Beginner First Time with the Hake

[@billheckman5937]

Hi Joe, I came across Rod Bergeron's KZbin channel yesterday and watched several of his tutorials using a Ron Ranston hake brush. Of course he mentioned you and your channel. I am new to watercolor and am making some progress, but you guys are having loads of fun. My brush will be arriving in about 8 days. I can't wait. Love your channel.

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you! I’m not familiar with Rod’s channel but I looked it up and will check it out.

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Glad I clicked on this one! Great content

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you 🙏

[@patriciamcwilliams9626]

Patricia I am a beginner. You are a great teacher...so encouraging....and I love your calm voice and relaxed manner. Thank you

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you! And 12 likes too :)

[@SoulshineBnB]

Great video. I played with these brushes today for first time. I was amazed how much water they hold. Lots more fun tomorrow. This video has helped heaps.

[@richardtorr4553]

Great instruction video, so good to get your expert advice. Thank you.

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you. Much appreciated. I’m just a hobbyist and fellow artist passing along things I’ve learned.

[@richardtorr4553]

@@joemenzaart Yes, well I just love your whole approach to the subject.

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you.

[@auedpo]

Hi Joe, I came across your video while looking for inspiration on how to use this brush! I really like the style of the channel. Light, but informative and practical. Thank you for sharing! The channel has also been growing nicely, no longer 300 - congratulations on 8.5K + 1!

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you much appreciated!

[@dariabuczynski9711]

Loved your presentation. Thanks

[@lingraves]

Your technique is awesome Joe! I need to watch this again! Love your style!!!

[@nicholaslauer4340]

Just purchased a hake brush after seeing Ron Ranson watercolor videos. Your video was very helpful.

[@joemenzaart]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MsMonika59]

Hi Joe I love your gorgeous accent and your teaching commentary is soo good. I learned quite a bit. Greetings from Down under Australia 🇦🇺

[@joemenzaart]

Hello and thank you for the comment. I like the Australian accent too 😀

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Congratulations Joe! Great intro to the hake, thanks for sharing :-)

[@joemenzaart]

Lois Davidson thank you. Would’ve been nice to have a video like this when we started. 😀

[@TTomJohn]

@@joemenzaart You're both very generous flattening the learning curve of others.

[@deborahrech7429]

Just bought a Ron Ranson hake brush. I’m so glad I found this video. Thank you!

[@joemenzaart]

Happy painting! If you need help or any video requests let me know

[@TBCSF]

@@joemenzaart Thank you!

[@maryannrussell8093]

Loving your videos. Thank you.

[@cathykirwan2292]

Wonderful tutorial! Thank you so much!

[@benebatchcumberdict]

Thanks for doing what you do Joe. I took up sketching and watercolors a month ago and quickly found out that the number of subscribers sometimes has very little to do with the artist's/KZbinr's skills as a watercolorist or instructor. For what it's worth from a newbie, you are awesome! Both as an instructor and as an artist. Thanks brother.

[@vikrantmodak6634]

True..Joe is an amazing teacher !!

[@TomvanBodegraven]

I am awaiting my set of Hake brushes and this clip is great. Can't wait to have a go. Thanks!!

[@momoftwoorthree]

Love your philosophy of not getting discouraged and letting it happen. I paint w acrylic in a fairly loose style. I'm inspired to try wc

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you Julie. I feel like one of the best things we can do is inspire and encourage others. I want people to enjoy the medium and have the experience I’m having. Who knows maybe I’m inspiring the next great artist to pick up a brush 😀

[@karenbor8557]

Thank you so much. I just bought a Hake brush so I found this video at the right time! Can’t wait to try it out. You were very informative

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you. Have fun !

[@TTomJohn]

Congrats on 300, Joe. Keep at it, the numbers will come. You present one of a kind content, have a nice philosophy and definite teaching skills.🖒

[@joemenzaart]

Very nice of you to say thank you Thom.

[@victoriamacaleese3665]

Thanks so much I am contemplating the purchase of a hake brush and this video really excited me in anticipation for a new experience. I currently do abstract realism using an imprinting method with a mirror, also palette knives with spraying techniques and basic intuitive applications with wide paint brushes from a hardware store. I have a zillion different assortment of small - med brushes and Its all good experience. Enjoyed your video very much.

[@Tugboat-R-Us]

Would love to see more tips and tricks. Great video

[@joemenzaart]

Thanks! I’ve been doing more using the you tube shorts videos.

[@annettefournier9655]

Thanks Joe. Great beginner intro to the Hake. 😉😁💚

[@luckyhiker3434]

Joe, you seem to have hit the sweet spot with regards to the correct amount instruction! Keep it up and my bet viewers will slowly increase.

