.

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN.

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (I'm using 300 lb. cold press)
Pencil
Fine-point permanent marker
Straight edged ruler
Watercolor pigment
Watercolor brush
Watercolor palette
Container of rinse water
Paper towels

1.  Choose your pigments.  

Keep the number limited.  How about the primaries, and then a few other pigments you're curious about trying out.  I usually begin by comparing my reference photo with my favorite reference book, The Watercolor Painter's Pocket Palette by Moira Clinch.  Over time, I have saved my mixing grids from previous artworks, and those are also great tools now.  So, for the hollyhocks as my photo reference, I've chosen these watercolor pigments.

I chose Daniel Smith Quinacridone Coral, Daniel Smith Quinacridone Red, Windsor & Newton Transparent Yellow, Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold, Da Vinci Cerulean Blue, and Daniel Smith French Ultramarine.

A note from the artist.

It's Thursday.  What's Up?

Well, life is interrupting my artistic schedule for a while.  That's just how it goes sometimes.  Our home has been full of activity, projects, Olympics and other random-spur-of-the-moment things.  I'm so ready to get back to the cherry blossom paintings!  My art room has been the focus of some renovations that will make creating here a more happy experience.  I'm working on some great opportunities for presenting my artwork at a local fair.  It's going to be a busy 4-5 weeks along with preparing my daughter and son for back-to-school at the same time.

There's plenty of artwork-related rambling and photo sharing here, so go explore a little bit!  You might find a post you'll enjoy while I try to catch up behind the scenes.

Thanks for dropping by and come again often!  I'll have more stories, tips, and artwork progressions to bring to you.  Watercolor paintings are coming along nicely and it's difficult to set them aside but that's the way life is right now!  The summer is drawing to a close soon so I'm taking time to be with my family and enjoy some downtime.  I'll be back with an update in two weeks!

-Christy

She must make art.

Art Studio This Week: Baby Lambs and Cherry Blossoms

Ink Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

I am amazed.  The amount of progress made here is a wonder.  We've been going in so many directions this week!  Improvements are being made on my art room; I'm already so thankful for the work done to make this room more beautiful.  That door I had on my wish list...it's been stained and lightly white/gray washed and soon it will be hung back in the doorway.  That is going on plus so much more!  I won't complain because it's all such a gift.  My parents are visiting and they find major projects to complete while here.  They run circles around me, seriously.  I'm the multi-tasking manager and overseer of projects in progress so I'm staying busy, too.  Having the early evening opportunity to add something here on the blog is a tentative undertaking.  I'm not sure how much I'll be able to share before I'm pulled away again.

An artwork completed recently focuses on baby lambs.  The day I took the reference photos (over a year ago), I was sure it would be a watercolor painting some day.  I wasn't sure when the urge would hit to take this subject on.  This past two weeks a pencil sketch and ink drawing have been taking shape at my art table.  What a pleasure it's been!  

There's no way of knowing which art works will flow and which will not...  It's unexpected.  After years of avoiding animals as a subject matter, I may have changed my mind.  It will be several weeks before the sketch will be ready to begin painting with watercolor paint.  

I've been making my preliminary sketches on tracing paper for over a year and it's my favorite way to work.  Once the pencil sketch of the lambs was complete, I laid a heavier weight piece of tracing paper over it.  The ink drawing was guided by the sketch on the layer below it.  The classic quill dip pen and nib with India ink was such a great way to go here!  The amount of control and fine details made this a success all the way.  

The art reference photos were taken at the Snyder place and while telling Susan about them, she lit up!  She's the reason for the ink drawing.  She made arrangements with me to have the finished jpg image for an invitation she's having printed.  I hope to have the chance to share with you how it looks once its been printed!

©Christy Sheeler 2016.   All Rights Reserved.  She Must Make Art.  Lambs Ink Drawing

The cherry blossoms watercolor paintings are continuing with much joy in the progress.  My work space may seem overwhelming but it's all in order, really.  Yes, I really do need that many color mixing grids.  Yes, I do need that many different watercolor pigments, though I use only a third of what is showing on the tables.  

My newest additions to the paints are Daniel Smith and they are wonderful pigments.  I wished I'd tried them years ago!  

I've got five backgrounds done at the present time.  I'm working on the details of a single painting this week.  A few days ago, I began working on layering in for the branch, leaves and flower petals.  With the application of masking fluid for finer details, the piece is taking shape nicely.  It takes great concentration in the beginning stages as I map out areas in the pencil outline.  I can easily feel confused about what is flower and what is background!  With deep thought, I study my reference photo and lay the colors in from one area to another.  I am pleased to share photos of the progression so far!

This summer has been a challenge for me to make significant progress in my art room.  My efforts here on the blog have to be simplified in order to keep up with my weekly posting goal.  Persistence and flexibility are key in my daily schedule.  

So I am still here, making time to be creative on a daily basis, though my hours spent painting are less.  Quite a few changes in the art room have already made me look forward to autumn days spent painting with my watercolors!  

