Is anyone good at water colours and can advise??

It's worth pointing out that watercolour pencils can vary greatly in how they perform. This very long video but very comprehensive test of 26 brands is definitely worth a look:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y44Dfwj7Lgw

I get good results with Fabre-Castell water colour pencils. And never be without Payne’s Grey in your paintbox!

Thats very good Antonia. Perhaps I'll have a look at the course.

I learnt a lot on painting holidays with the artist Frank Halliday. He is currently doing demos on Fb.

He taught us to buy the best paint we could afford and leave the ‘student paints’ on the shelf. He never uses ready mixed greens or black.

I have never come across the flaking you describe.

Water colour pencils are also useful for detailing on water colour paintings.

The advice to buy heavy weight paper is good, as is the stretching, although a good quality heavy paper does not need it. I have never heard of masking tape being discouraged. It leaves a lovely border around the paper. It is also useful for long straight lines, like horizons. Don’t leave it too long though.

SAA as mentioned, is useful. Their catalogue is a treasure chest of paints and accessories and the magazine contains a wealth of useful lessons.

I wondered if the paper shredding is to do with the brushes you are using? Just a thought.

Good luck and enjoy. It is a wonderful hobby!

Thank you Nadateturbe I posted it to show that anyone can do it by following the course - I'm not good at art, or a natural artist. I've left the course now but may rejoin as I'm running out of things to do. Except for watching Netflix every day.

I've never heard about not using masking tape. What else would you use?

I'm pants at getting washes right but usually end up with something interesting. Have you tried cling film over washes? Stretched or scrumpled and left to dry? Then there's salt and candle wax....

I've never heard about not using masking tape. What else would you use?
There is apparently an artists' tape, I'd never heard of it until I just looked online.
Probably not much different from masking tape but more expensive.

I never had a problem with masking tape.

Artist suppliers sell a brown gummed paper tape you have to wet. Frankly it’s awful. Masking tape is better. But don’t use cheap asking tape or it pulls away as the paper dries.

Regarding water colour pencils, I would certainly recommend Caran d'ache, they are expensive, but worth it.

Greyduster

Artist suppliers sell a brown gummed paper tape you have to wet. Frankly it’s awful. Masking tape is better. But don’t use cheap asking tape or it pulls away as the paper dries.

I agree.

Yes, I remember, someone gave me some gummed tape to try and it was awful

Any more of you wiling to share a pic of your work? That rose was lovely.

Antonia - that rose is brilliant!!!! Just love all the help I am getting on here. I did a small landscape this afternoon, which I am going to frame in a mount intended for 3 photos - it looks quite interesting and I will give it to a friend for Christmas - possibly!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202012/medium-773008-50e0d2b1-061d-4fb7-a19c-318eed663748.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202012/medium-902214-1fa244f1-8584-499d-80ed-8f288c7eed57.jpeg

I have a couple hanging; the rest are in the deep dark recesses of the loft! The one with two fishing boats is of Dunwich Beach in Suffolk, without the dome of Sizewell Power Station on the headland (artistic license!); the other is a boat yard on a misty River Esk in Whitby. It was probably the only time I heeded the lesson “less is more”. I like boats but I don’t paint them that well. Sorry about the reflections. I can’t paint flowers but admire those who can, Antonia.

Greyduster they are superb. Especially the Whitby one.
Well done you.

They are excellent Greyduster

Greyduster - Yes, I just love those paintings, very well done indeed. I have a lot to aspire to.....

Yes but you didn’t see all the ones I chucked in the bin!!

cling film, salt, candle wax - oh goodness! This is getting very interesting indeed - I am going to try the cling film tomorrow and see what happens.....

Greyduster you are so talented! These are beautiful.

Greyduster
They really are very, very good
(And I'm a very harsh critic.
Last week I got chased off a thread about Banksy; I pointed out that he couldn't draw for toffee.
Apparently 'art is art', .
Well that told me!)

I would paint with water colours if I were not so lazy about stretching the paper.

I like wet on wet, and then when dry put in the details with a liner brush or pen.

It’s surprising how your tastes change though. The sort of conventional landscapes that hang in our home at present, good as they are (not mine, I hasten to add!) no longer represent the sort of pictures I enjoy looking at. Pre-covid, we had a couple of annual art exhibitions in our city and over the years, the standard of work has gone off the scale. Always something new; some new technique, medium, way of looking at a subject..... thought provoking and aspirational. It’s worth seeking these exhibitions out to look at technique and what can be achieved often with a limited palette and a minimum of brushwork. Nothing like getting up close and personal with a picture.?

Alexa try and get your hands on some 200lb Bockingford. You shouldn’t have to stretch that.

I like good quality tubes of water colours and paint brushes. Paper weight 140 lb - 300 g per square metre