HELP! What Just Happened? Backruns and Blooms in Watercolor

[@cassandrahill4998]

Blooms and back runs are part of the beauty & magic of watercolor!

[@Roslyngal]

c’mon Steve, you and I know that backruns only turn up properly when you absolutely don’t want them! They get shy (and sneaky) when they see the spotlight on themselves.

[@deborahp7500]

LOL absolutely!

[@mindofwatercolor]

True!

[@samanthaglorioso8440]

I know it sounds weird, but I love the look of back runs. Somehow the textures they create really appeal to me. I love watching you turn them into rocks in your spontaneous paintings.

[@ChickenxBoneless]

I don't mean to do them on purpose but I accept them as happy little accidents that provide some texture and variation.

[@wulfseig1864]

Temperamental little buggers. They show up when they want and cause chaos. It's what makes watercolor so beautiful and hard at the same time. Playing with blooms and backruns definitely helps you learn and grow as a watercolor artist. Thanks Steve, for this Deja Don't. 😁

[@danielleb.7055]

Thank you for explaining this to us. I am a true beginner and I do understand what blooms / back runs are but its nice to have you break it down and how we can intentionally use these effects. Have a wonderful night!

[@katejohnson7019]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You explain EXACTLY what is going on and what to look for in levels of wetness and shine. So very helpful.

[@waymire01]

Once I figured out how to avoid them, they became one of my favorite techniques to use for texture. So much easier than salt etc.. just a brush and water. Backgrounds, branches, rocks, fur or feathers, snow, etc. You can get many different effects by changing the size of the brush and the amount of water. If I get one I don't want I find the easiest way to "fix" it is to just add more and try to make it look as intentional as possible. You can kind of layer them on top of each other as well.

[@chantalrochon3566]

Enjoyed very much your way of teaching and you have a voice that keeps my attention. Thank you for this video 😊

[@jobell7356]

superb as always. You are the best teachers of watercolour I have ever come across and solved many an issue I never realised I had. Thankyou

[@BB-nz5sk]

I LOVE blooms - so I am watching this to see how I can better MAKE them happen!! LOL.

[@jenniefrench1338]

Great advice! I love using the technique to make wispy clouds and pulling the pigment. Seems to achieve a more realistic look. Thank you Steve and take care.

[@kaas2597]

I tried this exercise myself while painting some feathers. Looks so good, and now I understand it better. Thanks.

[@vee35233]

Thank you Steve, most helpful. No wonder I battle, cotton paper is not available where I live, and although I use 300 gsm NOTpaper, I often get blooms. No more excuses, on my merry way into our lovely nearby city to purchase my first cotton paper - and nothing less than Arches if I am lucky. I learn such a lot from you - thank you again!

[@giverdend1416]

Winsor&Newton also has high quality paper, and it seems to perform better than Arches in tests while being cheaper (depending pn where you live I suppose). Here's a link to Jill Poyerd's tests: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eovLpKp5drJmaLM

[@lizzy9975]

Get online and find some. I've been ordering from Aliexpress although it pains me, because it's all from China! As soon as I get to America I'm filling my suitcase with watercolour paper!

[@mariahelizabeth7344]

I get “deja didn’t” fairly often🤣 I’ll imagine I did something or had a conversation with someone and it turns out I never actually did because I only did in my brain🥲 I’ve been messing around a little bit with back runs lately and now I’m inspired to play around some more!

[@MayBrox]

I'm in for the "Deju didn't" 😄 Great expression. Thank you so much for showing.

[@captivatednightshade1432]

Thank you so much Steve! I struggle with this when trying to add my background and sometimes it get frustrating

[@doumkatekz]

I have that same brush, and I love it

[@kantigua5544]

ah 've been struggling painting skin and it gets so patchy and I didn't realize I was backrunning! thank you so much for making this video

[@tsvetomirapetrova2924]

I love your logical approach to painting, you really explain everything so well! Thank you for sharing all of these useful tips.

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Thank you for explaining these terms and how to use them. I end up with quite a few in my artwork because of the 98 lbs paper I used as a beginner. Switched to a 140 lbs and now I am finding out that the better quality cotton paper does make a difference. I have been using this for effects when I want them now.

[@dianethoroughman9541]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I learn a lot from you.

[@jennw6809]

Bruce from Handprint says his rule to get backruns is "wet into moist." It seems you unintentionally demonstrated how some pigments such as phthalos backrun much more, and granulating pigments resist them! By the way, if I feel like getting backruns, I just use Qor :)

[@janinacooper4199]

Love the “deja didn’t”! Great word! 👍😊

[@mindofwatercolor]

😁

[@InkResinandPaint]

So glad you did this video! I love playing and creating blooms. I use them in mixed media and art journaling. Would love to learn more about how to use them in landscape painting!

[@ibrahimissaiaawad2888]

This effect worked very well at the tops of clouds combined with a fine spatter of white gouache!

