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Here's some work in progress photographs of the AC Dance poster, "It's A Jungle Out There!"
I wanted to play around stylistically, do some typography and make something very colorful. And with a jungle theme, how could I resist Kipling?
I wanted to play around stylistically, do some typography and make something very colorful. And with a jungle theme, how could I resist Kipling?
Category Photography / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 1280px
File Size 543.4 kB
I'm always curious about masking fluid since someone once told me it can lift pencil right off the paper. Also, how does one obtain masking tape that doesn't just try and take the paper with it upon removal? I've tried the trick of sticking it to something else first to make it less tacky, but then it just doesn't stick.
Excellent to see work in progress, it's quite enlightening and gives this untutored artist a brief insight into your methodology which is both informative and interesting.
Excellent to see work in progress, it's quite enlightening and gives this untutored artist a brief insight into your methodology which is both informative and interesting.
Masking fluid can take up pencil lines. I tend to ink things before I mask them for that reason, but I stretched this paper (after the sketch had been drawn)--and one step of stretching involves soaking the paper in water and that makes the pencil lines rather permanent (it sinks into the fibers of the paper). The lines then were impervious to masking fluid...and my eraser. ;]
The masking tape is called "Artist Tape" and is less sticky than normal masking tape. It costs a lot per roll (around $14 on average) and you go through it quickly, but it doesn't quite brutalize paper in the same way as normal tape.
The masking tape is called "Artist Tape" and is less sticky than normal masking tape. It costs a lot per roll (around $14 on average) and you go through it quickly, but it doesn't quite brutalize paper in the same way as normal tape.
I currently just use good old (expensive) Bristol Board but I'm having to branch out into some more mainstream stuff for an upcoming art show. Note about cotton-paper duly made in addition to artist tape ^_^
This is where I find out my local art shop either doesn't supply what I want or, as usual, overcharges for it.
This is where I find out my local art shop either doesn't supply what I want or, as usual, overcharges for it.
Two suggestions: Get all your expensive papers by mail order. When I was at school in Savannah, the local shops were about 2-5X the price of mail order on Arches cold press (and similar on illo board, and didn't carry ANY Claybord products). The other is, you can get cheap low-tack paint masking tape from any painter's supply (in the U.S. that would be someplace like Home Depot or Lowe's). It is usually thin and will follow the paper closer than drafting tape, and comes in widths up to about 4" wide. Note that you cannot use it to mask edges for watercolor (the watercolor will wick right under it), but you CAN if you edge that first with masking fluid then put the tape over it (say, as quick'n'dirty frisket for airbrushing). Don't leave it on more than a couple of days, or it will start to become permanent. I've also found you can use masking fluid for blocking out even heavy-bodied things (like sanded texture in acrylic paintings). Pretty cool stuff. I prefer the yellow stuff, just so I can see where the heck it is (more of an issue on acrylic than watercolor)
I've had really frustrating results stretching watercolor paper. I've tried taping, stapling, sandwiching between glass (really really bad idea). On larger pieces, only the stapling really held, but there has to be enough extra to cut off the rusty edges. I've been thinking about experimenting with just bonding it to heavy masonite.
Great piece, and thanks for posting the process!
I've had really frustrating results stretching watercolor paper. I've tried taping, stapling, sandwiching between glass (really really bad idea). On larger pieces, only the stapling really held, but there has to be enough extra to cut off the rusty edges. I've been thinking about experimenting with just bonding it to heavy masonite.
Great piece, and thanks for posting the process!
Sometimes it's called drafting tape. We use it all the time for architectural drawings.
Another trick (if you can't find the artists/drafting tape) is to use normal masking tape but stick it on your clothes, or a towel, or something made of material a few times to lessen the stickiness. This isn't a fantastic way of doing it because you can't always be sure it's low-sticky enough to come away clean from the paper, or that it may be so un-stickied it won't hold anything down! But if you're stuck (no pun intended lol!) for the drafting tape, it gives a quick alternative when you really need something fast. ...like when a client says "I need this drawing by 9am tomorrow" and it's 7pm at night when all the stores are closed.
Another trick (if you can't find the artists/drafting tape) is to use normal masking tape but stick it on your clothes, or a towel, or something made of material a few times to lessen the stickiness. This isn't a fantastic way of doing it because you can't always be sure it's low-sticky enough to come away clean from the paper, or that it may be so un-stickied it won't hold anything down! But if you're stuck (no pun intended lol!) for the drafting tape, it gives a quick alternative when you really need something fast. ...like when a client says "I need this drawing by 9am tomorrow" and it's 7pm at night when all the stores are closed.
