Wishy-washy whoo hooo.

Would ya look at that? I'm blogging at night. That's weird. Usually, I like to get-my-blog-on in the morning. BUT. I finally got my crack in gear and did the Watercolour Pencil Tiplet. Yes, I sure did.

Short-and-sweet-disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert, a teacher, or an art prodigy when it comes to any of these tiplets or media. I am simply the Goodwill Ambassador for making stuff without fear. Or something like that. I see many, many talented crafters and scrapbookers buying so many off-the-rack papers and textures and all that and I think why aren't they leaving their mark? Sure. Even me - even I buy scrapbook papers because they're so darn pretty. I do. But, I love the way it looks and feels when it's something I made - I left my mark on - totally touched by me. Or you. Or you over there (you know who you are).

So, in the true spirit of CREATING and letting go and being loose - leave your mark. It's beautiful. It's you.

Okay. Go get that dusty set of watercolour pencils and crack 'em open. I will admit to NOT choosing these puppies enough. I find them stiff to work with at first. But, today's the day to reunite and make nice with the WPC. Watercolour Pencils.

Let's get a little wishy-washy. We're starting with a really, really easy one today. It's a smooth and virtually seamless transition from the Pencil Crayon Playgrounds. I'll let you in on the secret of watercolours and watercolour pencils... LET. THEM. DO. THEIR. THING. Relax and open yourself up to the possibility that these little guys sometimes jump ship and just go.

You need a few things to get started here. Watercolour Pencils. Paper; something with a tooth (texture) is best. A nice sketchbook paper is usually good enough - that's what I'm using today. A spraybottle; it doesn't have to be fancy. My bottle is a leftover from hair products and it's PERFECTLY sized to fit in my tickle trunk of stuff.

The Watercolour Pencils.  WCP for short. I use Staedtlers because that's what I have. I have tried a couple of different brands and I don't have a preference. Get the cheap ones. Play. SHARPEN THEM. These guys are a little tougher than Pencil Crayons. But, it's still best to give them a short point. I've tried to leave you a little diagram... this works for pencil crayons, too. A = a steep point and a steep point = breakage and breakage = FRUSTRATION. B = a short point and a short point = less breakage but, more sharpening. Patience is required but you'll quickly prefer this point to the A-style=FRUSTRATION. Still not having any luck? Use an exacto knife and be gentle and careful.

Alright - rip a page out of your sketchbook (you don't have to!) and DRAW SOMETHING. Just like before - it doesn't matter. Doodle some shapes. Draw a pear! I drew a loose and doodley tulip because I thought if I drew another pear you might start to think I can draw nothing else. I started with pencil. Hey, I started with the leftover mini golf pencil, but you don't have to be as technical or classy as me.

Throw down some colours. I felt loose and breezy today. You might feel like being in control or being tight or being crazy - I don't care. Do something. Change it up. I put a thicker layer of colour where I want the colours to be more vibrant. Don't stress yourself out. Think like water.

Spray it. Yes, crack out the water bottle and give it a spritz. The MORE you spray - the MORE the colours will run together. The LESS you spray - the LESS the colours will mingle. It's up to you. I like letting the colours do their thing. I usually just LEAVE it to dry. You can take a paint brush and move the colours around if you want. You can use a tissue to sop it up. You can tilt your paper to make the water run. Try stuff. Personally, I like letting it unfold how it unfolds. It always does something cool and it always does it without mussing from me.

NOTE from COMMENTS: I just let it air dry. You can sop it up with a tissue or move it around with a brush if you want. I don't. I don't because it sucks the colours with it. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way though. Or this way. Or a new way. Just to be clear, I let it air dry completely.

Look at how beautiful that is. I call it letting What's supposed to happen - HAPPEN. Just let the magic happen the way it was intended to. I love the randomness and the way the colours spread and root into eachother. So cool.

This is a scan of the finished product. I couldn't resist giving it a little boost with words. Grow and lift your heart. That's what happened to me in this piece. I totally lifted out of a funky mood. AND, I remembered that Watercolour Pencils are totally fun and totally poignant. A wise man once said - you can't push the river... You can't push WCP either. Just be.

A couple of months back I put out an ALL-CALL for starfish... and I got about 35 starfish photos in less that 24 hours. SO cool. I also did about 5 different preliminary sketches and trial paintings with them and I have come to realize that starfish and me - well, we are not all that compatible. And that's okay. Maybe you remember this post and her super cool starfish candle? Well, I was pretty touched and inspired by her story and the photo she sent me pretty much ransacked my brain. Watercolour pencils seemed like a pretty apropos  combination. Water. Shells. I thought that was cool... Carla - I hope this helps you with your bad mood. ;)

Alright. A late night post... well. I'm meeting Tammy for breakfast at 7am tomorrow morning and I haven't seen her in ages and we haven't had a chance to be the chair each others needs right now. So, tomorrow will be good. I can tell.

Have a beautiful night. Have a beautiful, beautiful day. Go.

