Wow! I tried Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor paper for just painting on! I like it a lot! It responds like a mix between hotpress and coldpress. It allows for more wet and wet applications like coldpress. Like hotpress, the pigment sinks into it rapidly and stays with little lifting qualities. The surface feels softer, to the touch, than hotpress paper does. It is only 90 lbs worth of paper but I am finding that it does allow for layering. I had used this paper, exclusively, for my supports for gessoed watercolors because the paper did not buckle when the gesso was applied to it. If you read up about this paper, you find it is made up of synthetic and natural cotton fiber. I guess the synthetic part is why it does not buckle so much when the gesso is applied. I did, however, get some waviness to the paper but not the buckling that I experience with other papers.
Those of you who have noticed that I am not visiting as often. It is NOT because I don’t want to. I will get there! My slow down is temporary but am involved with a lengthy obligation that takes me away from my normal schedule. Thank you for your patience and your continued support, here, on this art blog. I love to draw and paint so I will be back to my previous blogging when I can.
Leslie White 
81 Comments
I too have had a blogging slow down. Life sometimes gets in the way.
Thank you. That helps me to know that others slow down, from time to time also.
Gorgeous!! I love this painting. I am going to try this paper, sounds very interesting. I like soft surfaces and the fact that it is not buckling. Thanks for sharing and I hope you get more time for yourself soon.
Thank you, Sandrine. I think you might like this paper. I am going to paint on it some more.
That white tiger is magnificent. I really like the muscles in his shoulder and the curve of his left paw. He seems intent on something!
I also really like your darks in the background. Do you use purples and greens for that?
I too, hope that your outside obligations end soon and hope that you get more time for blogging and painting.
I think I spent extra time on that shoulder and the twist of the paw. You guessed it! Two greens and diox violet did the trick. Thank you!
Excellent and beautiful painting, Leslie. One of your best! 🙂
Thank you, Val!
Beautiful work, Leslie!…I can tell you really like tigers.
I really like the bend and the lines I found with this tiger, Deb. Plus, I have to admit, the challenge to paint white was strong and that created an allure to this par ticular tiger. Thank you!
Like your “White Tiger” painting very much, especially because it is watercolor and because you are experimenting with new papers. I do watercolor too and learned that nothing was more basic to the final look of my art than the paper! Once I found what I liked, I learned to stay with it. (Until I was ready for a big change of course.)
I use Arches coldpress, mostly, and hot press when I want to render something with more detail, but this will be a close second to hot press for me. I try different papers just because I teach and I want to be able to discuss them with my students. We try new things in class. Thank you for your visit and comment, Carol!
Beautiful painting!
Thank you, Nuno!
Leslie, the body language on this tiger is incredible!!! He is stalking something delicious, I presume. Look at the intensity in his stare! Beautiful!!
I have missed you and your art very much. 🙂
I think he is stalking! Wonder what it really is. I found the reference for this on wet canvas. I miss not being able to paint and blog as much, but I’ll be back to this in time, for sure. Thank you, Beth! 🙂
Stunning painting Leslie!
I have found that finding bright white paper the hardest, I think it’s bright white until I put it in a white matte which yellows it up quickly. I use Arches Bright white now and if you have any suggestions please let me know. I miss your art and friendship, so I hope extra time finds you soon. Beautiful painting!
I’m ready for my time back. In good time, I guess.
I don’t think the Arches I use is bright white. So that will be something else new to try…..
Thank you, Ryan!
such power and strength, grace in the lines… gorgeous!
Thank you JRuth! I like line as much as you like pointillism. 🙂 http://pointillistponderings.com/
:0)
Great sketch, Leslie. Don’t worry about visiting, blogging can take a lot of your “free” time if you want to respond to everybody. 😉
Take care, Anne xx
Thank you, Anne! 🙂
Ok, let me try this again because I accidentally deleted my whole comment. Argh! Wow! Is what I said, this is really a magnificent tiger. His pale coloring is really lovely. And the muscles and shadows are really great. Even the stripes are great! So yeah, I am among those who would prefer to see you post more often. But we’ll take whatever you can manage. I also had a rough patch back in December, so I’m pretty sure it’s a common thing. Don’t worry, we’ll be here!
