Masonic Art: First Degree Tracing Board

I find that painting and drawing is relaxing.  I've completed a fair few paintings and drawings since my last flurry of activity on Blogger.  The main reasons for the absence of uploads is that I was assaulted by an intruder a few months back and that as would be expected, sort of of knocked me back a bit.  Compounded by the fact that Apple for some strange reason no longer supports Blogger, and my iPad is my mainstay as an art visual diary and my art hub.  I could upload to Blogger with ease, but these days using the iPad is stressful as Blogger crashes so much.  I can do without stress.  My old laptop was appalling, and all of these points conspired to stop the uploading.  My new laptop in comparison is both cheaper and a joy to use.  Cheaper is nice, as like many out there; money has to stretch these days. Nice because it's usable.  It ain't perfect, but it ain't bad either.

I paint and draw across a huge range of media and styles and subject matter.  I'm not constrained by commercial considerations and complete my art to aid my mental health.

Today's subject is a Masonic First Degree Tracing Board completed in ink and watercolour.  It is an unusual style of First Degree Tracing Board and unless it's a piece of my artwork then you may struggle to find similar online.  It's probably out there somewhere, but I'm yet to find it. This painting and drawing is sized 4 x 6 inches on 250gsm Mixed Media paper.

Masonic First Degree Tracing Board, Roger Bennett 2017, all rights reserved

Remembrance

This one was painted on Remembrance Sunday 2016 with the poem also written on the same day. 

ArtRba Photograph: Remembrance Poem and watercolour painting

The poem is to the right of the painting

(click on the image to open full size if it is cropped on your screen)

The poem 'Remembrance' has six lines, each with three feet.  The artwork was completed using Winsor & Newton Sanguine Red, Smalt Blue and Aqua Green along with Daler-Rowney Cadmium Yellow, all put down on a 16 x 8 inch sheet of Daler Rowney 300gsm Cold Press watercolour paper.  When the watercolour painting was dry, 'Staedtler' Pigment Liners sizes 0.05, 0.3, and 0.7 were used to draw in the trees and hedgerow.  

I offered the Royal British Legion a watercolour and unique poem a year ago now, but alas it appears that my art and poetry on that occasion wasn't good enough.  I mention that, because the Legion never took me up on my offer.  That watercolour painting was much larger than this one, and consisted of two stretcher bearers carrying a casualty with a third soldier thanking them.  The casualty was draped in the Union Jack and each of the three standing figures were from different military periods.    

That poem that accompanied the artwork was titled  'Poppy Fields', and the first stanza went;

Do not forget the fallen of that war,

The one chosen by Kings for Common Man.

Red Poppies falling neatly in line,

As chopping bullets fell without restrain.

Twilight Colours

I'm fortunate enough to now own and enjoy using a significant range of Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour paints.  But one of my favourite colours is a tube of Sanguine Red from their Twilight Colours range. 

Photograph: Winsor & Newton Twilight Colours 

The keen eyed amongst you may have noticed that particular colour popping up in my recent A5 sized Elephant image.  Sanguine red has a real vibrancy to it.  I'm also using half pans in the main, and I know that half pans are semi-moist.  So I expected tubed watercolour paint to dry out and be unusable.  But for some reason that's not the case, and dried paint on the palette re-works when water is added with the brush. 

African Elephant

All framed and ready to gift. Watercolour on 12 x 16 inch Arches rough Block using a variety of mark-making techniques.  The frame was off the shelf at Wilko. 

ArtRba Photograph: Elephant in watercolour 

(Don't forget, if the image is cropped, click on the photo for full size) 

Elephant using various Mark-Making Techniques

Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours on Winsor & Newton Artists' 300gsm acid free A5 size watercolour paper.  Original idea taken from an old edition of 'the artist' magazine' and three tester versions subsequently worked up by yours truly using Derwent Inktense pencil over this Summer. 

ArtRba Photograph: Elephant, Watercolour on watercolour paper 

(Click on the image to open full size)

This is the first time that I've painted this image in watercolour albeit I've put together a similar image with Inktense Pencils over the summer.  But the Inktense ones were more about brilliance of colour, speed of work, and mark-making through pencil strokes.

