Thomas Shaller`s Master-Class

Yesterday I saw it on Facebook. It`s so fascinating! I believe any watercolorist would enjoy to see the process, materials, colors, brusher, stages of work. So here is Thomas Shaller for you:

While hiking near assisi, italy, i came upon this beautiful view. the fading umbrian sun behind the towers of the hill town softly illuminated the valley with golden light in the distance below. i had only my sketchbook and cell-phone camera with me ....

My sketchbook is with me always and i do very quick value/composition sketches of anything i may wish to paint - either there on site, or later in the studio. these sketches are essential for me to identify what the real "story" of the painting my be - what should be light, what should dark, what to leave in, and what to leave out.

Often i will add a splash of informative color on my composition sketches and even add written notes to record my impressions if i cannot paint the scene right there on site. these are not intended to be "pretty" drawings - just quick graphic ideas. i will use these sketches later as my "map" for the final painting so that i can quickly recall what it is that first impressed me about the scene.

VI International Biennale “ART-BRIDGE”

INFORMATION LETTER

Dear colleagues,

  Saint-Petersburg Public Organization “Society of Watercolor Artists”  welcomes you to the 6^th International Biennale “Art – Bridge – Watercolor” which will be held from December 21^st, 2011 to January 8^th 2012 in the exhibition centre of Saint-Petersburg Union of Artists.

The Exhibition includes the following activities: master-classes, press-conferences for local and international mass media and round-tables.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

-         any watercolour artists’ society may submit 5 works – 1 to 2 works from an author (deadline: September 29, 2011);

-         any author may submit only one work separately (deadline: September 29, 2011);

-         for the catalogue authors should submit their works in TIFF on a CD (deadline: September 15, 2011). The CD should include three files:

Carol Carter`s Rainbow

Here is an interview with an american artist Carol Carter. When I first saw her works I was shocked how different is her color perception from my ideas about the color. I live in the North, we generally have not so much sun light. Carol seems to transform the sun of Florida into the pure painting - all colors of the rainbow radiate from her watercolors and acrils.

Carol Carter. Google Me. 22`x30`. 2007

I am surprised to have a very dualistic impression of tension and peace at the same time. Water has a soothing, chilling effect, but your colors seem to explode all little parts and parcels of the rainbow.  In what state you find yourself while working? 
I am usually just focused on painting.  I don't really have a state-of-mind when I paint.  Painting generally takes me to a different place from my daily life -- by the end of time in the studio.  There is tension in my work -- but more a formalistic one.

Carol Carter. Rainbow I. 30`x22`. 2007
How did you start painting, what made you choose watercolor? 
I chose watercolor early in my career because it was the only painting medium offered at my college.  I didn't learn acrylic [opaque medium] until I entered graduate school.

Texture In Landscape

Here is a short video extract from my tutorial watercolor video "Autumn In The Mountains". Lets see what can we learn from it.

1. I used splashing. I did it in 2 ways - on wet and on dry. Certainly it created different textures. I used it for general texture of leaves.

2. Half-loaded brush on dry. Used for a big masses of colorfull brunches. The brush is quite snaggy.

3. Small squirrell or sable brush. Painting single leaves if necessary.

All tree ways of making texture are good for completing the painting work.

Indian Memories

Something 15 years ago I had a comission of a series of international children portraits. It was for a Children rights protection organization. There were a calender and postcards published. I am posting here an Indian highlights as my favourite.

 Konstantin Sterkhov. Indian Bride. 1996

Konstantin Sterkhov. Indian Boy. 1996