Getting to know your Art Supplies

Every time I buy new art materials, I try them on my sketchbook. It's an easy way to understand what they are capable of, while adding some stylish pages.

my "ready to stART working" set

It's a good exercise for any level, and helps on keeping the information at hand. Included the one written in the the pack, that probably will end in the bin. 😏

My usual method is to start with a #drawing of the materials themselves. Then a study of the #colorspalette. Finishing with an #abstract composition—too much information, I know.

So, how can you do it? Let's stART, using baby steps.

Drawing your Art Materials

• Choose an art material you like, place it on top of a page in your #sketchbook, and copy the outline with a pencil;

• After finishing the contour copy, remove the material from the top of the sheet and place it beside it to add the details. Do it in a relaxed mode. With practice, this step will become easier to follow.

• Add color with colored pencils or watercolor.

• Add comments or short notes by hand with information you feel is important about those materials.

• You can choose the composition. Decide how to display those materials on the page, making them more or less dynamic/regular. Try to get an aesthetically cared-for result.

Choose another set of materials and repeat. See the examples given in the images below.

Studying the Color Palette

You can (and should) study all your materials' color palette, whether oil pastel, watercolor, or pencils. But in our case, as an example, we will use the watercolor box.

• Once more, you are free to display the colors however you like, but try to do it in a logical sequence and with a regular distance/shape. Keep the aesthetically cared-for result.

• Add comments or short notes by hand with information you feel is important about those materials. Reference numbers would be something wise to have it written.

• Start memorizing the names of the colors you prefer or use most commonly. For example, knowing the difference between Ultramarine Blue and Cyan or Raw Umber and Burnt Sienna. (And no, you do not need to know all the names, just the ONES.)

Choose another set of materials and repeat. See the examples given in the images below.

Finishing with an abstract composition

Once you know the materials, and colors let's go for an abstract composition.

• Choose two to four colors that you liked from the exercise above, and you feel that they go well together.

• Start making some shadows, marks, and stains.

• Relax concerning to final result. You're just trying to know these new materials and not making a perfect final artwork (not just yet, anyway).

• Search for some inspiration with Van Gogh drawings (marks) or Laura Horn (colors).

me, in relax mode, playing with colors and textures

Have fun, and share your results with us. I would love to see some of your experiences. 😊