Mark Making 1 (tools and techniques)

In this demo I introduce fun and surprising tools and mark making techniques. On a large piece of paper mounted on the wall I explore the connection between line and gesture. I turn to the flat surface for the second half of there demo, showing you how to expand mark making with collage, printing and mono printing. Join Artwork Artplay on Facebook, to discover posts and tips on tools, techniques, and mindset to keep your art practice going.

[@raerae6422]

I love how experimental you are. I hope it never becomes unfun for you. Thanks for sharing the joy.

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks!

[@darceyclapp4777]

Every time I watch this, I get refreshed. Thank you.

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks Darcey

[@margaretsmith9085]

I love how you speak slowly and with so much detail. It's a pleasure to be instructed by an accomplished artist and teacher. Thank you. I'm watching this video for the second time and I can't wait to tape my paper to the wall.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thank Margaret. Have fun!

[@gwenb123]

Hands down the most helpful demonstration of mark making I have seen. Thank you so much! I can't wait to try some of these techniques!

[@teedoubleu9602]

When you did the flat marks I felt like electricity was jolting my heart... those marks were so energetic, alive and beautiful.. I can't wait to use these tools and techniques.. thank you for sharing your wisdom and knowledge

[@sherrillpearson7140]

What an absolutely fantastic vid to learn so much about mark making. I'm going to study with all your wonderful vids now. Thank you so much for your generous time and knowledge. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦

[@cherylarmon789]

I really like the tissue paper use. Subtle, yet draws you in.

[@susanm7089]

Excellent video on mark making! You truly have a teacher’s skill. Thank you for your generosity.

[@hopeful8975]

You have given a lot to not only think about but to experiment with…thank you so much! I am certainly going to get some big paper taped up to my wall and play with it.

[@katewalton6350]

Really enjoyed this. Just wanted to share a technique, I put a Walmart bag on top of cardboard that I cut from an amazon box then applied paint and used the brayer and stamped with it pressing down with brayer very cool. Food for thought.

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks for the tip Kate!

[@debraandrews2896]

As a former mixed media intuitive art instructor in Nelson I am so pleased to have found you. THANKYOU for your generous spirit and for the sharing of your work and process. Congratulations on using our technology to help the creative greater good.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Debra--thanks for dropping this comment here! Praise from fellow teachers is always especially precious!

[@IrmaVelasquez1]

the dialogue with the work was very helpful and playful - really enjoyed this presentation. Also the pace was just right enough to work with her as she taught.

[@alisonwatt8570]

glad you found it helpful

[@alisonlyons4691]

Thank you Alison, l so enjoyed this video. Full of valuable information. Mark making is a great reminder of where we came from as artists. When l was small and going on bus rides with my mum she always had a tiny note book and wee pencil in her bag. When l got fidgety out they would come and l was happy doodling away until the journey was over. An artist was born 😂 I too enjoy Louise's teaching. Thanks again Alison.........

[@MariaMunoz-rz1nz]

Thank you so much, I’m glad I found your channel! You’re great 😊!

[@micheleholdenart]

Just love this process!

[@lindamcdonald9199]

One of the best mark making tutorials, ever!

[@alisonwatt8570]

wow! thanks Linda

[@a.fayeday4639]

I’ve been looking for a way to expand my mark-making & have just arrived at your video. It’s wonderful! Thank you for your generous teaching & demonstration. I’m off to try these techniques.

[@abstractrealmz]

You’re so cute. I love that you left paint on your face. I always seem to have paint on me. It’s nice to see a beautiful woman not care and not edit a video for perfection. Thank you for teaching me a few things. Stay awesome. ❤️🖌️🎨

[@gayneels5169]

Lol! I use that exact masher for my potatoes, it’s the best!

[@lobstermash]

I grew up with that potato masher - salutations!

[@kristiinasakai9957]

Fantastic, Allyson! I think I’ve watched this before, but today this really hit home. I’ve been struggling with my work as I’ve transitioned from semi abstract to abstract and how to make it more interesting and varied without making a total mess! Thank you so very much for your clear, consiste and calm delivery!

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thanks for the comment Kristina--good luck with your adventure with abstract

[@jackieseeger6585]

Thanks so much for all the great techniques and for so patiently sharing them!!

[@elsamartinez7905]

I love your playfulness in mark making!,❤❤❤❤

[@user-jb1sr4kb1w]

Thank you so much for this film. It’s amazing 😊

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thanks!

[@sarawelder1]

thank you... that looks like fun!

[@bettyblitch7930]

See the rabbit looking over it's shoulder?

[@FarinaReinprecht]

Wonderful and generous sharing.