Oh, I’m sorry your first attempt didn’t go thru, Cindy. Yes, family problem is taking me away from blogging with any consistency right now but that will end and I will be back with more steadiness at some point.
Thank you for your kind comment on this tiger. The things you mention you like about him was what drew me to the reference of him originally. I loved the musculature and the bend to him. The stripes were like drawing cross contours and defined the twist all the better. Had to give it a go!
There is always a bit of color to them, isn’t there? A friend has a puppy that looks creamy, but is is really a pale fawn with white legs and chest. This is a beautiful rendition.
You are right, Yousei, white is fun to try to work with because they do have a spot of color throughout and then the contrast is fun to work with; knowing what to do with a background to push that white idea forward. Thank you so much!
White against white, still very vibrant Leslie!
Thank you, Padmaja!
Leslie, this is a stunning and powerful tiger. I love those eyes! Thanks for the report on Aquarius II paper. I’ve been wondering about it as I’m always looking to try out different papers. Hope your project is going well. 🙂
Your welcome about the Aquarius II. I am going to use it again, for sure. Thank you about those eyes. They were so pale and I opted to keep them such.
A beautiful tiger, so alive.
Thank you, Hannekekoop!
This painting is awesome and yes, I have missed your blog posts. I’ll be glad when you can get back to regular blogging again.
Thank you, Bongo!
Such a strong and dynamic piece, Leslie! This is truly a beautiful work of art!
Hi Sherry. Thank you!
Good to see another painting and your enthusiasm over new paper. Don’t worry about us…the visitors and readers change and evolve, but the subscriptions hold fast. We know how to to find you! 😀
Hi Amy. I think I must be learning a lot this 2012. I don’t much like being drawn away from the norm, so thank you for this promise. 🙂
I like the new paper. I am going to use it for another piece I have in mind.
Wow what can I say, beautiful would be a understatement. I love it especially the eyes, I am draw into the eyes of of the White Tiger. Excellent work of art 🙂
Thank you, Alonso. I wanted to use artistic license and make those eyes so much brighter but, at the last, decided to leave them pale like the reference at the last minute. So, thank you for that comment.
Your more than welcome 🙂
Love your tiger! A magnificent creature, and you got the movement and intensity so well! I love how you used the background to push him forward. Also appreciate the write up on a new (for me) paper. I am so caught up with oils that watercolor materials don’t seem so urgent for me at the moment, but this paper sounds good and useful. I am making a note of it for future use – thanks!
I decided I was not going to render all the leaves that were behind him in the reference material. I liked the curve of this guy and the line. I liked the challenge of something white to try and bring forward. …and I liked this paper the longer I worked on it. Thank you for this comment.
You are doing beautiful work with oil, Alex!
Oh, Leslie. I know nothing of paper on which to paint, but I know what I like in Art. Such a magnificent creature and so well portrayed. He has an intensity to him which is unmistakable. Blogging can be a full-time job sometimes, can’t it? We all need a break, or to take care of other obligations, or ??? I know that too well. But I can visit your work every time I look at my clouds. (You know what I mean!) Hope that life is bringing you joyous moments.
Life is just crazy right now, Kate, so I thank you for your joyous moments comment. Thank you, also, for this comment about the tiger. I had a blast drawing and painting him.
Beautiful painting, 90lbs without much buckling sounds great, I’ll tell my wife about it she does a lot on paper.
It truly is an enjoyable surface to paint on Edgeworth. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Happy Valentines Day 🙂 Leslie and hope to have you back soon.
Thank you, Alonso! That is so kind! Happy Valentines right back at you! You are fast becoming my favorite caricaturist! 🙂
I love the Aquarius II paper and the buttery feel it has. Your painting is wonderful. What power in those muscles!
Buttery is a very apt description, Linda! Wish I had thought of that word to include in my post, so thank you for adding this in the comment section. Thank you, also, for the comment on the muscles. I loved the linework this tiger offered up for me to try.
My goodness what a master you are ! The lines and these beautiful subtle colors ! WOW !