Comments

[Debbie Strange]

hi Kal: Just a note to tell you what a great job you did on the Lucky Dog blog! We're impressed with Bonnie's knowledge, and it's wonderful that she now has a vehicle in which to share it. Your own vehicle is, as usual, taking us all on an interesting and colourful journey!

shine on
Debbie

[Gillian]

Kal - thanks for all these wonderful tiplets. How do you find the time? Lovely work, as always. xxx

[sheetal patel]

thanks for the tips! i've never tried a spray bottle with those watercolour pencils--i've always used a brush!

[Angela]

Thanks for your tiplet. I've never been brave enough to try wcp but the time may have come now. I need to run out and get some.

Thanks for your constant inspiration. You rock girl.

[cheryl dyer]

Sweeet!!!! I haven't touched my watercolor pencils in ... um.. yikes.. years I think!!!
I'm inspired to break them out and go for it again! :-)
Cheryld.

[Molly Irwin]

Spritzing! That is what I am missing! I usually try to "blend" with a very small bit of water and brush, but I am not liking the results (ie. my very down non-pictured post from yesterday) I use Faber-Castells and they are great. I also need to stop using cheap paper to "practice" thinking that I'm saving the good stuff for "real" projects. Know what I mean? Thanks so much Kal. You have made my day brighter. And now I am off to tackle that project I started yesterday with more gusto. Cheers! Molly

[misti]

I've never used WCP before but this is fantastic!

[Beth]

Okay, so, question. Do you just let the water completely sit and dry on its own? No tissue?

And..my first art night is this week. Exciting!

[Corey]

Goodness! I just love all these tiplets and your ability to inspire the freedom to let GO. Awesome. I wish I had more time to let go and do some art!
Question about the WCPs---do you just let the water sit until it dries and just let whatever happens happen? Do you smudge the color around at all with your fingers or a brush? Do you blot it?

[mama g]

wow
wow
wow
wish i could do that

[Kasie]

Girl, you are just too cool, lol! Thanks for the tiplets. Now I will have to get out my WCP. (How did you know they were dusty?)
Fun! Fun! Fun!
: ) Smiles!

[Kimberly White]

Love your art and your tiplets. Makes me want to run out and get me some water color pencils. Hmmm ... I do have a 40% off coupon from Michaels .... Hope you are having a beautiful day! Kim
PS. Can you write on the water color after with pen? I've noticed my ZIG writer won't write on regular water color paint. Maybe it's the paint or the pen??? What is your opinion on this???

[Alice Hess]

time to break out my WCP's! Thanks for the tiplet, as always, super inspiring!

[Faye]

There is no doubt whatsoever you are an amazingly clever gifted lady. Thanks so much for sharing all your talent. I had my hand on a sketch book in the weekend and then pulled it away, thinking, what do you think your doing, your not an artist, but you know, I'm still thinking go get that sketch book and give it a go. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Carla]

i think i'm going to cry. that is the sweet!!! I am smiling from ear to ear. thank you so much Kal I do feel better and am honored that you used my picture for inspiration :)

[Janet]

Thanks! I needed that!

[lee]

alright I tried it, I did a tomatoe, I hope you think it looks like one. I played around with mine to get a painterly effect, dont know if I achieved it, but I had fun and goin to try it again. Keep the tipets coming.

http://leekre.blogspot.com/2007/05/does-this-look-like-tomatoe.html

[lee]

here is my watercolour picture, I hope you can tell its a tomatoe. I could not be as loose as I wanted to be, but I am trying.

http://leekre.blogspot.com/2007/05/does-this-look-like-tomatoe.html

[KazT]

Hey Kal thanks for the tiplets, tried it by drawing my favourite Denby cup, and although I think my spritzing was a bit heavy handed I don't hate the result. Have you ever checked our the blog Paris Breakfasts (http://www.parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/), for some interesting combinations of watercolour, paris and food. Worth checking out.
Keep those tiplets coming, they just keep inspiring me . . . KazT

PS. It rained today all day - the first time this year - hopefully a sign of things to come.

[Leigh-Ann]

ahhhhhhh, lol...so THAT's how you use those!
thanks Kal!
LA
PS> will this work on any paper ?

[Diane]

I've been on a computer doing design since I was 16, graced with and "Mom-handling" a digital SLR since I was 33 and have been petrified of what I've felt was fine art. Investing in a set of paints and canvas and brush sets have been FAR TOO much of a scary committment for me. I've walked down that aisle at Michael's more than once. But THIS lil' idea monster tiplet? This ... THIS ... simple watercolour pencil on paper ... THIS I can do. Simple and uncomplicated.

[Maria]

Great, great ideas! You are awesome. Thanks for sharing and inspiring us so much!!! I can't wait to try the water colors now! :)

[Ronda JT]

Oh the possibilities you have brought my way with the spritzing bottle instead of only using the brush to apply water!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Kal!
Can hardly wait to get the time to play!!

[Cami]

Did you watch Mr. Dress Up when you were little? You mentioned a tickle trunk. Just curious! Finnegan was the nicest dog.

[Kathie]

Tickle trunk. Love it. The idea of just reaching for a bunch of stuff together to give my imagination a tickle. I think I like that as much as the tiplet...and I LOVE the tiplet. Spritz. See, came away with a lot. Thanks!