[@houdini840]

Just found your channel and so glad I did! Really informative. Am looking forward to watching many more. Thank you!

[@hieronymusbrink4911]

Very informative. Thank you!

[@jackieswe]

What a great informative video, I’m currently exploring mark making and this is really useful! Thank you so much for sharing your techniques! You have a new subscriber☺️

[@mariannediaz5303]

My god! I’m so happy I found this video 🌟

[@expressiveartsgirl9717]

This is such a fantastic video!!

[@monicastella9149]

Thank you, this video was fun and made me want to try more tools.

[@sheripalmer3192]

Great ideas! Thank you for sharing! ❤

[@katherynsutton9624]

Awesome video on mark making and collage. ….thank you😊

[@jgyoungmdaic]

Nice explanation of mark making 👍

[@joanlawson6028]

Loved that! Thank you!

[@jlm517rocks]

So fun!! Transfer is perfect....been staring at tempers paints in bright colors that ii didn't know what to do with, and you showed me what was next....on black paper no less. Ty!!

[@alisonwatt8570]

great idea!

[@bonniezieman3424]

Thank you, Alison!

[@Roy7..]

I watched the entire video and learned a lot. Thank you so much for doing this.

[@alisonwatt8570]

you are welcome!

[@water-sorb7899]

I have watched a lot of art videos of all kinds, I think yours is one of the best so far. You are really good at conveying the information and every piece of it is so valuable to an artist. Thank you for all you do, it is greatly appreciated!!

[@alisonwatt8570]

thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! It means a lot.

[@pixelsplus100]

This is such an absorbing video, thank you

[@janetseager4069]

This is a wonderful tutorial Allison. I feel I have learnt so much in this short time Thank you so much

[@alisonwatt8570]

The Korean artist I mention is Hyunmee Lee. Here is a video on her work kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5C2kJualLyaeqs

[@gaylecewpie5012]

Great and very informative, loved it! Thank you.

[@mariaguillerminaayrolo1480]

Amazing ideas!! You are a great artist and a fabulous teacher! Thank you!!!!!!!

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks for leaving this generous comment

[@alisonlyons4691]

Thank you so much for your generosity, so much information which l look forward to using. Tissue paper is on my shopping list, it looks great fun. I've watched Louise Fletchers videos for a couple of years and she has helped me free up my brain 😁 what a fabulas compliment you are to her work. Thanks again Alison.....Alioban 💖

[@dianecharest8365]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

[@vanessajmcintosh]

Such a wonderful and inspiring video, I love how you talk and explain so spontaneously and naturally...beautiful mark making too! thanks so much!

[@maureenknight3863]

wow, fascinating, you are an inspiration, cant wait to experiment.

[@sutapadasgupta2393]

Thank you so much. I had seen your channel earlier too, a great learning experience. Thank you very much.

[@alisonwatt8570]

glad you liked it Sutapa!

[@nataliestafford5889]

Thank you! Fun!

[@babawawa1953]

Wonderful video. Thank you.

[@sheilamillard8136]

Thankyou so much for a very useful video!

[@bonniegarson80]

Fabulous

[@sajan397]

Very interesting... N inspiring too thank u soo much 👌

[@edwin_art_studio414]

Thanks..... That's awesome

[@shirin8390]

Was beautiful watching your work,thanks to teach us your best technique 🙏🙏💖💖

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thank you!

[@brigitteshantieaglemeare4350]

I really love your style of teaching, very inspiring

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks Brigitte!

[@JeffreyKahnartist]

Thank you very much.

[@sharronchurch6740]

Thank you, Alison...I learned a lot. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. You are a fabulous teacher. I subscribed!!

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thank you Sharon!

[@robertterrell3065]

Awesome process :)

[@alisonwatt8570]

Thank you!

[@laurienye7514]

Allison, I just found you on UTube. and I just love how you teach. I have learned more from you than anyone else. Where do you live? I would love to take a class from you. Thank you.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hi Laurie -- I live on Vancouver Island. I mainly teach online right now. If you go to my website (at the top of my youtube channel page) you can have a look at my classes. I have 3 free sessions coming up at the end of October. Otherwise, I sometimes teach in art schools: I'll be at the Gibson's School of the Arts next summer as well as a summer school called MISSA on Vancouver Island. You can find them both online. Maybe I'll meet you there?!

[@LoriMcKinnonArt]

Thank you for the video. So much work went into it and I’m grateful for you sharing and taking the time for this. Happy creating! New subscriber here ❤️. Lori

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks Pizazz!

[@marypartridge5154]

Wonderful teacher just the best.

