Sennelier New Range of Watercolour Paints

 Sennelier's new l'Aquarelle Honey-Based Watercolours

In December 2010 I participated in some blind tests of watercolours for the famous French artist's colour manufacturer, Sennelier.  At the time I had no idea what an interesting and rewarding project it was going to be.

First of all a box of 51 little zinc paint tubes arrived - no names, just numbers.

In the tubes were different formulations of twelve colours.  For a colour addict, this was surely a feast.  My task, along with other artists around the world, was to test and rate the contents of each tube by their luminosity, pigment intensity, consistency, ease of application and appearance after drying. I was going to need a system.

Starting work on the Ultramarine Blues.

Well that's all a long time ago now.  I sent off my tests and voiced my opinion on the various colours.  Back came an amazing box of gifts from Sennelier; beautiful paper, pastels, watercolours and brushes.  But the story wasn't over.

Last month I was packing for a short holiday in Paris when a courier arrived with the beautiful box of Sennelier's new watercolours you see at the head of this post.  Since it was called Color Palette of the Impressionists I had to add it to my Paris sketching kit.  

I used the colours for the first time to paint a postcard of one of my favourite places in Paris.  The painting has been posted to my friend Pat Reese in California as my July contribution to our art mail exchange A Postcard from My Walk.  Once Pat has received her card I'll be able to show it here.

Meantime I've been playing with my new Sennelier palette.  The first thing I noticed and loved about the new formula is the way the paint re-wets on the palette.  I'm inclined to squeeze tube paint into a light plastic palette to take sketching.  Being able to bring it back to a soft, rich tube consistency with a quick spray of water is very important.

Look at that stunning combination of three reds at the top left.  I want to wear it!  I also loved the way the Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Deep mix and granulate.  I'm very excited about  two greens - beautiful deep, rich Forest Green and Phthalo Green Light.  This introductory palette also has two very useful colours for sketchers, Warm Sepia and Paynes Grey.

Of course I'm only looking at 12 of the 98 shades now available in half pans, full pans and 10 and 21 ml tubes.

I have a great deal more to say about Sennelier but this is probably enough to whet your appetite for some delicious new colours. 

Venice Windows Watercolour

Watercolour 27.5 x 18.5 cm

Since I've been in a bit of an artistic slump of late, I've been tidying my studio.  I found this watercolour, abandoned two years ago, so decided to finish it.  I hate wasting paper.

The painting is too big for my scanner and it's not great weather for photography.  But it's done now and I can move on.

Editor's Note: I've replaced the original photo I posted as the colour was too saturated.

EDM #131 - Draw a Spray Bottle

Last day of May. Last sketch of the EDiM Challenge. I can't say I'm not relieved. Trouble is there are still a few empty pages in this sketchbook. I should have done more double page spreads.

Now I'm free to dream about Provence. We have a special blog for our painting holiday - Four Go Painting in Provence. If you fancy a free virtual trip to the South of France at this perfect time of year you could subscribe to the Blog or follow us on Twitter - 4PP

EDM #125 - Draw a Bird

It's taken a while but the collared doves are now happily at home in our garden, competing with the sparrows and pigeons for the food and bath. This one sits peering into the bedroom at me while I peer back through my binoculars. They are so dainty, I love them.

Still dragging the chain with my Every Day in May Challenge. You can see everyone's drawings on the flickr group: http://flickr.com/groups/edmeverydayinmay2011

I need to catch up by the end of the month so I can post #131 on May 31 and pretend I kept up the discipline of painting every day.

EDM 113 - Draw a Fence

Watercolour and Pigma Micron Pen
Strathmore Watercolor Visual Journal 14 x 20.3 cm

HWEM has been helping a friend in Umbria establish a new vegetable garden. I couldn't resist the fence. This garden has a sublime view of the gorgeous old hill town of Todi. But I needed to draw a fence for the EDiM 2011 Challenge.

EDM 111 - Draw a Bowl

What is it about blue and white china that is so pleasing?

EDM 110 - Draw something with a flame.

EDM 107 - Draw how you get your news

Radio Box - I love it!

I'd like to say I read the Italian papers at the bar in the morning but it wouldn't be true because I'm illiterate in this land. Thank goodness for the Internet, my iPod Touch and a great little App called Radio Box.

At any time of day I can tune in to Radio National or News Radio (Australia) or BBC Radio 4. As a former journalist I haven't kicked the habit of following breaking news - all night if necessary.

This is Day 7 of the Everyday in May Challenge.

