- Published on
Last post, I showed how my watercolor paints melted.
Here’s what I’ve learned to get my watercolor paints dry:
I’m not one to really give up on adding color to my sketchbooks.
So.
I’ve added color pencils. Dissatisfying between the sharpening and how much color it really adds compared to effort, but at least it’s color.
So.
I guess I have little choice than to wait until our new home is built. When we will have air conditioning on low in my studio. A week indoors with air conditioning and then a few hours daily will be ok.
So.
I’ve asked other artists in my Make Big Art Community if they’ve had this problem. Artist Kathy Whitehorn offered that I try a particular paint brand. I’ll be trying it…but for now it’s dry season…and rainy season will be the real test.
Being in dry season didn’t help the watercolor paint that’s already melted…as I just keep laughing!
Here’s what I’ve learned to get my watercolor paints dry:
- Use an oven at about 200 degrees. Why I won’t: we have no oven AND the plastic would melt.
- Place in freezer or refrigerator. Why I won’t: condensation, lol.
- Keep in Ziploc bag with reusable desiccant packs. Result: The desiccant packs need constant swapping. When I used the paint, the paint stayed damp. Damp paint and wet desiccant packs let the paint melt again.
- Took the paint to Miami for air conditioning to dry them out. Result: This worked, but when we got home, it took a day to return to melted.
- Keep paints in air conditioning or a dry room type of place. Result: I’ll never use the paints ever again.
- Use something else. Result: Bulkier purse…which is why I began using watercolor in the first place.
- Try different watercolor brands of paint. Result: I might have a winner, but rainy season will tell. If my new brand stays as “pills” during rainy season…but if not, I may try yet another brand.
I’m not one to really give up on adding color to my sketchbooks.
So.
I’ve added color pencils. Dissatisfying between the sharpening and how much color it really adds compared to effort, but at least it’s color.
So.
I guess I have little choice than to wait until our new home is built. When we will have air conditioning on low in my studio. A week indoors with air conditioning and then a few hours daily will be ok.
So.
I’ve asked other artists in my Make Big Art Community if they’ve had this problem. Artist Kathy Whitehorn offered that I try a particular paint brand. I’ll be trying it…but for now it’s dry season…and rainy season will be the real test.
Being in dry season didn’t help the watercolor paint that’s already melted…as I just keep laughing!
When your watercolor pills turn into sticky caramel taffy, the watercolor paint stays home. I keep this kit and a few others inside a very well sealed Ziploc bag, flat, on a shelf. With this kit, I’m lucky it’s taffy caramel like…because my other kit’s paint turns into thick water and runs into the other pans.
- Published on
Andy and I used to live in humid in Miami, Florida. The average humidity in Miami is between 50ish% - 70ish% year-round, like in Ojochal, Costa Rica where are living. The HUGE difference is that Miami has air conditioning everywhere. In Costa Rica, air conditioning is rarely found or used, no matter how hot or rainy. Air conditioning acts as a dehumidifier as it allows the air to dry out. Since there’s no air conditioning…the air stays humid…and…
Andy and I are renting a house that has NO glass in the windows. The windows have a decorative and practical ironwork and screens. We have lots of fans to keep the air circulating in our home. The fans keep things dryer and us cooler: double win.
The bad is that we also have a lot of humidity, no matter how many fans move the air around…so we use a lot of Ziploc bags to keep things as dry as possible. Sadly, many things stay damp…and there isn’t a way to dry them (no oven, no iron). One of these things are the watercolors that I loved to use with my sketchbooks.
I learned that watercolors melt. The binder (glue), that holds the pigment (color) melts when the paint is kept in humid conditions. It takes just a couple of days for most of the colors to turn runny.
I’m writing this not to complain but more to laugh. Laugh because no one ever mentions melting watercolor paints. I did Google this…and found only One artist writing about it.
In the meantime, my sketchbooks will only have blue or brown line drawings and little if any color. My next post will be how I can maybe fix my watercolor kits…maybe….
Andy and I are renting a house that has NO glass in the windows. The windows have a decorative and practical ironwork and screens. We have lots of fans to keep the air circulating in our home. The fans keep things dryer and us cooler: double win.