[@joemenzaart]

Thanks I want people to discover this and enjoy what they’re doing.

[@victoriamcenerney3109]

I love my hake brush and thank you for showing how to use it. 🤗

[@kevinmonceaux2101]

This is encouraging. That seems like a Hake of a brush. :-) For decades I thought watercolors were too light for my taste. I love deep rich colors. Some recent KZbin recommendations piqued my curiosity, and before I knew it I'd ordered some watercolor supplies, some of which will be arriving tomorrow. I strongly suspect I have about as much artistic talent as a turnip, but I keep searching for artistic hobbies. Hopefully some day I'll find an artistic hobby that I do well at. Maybe watercolor will be it.

[@joemenzaart]

Hi Kevin thank you for the comment. When I started my first paintings looked like kindergarten work. If you have the passion for it and paint regularly you can do it.

[@Deankut]

Thanks for reviewing the brush! I ordered it! ❤️

[@susie1216]

Great tips, Joe. I have to learn to make friends with the hake and just have some fun.

[@suel4269]

Excellent tip! I have Langnickel Hakes and they shed a lot.

[@joemenzaart]

I have brushes like that I try to gently pull them out before using them

[@suel4269]

@@joemenzaart I’m back a year later and learning even more !

[@joemenzaart]

@@suel4269 welcome back

[@esling77]

New Sub Here TY for the great vids. I had Rons Large Hake and I just got the Small one and Wow I LOVE it. Lots of options with this little work Horse. Ty Man

[@moonwizz]

I'm a beginner with hake brushes and find it easier as I have dexterity. Ty for tutorials 😊

[@moniefoster7871]

Very informative! Going to order a Hake!

[@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts]

Hi Joe, congrats on the 300followers m8, your a brilliant Artist my friend 😁👍👍👍👍

[@joemenzaart]

J m Art With Detail thanks Jonny

[@annevanderwoude9319]

I really like this video thank you for showing me.

[@joemenzaart]

Thanks for watching

[@annettefournier9655]

I like the Hake . I use it for skies, water, beaches and I use the rounds and flats too. Depends what I'm doing and what effect I'm going for. Not so good for illustrative or when I force myself to do flowers. I'm eclectic.😋

[@joemenzaart]

I think all of those brushes can make for good tools in getting the end product you are trying for.

[@annettefournier9655]

@@joemenzaart I think I have a brush fetish, LOL. I've been painting less than a year and a half so I like to try many styles. Just ordered a quill brush so I can try some Alan Owen skies. Next on my wish list are the Frank Clarke Hake brush set. Then I think I'll be done. Three Mason jars full are quite enough. 😱😨😂😂 To be fair, the ones I let my grandkids use are in there as well.

[@joemenzaart]

annette fournier we probably all buy too many brushes. I have a couple of full mason jars myself. Also the set of Chinese calligraphy brushes you can see on my desk. 😀 and a nice big flat brush comes in handy for buildings should I venture into urban scenes.

[@annettefournier9655]

@@joemenzaart There you go, urban scenes! I suck at buildings. But eventually I will go there too. Though they will probably look Salvador Dali- esc. Melting buildings. 🤣🤣

[@joemenzaart]

annette fournier I’m not there yet but maybe I’ll do an urban scene video soon to show where I’m at in the process.

[@tariqmohammad1900]

Don't worry,soon you're going to rock on KZbin,with millions of subscribers.

[@joemenzaart]

Thanks. If I just help some people enjoy watercolor I’ll be happy 😃

[@vikrantmodak6634]

I wish too !!

[@omaracosta1264]

Buenísimo gracias 🙋‍♂️🇦🇷

[@RicardGomes76]

Hi Joe. Love your work. It seems that you use more pigment body than the average watercolor method. Can you do a video about that talking about the wa... and you responded right now to my question. Can you talk about the brands of color that you use? Ty. Keep the good job.

[@joemenzaart]

Ricardo Gomes thank you. yes I like to use stronger paint as opposed to transparent watercolor.. I use mostly Windsor and newton cotman as well as daniel smith and may also use other brands. I’ll talk more in my next video about it.

[@RicardGomes76]

Joe Menza Nice. It’s not easy to work on pigment consistency on watercolors. Takes a lot of skill and practice. Ty again!