In terms of Mark-Making this image has:

* Masking fluid lines to preserve the white of the paper

* Masking fluid dots again to preserve the white

* Dry brushing on rough paper to achieve broken edges

* Wet surface and then wet on wet watercolour painting

* Dry surface and then wet on wet watercolour painting 

* Wet to dry and wet over dry watercolour painting

* Brushed lines including some overlayed on the previous line

* Splatter technique using a brush 

This particular painting is intended as a gift for some African friends who live in North America.  As I have four black African friends now living in the USA and Canada, I'm loathe to say which country; as that will spoil the surprise of having the painting land on the carpet or deposited in the post box outside of their home.

I've now sketched out and laid down the masking fluid on another version using 12 x 16 Arches paper.  On that example I've gone for a two tone yellow background using the wet on wet technique applied to a wet surface.  This 'on the go' painting is also a gift.  This time for a Greek friend who's partner is Nigerian.    

Malta and the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year 2016

Well not being part of this years; "Sky Landscape Artist of the Year" (2016) Competition, doesn't stop me whittling up my interpretation of a Maltese landscape.

ArtRba Photograph: Malta, Acrylic on plywood.

(Click on the image if needed to open it up full size)

Whilst this one was finished earlier today and ready to be gifted to a friend; I have several other pieces of art currently on the go. Well, I sort of write 'several', almost tongue in cheek.

There's an A4 ish sized watercolour of Venice, in which I am about 3.5 hours in, when I just had to set it aside and wait until I'm back in that zone.  There's the construction lines for something around A3 size, depicting the Old College and Sky from a close and low viewpoint.  This one will be drawn and painted using Inktense Pencils.  There's another Inktense and Watercolor Image of an African elephant on 14 x 10 paper, but alas like the others this is also unfinished.  There's something around 10 x 8 in watercolour of the Thames and one or two bridges.  Setting this one aside created a problem, as the dried masking fluid tore the expensive paper and damaged the surface.  In the soft pastel range; I have a portrait (yes unfinished) and a landscape which I set aside half way through.  There's also a repaired huge canvas that nothing has been done on, and there's the detailed 'Grand Canal' scene in Inktense that turned from being a 'labour of love' into just labour.  

So 'pushing on' with the Malta image over the last few days has been a rewarding experience.  Using a palette knife can be so liberating.  Better still; the image fits in with some mark making stuff that I've been doing.

Water Color Markers now being used

Well, the pack of Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers have been used for the first time!  Along with a 'Seawhite of Brighton' watercolour postcard.  Both items were combined to make a thank you gift for a good friend of mine who showed me a kindness last Thursday.  

ArtRba Photograph: Winsor & Newton Tin of 12 Watercolor Markers 

If you can't see a particular image properly, click on it to open full size

I bought the 12 x Watercolour Postcard pack when we were recently in Malta. So it was lovely to combine these two new things to create some art.  The Watercolour paper is 350gsm so it's a tad heavier than what I'm used to, and as such, it has different handling qualities.  The thicker paper makes for a better posting process as the artwork should hold up better when travelling through the postal system.  Although I must admit that I address the postcard and write on the back in the usual way, but also pop it inside an envelope to address and stamp that!

Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

Awe what a lovely surprise when I got back from town and found that these Winsor & Newton Watercolor Markers had arrived today!  

Photograph ArtRba: Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

This is really good news on several accounts; as (1) I am really enjoying the original three markers that I already have (and which were gifted to me by the lovely people in Art Shop on Pier Street, Aberystwyth), and (2) we had popped home earlier in the day and they weren't with the post.  

I had forgotten all about the modern thingy of a courier service.  So disheartened, I went back to town; while unknown to me, the delivery chappies continued to work in the background.  

