Watercolors or The Hunt for Brushes

Right up there, in the header, it says The Adventures of Two Multipotentialites on a Budget.  It says it, hanging heavy over every word I write, and I think "go away."

Being a multipotentialite is different for everybody.  For some, it means reading everything.  For others, it means learning to fly drones while SCUBA diving.  You know, just not at the same time.  That would be dumb.  For Cynthia, it means practice.  Actual measured practice in a structured manner.  For me, a large part of learning something new is the collection of tools.  Whatever I'm working on, I need the tools for that job.  Now, this may sound like a bit of a hoarding problem.  Not so!  In a lot of cases, after having gotten moderately good at something, I've sold or given away the tools involved.  What am I going to do with a bunch of capacitors and diodes now that can build simple electronics.  Nothing, that's what.  So out it goes.



Watercolor is no different.  About two weeks ago we decided, practically on a whim, to learn to watercolor.  I honestly can't tell you what made watercolor seem like the thing to do, but there it is.  And now, I need the tools.  After doing a bunch of research and some hands on trials, I've got a good idea of what I'd like.  Did you know that, according to popular opinion, sable hair brushes are considered the best watercolor brushes?  Not just any sable, either, Kolinsky Sable.
 Some sort of weasel or something.  The other opinion is that fur is murder, and sometimes these brushes get banned.  They also make synthetic brushes and combination brushes.  I'd like to try out the Silver Black Velvet brushes.  These are made of squirrel hair and synthetic stuff.

Then there are paints, palettes, paper, you name it.  The list of items, like any hobby, are endless.  Luckily, my friend Daniel happens to be a purveyor of fine art materials at a store called Broken Nose Art Supply.  Visiting him has been awesome.  He has insight and knowledge of a world that is alien to me.

I guess, I've never considered that before, but that's a benefit of being a multipotentialite.  Meeting new people, or reconnecting with old friends.

I'll post some of my very first watercolors for public ridicule later.  For now, it's time to paint.