[@joemenzaart]

@@RicardGomes76 Definitely requires practice. I feel like that's all I am ever doing is practicing. :)

[@myers830]

Just subscribed and love your videos. I tried watching similar fast and loose WC painters like Steve Cronin and Dave Usher, and a few others who use the Ron Ranson technique...but I can't understand them. They sound like they have marbles in their mouth. You are a teacher...not just an artist PR man. I am a WC beginner and I ordered your Ron Ranson large hake brush...arriving today. I am an oil and acrylic painter, but WC has always been a struggle and a frustrating thing for me. I hope to change that. You 're the new Bob Ross of water color.

[@joemenzaart]

I am very touched by your comments. It's very encouraging to me moving forward. My approach is that I have a passion for painting but I wish I had discovered it earlier. It's like finding a treasure that you want to share with others. When I go a couple of days without painting and I sit down to paint I still feel like wow, I really love doing this. It's such a great outlet for creativity and it's great therapy too! I hope that you find enjoyment in the hake brush. I was never fond of meticulous detail nor had the patience for it. I was a printing pressman for many years and it required an eye for color and detail but had no creative outlet. If you have any questions let me know. I am going to try to continue to focus on the beginner aspect as much as I can. Thank you again and best of luck in your painting.

[@annettefournier9655]

It takes a little time to tune the American ear into everyday conversational style British accents. There are so many and can be difficult for a while.

[@annettefournier9655]

BTW. If you watch the video please be sure to hit the like button or even the thumbs down because it helps the presenters algorithm and his channel will be distributed more widely. Thumb up or down doesn't count for or against, it just helps . Thanks .😁

[@joemenzaart]

annette fournier I did not know that. I saw a couple of down thumbs on an older video kinda made me wonder if someone didn’t like it.

[@joemenzaart]

annette fournier yes it’s definitely a challenge sometimes but we are learning what is and was essentially English landscape painting. 😀

[@hussmeister792]

On order! Thanks Joe!

[@carlduffin]

I love the freedom and impressionism of this style of watercolour. My current problem is I cannot find a non-animal version of the hake and I am not comfortable using animal products. I am experimenting with using 1 inch and 1.5 inch Flats and also a large Filbert, but nothing quite matches the hake.

[@joemenzaart]

Take a look at liquitex brushes

[@maggimarmion3836]

Great! I learnt so much watching this tutorial ! 👍 Do you always paint with your board tilted? 😊

[@joemenzaart]

Not always. More lately I’m painting flatter

[@janettepolt2815]

Joe Menza, you are a rockstar.

[@joemenzaart]

Thank you so much

[@MiadeFleur]

Good teacher!

[@elainenicholas5421]

Just new to hake painting, But I seem to take more paint off than laying down.🤷🏻‍♀️

[@joemenzaart]

It sounds like your paint to water ratio is off. You’re lifting the paint which I think is too much water. Use a towel to dab off the excess.

[@adamswatercolorli1311]

You are the first teacher let me know the amazing hake's painting. I love it.

[@andrearobinson3491]

Do you recommend a particular size for a beginner? This is a great video! Thanks for posting it!

[@joemenzaart]

Paper size I would say 11x14 just to get used to it and have the freedom with the hake. For brushes I’d say use a large and medium.

[@jenniferjeruzal4279]

Love this.

[@joegriffin5851]

Hey Joe, thanks a lot for that. I've been struggling with my hake for a long time now and this has given me some hope, One thing I think is causing me problems is the consistency of the paint. Could you do a demo where it is possible to see the paint in your tray as well as when you put it on the paper. I often end up with too wet a mix when I go to paint over what is already on the paper. Thanks

[@joemenzaart]

Hey Joe. I use a dry or semi-dry palette which means my paints usually dry out on the palette. I do give them a quick spray to activate if they are dry but I get color by scrubbing the bristles back and forth. More paint-more moving of the brush. The downside to this is you wear the brush out. And you can end up with light colors. If your colors look too anemic try using more moist paint. I tend to use more paint than traditional transparent watercolor. I’ll try to show the tray a bit more in future videos.

[@joegriffin5851]

@@joemenzaart Thanks Joe. Working on my own here in Ireland it is difficult to guage exactly the level of pigment to water on the palette. On Ron's videos he sometimes shows the mixing of paint and what goes on the hake but not often. I've been doing as you do with the spray and scrubbing the brush on the paint but still getting weak mixes sometimes. And then by the time I've got a strong enough mix the paper has dried too much. I think Arches must love me because of the amount of paper I'm getting through!!