My experience so far; suggests that these Watercolour Markers can't be classed as the perfect water-soluble thing, but they can be classed as the perfect 'something different'.  I've read online that they are Cotman standard, and I would wholeheartedly disagree with that statement.  Don't get me wrong, their not Professional Artist quality Watercolour, but they ain't Cotman either.  Nope, the pigment is to vibrant to reduce them to that level.  

Now I need to find my level with these Watercolour Markers, by trying out some new techniques, trying out some new reference images, and then see how we get on.  They sell these in 6's, as single units, this 12 and I've sen other variations in quantity with and without the relevant Marker Pad.  I'm using different kinds of watercolour paper to see how the product handles and to find out what watercolor support if anything works best for me.

Oh ps they retail these at circa £44 but I sourced this set at £26 including delivery, so shop around!  

Watercolour Paper

Buying watercolour paper can, for the uninformed; be a tad confusing. So this little post is my humble attempt to sort of help you out.

In very broad terms there are three different kinds of watercolour paper.  Yes, we can talk about acid free, and mould free, and cotton, and whatever, which is all very good when you understand the basics and find some stuff that you like.  But for now, let's just keep it simples.  In no particular order of merit nor importance, the types of watercolour paper are;

(Type 1)

COLD PRESSED

CP

NOT

[They all mean the same]

The ideal stuff to paint a landscape or seascape in watercolour paint, or using watercolour pencils.  The 'NOT' stands for 'Not Hot Pressed', so watch out if you're in a class and a particular watercolour paper is recommended. You could mishear what's being said.  

(Type 2)

ROUGH

Great for a nocturnal scene, or a landscape or seascape where you want texture. This may be (but is not restricted to) imaging a rusty old fishing boat in part of the scene. The 'Rough' surface of this Cold Pressed/CP/NOT paper, catches the watercolour pigment when you are 'dry brushing' over a particular area of the paper.  This can also be beneficial when using watercolour pencils.

(Type 3)

HOT

HOT PRESSED

HP

Again they all mean the same thing.  I think that this is dreadful paper for landscaping and seascaping.  The paper simply dries out too fast and leads to cauliflowering. But of course it is great paper for botanical illustration.  The smooth surface of the paper aids the botanical artist to provide detail.  The rapid drying becomes irrelevant, as the artist is working on one area of the sheet, rather than right across the sheet. 

The quality of the manufactured paper can vary greatly between manufacturers.  Some are so badly treated that the surface is more akin to blotting paper, whereas others are a dream to use.  In all instances you can buy these papers; (i) loose, (ii) in a tear out pad, (iii) in a spiral binder, or (iv) with all four sides glued in a block, whereby you slit the edge to remove a dried sheet, in order to expose the next sheet for painting. 

Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers

I've had a stressful few days, so this is the sum total of my artistic dabblings since Tuesday morning.  On the minus side, I feel a tad let down by someone of whom I thought the world of.  Whereas on the plus side, I was delighted by someone of whom I expected nothing.  It's a funny old World.

So I tried to park the stress by using three Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers for the very first time this evening.  The watercolour markers that were used are Winsor & Newton 'Sap Green', 'Phthalo Blue (Red Shade)', and 'Alizarin Crimson Hue'.  Like most professional art products, they're expensive at £3.99 a pop. Although it's worth remembering that because they're watercolours, I don't own three colours, but four.  This is because the white of the paper is the fourth colour. 

Photograph: the markers and the initial drawing

As is often the case with Blogger: click on the photo to see the full image

ArtRba

It's a little Venetian scene, mainly because Venice is my 'theme of the moment', and I guessed that these watercolour products that have sat unused in my bureau drawer for many months; would lend themselves to this watercolour style.  Of course, after obtaining the markers, I went and completed a 'Colour Theory' course with the WEA-YMCA.  So I now know that instead of the green one, I actually needed a yellow. 

Hey ho, my hand will have to dip into my ever deepening pockets, and instead of a bunny, pull out some more dosh. This time, for a fourth Winsor & Newton Watercolour Marker. 

Photograph: the result after water is applied and spread to suit

Don't forget to click on the image!