The bad is that we also have a lot of humidity, no matter how many fans move the air around…so we use a lot of Ziploc bags to keep things as dry as possible. Sadly, many things stay damp…and there isn’t a way to dry them (no oven, no iron). One of these things are the watercolors that I loved to use with my sketchbooks.
I learned that watercolors melt. The binder (glue), that holds the pigment (color) melts when the paint is kept in humid conditions. It takes just a couple of days for most of the colors to turn runny.
I’m writing this not to complain but more to laugh. Laugh because no one ever mentions melting watercolor paints. I did Google this…and found only One artist writing about it.
In the meantime, my sketchbooks will only have blue or brown line drawings and little if any color. My next post will be how I can maybe fix my watercolor kits…maybe….
I opened this kit on Christmas Day as a treat. By New Year’s Eve, it was a taffy caramel mess. These are “pills” or “cakes” of watercolor paint. I’m sticking the individuals down to the bottom with a double sided foam.
- Published on
Savvy Blooming Free Lucky Cat Picture by Angeline Marie Martinez
Well, dogs and cats are loving. They want to be adopted into safe and loving homes.
When they are, these dogs and cats guarantee that you will be loved. Every dog and cat have so much love to give!
El Refugio is a very special place for dogs and cats in Costa Rica. Some of these dogs and cats are truly rescued from very sad experiences. Volunteers work from behind the scenes to in person to help and support every dog and cat possible.
El Refugio holds spay and neuter events as they try to educate the communities that this is the best way to control the numbers of roaming dogs and cats in the rainforest jungle. As foreigners move in and out of the communities, El Refugio provides resources to help dogs and cats find and keep homes in and out of the community and Costa Rica.
El Refugio truly is a special and unique dog and cat shelter. Andy and I love dogs and cats. We will be adopting new family members from El Refugio, but in the meantime, we enjoying supporting them!
El Refugio’s official words:
When they are, these dogs and cats guarantee that you will be loved. Every dog and cat have so much love to give!
El Refugio is a very special place for dogs and cats in Costa Rica. Some of these dogs and cats are truly rescued from very sad experiences. Volunteers work from behind the scenes to in person to help and support every dog and cat possible.
El Refugio holds spay and neuter events as they try to educate the communities that this is the best way to control the numbers of roaming dogs and cats in the rainforest jungle. As foreigners move in and out of the communities, El Refugio provides resources to help dogs and cats find and keep homes in and out of the community and Costa Rica.
El Refugio truly is a special and unique dog and cat shelter. Andy and I love dogs and cats. We will be adopting new family members from El Refugio, but in the meantime, we enjoying supporting them!
El Refugio’s official words:
'The goal of El Refugio is to improve the welfare of dogs and cats through rescue efforts, low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics, education programs, and community outreach, with a focus of rescuing and rehabilitating homeless, abandoned, and injured dogs and cats."
For more visit this link: elrefugiocostaballena.com
You can see some of their characters Instagram @elrefugiocostaballena
5% of my painting sales go to support El Refugio. The dogs and cats send their thank yous!
You can see some of their characters Instagram @elrefugiocostaballena
5% of my painting sales go to support El Refugio. The dogs and cats send their thank yous!
Cooperative Gilded Adventure Lucky CatPicture by Angeline Marie Martinez
- Published on
What’s new between my art table from November to now?
Lights so I can work even at night and during rainy days… Hooks to find scissors and ruler and paint can opener easily….
Gloss gelling (aka wood varnish) my favorite color wheel to keep paper from disintegrating… A stool for being able to work even when tired….
Life is good. Pura vida.
Special thank you and tons of brownie points belong to my better half Andy.
Want to see how my art table painting space looked before these upgrades? Click this sentence.
Want to see a small part of my old painting studio? This video shows my old studio, the one we let go to move to Costa Rica. The easel and other things are currently in storage for my new future studio. It describes what you can expect during an art demo. You can find it by clicking on this paragraph.
Lights so I can work even at night and during rainy days… Hooks to find scissors and ruler and paint can opener easily….
Gloss gelling (aka wood varnish) my favorite color wheel to keep paper from disintegrating… A stool for being able to work even when tired….
Life is good. Pura vida.
Special thank you and tons of brownie points belong to my better half Andy.
Want to see how my art table painting space looked before these upgrades? Click this sentence.
