| Author | Message | ||
  drollere |
suzy i had a fabulous time painting in italy several years ago, and the sketchbook will be the kernel of many fun stories for you. (what is the emoticon for envy?) be sure you snag a maimeri t shirt while you are there. | ||
Suzy Toronto |
Drollere, you are so funny. I'm going to Italy in May and I think that I will do as you suggest to Darlene and buy mameriblu in Italy just so I can rant and rave and wave my hands around in the air while speaking my broken Italian. If they sneer at me I'll tell them you told me to do it! It will be good fun! I love the Italian people. | ||
drollere |
when you say "travel set has 18 spots" then i assume you are looking for pan watercolors, not tubes. if i were you, i would wait until i got to italy, then i'd go to an italian art store, wave my hands around with the rest of the italians, and buy the maimeri little half pans. they come in separate packages, like marker pens in a drug store, and all their paints are well made, with one or two exceptions. every art store in italy will have them, and they make an apt souvenir. the main reason is this: the maimeri pans are rather soft, which means they dissolve quickly in the field. winsor & newton makes great paints, but you will understand the problem after you try to use their burnt umber or cobalt blue pan paints in the field. "what happened to my brush!?" the grumbacher paints are not worth buying, and i should mention that grumbacher agrees with me -- because they've stopped making them. 18 paints is *a lot* of paints. for an overview of a recommended 12 paint palette, see http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/palette5.html. any paints you add beyond 12 are, i think, icing on the cake. i agree with the suggestions to take (or buy there) a few graphite, sanguine (red iron oxide) and charcoal pencils for sketching, but test them with your paints first. some pencils will hold pretty well, but many will smear after the first touch of water. (i agree with robert, the wolff -- note spelling -- carbon pencils are very good.) i would completely avoid colored pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons and the like. (a) you have to carry many different colors to get decent results, and (b) many colors are not permanent. then there's the sketchbook. make sure the paper is archival, fairly heavy, and lightly sized. (heavy sizing will cause your paints to puddle and dry slowly, and the sizing will dissolve under your pencil marks, causing smearing.) be wary of hot pressed (eggshell smooth) paper, as it is also usually less absorbent (takes longer to dry). i like the plastic ring binder sketchbooks, as you can remove a sheet that is disastrous or stained by your ravioli lunch. new york central art supply (search google) sells a cloth bound sketchbook of arches text laid paper; call their paper department for info. pricey, but it will last forever (your grandchildren will love it!) and the paper, though somewhat light, is marvelous for field sketching. (david dewey uses them.) finally, if the task of field sketching is new to you, buy two sketchbooks, and practice sketching in the field before you go on your trip. if there are any kinks in your equipment or expectations, better to find out before you go. | ||
jdaneman |
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/081184143X/knitsnbytes Another generally good book on color, even includes color mixing for embroidery. That's interesting. | ||
jdaneman |
On second thought, I have NO idea why this book is so pricey--I have a copy in German, that's where I picked mine up, and I notice the German ones on ABE are cheap enough. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/1581800266/knitsnbytes The colored pencil solution book is not just a palette sampler, but has good information on mixing colors with pencils and such. | ||
jdaneman |
I personally rarely use colored pencils or water soluable crayons. I have some water soluable ones like Caran D'ache from Japan, and I notice that CJ's sells a brush with a water reservoir. This brush is like a plastic tube with bristles at the end. If you are going to venture into water crayons, this is very nice to carry with. You can fill it up and use it to blend the crayons out. Personally, I agree with Robert-the colors can be garish, but there is a useful little palette books that shows how to blend color pencils to get proper shading. When you use these suggestions for layering pencils, you get much better color. Link to the book on blending color pencils http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0891345493/knitsnbytes | ||
