Western Summer - Original Watercolor Painting

This painting has been done with a wide landscape-type aspect ratio... cattle graze on a ranch out west.

If you'd like to purchase this 7.5" x 22" original watercolor painting for $225 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Artist Tip #4 - Understanding Cast Shadows (Part 1)

Shadows can make or break a painting of any representational subject - landscape, still life, or portrait.  Some artists don't hold clearly in their mind the basics of how shadows look and how they best "work" in a painting.  There are two different types of shadows: form shadows and cast shadows.  Form shadows are the lightness or darkness on a 3-dimensional form caused by the uneven lighting received by various areas on that form.  Cast shadows are basically different - they are shadows on one form caused by another form blocking the light.

In this tip, I'll discuss how to handle the value (darkness) of shadows.  In the next tip, I'll explain more, including the direction and style of shadows that I've found work best in my paintings.

Most artists understand that the most important element in any painting is not color or texture, but value.  So if we want our cast shadows to look convincing, we need to understand the value difference on a form between the lit part and the part in shadow.  On an overcast day with weak and diffused lighting, any cast shadow (if there is any at all) will be only slightly darker than the weakly-lit form it is cast upon.  But to give an impression of strong sunlight, there is a rule-of-thumb that I learned from artist Jan Kunz on how dark to make a cast shadow:  the shadow area should be at least 4 values darker than the sunlit surface.  This assumes a value scale of 10 values, grading evenly from white to black.  If you are not familiar with the value scale, you may want to make your own, or purchase one from an art supplier.  I've shown a few value scales above.  Then, by holding the scale next to your painting and squinting, you'll be able to tell the actual value of a particular shape.  Dark shadows can really cause a painting to "pop".

Another important point to keep in mind is that objects already in shadow don't cast an additional shadow.  Since the light on the object has already been blocked, there is no significant light left for the object to block further.  So if you place a figure in shadow, it won't cast an additional shadow, as you can see in the attached painting example.  Painting a shadow-in-shadow is an error that can make a representational painting look rather odd.

Lobstermen at Work - Original Watercolor Painting

Two lobstermen prepare for the day's work on a dock at Spruce Head Island, Maine.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Artist Tip #3 - Recovering White Paper

Since watercolor is a transparent medium, it is difficult to place white or light values in an area already covered with dark paint.  The best method to "save" a white area is to simply paint around it.  Another method is to mask the white area with liquid masking medium or tape to "protect" it from dark paint.  Very small white highlights can be painted with white gouache (an opaque watercolor).  These methods all work, and have pros and cons.  But it's the rare watercolor artist who hasn't occasionally realized the need for a white or light area after the mid- and dark-values have been painted.

One method to recover the white paper is to use a common household cleaning product - Original Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  This is a white foam pad, available in many grocery and hardware stores, intended for household cleaning chores.  It is also great at removing watercolor paint.  This "original" type contains no chemicals, and works through the physical design of the pad.  Other "enhanced" versions do contain chemicals, and should not be used on watercolor paintings.

A piece of Magic Eraser is shown in the accompanying photo, which also shows the steps to be followed.  After the paint is completely dry (1), mask around the area to be "cleaned" with masking tape, making sure that the tape edges are snug against the paper (2).  Next, dip the Magic Eraser in water and squeeze it out so it is damp.  Then gently rub over the area to be whitened.  The small bits that you'll find are not pieces of your paper, but pieces of the pad.  Dry the area.  If it's not white enough, repeat the process until you are satisfied.  Then simply remove the tape, and you have your "recovered" white paper, which can be painted over without problems (3).

I find this method especially useful for creating white sailboat masts against an already painted background.  I feel that painting around white areas is the best approach, but this method is very useful when I realize that I need a white area after most of the painting has been completed.  I recommend that this be used mainly for small areas, but it is possible to use it for large areas as well.  You may want to watch this video which shows how I used it to modify a very large area of a painting:

Wales Mud Flats - Original Watercolor Painting

Vast mud flats appear at low tide in most inlets along the northern Wales coast. Many of the boats at anchor simply rest upon the mud when the sea is out. Most sailboats in the area have double keels to keep them from falling over, and seamen must plan their arrivals and departures to avoid low tide.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Artist Tip #2 - Flattening a Finished Watercolor Painting

Watercolor paper expands when wet and shrinks when dry, and often not uniformly.  Most watercolor painters struggle with the resulting ripples in completed paintings.  We've all seen a rippled painting framed, and not looking very good because of the gaps between the rippled paper and the flat mat.  A ripple along the top edge is particularly bad, as the overhead light casts a shadow from the mat, leaving a scalloped dark pattern at the top of the painting.  So... how does one flatten a finished painting?  If our paintings are professionally framed, the framer may have a large flat iron to flatten them.  But if we're doing our own framing, we need an approach that doesn't require large and expensive equipment.

I've tried a number of approaches, including:

1. Dry-ironing the painting on a hard, flat surface.
2. Steam-ironing the painting on a hard, flat surface.
3. Dampening the back of the painting and pressing it flat under a board and weights.

Approach 1, dry-ironing the painting, is quick and works somewhat.  If the paper is badly wrinkled, it's difficult to get the larger ripples out.  And although an ironed painting is "locally flat",  it tends to curl toward the iron at the edges, though this may not cause a big problem once it is held in place by a mat.

Approach 2 can lead to disaster (listen to the voice of experience).  The steam can push through the painting and deposit some of the paint on the flat surface, smudging the painting when the paper inevitably moves while ironing.  I do not recommend this approach at all!