Hell, I'll be 27 later this month, and people still think I'm underage whenever I get a beer. :P
Funny story: I was down in Florida last year vacationing with my folks. We were in Sears, and I had picked up a Kansas CD. I went to go buy it, and I got CARDED! Thats right, I got carded for a CD that had NO warning label at all, and for a CD that didn't have the first swear word in any song. :D (and I paid for it with cash!)
Funny story: I was down in Florida last year vacationing with my folks. We were in Sears, and I had picked up a Kansas CD. I went to go buy it, and I got CARDED! Thats right, I got carded for a CD that had NO warning label at all, and for a CD that didn't have the first swear word in any song. :D (and I paid for it with cash!)
Wow....i was talking to Timberwolf about this one day. We were both like wow..was told the drawing prt goes pretty fast but the painting/color seems to go slow per say since a lot of things goto dry before moving on to the next section. I thouhg something likes this would have taken longer honeslty, surprised, it doesnt seem it took that long.
What exactly is "stretching the paper", and why is it done?
Also, after you paint those lines of sky color, what do you do to blend them together so nicely? Do watercolors blend really easily with a brush dipped in water or something?
I'd think they'd bleed into the paper immediately and refuse to blend much, from my own meager experience with the crappy art supplies I've used over the years.
Also, after you paint those lines of sky color, what do you do to blend them together so nicely? Do watercolors blend really easily with a brush dipped in water or something?
I'd think they'd bleed into the paper immediately and refuse to blend much, from my own meager experience with the crappy art supplies I've used over the years.
Stretching paper is soaking it in water until it's completely wet and expanded, then quickly taping it to a flat board with gum tape. Then, you let it dry and keep your fingers crossed the tape holds. When it is dry, the paper is "stretched" meaning no matter how much water you put on it, it wont wrinkle or buckle.
Watercolor is very blend-able with the right timing and copious amounts of water. ;]
Watercolor is very blend-able with the right timing and copious amounts of water. ;]
I'm glad you explained what stretching the paper meant. XD
I was a little lost on the meaning too.
But what kind of paper do you use? Is it like bristol or cardstock? Or it is a large sheet of watercolour paper?
I've heard of parchment and 'cotton rag' paper too. Though the latter eludes me. I've never seen it.
I've also heard of hand-making paper. Have you ever done this?
I was a little lost on the meaning too.
But what kind of paper do you use? Is it like bristol or cardstock? Or it is a large sheet of watercolour paper?
I've heard of parchment and 'cotton rag' paper too. Though the latter eludes me. I've never seen it.
I've also heard of hand-making paper. Have you ever done this?
I love progress compilations. C:
I wanted to ask, where do you get the masking paint. I think that is really nifty and I would love to have more chances to work with watercolor as the finished pieces always look so organic but yet vibrant to me. If you had a name I might be able to hunt it around here at the local hobby shops.
How long have you worked with watercolor? If I may ask.
I wanted to ask, where do you get the masking paint. I think that is really nifty and I would love to have more chances to work with watercolor as the finished pieces always look so organic but yet vibrant to me. If you had a name I might be able to hunt it around here at the local hobby shops.
How long have you worked with watercolor? If I may ask.
I love your progression photos. Me, being completely out of practice with watercolors and forgetting that real media exists... am absolutely fascinated to be able to see how you put it all together, the materials you use, etc. This is all so cool, reminds me of when I used to be a real artist and knew how to use brushes... n' ... stuff :D This is incredibly neat to see, and the amount of time that goes into it is impressive to say the least. All your work is so lovely and organic.
I guess by looking at your hands working, that your hands don't sweat. A long time ago, in high school, I thought I wanted to be a mechanical draftsman. So I took the course, but found that my hands sweated so much, lthat the plates I drew turned to mush. By the time I finished them, you couldn't see the lines. The instructor told me to think about another line of work. THis was in that days before cotton gloves.
Mmmh.
I would kill to have one of your originals~ of pretty much anything. x3
And by kill, I mean 'fork over a vast sum of dubloons'.
I think, at least to me, that your artwork and art style has become a significant icon to this time of my life. x3
One of those sensory-memory associations that I'll have forever.
I would kill to have one of your originals~ of pretty much anything. x3
And by kill, I mean 'fork over a vast sum of dubloons'.
