Hi everyone,

First of all please note this is my first time with color :)

I was really afraid it will ruin my drawing (and it did, yay!).

Now, ignore the poor drawing, it was a quick sketch to try on the color technique I was eager to learn.

I used acrylic paper/sketch pad , since I haven't worked with color before and I didn't know the amount of water/color needed to keep the drawing underneath and not ruin the paper. My first impression is that this type of paper isn't suited for detailed drawing. It has a strong texture and it was difficult for me to keep my lines clean and shading smooth. I used a 0.5 mechanical pencil with a 2B lead and a 4B lead.

After finishing my drawing I thought I should try NOT to use fixatif :) big mistake, it was all ruined the moment I started painting, all my detailes, as few as they were, got muddy.

I used acrylic paints since I'm a beginner with color and more of a beginner with watercolors, so acrylic seemed more suitable. I read a few articles of how to imitate watercolors with acrylics.

Anyway, this is my result:

Beta Experiment Final version - image 1 - student project

Now, here's what I wanted to obtain (beautiful painting by Michael Shapcott - I really like the fact you can still see the underdrawing which is also acting as a support for the shading and volume):

Beta Experiment Final version - image 2 - student project

Of course, ignore the perfect drawing which is 100 times better than mine :)

What I would need some guidence with is:

1. what type of paper should I use for a nice, shaded drawing, suited for details, which won't get ruined by the paint? Please tell me in grams, etc not brands since I'm not from USA and brands might differ.

2. should I use fixatif or use less water?

3. how much water should be used with acrylics, or how can I keep my underdrawing and still have fairly vivid colors?

I will continue posting my progress here with new atempts, but any help is more than welcome!

Here is my second version, this time using gesso on the acrylic paper before starting my drawing. I also used fixatif after finishing the drawing. The rest of the process is the same, using color washes and ink afterwards in some places (not very inspired, but oh well)

Beta Experiment Final version - image 3 - student project

Comparing the first with the second my impressions are:

1. it's easier to draw over the gesso overlay

2. but the drawing get's darker. your lines will be more vivid in terms of color intensity

3. acrylic works ok over fixatif and the drawing doesn't smudge at all

Here is my final version for the project:

Beta Experiment Final version - image 4 - student project

I decided to do an animal illustration and paint it on canvas.

The process is the same as on paper, I did a light sketch then inked it and used ink washes for shadows. Then I used color washes with acrylic.

Any other feedback is appreciated!

Adina Rafaila

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