We sent Opus Downtown Vancouver’s Alison Woodward to Granville Island to try her hand at painting outdoors for the first time! She rose to the challenge and shares details about working with the portable watermedia and supplies we asked her to experiment with in our latest How-To Video. Here are some observations she made about the supplies.
Prepare Your Surface
Stretch Opus Watermedia Paper over the Opus Watercolour Paper Stretcher to create the ideal outdoor painting surface. The texture of the paper works great for the mixed media techniques used in this piece.
Find the Right Location
The Garabaldi Sketchbox Easel is lightweight, portable, and carries your plein air supplies while you scout out the perfect location. Learn more about this easel in our Travel Easel video series.
Extend Work Time
Yarka St. Petersburg Watercolours come in a convenient case that both holds the paints in individual pans and acts as a mixing palette. The highly pigmented colours stay moist allowing for a longer working time and enhanced workability.
Be Efficient with Space
Short handled brushes like the Opus Allegro Watercolour Brushes, and space-saving tools such as the Clic & Go Watercup, offer compact solutions for painting en plein air. And the Koi WaterBrush has a resevoir for water, the ultimate in portability!
Add Detail & Texture
Media that allows for multiple application methods is key in offering both efficiency of space and variety in your work. Waxed-based, watersoluable Derwent Artbars allow you to draw directly on your surface, or mix with water to use as paint, working well for both washes and detail work. Their triangular shape is great on the go too as they won't roll away from you!
Paint in Style
The supple, springy, and resilient Kolinsky sable bristles of the Connoisseur Travel Brushes (available in both round and flat) are protected by a metal casing, perfect for travel in your kit or even in your pocket. Remove the cover and slip it onto the end of the handle to extend the length for painting.
Try Something New
Slip the Peerless Water Colors Complete Edition Book into the pocket of your sketchbook for a compact and unique way to transport your watercolours. It contains concentrated watercolours coated on a special paper fabric. Dip your brush in water and use it to pull paint off the sheet. Brilliant!
Watch the video above to see Alison's process, hear her thoughts on the media and tools she's using, and to view the final results!
See more of Alison Woodward’s artwork here.