ArtRba

The water spreading also includes 'on the paper' mixing.  This means that the watercolours get transferred around, blended, lightened, and darkened etc.,  Maybe this on the paper mixing is something that you could try.  Go on, you know that you want to!

Winsor & Newton Artist Quality Field Box

I've just taken delivery of an Artist Quality watercolour 'Field Box' from the Art Shop at No.5 Pier Street, Aberystwyth.  It's a lovely compact little thing, the Field Box that is, not the Art Shop. 

The Art Shop in Aberystwyth is stuffed with lots of lovely things, run by two lovely people, and Brian is uber knowledgeable. Indeed, it's quite scary what he knows.  And that knowledge and friendliness sort of gives the reason why we should shop local and not online.  Oh, and the price was keen as well.

This particular Winsor & Newton watercolour Field Box opens out to reveal 12 Artist Quality half pans, a natural sponge, two integral fold out mixing palettes, and a small pop out water bottle. The Field Box also comes with a small brush that sits in its housing, but when you take it out its in two parts, that push together to make a longer handled brush.  While the end cap for the Field Box doubles up as a water reservoir that clips back onto the main body.  So the watercolourist is self contained, with a compact and reasonably light portable studio. Oh, did I mention that it was nifty? Because this Field Box is nifty, and this watercolorist is well pleased! 

Photograph: Winsor & Newton Watercolour Field Box

(I opened some of the half pans in excitement before pausing to take the photograph)

I made a few alterations and additions to the set up: I've dumped the Chinese White that came with the Field Box and replaced it with Quinacridone Gold. This colour is a particular favourite of mine when painting Venetian scenes.  I've written out my name, and contact details and placed that under the half pans (just in case the Field Box goes missing or is stolen), and I've put together the names and colours on a small piece of card to remind myself what I'm carrying in this kit, compared to my main studio stuff.  With both the contact details and the watercolour palette colours: I cello-taped one side beyond the card, turned it over and done the same underneath, and then trimmed the surplus clear tape to fit. That should help with water spills and seepage when the Field Box is in use.

Although please note that I took the photograph before doing the taping. It's all so exciting, I just got carried away.  Indeed, I even left out the ArtRba bit and just used Roger Bennett!

Seascape imaged

So this is how the seascape (shown in an earlier Blog Post) eventually ended up looking like when using Winsor and Newton professional quality Watercolours applied onto Sennelier Pastel Paper. The watercolor painting is approximatel 25cm high by 63cm long. It's our intention to mount the Artwork using White Mounting Board and to surround that with an Oak Frame ready to hang above the bed in our Guest Bedroom. 

The restricted space between the Dado Rail and the Bedroom Ceiling in that part of the room; is the reason for the deliberate narrowness of the image. Some of the colours were used for the Watercolour to compliment the color of items bought for the room make-over, now that the room has become vacant. 

As usual, I can't put myself under too much pressure when doing these sort of tasks. So the redecorating has already taken many weeks, instead of a day or two.  I've managed to fill the holes, and today I got around to eventually painting the ceiling.  I now have to build myself up to painting the walls.  We are thinking, take tomorrow out and instead do some art at 'MIND Aberystwyth' and go for a coffee, and then see how I feel on Wednesday.  If not Wednesday then Friday might be a DIY Day.  But Wifey understands that Friday could even turn out to be next week or the week after.  But in between all that DIY and pressure sort of stuff, I shall try to complete a Soft Pastel Drawing image of the same scene and using the same type and size of Pastel Paper. But I am enjoying using watercolours and I am already on the look out for some new Kolinsky Sable Art Brushes. I also intend to buy a sheet of watercolor paper, having today been told the difference between 'hot press' and 'cold press' paper.  I want to paint some butterfly's and I'm also keen to paint eight or ten leafs (in two rows, one above the other) without a background. Don't ask me why, because I simply don't know.  But there you have it, this is where the art direction is going at the moment. And before you know it, the art will probably be placed back inside a box (metaphorical not actual) and I shall move onto something else. Which of course is what we do when we need and use such defensive mechanisms.