Watercolor in practice

My over-arcing intention has been working, or learning, rather, in watercolor. Between selling, filling pans for gift palettes (my nieces), and guided practice, it's been a welcome time away.

There are a few things I'm focused upon, the greatest fortunately being the work itself, but also materials...always materials.

It began with the paint, by purchase of a limited set of MaimeriBlu tubes and sampler of the full range. I've been down the Daniel Smith route, curating my palette without the knowledge to do so properly. I'm trying to actively learn more about the pigments, which ones are toxic or harmful, which are lightast. I may return to DS in the future. As of the present, it would be for something intended for a specific purpose or effect.

I can only find a lightfastness claim with MaimeriBlu, but no evidence of manufacturer or independent testing to confirm the updated range is truly lightfast, or to what varying degrees it may be. So, i have swarched the full range from the sampler (as well as for every watercolor I own) to do my own lighfastness testing. The swatches are cut in half to have 2 sets: one exposed to light, the control preserved in the dark. I'll be recording it at 6 month intervals spanning two years. For art and observational science!

As I'm doing my guided exersize, I am exploring brushes in 3 sections, maybe 4. Papers are also being tested, with their various preparations and how they accept application. It is my good fortune that some of my collected tools enable me to do this.

Water brushes are what I have the most experience with, but I am also working with my curated set, referred as the "cup brushes," for how they're stored. These are stiffer and a bit more snappy, probably biased toward acrylic techniques (an area of greater familiarity and a likely bias). Most recently, I've procured a set of professional quality travel rounds that are soft, the thirstiest Ive ever used. I also have my "kids brush" set kkept for my nieces and nephew to use. The plan is to go back and use these once I have better control to see what capacity they have.

As for paper, I'm still in lightweight (90-110lb) wood pulp "drugstore" papers, though nearing the end of what's on hand. Soon, I'll be moving into the 140lb weight. The closest to this, in the past, has been a paper the same weight, but for acrylic use. After that, I have collected various cotton papers to work with and have hopes for.

I'm in the taping stages, working from tear-off paper pads. After cutting or folding/tearing to size, I've gone through all of my washi tape and a type of painters tape few people care for, but its what was had. Conclusion: eh. Ive found a paper tape locally and various artist tape to fiddle with. Time will tell.

I'm also trying a watercolor journal and will be trying blocks (glue bound on multiple sides). My travel option will likely be between these two but intend to try traditional stretching once boards can be prepared.  Right now, the humidity and weather is nuts. The only workspace for making things like this is outdoors because my home is so small, so waiting is necessary, another perk of exposing myself to various methods and materials. Not a choice of either/or, but adapting to solmething else that works when a preferred method cannot.

I'm not at the point where I can really share or talk about my work. By definition, it is not mine. It iis study. Everything up to now is essential exersizes or a guided project, all of which will lead me to better control the water in my brush head and on the paper. I'm finding some internal conflict with some of the end product, wanting to express my own interpretation, but it's most important to use these projects to develop skill in the demonstrated technique, so that I may go out and later interpret these subjects and be successful.

It's just early days full of trial and error, and I can share my work when it is truly my own.