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Sky Blues in watercolour, help please!

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John Walker

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Hilary, I always feel it depends on what kind of light I am seeking to imitate with my colours. Prussian Blue gives me the 'metallic' cold blue that suggests freezing weather. Cobalt makes me feel the warmth of Summer. Cerulean suggests a particular shade of blue I often see just as twilight begins; especially next to a blush of pink. A watered down Ultramarine fits well with a summer seascape. Problem is I am a bit of a romantic at heart, so such ideas might just be me. Anyhow, I hope this helps. Cheers John  
251-95

John Walker

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Hilary, I always feel it depends on what kind of light I am seeking to imitate with my colours. Prussian Blue gives me the 'metallic' cold blue that suggests freezing weather. Cobalt makes me feel the warmth of Summer. Cerulean suggests a particular shade of blue I often see just as twilight begins; especially next to a blush of pink. A watered down Ultramarine fits well with a summer seascape. Problem is I am a bit of a romantic at heart, so such ideas might just be me. I am in full agreements with the comments on Rowland Hilder; he was one of the best for me. Anyhow, I hope all this helps. Cheers John  

Edited
by John Walker

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Sounds totally poisonous Robert.
Linda Wilson on 08/10/2021 17:27:26
I wouldn't recommend making your tea with it, certainly....  It's a dye, like Prussian Blue; not really poisonous - doesn't matter if you get it on your hands, does matter if you get it on your favourite white cardigan, because it's a complete swine to wash out.  The pthalo colours - blue, green, turquoise - can ruin a painting in no time at all; and while you can wash most colours out, pthalo isn't one of those that gives up without a fight.  I think I got lucky with my PB watercolour wash - I wonder if I could repeat the performance; achieved it on Bockingford, and I'm not sure it would work so well on a paper with more sizing.  Still, I'm curious to try, now.
Croft Castle drive, Autumn

Hilary Forbes

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Thank you John - that is very helpful advice on the different uses of blue and I will be trying them out. I have ordered some phthalo blue (green) and phthalo blue (red) and will experiment with them, and will post the results if I feel they are acceptable for public viewing! The Rowland Hilder book I have is 'Painting Landscapes in Watercolour' and I bought it in an Oxfam shop a few years ago. I thought at the time his paintings were a bit old school but having started to reread it I realise that his sound advice and expertise is invaluable, and will never date. He does say it took him a long time, and a lot of experimenting before he felt confident with the medium, and I find that encouraging although a bit daunting - but I will keep trying.
Croft Castle drive, Autumn

Hilary Forbes

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Robert - I do hope you do try again with a phthalo blue wash on Bockingford, I would be very keen to see the result
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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This was one of two using pthalo blue on Bockingford; can't find the other one. 
Croft Castle drive, Autumn

Hilary Forbes

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Thank you Robert, I can see pb works very well here, unfortunately I can't enlarge the image, but it has encouraged me to try now.
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