Want to see a small part of my old painting studio? This video shows my old studio, the one we let go to move to Costa Rica. The easel and other things are currently in storage for my new future studio. It describes what you can expect during an art demo. You can find it by clicking on this paragraph.
Me at my newly received and “installed” art studio table in November, 2021. Andy added the wheels. I added the screw for my paintbrushes. Simple, basic, easy!
After and now! Three original abstract palm tree designs based on Jubilee Abstract Palm Tree are shown on my art studio table. See the beautiful lights? The new hooks?
- Published on
As we set ourselves up in our new home, we throw away a lot of packaging.
I am also missing my studio, as most of it is in a Florida storage unit a few thousand miles away from Costa Rica.
Between trash and missing my supplies…I look at many things with an eye to reusing and repurposing. Sooo…the packaging!
I saved pieces of flat plastic because although small, they are perfect for stencils!
As I love staring out at the super tall trees at our new home, the tops of these trees became a simple subject to begin my new hand cut stencil collection.
To test them, I experimented, of course.
Packaging here in Costa Rica is very different than in the USA. There’s a lot less packaging here. I’m on a search for a packaging that I can use for stencils that is easier to find, and larger, than the little box used here.
To see some of my stencils that are in my Florida storage unit, click on through these links:
Dragonflies stencil in progress
How to reuse the wrappers (I used to) that were on my art drop freebies
If you’d like to see some of my hand carved stamps, too, you might enjoy my Luxury Lucky Cats Collection that I’m sending via email to friends. I keep all emails a secret and you can get an inside look at my almost secret collection of Luxury Lucky Cats.
I am also missing my studio, as most of it is in a Florida storage unit a few thousand miles away from Costa Rica.
Between trash and missing my supplies…I look at many things with an eye to reusing and repurposing. Sooo…the packaging!
I saved pieces of flat plastic because although small, they are perfect for stencils!
As I love staring out at the super tall trees at our new home, the tops of these trees became a simple subject to begin my new hand cut stencil collection.
To test them, I experimented, of course.
Packaging here in Costa Rica is very different than in the USA. There’s a lot less packaging here. I’m on a search for a packaging that I can use for stencils that is easier to find, and larger, than the little box used here.
To see some of my stencils that are in my Florida storage unit, click on through these links:
Dragonflies stencil in progress
How to reuse the wrappers (I used to) that were on my art drop freebies
If you’d like to see some of my hand carved stamps, too, you might enjoy my Luxury Lucky Cats Collection that I’m sending via email to friends. I keep all emails a secret and you can get an inside look at my almost secret collection of Luxury Lucky Cats.
The stencils with paint all over them! With another piece of plastic for a different design.
At my art table working with the stencil.
This piece has no title, but I used collaged packaging and my new stencil to make this.
- Published on
This is a tiny tree I brought from the USA to Costa Rica for us to enjoy this 2021 holiday season.
May your Christmas be Merry and Bright.
Sunshine and warmth from Costa Rica.
May your Christmas be Merry and Bright.
Sunshine and warmth from Costa Rica.
- Published on
See the garden hose in the top left corner? Yes, that is how this manual washer is filled with water.
How to Wash Clothes in Costa Rica:
NOTE:
Weather apps are very unreliable. It can be raining in the town that has the sensors, but sunny hot in your town.
NOTE:
Clotheslines in full sunlight are the quickest way to dry clothing.
The better clotheslines are just under roof overhangs.
22. Using clothespins, HANG clothing on clothesline.
23. MONITOR clothing until dry.
CAUTION!
Rain will wet clothing and delay drying. The delay can cause clothing to stay damp for days.
24. When clothing is dry to the touch, REMOVE and STORE clothing.
25. Repeat directions as often as necessary.
- CHECK weather for rain by looking up at the sky and all around you.
NOTE:
Weather apps are very unreliable. It can be raining in the town that has the sensors, but sunny hot in your town.
- IF it’s rainy, THEN DELAY laundry for another time or day.
- IF it’s sunny, THEN PROCEED with laundry.
- VERIFY the drain is CLOSED.
- VERIFY the water hose that fills the washer is secure and properly positioned.
- OPEN water hose valve.
- WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
- ADD about a cup of laundry detergent.
- ADD clothing.
- SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
- SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time.
- When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
- CLOSE drain.
- OPEN water hose valve.
- WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
- SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
- SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time.