I think, at least to me, that your artwork and art style has become a significant icon to this time of my life. x3
One of those sensory-memory associations that I'll have forever.
Hmm... I always wondered how you did the beautiful background colours without tainting the character picture.... I've always been observing that little bit when i look at your paintings...
Other than using masking tape and/or solution, is there any other way to do it?? Just curious...
Great job by the way...
Other than using masking tape and/or solution, is there any other way to do it?? Just curious...
Great job by the way...
Wow...such intricate steps for it. Look at all the detail you put into it. Seeing such passion and heart for things like this make me happy. I wish I could explain it. Like what I feel for the field of medicine. The pure beauty of people doing what the love and taking it so far...ahhh.
an Artist's secret is to make it appear like magic ;3~ when it's really mostly the paint doing the work. It's all just simple mechanical skill. People get wowed by the colors because they don't believe the process is really simple.
"Get them to believe you worked on it for days. But that's our secret shhhhhhhhhh" -Bob Ross
"Get them to believe you worked on it for days. But that's our secret shhhhhhhhhh" -Bob Ross
Urrrghh. Hard to explain, but good question!
It's a rapid-paced scary procedure that requires a lot of crossing your fingers, screaming, probably cussing and hopefully something passable in the end! ;D
Since it's hard to describe here's a YouTube video that sort of demonstrates it:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G56m4ImJZzM
However, I do it slightly differently. After I paint in the gradient sky colours I take a large badger-haired brush and use it to feather the paint while it's still wet to blend it more thoroughly. It's quite a hit-or-miss procedure that I was forced in college to practice over and over for a whole month (in gouache too, to add to the horror). Even after all that I could barely pull it off. ;D
It's a rapid-paced scary procedure that requires a lot of crossing your fingers, screaming, probably cussing and hopefully something passable in the end! ;D
Since it's hard to describe here's a YouTube video that sort of demonstrates it:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G56m4ImJZzM
However, I do it slightly differently. After I paint in the gradient sky colours I take a large badger-haired brush and use it to feather the paint while it's still wet to blend it more thoroughly. It's quite a hit-or-miss procedure that I was forced in college to practice over and over for a whole month (in gouache too, to add to the horror). Even after all that I could barely pull it off. ;D
im sure you've heard this a MILLION and a half times by now, but just gods.... you use PAINT?! * dies * i absolutely loved your stuff before seeing the progress of this, but now... now i flat out worship your skills. O.O. huh... i wonder if i could find masking fluid. i've never heard of it. >.>;
For some reason... Don't ask me why, tears welled up a bit in my eyes looking at this! No, I'm not being silly, I'm being totally honest. xD I guess it's just really moving to see someone sticking to the 'old ways,' and succeeding so darn well. Reminds me of the 'good old days' of animation, too... Each cel, painted by hand.
Seeing the work in progress is almost better than the finished work to me. I mean, working on it's where the fun is! Such gorgeous colors... I love the way this turned out. It's just beautiful.
I'm going to have to get me some masking fluid... When I picked up my watercolors a while back, I didn't know about it. No more. I now know of the wonders of masking fluid....! Ahhhhh....
Seeing the work in progress is almost better than the finished work to me. I mean, working on it's where the fun is! Such gorgeous colors... I love the way this turned out. It's just beautiful.
I'm going to have to get me some masking fluid... When I picked up my watercolors a while back, I didn't know about it. No more. I now know of the wonders of masking fluid....! Ahhhhh....
blotch
Holy cow you two! I'm always in love with the progress work (even though I'd never be able to touch it with a 10 foot pole). This was a whole new level of informative. I never realized there were that many steps for works such as this. Just the masking fluid alone boggles my mind. Amazing to see the process indeed. Very very cool stuff. I would so love to see a time lapse video on you tube of you both working something to completion some day. That's of course a pipe dream but just the thought of seeing the drawing come to life sped up over the hours you pour into it would be awesome to watch. Again, thanks for sharing.
Pretty much-- I sketched the image, soaked and stretched the picture, applied masking fluid to the characters, then painted the sky in one large wet wash. After the sky was dry, I removed the masking fluid to start working on the characters.
The top right box is just before I blended the bands of color in the sky, so it's still very wet (and not a good time to remove the masking fluid.)
The top right box is just before I blended the bands of color in the sky, so it's still very wet (and not a good time to remove the masking fluid.)
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