My Perfect Sketches

I wanted to embark on a pan-America painting trip. You know - build my own camper van, live on electricity generated from solar panels, and most importantly - staying a little off the grid to paint my heart out. Though I previously lived in America for close to a decade, this dream was never fulfilled and it is becoming more distant as time goes by.

Recently, I decided to take action and contacted corporations, art foundations and various other organizations for sponsorship. Unfortunately, none of the companies that I contacted could envision the potential of my trip, and all declined to offer assistance.

At the brink of giving up, my collaborator from a previous project, Bynd Artisan, sent me a prototype of the finest watercolor sketchbook that I have designed. I thought about doing what I can with what I have, and decided to paint the places that I could have visited and painted if I could have gone on this dream road trip.



Every Artist has within them a desire to fill their sketchbook with only perfect sketches.
These are my Perfect Sketches.

It took me more than a month to complete this entire sketchbook.

Watching Alvaro Castagnet paint Cadeques (spain)

Notes from Alvaro Castagne Painting in Spain:


Brushes:
Alvaro actually has his own brand of brushes. (Squirrel and Kolinsky)
He also uses this signature rigger. You can find his brushes here:
http://www.alvarocastagnet.net/products/brushes/

Paper:
He uses Arches and Saunders paper and is a fan of rough surface.

Staple Colors:
Ultramarine blue

CobaltCerulean(coolest)
Alz Crimson

Cad red light
Burn Sienna
Yellow Orche

Extra:
Turquoise( Special washes)

Important Notes and Tips:

1. He uses the layering approach of Tea, Milk, Honey. ( wait for the layers to dry)
2. Plans your complementary colors into your washes.
3. Simplify things, study the warm and cool relationship instead of matching chroma
4. Design your focus and stick with it
5. Unify your shadow shapes and connect them.
6. Painting is an illusion, exercise your imagination . Don't try to paint everything
7. Dramatize light to create mood
8. watercolor medium is about spontaneity ,simplicity and negative shapes
9. Don't get bug down with details. Skip them if you have to.

loading the Tea layer by planning for your complementary. Leave whites for high light

Tilting your board to stop the over flow of washes

Unify your shadows and paint your focus. Break up chunks of solid colors to create interest

Another example of the base layer (Tea layer)

An example of tea layer. Connecting shape shapes while keeping in mind warm and cool relationships

Thicken the honey layer to intensify the focus and contrast. Use dry brush strokes on figure to suggest movements

Completed piece by Alvaro