ink & watercolor landscape

Ink & Watercolor Landscape

Perspective, Space, CompositionImpressionism, Post-ImpressionismDrawing in Ink & Watercolor Painting

○ Art that depicts natural scenery including the sky and the ground. Landscapes vary and can include but are not limited to: mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, forests, etc.

Landscape

Landscape○ Artwork depicting a natural scene.

Seascape

Mountainscape

Cityscape

Art before 1865-ish: The “Old way”

• dark paint—black, brown, neutrals

• careful, realistic application of paint

• religious, historical, non-fictional subjects

• painted indoors (even landscapes!)

• months to create one painting

The Impressionists: The “New way”

• visible brushstrokes• mixed paint directly on canvas• ordinary subjects: landscapes, buildings, bridges, fields• painted ‘en plein air’• hours to create one painting• emphasis on light and how it changes over time, throughout the day/year

Impressionism (1865-1885)Subjects included: landscapes, cityscapes and portraits that appeared to be quick preliminary sketches representing the play of light. Painted candid glimpses of subjects showing the effects of sunlight on things at different times of day.

Claude Monet (1873)

Impression SunriseCamille Pissarro (1890)

Impressionism (1865-1885)“En plein air” painters set up easels outdoors to paintCharacteristics include small, thin, visible brush strokes, open composition with an emphasis on how changing light effects color and objects.

Claude Monet (1890) Winslow Homer (1868)

Claude Monet

Post-Impressionism (1885-1910)Expression, structure and form are more importantPost-Impressionist wanted art to be more substantial, not dedicated to capturing a passing moment. Rejected the emphasis the Impressionists put on naturalism and fleeting effects of light.

Vincent van Gogh (1889) Paul Cezanne (1890)

Post-Impressionism (1885-1910)Heightened use of vivid colorsThick application of paint with distinctive brush strokes. Real-life subject matter. Artists were more inclined to emphasize geometric forms, to distort form for expressive effect, and to use unnatural or arbitrary color.

Vincent van Gogh (1888) Paul Gauguin (1885-1900s)

Nature vs. Manmade

YOUR TASK...

LandscapeInk & watercolor We will look for inspiration from artists that use ink to capture the foundational drawing of subject matter and add watercolor to incorporate color and texture into the piece.

David Gentleman

Sarah Waylock

Peter Sheeler

Misc. Artists

ReferencesResearch & PrintCollect photo references of many different landscapes, natural elements, and manmade elements.

○ Differences in terrain, climate, vegetation, wildlife, architecture, etc.

○ Is there a strong foreground, middleground and background?

○ You need at least 2 different images that you will incorporate together.

○ Can images be your own?

When combining references consider...

○ Perspective○ Space○ Light

ReferencesMake wise decisions when choosing imagesWithout good references you will struggle to create a good painting.

○ Choose a place where you have visited or would like to visit - a personal connection to your work always helps your artwork be more successful

○ Be sure your images are good quality and have detail where needed.

○ Your painting should be light, so don’t choose images that are dark or nighttime scenes

ThumbnailsComposition planningCreate 4 different compositional sketches in your sketchbook.

How about new composition tools...

Successful compositions will:

○ Incorporate multiple references

○ Be readable as a landscape

○ Show the perspective

○ Use the Compositional Rules

○ Fill the space

○ 3 sides touching

○ Overlapping subject matter

Foreground

MiddlegroundBackground

How about new composition tools...

Space

Rule of ThirdsComposition planningCompositional rule in the visual arts where the image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines.

○ Place focal points along these lines or on their intersections

○ aligning a subject with these lines in mind creates more energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would

Overlapping subjects/Fill the page/Three sides touching/Rule of Thirds

○ Draw LIGHTLY and do NOT dig into or dent the paper.

○ Consider the artists you have looked at.

○ Will you draw in a loose style or a very detailed style?

○ Think about adding lines where there are value and color shifts.

○ Save fine details for after you have painted.

Pencil DrawingLIGHTLY draw your approved composition on the watercolor paperStart with main basic shapes and add details as you work around page.

NEW MEDIUM

Ink...

Ink

○ Permanent drawing medium usually used in black or brown.

○ Artists focus on contour lines and simplified line and shape.

○ Ink can be applied to create texture within contour lines as well.

Qu Ding (1023-56)

Jacque-Louis David (1793)

InkInstead of graphiteInk dates back to early Egyptians, but became highly developed during the Tang and Song Dynasties in China.

Pieter Bruegel (1525-69)

Texture with Ink

○ Practice with the pens first.○ Contour line drawing○ Texture

○ Consider the ink drawings you looked at for inspiration when you work.

Drawing with InkSharpie Pen, Fine, or Ultra Fine Go slow. Think. It’s permanent!

MEDIUM CHANGE

Watercolor...

Watercolor

○ Water soluble paint.

○ Darks and saturated colors are built by glazing and done sparingly.

○ The white of the paper is left rather than applying white.

○ Transparent and luminous quality.

Albrecht Durer (1512)Albrecht Durer (1512)

Painting with WatercolorInstead of gouache, acrylic or oilsWatercolor is one of the most primitive paint mediums, but it wasn’t until the invention and availability of quality paper, that master artist used it as a medium in the studio.

Watercolor

○ Use the techniques from the handout throughout you watercolor painting.

○ Work background to middleground to foreground.

○ Work slowly as you add transparent paint; you can only add, not subtract.

○ Start to light and wait for washes to dry before glazing.

Watercolor PracticeRemember the techniques we already learnedPractice Study: a small, quick artwork to explore a medium or subject matter.

Watercolor PaintingAdding color, value and textureUse all the watercolor skills you have learned and practiced to add color, value and texture to your final landscape painting.

○ Consider all of the inspirational artworks you have looked as so far.

○ Look up these artists again as you work.

ink & watercolor landscape

Education