[@valeriet4114]

Hi Steve, Thanks for addressing this. Just want to mention/ask something. It's not only the amount of water you need to get right, it's also the amount of paint. I know that you have touched upon this several times, but I watched a bunch of videos from another watercolor artist who constantly refers to paint consistency. He works with wet paint right from the tube and dilutes it as needed allowing him to apply washes first (watery consistency), charge in pigment (less dilute/thicker consistency), as well as dry-brush (tube consistency). Of course throughout the process you'd be monitoring how wet the paper is. This was a lightbulb realization for me because I almost always work using dried paint on a palette. I love that his method allows him to achieve wonderful contrast and saturation on the finished piece while my watery paintings seem a bit flat/light and while trying to get them to look better, I overwork them. Many of us may struggle with getting enough pigment onto the brush in order to charge in additional color because we use water to reconstitute the paint we want to apply making it wetter than necessary and then creating blooms- I know I do. I have seen that you work from a palette of dried paint as well. How do you deal with paint consistency to get good color saturation?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Like this basically. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3fIn3tsicmGq9k I don't like working with paint fresh from the tube except on certain occasions. I really don't recommend it for beginners. Strong paint consistency is pretty easy once you get the hang of it even with pans. Just takes practice. I do pre wet my palette of course.

[@michellehoward96]

Thanks for this . Really useful. You always explain techniques so well. And with a warm & friendly presentational style. Much appreciated.

[@craftergin]

I LOVE blooms and backruns. I create them on purpose, then use ink to create all kinds of creatures that I see in the paint.

[@BB-nz5sk]

Great idea!!

[@melodieisreal5933]

Thanks so much for sharing all of the tips and techniques!

[@mydemon]

"Deja didn't". Absolutely love it.

[@rnee1000]

This is a great video! I just dealt with a backrun this morning and somehow made it fade with a glazing or two. Deja-didn't--I love it!!! I often think of telling someone something and then thinking I actually did tell the person. The imagination is too strong.

[@maryanharrell5642]

Thanks, Steve. Another great lesson as usual!

[@oscar6443]

Very helpful. Thank You 🐶

[@recoveringsoul755]

I like the deja didn't (sorry can't figure how to put those little accents on letters) . I have experienced that when writing a short story. I go back to read it a couple of days later and it's not what I thought I wrote at all. Most of what my imagination was playing out, never made it onto the pages. It takes a long time to describe in words all that stuff going on in my head.

[@shandap3696]

Thank you Steve. I appreciate the lesson very much.

[@susanpyra7182]

Your explanation is very helpful, thank you for sharing

[@cassandrabriggs9133]

Thank you so much for explaining this so clearly. None of this is intuitive for me, so I really appreciate having it spelled out and demonstrated. I plan to paint today, so I'll be grabbing some paper scraps and experimenting for myself. :o)

[@susanhepburn6040]

Thank you very much, Steve - really well explained and demonstrated.

[@paulalister80]

Thank you Steve very interesting, I’ve just gone to cotton paper so excited to give this a try especially when I do clouds next.

[@JC-il4or]

Thanks! Great explanation! Had a few in my early explorations, which turned disastrous when i tried to "fix" them. BTW you need to take your oil can to your chair-i kept stopping the vid, thinking my cat was getting into something LOL 😂 As an aside, its really calming to watch your vids, amidst the current chaos, so again, many thanks. 💗

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yeah, I know. I've tried but can't figure out where to oil it. I hate it.!

[@Shuvah2Him]

I bought a "Tim Holz Distress spray bottle" in the stamping aisle at Hobby Lobby! Makes the bigger droplets!

[@GabrielleCarbonneau]

Very helpful! Thank you brother.

[@essietangle9931]

Thanks Steve and thanks for introducing us to Louise DeMasi she uses them a lot. On the intro I thought about a brain burp, total mystery of what’s going on.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, Louise does some cools stuff with them.

[@msprofessr]

Thank you

[@carolmeikleham7608]

Very helpful clarity

[@jodiexc74]

"Deja didn't" I love it!!! 😁🤣😂 I am very guilty of Deja didn't myself.

[@margohill3149]

Super helpful, as always! Thank you!😃😷

[@aalaelsadig9368]

Funny, I also thought you did an episode on these. I assumed you were making an updated lesson when I saw this at first..

[@heidicook2395]

Thank you so very much!

[@juliebrocklehurst-woods5247]

Great info, thanks!

[@lurklingX]

4:03 having trouble creating blooms... you shoulda grabbed Schmincke! 😂

[@lizzy9975]

I absolutely love blooms.... it's getting them to happen that's the issue!

[@cherylj.harris4967]

Thank you! Always helpful info given simply for easy understanding.

[@ibrahimissaiaawad2888]

Help what just happened? Who could resist watching?

[@bmk5529]

Thank you!

[@elflordsjourneys]

They are fun to create if you want them,drop some rubbing alcohol in there and really watch the pigments run.😀

[@thejoydecision724]

I’m 90% sure you covered this in a video before too! Maybe it was incorporated in a video you did on water control.

[@mindofwatercolor]

It was. I've talked about in many episodes as a side subject.