[@marypartridge5154]

Do you do lessons online online

[@sandylee1717]

Enjoyed this video very much

[@alisonwatt8570]

thanks for letting me know Sandylee

[@guitardee1]

Love your presentation. How did you manage to keep your top clean? I always look as though I painted with my whole body.

[@randygarry3678]

Thank you for showing your techniques. I had thought you cannot put acrylic over oil , what happens when acrylic goes over the oil markers ?

[@alisonwatt8570]

The relatively small amount of oil in the oil paste does bind, but it will resist any acrylic. I kind of like the effect of that. But I always spray the work with an oil pastel fixative when I'm finished.

[@mahroukhrafii3339]

Hi Alison I have been a watercolorist for a very long time and am trying to learn abstract painting and found your lessons on KZbin. You are a very good teacher. I have started with your mark making lesson. For the large paper, what kind of paper and what size do you use?. I have a lot of watercolor paper. Can you use acrylic paints on watercolor paper? Thanks so much for all your lessons. Mahroukh

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hi Mahroukh--the big paper is from a roll of cheap white drawing paper. You can use acrylics on watercolour paper!

[@bonniegarson80]

Thanks. Great tips. Do u gesso your paper first?

[@annberinger6250]

Absolutely love this!! Thank you!!

[@vvs982]

1 year later first time seeing July 3 2023

[@honerloo]

Love this! Thank you. What is the object you used for the white print with holes/circles?

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hi Heather--it was some kind of packing food foam--I forget what came in it.

[@cherylarmon789]

I hope you have a session on what you do next toward a finished work.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hi Cheryl--I'll think about that. Meanwhile some of my other videos (Ie. anything but the brush) include starting with mark making and adding layers of acrylic and other media.

[@chantalfraser8638]

Magnifique travail,vous avez des doigts de fée .

[@alisonwatt8570]

merci Chantal!

[@bonniegarson80]

How do u go from marks to actual painting or is it just a warmup? Thanks

[@alisonwatt8570]

I use mark making in a lot of my work. This is just a way of exploring new ways of making new kinds of marks

[@Engelhafen]

I called my first mark making - diaper art 🤣🙈

[@coraannetoledo-merritt1220]

alison you mentioned a video we should see over markmaking. I couldn't quite catch the name. I love the drawings you are creating using all the marks possible. thanks so much.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Could have been Mark Making Next Steps

[@shawn5632]

It was at 5:43...a Korean artist, it sounded like Yeung Le...??

[@alisonwatt8570]

@@shawn5632 Hyunmee Lee-- I hope you like her work. There is a fantastic video of her painting process, if you google her name.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hyunmee Lee is the name of the artist

[@shawn5632]

@@alisonwatt8570 Thanks!!

[@rayemartineau8644]

💗👍👀 1 /25/22 Thank you for sharing

[@kascialelonek8757]

This is the best art video I have ever seen!

[@alisonwatt8570]

thank you so much Kascia!

[@marypartridge5154]

Hi where do you get this masking fluid from??? Thanx for sharing with us??? I want to take leasons but im hopeless with computers.

[@alisonwatt8570]

you can buy the masking fluid from most art stores

[@kathyb.9834]

Great video! What is that "spraying" tool called and where can I get one?

[@alisonwatt8570]

I have tried to find the name of that tool, no luck. I-I got it at my local art store, Opus Art Supplies.

[@AliBaba-ke5jn]

Hi Alison. How do you paint over charcoal marks? They smudge.

[@alisonwatt8570]

Hi Alicia--I kind of go with that--I don't mind the smudges. But if you want you can spray them with a fixative to prevent them from smudging

[@barbaramozzer]

what you use to glue?

[@alisonwatt8570]

I use acrylic medium (either mat or glass)

[@barbaramclean9076]

Just found your channel and love how you start a painting with mark making. I also love that you go into detail on how you make the marks. Thanks so much for sharing and giving me so many new ideas!

[@rayemartineau8644]

💓👍👀 3/11/22

[@toodle6418]

I'm making a collage with burnt amber and ochre yellow

[@alisonwatt8570]

that sounds like a great combination

[@lindastokes4529]

You use the old kitchen tool to mash potatoes!

[@junemaguire5053]

I see a rabbit.

[@mandymorrow5473]

The most drawl voice with at least on ounce of talent.

[@marypartridge5154]

Have you noticed today everybody expects art to be fun. Can you imagine Van Gogh thinking art was fun.???

[@alisonwatt8570]

haha--good point!

[@zlataavdagic993]

Zašto toliko priče i samoreklame...pokazujte tehniku rada koju svako razumije...kad bi kuhari toliko sebe reklamirali jojjj

[@enio4975]

Too mutch bla bla....