Approach 3 works best for me.  A fellow artist, Marlene Gremillion, told me about it.  I very lightly mist the back of the painting I want to flatten, being careful to not get it too wet.  I then put it face down on a hard flat surface, and put a rigid board on top of it.  I then put some heavy weights on top of the board.  Often, I make a sandwich of painting, board, painting, board, etc. before putting on the weights, and flatten several paintings at once.  After about 3 days, the dampness is gone, and the paintings are flat.  I've included a photo of this setup in my studio.

So, if I must flatten a painting and I need to frame it right away, I've found dry-ironing it is a decent approach.  But if I have a few days, misting the back and pressing it flat works best for me by far.

You can automatically get a link to these tips twice a month by signing up for my email newsletter Here.

Valley Dreams - Original Watercolor Painting

This painting was inspired when I saw the beautiful Tywy valley in Wales. I hope it draws you in, as it does me, and makes you yearn to explore this charming valley of river and farms.

If you'd like to purchase this 7.5" x 22" original watercolor painting for $225 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Artist Tip #1 - Preparing Watercolor Paper for Painting

There are many methods of preparing watercolor paper prior to beginning to paint, including:

1. Tape the dry paper to a board and paint.
2. Soak and then staple the wet paper to a board and let dry, then paint.
3. Soak and then tape wet paper to a board and let dry, then paint.
4. Soak on a board, sponge off, and then start to paint on wet paper.
5. Soak on a board, dry the surface with a sponge and a towel, then paint.

Most watercolor painters prefer a flat, dry surface to work on.  Since the paper expands when wet, and shrinks when dry, method 1 usually results in paper with "waves" once wet watercolor is applied.  Some artists don't mind this, but for those who do, methods 2 - 5 address this problem.

Methods 2 and 3 are called "stretching the paper".  Method 2 is very robust, but requires a sturdy board and lots of heavy-duty staples.  Method 3 is simpler, but I've never been able to get the tape to stick adequately to hold the drying paper taut.  A problem with both these methods is that one must wait quite a long time for the paper to dry, so the paper has to be prepared beforehand.  Method 4 is very simple, but only suitable for people who like to paint very wet-on-wet, and it can take a long time for the paper surface to become dry enough to hold hard edges.

I prefer method 5.  I first put my paper (with the drawing completed) face down on my watercolor board (I prefer Gatorboard, which is light, rigid, and waterproof) and soak it with a sponge.  After a few minutes, I turn it face up and soak it again.  After another few minutes, I sponge off the excess water with a sponge, and then pat the surface dry with a regular bath towel.  This leaves me with the paper wet internally and on the back surface, and sticking to the board with no tape or staples, but with a dry enough painting surface to hold hard edges.  Another advantage of painting on "damp" paper is that I find it easier to get smooth washes without dry areas and blooms.

Before the paper begins to dry and lift from the board, usually after 15 to 30 minutes, I apply 4 bulldog clips to hold the paper flat while I complete the painting.

Choosing a paper-prep method is an individual thing, and not all watercolor artists proceed in the same way, but if you If you have never tried this method, I encourage you to do so.  I'd be happy to answer any questions posted as comments here, or you can contact me at jim@jimoberst.com.

Farmland - Original Watercolor Painting

In many areas of America, small farms like this dot the countryside. This fertile, flat land is one of our most important resources.

If you'd like to purchase this 7.5" x 22" original watercolor painting for $225 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

On the Farm - Original Watercolor Painting

This farm scene was inspired by a barn in Paron, Arkansas.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

The Road to Tywyn - Original Watercolor Painting

The trip down the Welsh coast from the north to Tywyn is very beautiful. This shows the road curving through the green Welsh countryside, with distant hills to the east.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

In for Repair - Original Watercolor Painting

This is a tug in dry dock that I photographed a few summers ago in Rockland, Maine. Tony van Hasselt put me on to it. I like painting the shape of boats, and here I particularly like the sunlight and shadows playing on the side of the tug.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

The Tywy Valley - Original Watercolor Painting

This is a view of the Tywy valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales, from an overlook at Dinefwr castle, near Llandeilo. On this day the distant hills were shrouded in mist.

If you'd like to purchase this 9" x 15" original watercolor painting for $175 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Fresh as Spring - Original Watercolor Painting

Flowers like these reflect the beauty of nature.

If you'd like to purchase this 15" x 11" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Muskeg Sunset - Original Watercolor Painting

The dark silhouette of shoreline and trees provides a stark contrast to the glowing sunset over the water.

If you'd like to purchase this 15" x 22" original watercolor painting for $250 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique, original painting to your collection!

Rough Seas - Original Watercolor Painting

Rough seas and stormy skies make for a strenuous and exciting day of sailing.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique, original painting to your collection!

At Anchor - Original Watercolor Painting

Two ships lie at anchor far out in the harbor as evening approaches.

If you'd like to purchase this 11" x 15" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique, original painting to your collection!

Summer on the Farm - Original Watercolor Painting

The shade under these trees looks inviting on a hot summer day.

If you'd like to purchase this 15" x 22" original watercolor painting for $275 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Florida Canal - Original Watercolor Painting

Southwest Florida is riddled with canals, so folks can have direct access to the Gulf of Mexico from a dock behind their house. The foliage is lush, and the weather is usually sunny. This beautiful scene is from Goodland, Florida, just southeast of Naples.

If you'd like to purchase this 15" x 11" original watercolor painting for $200 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!

Becalmed - Original Watercolor Painting

It's a dead afternoon at this backwoods marina.

If you'd like to purchase this 15" x 22" original watercolor painting for $300 including shipping within the United States, you can do it securely on my website www.jimoberst.com. There are additional paintings for sale there, and my smaller paintings are available on my other website www.weeklywatercolor.com.  Add a unique original painting to your collection!