Robert |
One thing about caran d'ache watersoluble crayons--they do not lend themselves to realistic coloration, but to bright, whimsical, sketchy effects. | ||
Darlene |
Thanks to all for a wealth of information. The thoughts on the journals, crayons, pouches, and palette are so helpful. What quick responses and such lovely sketchbook images shared! | ||
Robert |
Also http://www.dickblick.com/zz101/26/products.asp?param=0&ig_id=5176 http://www.dickblick.com/zz101/23/products.asp?param=0&ig_id=748 These are the field watercolor journal that work best with the caran d'ache crayons. They do better on the cheaper watercolor paper, especially the Montval. The Strahmore has sketch paper with it which makes it attractive--these can be found at Michael's stores. | ||
Robert |
FYI: (apologies for the lack of proofreading earlier) Here's the closest eagle creek pouch--They must not make the 10x7 any more. This is 91/2 x 12 1/2 so would do nicely: http://www.eaglecreek.com/40241.html Here are the caran d' ache sets http://www.cheapjoes.com/catalog/products.asp?id=684&pid=69&ppid=3 | ||
Robert |
I have found the following to be a great travel kit: 1 wolfe carbon pencil 4B--absolutely the friendlist sketching pencil I've ever used. 1 set of 40 caran D'Ache Water Soluble Crayons 1 Robert Simmons #7 white sable round (for "painting" the crayon drawing) 1 10 X 7 watercolor field journal--strathmore-- has alternating drawing paper and watercolor paper so you can make a sketch then a painting of the sketch. The watercolor crayons are used like crayons but then are brushed out with a wet brush to paint the scene you've already colored in. Great effect, I've used them with much success. I also bring a watercolor palette (one of the small cheap plasic folding ones with the palette listed earlier) and a block of lanaquarelle 10X7 cold press for watercolor painting, and a #14 Robert simmons white sable round and a 1/2" grumbacher aquarelle sabeline flat plus a detail brush of some sort. I have an eagle creek travel bag that will just for a 10X 7 block (but only the lanaquarelle--arches blocks won't fit!!)and the set of 40 carand'ache crayons (and the other gear). It is about 101/2X 71/2 in size, goes over the shoulder and has a spot for a waterbottle and camera. Also pouches for brushes etc. I got it at REI for about $50. It's is great. It was probably intdned to be a passport/camera bag. Best wisehs and happy painting. | ||
Robert |
It is a very useful palette--but I have recently made some brand changes based upon comparison testing: Corrections and updates of my palette-- Cadmium Yellow Lemon Holbein replaces Maimeriblu Permanent yellow lemon (more natural greens, better handling) Holbein Cad. Yellow light replacing w/n Cad. yellow--less strident--more transparent. Maimeriblu Raw Umber, not Grumbacher add W/N quinacridone Gold (or Maimeriblu Golden Lake) for a transparent intense orange mixer. | ||
ben bentvelzen |
Bring a Sanguine pencil (for the softness and warmth it gives to a drawing) Sanquine is red iron oxide. You can scetch for a watercolor painting, or make an entire drawing with only one crayon. Colors? bring the few paints you are used to. For a scetchbook, I would add a dark neutral paint (ivory black) scetchbook journal from Italy: http://acatte.club.fr/peinture_Stromboli3.htm | ||
jdaneman |
I think this is Robert's Palette, but it strikes me that it would work as a good basic palette for anyone traveling. Maimeriblu Perm. Yellow Lemon (same as Winsor Lemon) W/N Cad. Yellow w/N Cad. Orange W/N Cad. Scarlet Van Gogh Perm Red Violet ( a PV19 magenta) Grumb. Academy Ultramarine (granulates ) USE GRUM Maimeriblu Cobalt light USE DS Maimeriblu Cerulean Van Gogh Pthalo Blue (like the old Winsor Blue) USE DS Grum. Thalo Green (or viridian) W/N Sap Green USE DS Earths--all Maimeriblu: Raw sienna USE GRUM burnt sienna venetian red MAIMERI raw umber USE GRUMBACHER burnt umber MAIMERI ivory black (I don't use ivory black, I use paynes gray, but that's just me.) | ||
Darlene |
I am traveling to Italy in May and plan to keep a sketchbbok journal. I was hoping for suggestions on essential colors to take as I have limited room. My travel set has eighteen spots. As this is my first time I am not certain what colors might be particularly useful.The itinerary includes Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, and Tuscany. |
