Watercolor vlog: Buddhist monastery, blending paint, watercolor pencils, sandpaper, sponges, gouache

In today’s video, you will see me sketch a view of a Buddhist Monastery in the western Himalaya and then watercolor it in imaginary colors. You will see me use various tools and techniques - stick painting and blending, shaving watercolor pencil with sandpaper and applying opaque gouache over the top of watercolors. It’s a relaxing video, meant to calm the nervous system and inspire you to start your own watercolor painting.
Thank you for clicking on this description! At this very beginner phase of my “content creation” experience, it is very exciting just to imagine that people watch my videos. I do a metaphoric backflip for each new subscriber. I know, I’m new.
There are amazon affiliate links sprinkled around in here. These are items that I have found to bring joy to my life and I hope they do the same for you. If you click on the link and actually buy something from amazon, I will receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.
In this video I have used:
Arches cold press watercolor paper: amzn.to/41UP7ns
You can buy watercolor paper in many weights and sizes. I like 140-lb Arches cold press in either blocks of 20 bound sheets or free sheets in whatever size suits my purpose. Most often, I find the best prices at Blick Art.
Derwent watercolor pencils: amzn.to/3jSau7K
I really like sketching with Derwent watercolor pencils. I also use, at times, a very soft lead pencil: 6B.
Favorite supplies that usually appear in my videos:
1. A porcelain plate or tray from the goodwill makes a great palette. So does a plastic lid from a yogurt container.
2. A used talenti ice cream cup is perfect for swish water; also a great way to buy art supplies when you “have to” eat the contents first.
3. A cheap Robert Simmons Expressions brush is perfect. The one I’m using here is an E85 Round, size 12. You can buy one at Blick Art.
4. I use a glass bottle that used to contain facial toner for my spray bottle. The toner was expensive, but it has a very pretty label. The spray is a fine mist and the bottle is the perfect size for using at home and also for taking out on location.
Some of my favorite art books:
Breaking the Rules of Watercolor by Shirley Trevena: amzn.to/3IoJLZL
Taking Risks With Watercolor by Shirley Trevena: amzn.to/3SMqCV8
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards: amzn.to/3kIwiDd
What I use to film and edit my videos:
Small, flexible tripod with screw-on grippy attachment that holds my iphone: amzn.to/3mEEGUU
Desk mount device that I use with the screw-on grippy attachment that came with my tripod - the desk mount (in combination with the grippy attachment) holds my iPhone 18-inches above my table: amzn.to/3L81XbK
Blue yeti microphone: amzn.to/3Fw1IE7
Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor - this is what I use to connect the blue yeti microphone to my ipad for voice over editing: amzn.to/3ZNxuUE
Instagram: spinnaker.archi...
A couple of my other youtube videos you might enjoy:
Watercolor vlog: teapot, contour drawing, experimentation, concertina book:
• Watercolor vlog: teapo...
Watercolor video log: the start of something new, first tentative marks
• Watercolor video log: ...

[@_roshi]

you could be an audiobook narrator! so calming ❤ I love your commentary though would appreciate a little more about thought process regarding the choices you are making (not that you don’t at all, it is just only about certain parts) thank you for the video!

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for your kind words! I appreciate those who narrate audiobooks and I could certainly see myself trying voice work one day. I love your feedback! I’ll try and identify key decision-points in future videos… it’s interesting because this kind of creative work is so Right Brain and to put into words the thoughts is so Left Brain. If anyone reading this comment is lost with the Right-Left Brain references, search for Betty Edwards and her work on this front.

[@jayne3944]

SO beautiful!! I especially LOVE your colors and the stunning rocks at the bottom ...

[@julieresnick257]

So awesome❣️

[@klwebuga]

Hi Julie! Thanks for watching! We are overdue to connect!

[@sofar_sogud4929]

You’ve inspired me to attempt this with a photo I took in Bhutan. I love your color choices.

[@klwebuga]

I love that you’re going to work with a photo you took in Bhutan! Some years back, I worked with a photo (not mine, I think it was from the New York Times) of Tiger’s Nest Monastery. What a stunning scene that was - and to imagine how they built it, ooch. I remember my biggest challenge was maintaining the white of the paper on those prayer flags, so that their translucency would shine through.

[@celiacannon8345]

Holbein blue gray might work for skies for you. That brand is my favorite. They have some beautiful, unusual colors. I use them in watercolor and also artist oils.

[@klwebuga]

Holbein blue gray is on my list for my next visit to Blick Art!

[@celiacannon8345]

I’ve been using Holbein watercolor and their artist oils for around 30 years! I use a color called rose grey. I portraits, and have restored statues. This color is a perfect starting point for painting lips and adding a flush of color to cheeks. The green grey is really beautiful too. I have 20 year old tubes of the oils. They haven’t dried up in the tubes yet!🥰

[@klwebuga]

Wow! I’m definitely going to have to pick up some Holbein on my next trip to Blick Art! :-) Thank you for your comment!

[@larrymisiak915]

It doesn’t matter what I like or don’t, but I liked the big rock earlier in the painting, not so much at the end. The dark, dimensional shadows at the top of the rocks, converging in the center, draw the eye into the middle and up to the monastery. Mountains provide solitude and isolation and are place where some deities reside, I am told.

[@klwebuga]

I get the same feeling sometimes when I watch other artists on youtube! I’m there telling the screen, “no no no no don’t cover that bit up!” LOL. It’s been fun for me to rewatch myself making art because I so easily forget what had been there the moment before I changed it. On the topic of mountains… those monasteries perched up high in the Himalayas are so inspiring. I keep asking myself, how did they bring all of the materials and water needed to build that?

[@larrymisiak915]

@@klwebuga Your process is so open and engaging. Hope you and your art bring you much satisfaction and success!