The ups and downs of not putting your toys away…
Last year, I started leaving out a tray of pan colors, some brushes, and several bits of paper to deface next to my desk in a quest to actually get Something Done™. Whenever I have the urge to check a webpage or whatever, I try and channel that into painting instead. Once back from holiday break, I modified my routines somewhat, and here’s what I’ve found.
Leaving trays of fry pans covered is one thing, dried tube colors uncovered is quite another, dust becomes a problem. Plastic palettes are a thing of the devil, and stain entirely too easily.
Paper matters, a lot – especially when scrubbing or blending. Some paints will affect absorbency on the other side of the paper, which only matters if you decide to use both sides.
This brings us to materials in general – you should get the best stuff you can (which may not always be the most expensive), it will help when you’re painting, it really will. Not struggling to make a light wash or mix your colors can make all the difference.
The faster you can pick up and execute, the more likely you are to do so. Execution starts the moment you start thinking about an image. The more heinous cleanup is, the less likely you are to get started.
In my case, the larger the image size, the more “precious” I get. Its easier to throw out the 1″ study than it is to ditch the 6×9 mess. It is generally better to throw out than it is to try to fix, at least in my case, with painting. I take the lesson and try to be thankful. I’m trying to get over the precious thing, honestly.
Pan colors are awesome for sketching, portability and speed. They are terrible for larger images, mixing colors, and large light washes. YMMV, but tubes are better for “studio” work.
Painting from live subjects is invaluable! It seems like my best (and worst) images come from life studies. I’m only now becoming confident enough to forgo doing a light pencil sketch first.
This is probably obvious to anyone who’s been serious about watercolor, or had some training. Since I’ve been kind of winging it, I figure it’s good to take notes 
Last year, I started leaving out a tray of pan colors, some brushes, and several bits of paper to deface next to my desk in a quest to actually get Something Done™. Whenever I have the urge to check a webpage or whatever, I try and channel that into painting instead. Once back from holiday break, I modified my routines somewhat, and here’s what I’ve found.