- When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
- MOVE clothing from wash basin to spinner basin.
- SET spin timer for as long as you want. We usually do 5 minutes.
- SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time.
- When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the spinner turn off, MOVE clothing to clothesline.
NOTE:
Clotheslines in full sunlight are the quickest way to dry clothing.
The better clotheslines are just under roof overhangs.
22. Using clothespins, HANG clothing on clothesline.
23. MONITOR clothing until dry.
CAUTION!
Rain will wet clothing and delay drying. The delay can cause clothing to stay damp for days.
24. When clothing is dry to the touch, REMOVE and STORE clothing.
25. Repeat directions as often as necessary.
Our bed and chair covers on clotheslines to dry. If you were expecting underwear, well, you'd have to visit us and take a chance.
Out of clothesline? Use bushes in the sun!
- Published on
Ok, not completely in the wild, but at least in someone's garden driveway!
While visiting our neighbor Nacho, I found some rich, black, thick charcoal laying around some flower bushes. The type of charcoal that’s found in a 2x3x1 inch box in an art supply store and sells for a few dollars. The juicy charcoal that oozes blackness on paper…and smudges and brushes away easily to make grays.
Nacho laughed at me for asking for his charcoal. Charcoal in Costa Rica is used as deodorant or for gardening fertilizer, not art supplies. He shrugged and offered me more charcoal. I took just what I needed. After all, I just found an almost endless supply, right across our road!!!
I finally got to make the value chart I needed for class!
If you happen to be in Uvita, Costa Rica, come out and see me and three more awesome artists at Dolce Uvita on Saturday, December 11th, 2021, from 10 am – 3 pm. For more info, https://dolceuvita.com
While visiting our neighbor Nacho, I found some rich, black, thick charcoal laying around some flower bushes. The type of charcoal that’s found in a 2x3x1 inch box in an art supply store and sells for a few dollars. The juicy charcoal that oozes blackness on paper…and smudges and brushes away easily to make grays.
Nacho laughed at me for asking for his charcoal. Charcoal in Costa Rica is used as deodorant or for gardening fertilizer, not art supplies. He shrugged and offered me more charcoal. I took just what I needed. After all, I just found an almost endless supply, right across our road!!!
I finally got to make the value chart I needed for class!
If you happen to be in Uvita, Costa Rica, come out and see me and three more awesome artists at Dolce Uvita on Saturday, December 11th, 2021, from 10 am – 3 pm. For more info, https://dolceuvita.com
Finished value chart with the supplies I used. The charcoal is between the tape and sketchbook. The plastic wrap was carefully removed from the sketchbook to “laminate” my value strip so the charcoal doesn’t rub off.
- Published on
As I was checking out our outside laundry system at our new home in Costa Rica, a bat landed on the wall above me. It was about six inches long. I was happy to see it, but sad as it was a late morning. It let me get a single photo and then took off. ©Angeline Marie MartinezIt’s very weird being in Costa Rica for October.
There isn’t the whole Fall Thing here in Costa Rica.
The whole Fall Thing didn’t make sense to me in Florida, anyway, so it almost feels like a bit of relief, lol.
It’s great not having to listen and watch a constant onslaught of marketing about Fall Things like harvesting, warm colors, sweaters, pumpkin spice, fire places, Holiday Shopping, etc. Everything is green here, so all this straw stuff makes even less sense in Costa Rica than in Florida. I hate the cold, not a pumpkin spice kind of girl, anyway!
So far, Alexa provides tunes to a simple speaker we brought. The music is interrupted by US commercials about…you guessed it…Fall Things! I still don’t understand everyone’s excitement about all this, lol!
I did see some Halloween decor in a store here. One store, on what amounts to two long shelves. No candy on display, just decor!
There are two seasons here: winter and summer. Cooler or Hot Hot. Rainy or Dryer. There is truly no “sweater weather,” unless you count that Andy and I wish we had an extra bed sheet during cooler nights, lol.
This little bat is one of many we enjoy watching fly about our new temporary home in Costa Rica. Happily, this is the only bat we’ve seen in the daylight. It’s a poor photo, but I was lucky to get it!
Happy Halloween and Happy Fall Things!
The whole Fall Thing didn’t make sense to me in Florida, anyway, so it almost feels like a bit of relief, lol.