I'm continuing to add new Giclee art prints in the Etsy shop ChristySheelerArtist.  Have you checked out my shop lately?  Check out my Contact Page for all my many art related links!  There you'll find me on all the various platforms where I share my enjoyment of art...we can trade art tips and secrets!

So, for this week...(my weekly posts seem to post later each Thursday this summer) I am Christy, an artist, sharing my artist's journey here, because it's really happening every day.

What artistic pursuits are you chasing after, finding ways to make time, making art a part of your days?  I'd love for you to share here or on my Facebook artist page.

Enjoy the summer evenings, the sunsets, the cool breezes!

I'm aiming to meet you back here next week...someway or another.

-Christy

She must make art.

The Artist is IN but not HERE...(Cherry Blossoms on Yupo)

In the wee hours of the morning, I'd say 5 a.m., the thought occurred to me, "I did not write the weekly blog post."  This entered my mind as I was trying to go back to sleep.  It's been an active and chaotic summer so far.  With a serious commitment to keep on track with my art pursuits, it's a challenge to be sure!  I'm currently working in the beginning stages of quite a few paintings in various sizes...all having cherry blossoms as the subject matter.  I'm also working on a sketch of three lambs which will become both an ink drawing and eventually watercolor paintings in various sizes.  I am still here in the studio, but time is so valuable when I'm able to be in my art room.  

I mentioned a few posts back my wish list including a door.  Fantastic news!  I have a door!  After much searching and praying, I'm thrilled to say it is the door I had pictured in my mind.  How crazy is that?!  I'll look forward to checking back in to share photos and tell you all about my progress.  If you are stopping by to check out my weekly share on Thursday, THANK YOU and please continue because I'll be here though not as regularly for the summer month.  I'll sneak in a post as I am able...enjoy your summer and watch for the beautiful everyday views around you!  I apologize for photos being darker than what I normally share.  I'm posting photos from my phone with no editing...time is so precious.

-Christy

because she must make art.

P.S. A few photos of watercolor painting on Yupo surface (plastic) as a warm up earlier in the week.

©2016 Christy Sheeler Artist & She Must Make Art.  All Rights Reserved.

Brave Enough: Artist Camping and ICAD 2016

It has been hard to give up the Thursday blog post for this week.  Here it is Friday night, and I just need to build a post because I have stuff I want to share.  I'm feeling like I've jumped some hurdles art wise.  If you've been following along, you're aware that the travel art kit has traveled but not gotten used on previous trips.

 While we were away camping over the Memorial Day weekend, I was able to pull out the watercolor palette.  It was so sweetly calming even with the chilly weather, I didn't mind bundling up to stay by the fire.  It felt great to fill a page in the watercolor sketch book!  I read Wideness & Wonder, The Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe by Susan Goldman Rubin.  It's an artist biography for young readers.  It's a beautiful book and perfect length for anyone short on time for reading.

Last summer, I joined in on the index card a day challenge or ICAD.  It's a challenge to create something with or on an index card, one a day, for the months of June and July.  It was difficult for me to find my groove in the challenge.  I was feeling a great need to be more creative.  Within myself, I felt out of shape art wise.  It seemed forced, disjointed, and frustrating.  I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with the art supplies.

Without much time spent using my art supplies, the creative energy did not flow easily.  Knowing it was time to quit avoiding this struggle, I kept pushing forward, even if I didn't like what I made in the end.  I made the challenge for 8 days.  That's it...barely more than a week.  In that week, I did make my way over some hurdles.  It wasn't a complete failure though I took it rather hard.  Somehow, it fueled me to be more determined in my artistic pursuit.  The incomplete ICAD challenge led me to many new goals in the past year.

Day 7 index card has been trimmed and placed in a small gold trimmed frame.  This little painting gave me hope that I could find my way back to more art on a regular basis.

On day 8, my last card of 2015, my index card has my words of challenge to myself,

"Am I brave...enough to step out & find out what I can do AND whether anyone will appreciate what comes from my mind to the paper through my hands and my brush...let's see!"

I am taking the ICAD challenge for June and July of 2016.  I want to see what it brings this year.  I am in better condition, excited and ready to see what waits to be created on an index card!  I'm taking the nature inspired route with various plants as my subject matter.  That may change before June is done.

If you'd like to follow my creative Instagram feed, search christysheeler.artist.

I will link to the Daisy Yellow ICAD information so that you can give it a try!

Thanks for dropping in to let me share this quick update!  Please drop in again soon!  I'll be sure to keep the inspirations flowing through words and photographs.  My camera waits to have the memory card unloaded; we'll see what treasures I captured on our camping trip.  I believe we are finally going to experience summer here in Montana...oh, wait that could change withing the next 5 minutes.

I'm relieved to have the survived the past two weeks!  It's been crazy busy and now I'll be able to clean up my work area and begin again.   I'm weary and resting up to get busy in the art studio with artwork again.

What challenge can you give yourself?  What hurdle are you afraid to attempt?  What is holding you back from trying even if you fail?  Like me, maybe you need to change your idea of failing.  Maybe it's time for you to give it another try.

"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely."  -Henry Ford

Christy
-she must make art.

