Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Two step: shadows on ink and then watercolor!

Today I learned something. I followed Robert Muts tip and solved something I had no idea how to do: How to place shadows in a watercolor piece without muddling the color when it mixes with the darker hue. .
Possibly there are many more sophisticated ways, but this one works wonders for my needs. Instead of adding darker watercolor over a brighter one -or the opposite- Robert suggested I paint the shadows with ink, and then watercolor over it. 
As the ink is fixed, it does not melt, and the watercolor over it is perfectly saturated. 
Of course this is a crude example I did as a test, and don't ask me what this is. It's just a thing full of angles and shadows.
Also I drew -and painted- it twice, one with china ink and the other with Noodler's black Bulletproof. I don't see much difference. 
This two step is before and after coloring, quite obviously....
Then I made a real sketch. I always wanted to paint the night, and had no idea how to do it. His method does wonders. First shadows in ink and THEN watercolor. 
This a photo I took on Bologna last year. I always wished to draw an image like that.  That's how to do it.  Thanks, man. 
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Esta es una idea de Robert Muts para que no se empasten las sombras en acuarela. Primero, dar sombras en tinta china, y despues colorear encima en acuarela. 
Los colores no se mezclan, ya que la tinta esta fija. Una maravilla.
Hice dos pruebas, en tinta y china y Noodlers, ambas diluidas en agua. no veo diferencia...
Despues hice un dibujo en serio, sobre una foto de Bologna del año pasado.. 
Siempre quise dibujar "la noche", y ahora siento que encontre el metodo. 

Monday, June 10, 2013

Italia 6º Set 2012. 17x24, Pen & Watercolor

01.9 2 Marzabotto
Last september in Italy my trip begun in Marzabotto, a very nice and small 'paese' on the way to Bologna.  I stayed there two days, and after that had to endure a very heavy rain in my van for days, and could go nowhere. But luckily I had the chance -before getting wet- to make a couple sketchyes.
This is one. The only thing I can say is that the town had one street and four blocks, that the owner of this farm was very nice (and talkative!), and that the beer in the nearby café was excellent.
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En septiembre pasado en Italia mi viaje empezo en Marzabotto, un 'paese' pequeño y muy agradable, camino a Bologna.
Me quede dos dias, tras los que tuve que soportar una lluvia torrencial dentro de mi camioncito por dias y sin poder ir a ninguna parte. Por suerte tuve la oportunidad -antes de mojarme- de hacer un par de dibujos.
Este es uno. Lo unico que podria decir de este lugar es que el pueblo tenia una calle y cuatro manzanas, que el dueño de esta granja era muy amable (y charleta!) y que la cerveza en el café vecino era excelente.

01.9 2 Marzabotto
This is the second drawing I did that day in Marzabotto. What to say?
My 'in-depth analysis':  I tried to draw everything in ink, and the stones in pencil. It came out right. That's it.
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Este es el segundo dibujo que hice en Marzabotto. Que puedo decir?
Mi 'analisis profundo: Hice la prueba de dibujar todo en tinta y las piedras en lapiz. Quedo lindo.


9.9.12 Bar Oberdan
Via Guglielmo Oberdan, 11, Bologna, Province of Bologna.
No sagas sung yet about this humble bar.  No Renaissance chroniques mention it,  no great heros slept on its upper rooms, no Christmas Big Lottery ticket winner was sold there.
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Nadie canto sagas sobre este humilde bar. No es mencionado en cronica alguna del Renacimiento, ningun heroe durmio en las habitaciones superiores y nunca se vendio alli el billete ganador de la Gran Loteria de Navidad.

14.9 2 Firenze, calle y farol
A small alley in Firenze. What to say about this?  Well, sitting in a quiet lonely 'Feng-Shui correct' room to think must be a challenge if you live here.
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Una callecita de Florencia. Que decir?. Hmmm…sentarse en una habitacion tranquila , silenciosa y que reciba energia positiva con una buena orientacion Feng Shui debe ser todo un desafio si uno vive aqui…

16.9 Palazzo Della Signoria, Firenze
The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany.
Overlooking the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi, it is one of the most significant public places in Italy.
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El Palazzo Vecchio alberga a la Municipalidad de Florencia. Esta masiva fortaleza romanica es uno de los edificios publicos mas importantes de la Toscana.
Sobrevuela la plaza della Signoria -con su copia del David de Miguel Angel y la galeria de estatuas en la adyacente Logia dei Lanzi- coronando uno de los espacios publicos mas importantes de Italia.

San Gimignano 20.9
There are a myriad walkways on the heights of the city. It's a small town, so no Cable TV. This was a very grey day, it rained on and off.... I don't know if the place was not well chosen, or I did a sloppy job, but I was never too happy about it.
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Hay ahi una serie de terrazas y pasajes, es un lugar muy escarpado. Estaba en un caminito que miraba por sobre los techos. Lo curioso es que esta tan lejos y escarpado que no hay TV por cable, esta lleno de antenas.

Nunca estuve muy contento, no se si es el lugar que no daba para mas. Y estaba gris, asi que no habia sombras ni nada de nada.