[@joemenzaart]

@@joegriffin5851 If you are using arches then that is part of the challenge. The paper is very absorbent which is why I prefer Fabriano Studio. Arches is better paper but the 25 percent cotton paper allows the paint to sit on top of the paper without absorbing in so quickly. I think you might find it better to try to keep your paint moist by putting your palette in a sealed bag or box with a wet cloth to keep it moist. Also you won't get weak mixes. With Arches I have found that you want to get all of your first weaker washes in and then let the paper fully dry. Then you can start layering. Another trick if you need to keep your paint open on the paper longer is to keep a fine mist water bottle sprayer handy. Do test this though as sometimes you can get little splotches of water so make sure it's a good sprayer. I hope this helps!

[@joegriffin5851]

@@joemenzaart Brilliant, thanks a million. I have a Fabriano paper that I have used. It's one that Steve Cronin and Dave Usher sometimes use. It's 90lb. Is that the one you mean? I think they also do a heavier version.

[@joemenzaart]

Joe Griffin pretty sure the one Steven used is 130 lb. In the US we have 140 lb but they should be fairly close. 90 lb can cockle rather easily.

[@Mr.S65]

Do you recommend to use salt for texture?

[@joemenzaart]

Sure and plastic wrap, sponges, whatever gives texture.

[@marynelson1349]

Thanks helpful

[@Lance2094]

Joe, you are an imminently qualified artist and teacher. I’m glad I found you and now am a member of the exclusive First 300 Club! 😎 I ordered my Fabriano Studio WC paper. Amazon, of course and it be here tomorrow. Thank you for the information!

[@joemenzaart]

Lance Gurwell very nice of you to say thank you. I hope you like the paper. Be sure it’s cold press. 😀

[@Lance2094]

That’s ‘eminently,’!

[@Lance2094]

Got the paper. Hake coming Saturday!

[@joemenzaart]

Lance Gurwell hope you like it I just got another pad of 50 today 😀

[@joemenzaart]

Lance Gurwell if you’re on Facebook check out our Ron Ranson group too.

[@strictlymyopinion8307]

Hi, my name is Fawn, nice to meet you 🤝 thank you 🙂

[@didierleprince6106]

Merci a lot

[@MMMMGood15]

Thank you! This is Magaic! :)

[@MMMMGood15]

Oh my goodness! I misspelled Magic! Totally a typo! 🤦‍♀️

[@katzsteel]

Is that Fabriano studio paper you usually paint on?

[@joemenzaart]

Yes

[@lkv2021]

Ahh, that's what that smell was! Thanks.

[@genevievegraff2024]

THANKS...from France.

[@johnpiyhtheworldofwatercol5393]

intriest

[@catblue6393]

👍🏻

[@brentsfinefood]

Glad to be 303

[@henrysuckling4849]

Llke

[@sandycares2995]

Interesting. Sure would be nice not to be dipping in water so much!

[@ireneowen9588]

Gatui

[@templekeepernd]

Thanks for this video - I'll check out your other ones. FYI Hake is pronounced hockey (like the sport) and personally the dark glasses are kind of a disconnect for me unless you're blind or stoned... 300 followers may not be record breaking but it's a hell of a start. Congrats!

[@joemenzaart]

Thanks for the comment. I cover the pronunciation of the brush in my other videos. In our group, the teacher we follow, Ron Ranson, pronounced it “hake” and not hockey so back then when this video was made we all called it that. Yes it was a good start but this was 2019, I have more subscribers than that now 😀. As for the glasses, again this was an early video and I was anxious about being on camera. My goal in these videos is to inspire others and get them to pick up a brush.

[@templekeepernd]

@@joemenzaart thanks. Skip the glasses - you're great on camera. I get the pronunciation thing. Americans seem to have a habit of changing the pronunciation of foreign words. I guess it's part of our imperialist attitude.

[@joemenzaart]

@@templekeepernd Thanks for the compliment. Ron Ranson was from England.

[@joemenzaart]

@@templekeepernd I solved the problem, I don’t appear on camera anymore. 😀

[@joemenzaart]

I’m really sorry Nancy, I was trying to edit my post and I think I mistakenly deleted your post instead of mine. My apologies. Be sure to check out Steven Cronin and Dave Usher, both from England and have been on you tube for 15 years. They also pronounce it “hake”, probably because of Ron Ranson as well. When the Pro Arte brush company saw Ron using the brush they named it after him, the “Ron Ranson Hake”, so that’s why today it’s called that by a lot of people and not the original Japanese pronunciation. Also Ron Ranson does go over the origins of the brush in his books. Thanks again for the comment.

[@TomvanBodegraven]

I am awaiting my set of Hake brushes and this clip is great. Can't wait to have a go. Thanks!!

[@joemenzaart]

Tom van Bodegraven thank you for watching! Happy painting!