Category Archives: Instruction

Getting Started With Watercolors

Aloha, I’m Kathy.  If you’re new to watercolor, it’s important to know that using the right tools is essential for good results. So, let’s jump right in.

Brushes

A good watercolor brush’s job is to hold and release water (and of course, the paint).

There are so many different types of watercolor brushes (see links below), but for the beginner, I am making suggestions based on the easiest and quickest way to get started.

Shape

Again, there are many different shapes of watercolor brushes, the most common starter brushes are rounds and flats.

  • Rounds  Rounds are the most common shape used by watercolorists because they are very versatile. The round, pointed shape allows you to paint small details as well as broader strokes and washes.
  • Flats  Flat brushes are useful for painting washes and strong, straight strokes

Hair

You should know that there are two basic hair types. Natural hair and synthetic.

  • Natural  The hair in natural hair brushes comes from a variety of animals: sable, squirrel, ox, goat, etc. No animals are destroyed for the purpose of brush making.

Natural Hair brushes have superior paint-holding ability because of the tiny, microscopic “scales” along the shaft of the hair. Shorter-length hair is more readily available, making the longer lengths more expensive. Natural hair may be used alone (pure) or blended with other hairs or synthetic filaments to achieve a combination of performance and price.

  • Synthetic  Synthetic brushes are man-made of either nylon or polyester filaments. The advantages of synthetics include:
    • They are less prone to damage from solvents and paints
    • They are easier to keep clean than animal hair
    • They are less prone to breakage and are durable on many different surfaces

The key points are that natural brushes hold a lot more paint and water but tend to become worn with use. The synthetic brushes are usually less expensive, tend to hold their shape longer, but do not hold as much paint or distribute it as evenly as natural hairs.

My suggestion would be to start with a few round brushes for the detail work and a couple of flat brushes for the washes.

Rounds-8, 10, 12, 20

Flats-1/2 inch, 1 inch

Quality is important, and since the natural hair brushes are the most expensive you can look for some of the very good synthetic blends that are available.

Useful Brush Links

www.art-is-fun.com/paintbrushes-for-watercolors

www.dickblick.com/info/brushpdf/brushshapes.pdf

www.emptyeasel.com/2013/07/22/how-to-choose-good-mid-range-watercolor-brushes-and-where-to-buy-them-online/ Continue reading Getting Started With Watercolors

Making Your Own Perfume

Getting Started

Do you like perfume? Have you ever thought about making your own blend? I have been making perfume for about three years now and have come up with some pretty good formulas. I have also made plenty of really awful scents. But, with this endeavor, you learn as you go.

There is some investment and a lot of time involved. You also need a good area to work in. For now, I am only posting one formula and not an entire list of formulas or equipment and techniques. I will say that the chemicals need to be mixed in a specific order. This is very important! 1. Alcohol  2. Base notes  3. Middle notes  4. Top notes  5. Fixative, Curing takes a minimum of two weeks. I will provide a set of links to very good websites to help you get started. The following formula is for a fragrance that I call “Ariel”. This formula makes 2oz of Eau de Parfum. It is inspired by the fragrance “Angel”.

If you’re already making your own fragrances, try this formula out.

Use the best chemicals you can afford and your product will be something special. We will be adding our own custom fragrances to the product line as time goes on

Books & Essential Oils

www.aftelier.com

Supplies & Chemicals

www.creatingperfume.com  (This is a good place to start)

www.libertynatural.com

www.puritan.com

Bottles & Glass

www.specialtybottle.com

Beakers and Measuring Equipment

www.grainger.com

Inspiration

www.fragrantica.com

Continue reading Making Your Own Perfume