Thank you for that about the lines. It means I accomplished my task because it was all about those wonderful curvey lines I saw in him. 🙂
The poem by William Blake immediately sprung to mind whilst looking at this wonderful painting Leslie! I’ll let the poet critique this painting as I couldn’t put it better myself;-
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
Thanks for inspiring my post Leslie, I’ve linked it to your painting 🙂
Thank you, so much, Lynda! You teach me so much with your posts about art and then you compliment my tiger with a wonderful poem I had not read. I love those lines; “And what shoulder, and what art. Could twist the sinews of thy heart?” I think that is what happened for me, the artist as I rendered this form of the white tiger. Thank you!
Another amazing work, Leslie. You’re unstoppable!!! 😉
Looks like Princess Jasmine’s tiger in Aladdin. I love it!
Hugs.
Thank you, Cha! Today I feel stoppable as I have had little to no time to paint, but anxiously look forward to when I can again! 🙂
dear leslie,
your tiger is exquisitely and majestically soft, cuddly and white. very clean lines and appealing to the eyes. wonderfully done and nicely composed 🙂
Thank you for this super comment, Marvin! Grinning! 🙂
Very nice drawing and painting start. Curious as to how you will do background after seeing your success with the boy.
Thanks Bill! I’m leaving it as a start and letting the viewer fill the rest in with his eyes. Thank you for that on the boy because I don’t really know where the inspiration came from on that one.
Still laughing about your post about performance enhancing drugs for the artist. http://onpainting.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/performance-enhancing/ I needed some of them to finish the tiger! 🙂
Wow, indeed! What a gorgeous piece!
Thank you, Anne! It’s great to hear from you!
Hi Leslie,
I love your muscular Tiger. Am I so glad that you tried and wrote about the Aquarius paper! I have been eyeing that paper for the past couple of years but lose courage when I am faced with the decision to buy it. I hear that the it can take quite a beating. I love to work wet on wet but if ever I feel like painting on a hot pressed paper, I will consider this too.
Don’t be too hard on yourself Leslie. I have been in slow/ no-painting mode for over a year.I think I am over it now. It comes and goes but keep painting!
Hi Raji,
Thank you. I am painting on hotpressed rioght now. I like it for different reasons. Hotpress is definitely not as soft as this Aquarius II. They have different looks, remarkably different looks as the pigment dries. It is a must try.
Thank you for saying not to be hard on myself. I truly miss having time to paint and blog right now.
Hi Leslie. Instead of passing an award, I’ve put a link to your wonderful blog into mine.
Thank you, Hannekekoop. You have been in my watercolor section of my blogroll for quite some time, now. 🙂
He is a very handsome tiger! Glad to hear things are well for you!
Thank you, Kathleen!
It is amazing to me how you use such skill to work with white. Powerful painting, just as the animal.
Thank you for this comment, Nancy. I never thought of that. By accentuating the tiger and downplaying the background, the attention lays in the strength of his form. Thank you.
That is a very nice tiger!
Thank you , Binky!
Absolutely wonderful.
I have been mostly absent from the blogging scene since November. Life happens. Hope all is well, Leslie.
Thank you, Jamie. Life is happening for me too. I will be by when I can.
Reblogged this on THE CAT'S MEOW and commented:
Leslie White of Leslie Paints creates some of the most stunning animal paintings and posts them along with the art work of her students. Enjoy … and link to the full post by clicking on the subject line. Have a great weekend everyone. Love, Gypsy!
Thank you! Thank you! You honor me.
You are welcome. We are honored to feature you on Gypsy’s blog.
Hugs! 😉
Not to worry, Leslie…I’ve gotten behind too. Love your magnificent and powerful white tiger with those beautiful green eyes.
Thank you, Gayle!
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[…] I digress. The inspiration for this post came from a painting I saw on the art blog Leslie White which features a wonderful painting of a white tiger – please check it out, – the […]
[…] I also wanted to try a specific paper : Aquarius by Strathmore after reading Leslie White’s post here where she tried it : https://lesliepaints.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/white-tiger/ […]