It’s great not having to listen and watch a constant onslaught of marketing about Fall Things like harvesting, warm colors, sweaters, pumpkin spice, fire places, Holiday Shopping, etc. Everything is green here, so all this straw stuff makes even less sense in Costa Rica than in Florida. I hate the cold, not a pumpkin spice kind of girl, anyway!
So far, Alexa provides tunes to a simple speaker we brought. The music is interrupted by US commercials about…you guessed it…Fall Things! I still don’t understand everyone’s excitement about all this, lol!
I did see some Halloween decor in a store here. One store, on what amounts to two long shelves. No candy on display, just decor!
There are two seasons here: winter and summer. Cooler or Hot Hot. Rainy or Dryer. There is truly no “sweater weather,” unless you count that Andy and I wish we had an extra bed sheet during cooler nights, lol.
This little bat is one of many we enjoy watching fly about our new temporary home in Costa Rica. Happily, this is the only bat we’ve seen in the daylight. It’s a poor photo, but I was lucky to get it!
Happy Halloween and Happy Fall Things!
These two bats were sleeping under the outside roof of Los Gatos Locos Restaurant. The music and lunch conversation didn't faze them at all. They snoozed over the outside railing with three more of their family, not shown here.
- Published on
Tomasina and I in my old studio. We were saying goodbye to the space...and Tomasina helped me smile. Originally posted to my IG.
When I found Tomasina in my art/workout suitcase, I burst out laughing. Andy asked why I bothered to bring her. My reply was for my reaction...to laugh with joy. She’s now on a tiny shelf, looking out at me.
In case you hadn’t heard, Andy and I moved to Costa Rica.
Yes, we still have a stake in the USA. So if you have any of my contact info, much of it will still work. It might take a few days to get back to you.
Anyway,
Andy and I bought a slice of land here in Costa Rica in 2019. We are now renting a place while our new home is being constructed.
We’ve officially been here two weeks, today, this posting.
Four months ago (or maybe 5? Time is flying...so it was this 2021), I bought some acrylic gouache paint, some paper, etc. to work through Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers.
Andy and I had no idea where we would be living during construction...but I best prepare to have a very, very, very small space for an art studio. This color workshop takes up a small work space and requires a very small amount of supplies. I gift myself a creative break, finally get to learn from this book (had it 6 years!) and still get to PAINT!
I filled the carry-on travel suitcase with our gym supplies and my art supplies, the book Color: A Workshop, and a few other things. Art things went back and forth from a storage unit box to the suitcase. I made a promise to myself: whatever is in the suitcase will have to work for me. The next time I’m allowed to open the suitcase is when we are in Costa Rica.
The gym stuff was easy, lol!
As we slowly move into our temporary home, the last setup is my studio space. My suitcase remains full of art supplies...but I get to rummage through them! I found Tomasina...and burst out joyfully with laughter. I’m so happy to have my old friend with me.
Is there something that you packed for yourself and found later that it made you laugh with joy? What was it?
Yes, we still have a stake in the USA. So if you have any of my contact info, much of it will still work. It might take a few days to get back to you.
Anyway,
Andy and I bought a slice of land here in Costa Rica in 2019. We are now renting a place while our new home is being constructed.
We’ve officially been here two weeks, today, this posting.
Four months ago (or maybe 5? Time is flying...so it was this 2021), I bought some acrylic gouache paint, some paper, etc. to work through Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers.
Andy and I had no idea where we would be living during construction...but I best prepare to have a very, very, very small space for an art studio. This color workshop takes up a small work space and requires a very small amount of supplies. I gift myself a creative break, finally get to learn from this book (had it 6 years!) and still get to PAINT!
I filled the carry-on travel suitcase with our gym supplies and my art supplies, the book Color: A Workshop, and a few other things. Art things went back and forth from a storage unit box to the suitcase. I made a promise to myself: whatever is in the suitcase will have to work for me. The next time I’m allowed to open the suitcase is when we are in Costa Rica.
The gym stuff was easy, lol!
As we slowly move into our temporary home, the last setup is my studio space. My suitcase remains full of art supplies...but I get to rummage through them! I found Tomasina...and burst out joyfully with laughter. I’m so happy to have my old friend with me.
Is there something that you packed for yourself and found later that it made you laugh with joy? What was it?