Palettes at Every Turn

With the arrival of spring, I'm thinking ahead to summer.  Summer in Montana and weekends in the mountains mean packing an art supply bag.  For so many years, I've been faithful to pack the supplies and hauled them with me as we traveled.  I've not spent very much time using them.  We are so busy, not taking much time to stay in any one spot for long.  There were times I made an attempt to paint for that brief 15-20 minutes.  Then it's time to pack it all up and get on with another activity.  Those camping trips were full of activity with young kiddos.  We took them hiking at 4 and 5 years old, their hooded jackets tied at their waists and a little water bottle of their own.  They loved it from the very start.  We'd stop to dip our toes in the lake or stream, such icy cold water.



Several cameras have been taken along to record it all.  I've been watching for the art reference photos and the priceless family memories at the same time.  Now, they're teens and needing to take their own photos.  Whether it's on a cell phone, tablet, iPod, or an actual camera...we are all taking our share of photos.

My fingers are itching to start packing it all up again!

Last summer's art supply bag and gear.

Here a palette, there a palette, everywhere a palette!

One of the key items I'll pack in the art supply bag is a watercolor paint palette.  I was thinking about purchasing yet another new palette for travel when I realized I have plenty of palettes.  Digging through cupboards, I gathered them all up.  I chose three to clean up, removing old dried paint, and they are like new again!  I found my travel palettes and am considering using them this year.  They are stocked with plenty of watercolor pigment.  One needs to have the mixing area cleaned.   For some reason that I cannot describe, I am not comfortable using them.  Maybe it's just because I haven't had a lot of time using watercolors while we are away from home.  It's an awkward, unfamiliar experience.  I always long for my big palette.

Travel Palettes

The Rembrandt travel palette is a mix of luxury and space-saver.  It's petite paint pans and travel paintbrush are tucked in a sturdy case.  The navy blue velvet bag just tops it off!  I've used it a bit as you can see.  This was a pricey little bundle, purchased before children...  I'm looking forward to having the time to break it in soon.

The metal travel pan came empty and I filled it with the pigments years ago.  It has a thumb hole and is easy to position on my forearm.  In the past, I have not painted while standing but it would be a great habit to start.  I'm not sure I'd still choose the same pigments.  I've got a better understanding of pigments now.  When I filled this, I selected pigments on a whim.  Adventurous and spontaneous, I didn't conform to the all the standards recommended.  There are several in the metal palette I might not select this time around.

The plastic palette was another attempt to find a way to be comfortable painting in nature.  It's got more room for pigments than the Rembrandt and takes up less space than the metal case.  This one has a thumb hole.  It also has smaller holes to hold paintbrushes.  Here again, I'm not so confident about my pigment choices but I think it would be a fun challenge to make them work!

Studio Palettes

So, take a look at my usual "Old Faithful" palette.  It is the oldest one I own and has been well used and abused.  It's had cracks repaired with hot-glue seams.  It mixing area is still a mess!  All those areas of mixed pigment...instrumental in completing many paintings!

Now here's a look at the one that replaced it and you'll see a lot of similarity.  This style of palette is my go-to standard routine for painting with watercolors.  With large wells, plenty of pigment means less interruptions with making refills.  The center mixing areas are roomy and the lid doubles as another mixing area.  Labels for the pigment wells make the mixing easier.  Whether labeled with a permanent marker or a label maker, it's worth the time.

Yet More Palettes

Some palettes I use for more pigment that won't fit on my main palette.  You're probably thinking this just sounds crazy.  It's really not that crazy at all!  There are core pigments needed for the best mixing results.  There are other pigments that aren't needed very often.  They are needed in select paintings, depending on the color scheme.  The pigment names are written on with a fine-point Sharpie marker.  When it's time to clean off the writing, a magic eraser does the trick!

In the past several months, I've changed my method for single pigments that are used less often.  Small plastic cups with lids are perfect for keeping pigment.  The name of the pigment is written on the lid with permanent marker.  My work table is crowded enough most of the time.  These little cups save me from needing to make room for another palette.

The other three palettes are clean and white!  The enamel butcher's tray has a lid.  It works best for mixing up a large puddle of watercolor pigment.  The two plastic trays have plenty of areas for mixing while keeping mixed pigments separate.  I think taking one of them for travel would be perfect; the mixing areas in the travel palette is extremely limited.

I may not have convinced you it's necessary to have this number of watercolor palettes.  Or have I?  Aren't they wonderful?  Just to me?  Aren't you at least a little tempted to purchase yourself a travel watercolor kit?  They are such a treat!  I'm sure there must be some way to pack a small bag of art supplies.  I haven't been able to manage a small bag in a long time.  How do I choose what to leave behind?  I'll compile a basic list of items to take for art in nature and share in the next few weeks.

If for some crazy reason, you're been searching for a watercolor palette like one of these... just ask me for more information.  It's been a long day so I'm not going to be super descriptive with specific brands and links.  You want any of that, just comment and I'm glad to help!

Thanks for letting me show & tell today with the palettes...

let me know what you're curious about related to watercolor art!

-Christy

she must make art.