EDiM - Something Sour - Lemon Tree

The lemon tree is an icon of the Italian garden. In the south they are huge and dripping with giant, juicy fruit. Further north they are coddled like babies, tucked warmly away inside during the winter months and then in the Spring, wheeled out proudly to enjoy the sun.

We only have one ourselves and each year it struggles back to life. We watch anxiously until we see the first tiny leaf buds. It then goes into a frenzy of putting on beautiful white scented blossom. Soon it is covered in tiny baby fruit - but I think only one has ever developed and ripened. Every time The Gardener shakes his head and mutters about its lack of a proper trunk and root system, I leap to its defence. Over my dead body!!

EDiM Scissors

Got today's sketch finished by 11am now I can attend to pressing domestic matters - i.e. Ironing!

The great thing about the sketchbook I'm using for this challenge* is that I can remove the signature I'm working on for drawing and scanning and put it back into the book when it's finished. Neat! This sketch is the end of the first signature.

* A part of the Everyday in May challenge - drawing something every day in May.

EDiM Power Plug & Exercise Equipment

Four days into May and I'm already getting behind.

Hopefully I will catch up by the end of today. You can see everyone else's EDiM art in the Flickr Group HERE. There are already 98 taking part and I'm sure it's not too late to join in.

Iris Watercolour

Irises 6x6" watercolour

This painting of irises is an exercise in working with the brush without benefit of a preliminary pencil sketch. I surprised myself and have built a little confidence for the future.

Goldfinch Watercolour Sketches

Goldfinchs - watercolour in cheap 15 x 21cm sketchbook

Sunflowers for art and birds

We seem to have more birds than ever visiting our Tuscan garden. I tried in vain to feed them during the winter but none showed interest in my plastic feeder of mixed seed. This spring HWEM planted some small sunflowers for me to paint and now they are going to seed I finally have birds feeding right outside my window. I am really excited about the beautiful goldfinches and am spending a considerable amount of time watching them through a tiny pair of binoculars that were a giveaway at the Stingers launch years ago.

My Nikon 18-55mm lens isn't any good for birds so when I do get a photo I still have to do a lot of guessing about colour and detail. I'm sketching the goldfinches from a combination of photo and life, hoping that I'll become so familiar with their form I will eventually be able to make quick sketches from life.

Nesting Pigeon Watercolour Sketch

Watercolour & Gouache pen sketch on grey paper

There are pigeons nesting opposite our living room window. It's causing me a great deal of anxiety because the foolish couple built their nest on top of lethal spikes placed on the window sill to discourage such nesting and resting. Now there is at least one squab in the nest, I saw a tiny head for a fraction of a second, and I'm terribly worried about how the babies are going to get across the spikes to learn to fly.

I know many of you don't like pigeons but as I've said before I have a soft spot for them, probably because they are the only birds that will sit still long enough for me to sketch them. Nobody around here wants to give them a home unless it's to fatten them to eat.

Not much of a photo but the best I can do without a bigger lens.

Apple Sliced Watercolour

Watercolour Arches CP paper

Apple & Sliced Apple across HP & CP paper

An additional contribution to Jeanette's Apple Challenge. These watercolours are in a lovely 6" x 8.75" hand-bound sketchbook made for me by Marta in a combination of Fabriano HP and Arches CP paper. The inside cover is a map of Florence. She gave it to me when we met there. It's become a favourite.

Apple watercolour

Watercolour Fabriano Artistico HP paper

Fitted in around the chores on a wet Sunday afternoon, my contribution to Jeanette's (Illustrated Life) Apple Challenge.

Best Friends - Watercolour

Best Friends - 16 x 18 cm watercolour

Morning landscape - watercolour

Corner Tree - 3" x 3" watercolour

When I set out on my walk this morning I had high hopes for some clouds in the sky. By the time I'd found a shady spot and the subject of my painting, they'd gone and the sky was again a bright desaturated backdrop.

Chiesa della Consolazione watercolour

3"x 3" watercolour on 6"x 6" on rough 140lb paper

Santa Maria della Consolazione

After the scorching day we had yesterday, I restricted my morning walk to inside the walls of our town. I found a shady spot to sit with a nice view of the octagonal church.

This is six days in a row of walking and painting. Tomorrow I rest!

Tuscan Church Watercolour

3" x 3" Watercolour - Tuscan Country Church

3" x 3" watercolour - paper 6" x 6"

Painted on this morning's walk.

Currently 37ºC, too hot to be out painting! The colours were drying on my brush before I could get them on to the paper.