We are grateful to the DANIEL SMITH Paint Company and DE’s Artroom for bringing to the Philippines “Science and Art Unite,” a presentation on how watercolor paints are made and how technology and science are helping not just to create quality watercolors but also are injecting new life in watercolor art. Held last August 20 at The Patio, University Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City, the presentation was given by the owner and CEO of the DANIEL SMITH Company himself, Mr. John Cogley. Together with Ms Katherine Taylor, Vice President of JJC Industries LLC – the worldwide distributor and exporter for DANIEL SMITH Products, they shared innovations in the field of watercolor production.
The demonstration was supplemented with illustrated brochures which the attendees got to bring home. We learned about the different sources of pigments, the processes that these pigments go through before they become watercolors and the tests the colors are subjected to as part of quality control and ratings assignment.
Mr. Cogley also oriented us on how to read the information seen in color charts and use it as a guide when choosing colors for palettes.
Each attendee received a trial bottle of transparent ground and a watercolor stick sampler. The transparent ground makes it possible for watercolors to be painted on any surface. The highly pigmented watercolors in stick form are perfect for drawing on wet paper and can be used the same way as pan colors. And because they are sticks, they are convenient for travel.
PRIMATEKS… ROCKING THE WATERCOLOR WORLD
PrimaTeks since their introduction have become favorites among watercolor artists because of their beautiful granulation and unique coloration. Seeing them in raw form, as chunks of minerals and semi precious stones, makes the creation of the PrimaTek line of watercolors all the more impressive.
WATERCOLOR BUFFET
Mr. Cogley generously shared tips on how to create beautiful custom colors from your tube colors. By combining two or more colors that behave differently, you can come up with new mixes as beautiful as Moonglow and Cascade Green, some of DANIEL SMITH’s bestsellers. Add Duochromes, Luminescents and Pearlescents in the mix and the possibilities are endless.
Attendees were given a chance to try out the colors and experiment with combinations at the watercolor buffet where the colors of the whole DANIEL SMITH line were made available for testing.
CAPSULE CLASSES AND GROUP PRESENTATIONS
Ms Joannie Candi, Ms Drew Europeo and Ms Dianne Aika Zaragoza – creators and artists of JDD Watercolor Wednesdays – demonstrated the use of watercolors to produce beautiful calligraphy and flower art.
Ms Iris Babao Uy shared the loose technique for creating beautiful watercolor florals. Her approach makes colors sing and gives free reign to creativity and expression.
Ms June Digan presented the whimsical approach to watercolor painting and lettering.
Mr Jeffrell Soliveres, the ArtPanda, shared how to capture the beautiful form and coloration of birds with his class capsule on birds in watercolors.
As we have gotten requests for sharing color use tips, Ms Jinky Rayo, Ms Elizabeth Young and Mr Joem Sanclaria Chua made a slideshow presentation on the color wheel and use of color harmonies to create paintings with impact. Using the paintings done by members as samples, they showed how each of the artists used knowledge of the basic color wheel and color principles for maximum effect.
COMMUNITY PAINTING
The Community Paint Out was not only good for fostering camaraderie by giving members a chance to paint alongside fellow artists, it was great for observing and learning new techniques too. Originally, DE’s Artroom and IWS Philippines planned to set up an Art Clinic table where attendees can consult artists regarding watercolor problems and demos of particular techniques. We realized this is possible with the painting activity as it allows simultaneous demonstrations and at the same time, the informal setup makes it easy to access favorite artists.
MORE FUN STUFF
ACEOs (Art Card Editions and Originals) and ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) are 2.5 x 3.5 inch size paintings that artists trade and collect. Popular a decade or so ago, they are making a comeback in the local watercolor art community. Expect more of these small format art exchanges in future activities of IWS Philippines.
ABOUT DE’S ARTROOM
DE’s Artroom, the art supplier with a heart. Started in 2015 by Dino and Ethel Pajao, the mission of DE’s Artroom’s is to make quality art supplies available to Filipino Artists. An accomplished watercolor artist himself, Dino is well aware of how difficult it is to get access to most of the artist grade paints, brushes and other art supplies that are so readily available outside of the country. Both DE’s Artroom and IWS Philippines believe in the same advocacy: that of promoting not just the watercolor medium and elevating the art but also promoting the talents of our country.
Follow DE’s Artroom on Facebook
Enjoy the weekly segment known as “What Color Monday” and see featured artworks of Filipino artists.
Visit the official website: www.desartroom.com
Contact DE’s Artroom by email at: inquiry@desartroom.com
ABOUT THE DANIEL SMITH PAINT COMPANY
Makers of superior-quality watercolor products, the DANIEL SMITH Company is based in Seattle, U.S.A. Owner and CEO, John Cogley works with the goal of bringing the best possible products to the artists.
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Visit the official website: www.danielsmith.com