[@kathycorbin6038]

Very helpful!

[@diannemiddaugh2478]

Great video thank you

[@SeanMcColgandude]

Nice guide! Thanks yo

[@angelwings2265]

Very helpful

[@maryhazlett]

While I know that there are no stupid questions, it feels like this is one. I've struggled with water soaking through cotton paper, carrying paint with it. Doesn't all of that water you put down soak through to the other side, causing thinner areas of paper? 🤔

[@mindofwatercolor]

not typically no.

[@maryhazlett]

@@mindofwatercolor I just spent time playing around. Even after simple water washes (no paint), the paper is soaked through to the other side. I guess no matter how carefully stored, a long period of time does degrade the paper.

[@amyx231]

I hate blooms. But cheap paints and the cheapest WC papers (and sometimes regular or mixed media papers) means it’s unavoidable at times.

[@OldTess]

HELP..I'm trying to paint on "Acrylic paper" my neighbor bought me this block Pitturina grana fine cold pressed FABRIANO / 400g / m2.185 lbs. Since I am disabled and our artist died a few years ago, I have nowhere to shop. Watercolor paper new paints and brushes (my old brushes are made of animal hair. Excuse me for asking but do you have any tips on how I can best make the color not be so transparent .. Thanks in advance Tess Sweden

[@mindofwatercolor]

Gouache.

[@OldTess]

@@mindofwatercolor Thank you very much, I have to find a place on the internet to buy it ... tess Sweden

[@AL-bh4pm]

3:45 I see a sort of gremlin pumpkin-monster. Thanks for the vid. :)

[@DebbieGermany]

I know you taught about that before. It was not in an episode specifically dedicated to the topic.

[@elsagrace3893]

Ha😂 I don’t have false memory syndrome but my mom says my dad does. Deja didn’t. 😂

[@MadebyDawn23]

Thank you for this lesson. What are your thoughts on discontinuation of PR168

[@mindofwatercolor]

Not an issue for me. I don't use it. I tend to be a Pyrrol user for making scarlets

[@amygschwind1643]

Yep..... That is what is happening to me. Thank you so much.. That helps to know Now. I made a moon by accident. I just went with it.

[@mog-gyveroneill2500]

I get 'deja didn't' where I argue that I 'absolutely, totally, 100% replied to that text you sent a week ago..' Er, nope.. 😂

[@ValleyMermaid]

Did I miss the part where you can fix the bloom after it dries?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Nope. Generally doesn't work. Some faint blooms can be evened out by rewetting the area and smoothing the wash but often this just makes a bigger mess.

[@ValleyMermaid]

@@mindofwatercolor THANKS!!!!💕

[@briestosick]

You can get more predictable results by using salt water and/or making the outside with less water and wetter in the center.

[@kaas2597]

I have a theory that granulating colours bloom less than non granulating. I was testing blooming for practice lately and it was harder for me to force blooming on ultramarine than on colours like yellow ochre and alizarine crimson. And blooms on ultramarine were much smaller and less noticeable than even, thin, transparent colours.

[@art.by.eddyeule1023]

Déjà didn‘t... gorgeous!!!🤣

[@DJolygeneral]

lol I love déjà didn’t!!

[@johnandsarahcooper6927]

😆 ‘deja didn’t’

[@CherylGoyer]

I think you did talk and them years ago. But I could be suffering from the same false memory. 😏

[@briestosick]

Or try soapy water for variety

[@susanfeihe3596]

Great S

[@TXDHC]

Mandela Effect!

[@Sunny-pr1qw]

so I don't get what you would be doing when you don't want a backrun but get one ??

[@mindofwatercolor]

Usually when you want a nice smooth wash but add back too much water after it's started to dry. Oops, no more smooth wash.

[@andrewzanas9387]

Its called old age. I know first hand.

[@vickylaw659]

👍

[@cassiescreations9828]

Pretty sure you talked about back runs and blooms when you created a video about water control but maybe you didn't. Maybe those of us that believe that you talked about it previously are actually having false memories or a "group" false memory. "Group deja didn'ts" are what we had in high school, when the teacher asked if he already explained something and we all replied, "Yep, you covered that" even though we knew he didn't but we distracted him and talked about something else - which worked great until we took the test and that thing we convinced him that he talked about already was on the test so we all got the answer wrong. Then he'd have to cover the topic anyway. 😊

[@mindofwatercolor]

LOL! Yeah maybe. I probably touched on it in that episode yeah. I mention them often for sure.

[@ptaylor4923]

You MUST have gone over this embedded in some other videos because I definitely remember you going over this... Definitely.... really... maybe

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, I have but never a dedicated episode. Makes it easier to search for the topic.

[@ferretface]

1:30

[@GabrielleCarbonneau]

De ja didn’t! 🤣

[@lurklingX]

deja-didn't hahaa

[@InkResinandPaint]

#dejadidnt

[@mindofwatercolor]

😆

[@nickelazoyellow7360]

I'm so much better than you at doing things wrong! hahahaha.

[@chantalp.146]

Thank you!