| Author | Message | ||
  Robert |
Interesting topic jefield's post brought up--how do you set up your painting. Here's what I do: I have an old oak business desk with draws along each side. I glued a strip of wood moulding to the front edge and varnished the whole top with 2 coaps of urathane. I use a wood drawing board (16X 24) and masking tape 1/2 sheets to it. I have a very small igloo square, flat top ice chest. Inside of it is a large gardening stone from home depot. I place the ice chest in the center of the desk and recline the board against it. The mopulding prevents the board from slippping off. The ice chest will allow me to place the board anywhere from vertical to 45 degrees. If I want less incline, I remove the chest and use a dictionary. This maysound jerry rigged, but it is the most stable and flexible arrangement I've found. I used to use a cinder black but the ice chest with a gardening block in it is a little lighter and less cumbersome to remove from the table top. On location I usually sit on a rock or something. At figure group I use a watercolor easel of wood made by ansco. | ||
jefields |
I sit when I sketch, but when I paint, standing is the way I feel I work best. And lately, I've been doing some watercolor painting at my easel (as opposed to a mostly flat table top). That's an even less constricting position. | ||
Robert |
I think you can easily step back and get distance, even paint from a greater distance, which helps with seeing the whole instead of the part you are focusing on. Also, brushstrokes are done from the shoulder when standing and from the wrist seated--less expressive. | ||
John Preston |
Same here...or rather I should say it deteriorates when I sit. Then again I learned standing and may just be unable to break the habit. | ||
Robert |
I've noticed my work seems to improve when I stand. Any one else have such an experience? | ||
Dan |
I absolutely hate to stand for anything. I'm very lazy though....comes from standing all day on the "job". I would not like to do art work standing...ever. Relaxing and enjoying my paints means sitting for me. | ||
Dake |
Stand when working on a major painting. Sit when doing excersizes which means I'm too tired to stand therefore too tired to work on an important painting. | ||
Victoria |
I started out sitting in a chair in front of my table. About 8 or 9 months ago I acquired a tall stool and tried it out with the table. The stool is just about level with the top of the table and so gives me a new vantage point and a longer reach with my brush. I like it. Next I will try the table top easel (if I ever find the time to get back to painting) that I bought for Christmas and try different angles with that. Victoria | ||
midnight_baseball |
when i started out a little over a year ago, i sat and rendered tight little paintings. when i asked how i could loosen up, i was told to stand - it worked. i almost always stand now, but sometimes i paint squatting, with the painting on the floor (in front of me ;) | ||
George |
Lots of variables on this one! 1. Age of the artist! 2. Health of the artist! 3. Size of the paper! 4. Style of artwork!(impressionist or realistic) 5. Location! (studio or plein air) | ||
greg |
I almost always stand. I have my table pitched and very high so I don't have to bend or lean too much. I am used to standing for oil paintings. | ||
Eugene |
It probaply depends on how you learned. I startred watercolor outdoors, sittig on a low stool and holding the board on my lap and the palette on the ground. Tilting and turning the board as i painted. I still sit, now in the studio-- but not on a low stool. I don't use an easel because my technique requires that I often turn the board upside down and sideways. | ||
Howard |
I paint sitting. I find it more comfortable. However, in an Advanced Watercolor class I'm currently taking, almost everyone else, including the instructor, stands. Howard | ||
marie |
I usually sit, largely out of laziness. I don't recommend it. My work tends to be better when I stand. I do, however, keep the paper close to vertical, especially when I'm drawing. | ||
Eric |
Just curious whether you stand or sit when painting watercolors? When I'm drawing the subject onto the paper, I usually sit, but once I start painting I always stand. Watercolor painting is relatively "action-packed" and takes so much concentration, I can't even imagine sitting. |
