Mar 15, 2012

Watercolor Pencil and Gesso


recently, my dear friend Abigail taught me to use a Stabilo Aquarellable pencil
to sketch with and then take gesso to it to transform it into paint, much like one would take a wet brush
to a watercolor pencil. 
I believe she learned it from Misty Mawn.

This technique was quite challenging for me, 
 yet I have been hooked!
I have a wee moleskine 3.5"x5.5" journal and have been creating faces every chance I get with this technique.
Somehow i think it brings a new spirit to my art. I love this about new techniques!

see the sketch on the right:

then i work the lines with gesso:

something about one color, golden
and then the white gesso that is interesting to me:

i think this is my favorite, sorry the scan is a little blurry:
~
thank you for your visit
i so enjoy your company
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if you would enjoy more art, visit Paint Party Friday!

~
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46 comments:

  1. Nice work, and an interesting technique, must try it! Valerie

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  2. It's always nice to try our new thing which lead us to new direction of our creative venture. Well Done!

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  3. Tammie this is a great effect, I love your gesso effect with the water colour pencil...really inspiring! Thanks for sharing with us.

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  4. I like the effect of one color also....your drawings are so beautiful.x

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  5. Thank you for sharing this technique...ooh now I want to try it.... Loving all your drawings. Happy PPF and have a great weekend, Annette x

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  6. These are beautiful! Thank you for sharing this very cool technique!

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  7. Wonderful effect. I love all your faces.

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  8. Wonderful creations with new technique ~ I agree with you I love the last one best ~ thanks, namaste, Carol ~ Happy Weekend ^_^

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  9. Looks like a great technique! Thanks for sharing it!
    Really like the resulting tints...especially in the red-headed girl on the right!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  10. cool technique - i really like them all - but the golden lady has the most beautiful eyelashes!
    great work, happy friday - xx

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  11. PS - I forgot to mention, I love the subtle butterfly wings in the first piece....great detail!

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  12. Love Our Lady of the Pink Hat! :)

    You are one talented woman Tammie!

    Have a Most Blessed Weekend...

    xoxoxo

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  13. ...such a beautiful creative adventure ~ many blessings to yoU! ~ on this new curve of the road!...
    ...xXx...

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  14. I just recently ordered some aquarellable pencils to try out on wax. This looks like a very intriguing technique. I wonder if you can do it with acrylic? Your faces all are very interesting -- I love the monochromatic color scheme.

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  15. Yes, it is interesting when you discover new techniques and certainly rewarding. Saludos

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  16. Oh Tammie, I'm getting SO impressed, beautiful artwork!! =) I now feel I soon have to try it myself, it looks fun! I'll go and see what you have linked to.. :)

    Lovely weekend to you! :)

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  17. Oh my..what a super fabulous post Tammie!!..Yay..such a gorgeous array of your work..all soulful and wonderful spirits...totally gorgeous!I love-love working with gesso too..it is so magical I especaiily love it in faces..so I connect with your excitement.such fun...yay..shine on..beautiful stunning pieces!They are truly all magical!!
    V~

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  18. Tammie, these are beautiful and what a great technique, I will have to try it... :)

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  19. You have created beautiful faces with this techinque. I'll have to try it. I love working with my stabilo pencils using my waterbrush.
    Happy PPF!

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  20. Very nice sketches, Tammie. Do you carry a watercolor brush with you...the kind you fill with water or do you just use the gesso?

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  21. Lovely, interesting faces! Thank you for sharing the tecnique and happy PPF!

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  22. fun that so many of you think this is an interesting technique to try. if you do, I would love to see what you create!

    hello Kim,

    lovely of you to stop by.


    I do carry a aqua brush with me (quite often) and a derwent inktense pencil or 5. when i am using gesso i choose a regular brush, and am loving a 'Bright' style brush for dissolving the pencil lines with gesso and water. for some reason i want to keep the aquabrush for watercolors only. maybe i fear not getting the gesso out of the aqua brush,,,, but really you can squirt the water through the bristles from behind cleaning it more thoroughly than a regular brush.

    I would love to see what you create if you give it a try.

    good weekend to you~

    Tammie

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  23. Anonymous3/16/2012

    Each drawing is a personality. Do you start with an idea, or do they just develop as you work?

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  24. Beautiful paintings! The technique is a little fuzzy to me but it is Sure working for you!

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  25. Hi Sandy,
    I don't start with an idea, in fact hardly ever do i begin my art with an idea. Sometimes i start with their eyes, sometimes their nose, sometimes their mouth, and sometimes the shape of a face, but then i just go.... this is what i love, being surprised by each one. i actually don't enjoy trying to draw from an image... maybe some day i will like that. thanks for asking.

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  26. Tammie Tammie Tammie! These are fabulous! I think you have found your technique. And yes, something about the golden color and white gesso is especially eye catching.

    I am just geeked for you!

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  27. Very nice work. Love the techniques used. Thx for sharing. Happy PPF!

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  28. Wonderful! I'm new to using Stabilo also through Misty Mawn and love it! Such a fabulous tool. I like the golden also - kind of reminds me of an old photograph. Happy PPF!

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  29. These are great. Wow! Thanks for sharing with us. I really love the last two. Amazing! :)

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  30. Thank-you for showing us how you painted them. Very nice! Happy PPF!

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  31. Oh my goodness, that's amazing! That's quite a transformation when you add the gesso. I can see how fun it is to watch a drawing come to life. I love your faces and the wonderful way you make noses. :D

    Have a marvelous weekend!

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  32. Wow! Look at you go! They all look amazing and what a fun and interesting technique. I'll have to try that. I use the Stabilo pencil in most of my work but I've never tried it with Gesso.

    Thank you for always checking in on my blog. I appreciate you! xoxo

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  33. I am such a coward, I rarely try anything new. But the results here are really interesting, especially the gold piece.

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  34. I just bought that pencil after hearing a lecture by to watercolor teachers. They use it all the time in their landscapes. I shall have to play around with this. Love your faces and their spirits.
    Hope you are soon to be in Springtime. It is snowing here today....

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  35. Typing with one hand today. Love you art
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  36. Anonymous3/17/2012

    Thanks for sharing the details of the work.
    It is very interesting and the effect magnígico!
    Tammie kisses!

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  37. Anonymous3/17/2012

    Great technique! The gesso gives it such an ethereal effect. Gesso is magical stuff. :-) Happy PPF late.

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  38. Hi Tammie!!!! you have been very busy creating some amazing art....I love the cute wing on the first piece....well done!!!!

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  39. oh tammie...what wonderful images are coming forth from this sweet time we shared recently! your spirit is soaring through through the mediums discovering more beauty flowing!
    xo abigail

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  40. i love the combo of any watermedia+gesso...love trying new mediums too...i think adding the gesso adds such a beautiful depth to your already lovely drawings, well done!! happy PPF!

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  41. I can feel the pleasure you get from your art in every picture....

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  42. What a cool technique! It really makes your beautiful sketches POP!

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  43. I was not familiar with this technique! I love all the faces you created. Especially the first one - she has such a sweet, soft quality to her.

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  44. Wow, what an interesting technique. I will have to give it a try. I really like the effect. Happy painting!

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  45. Sounds and looks like a very cool technique. I love the result. These are all fabulous!

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