PAINTING TECHNIQUES AND PROCESSES:
In this section you'll find links to Steve Elliot's watercolour site and a variety of demonstrations that should prove very useful and take much of the mystery out of the processes described here
Watercolour paintings are normally composed of a variety of paint applications including lines, dabs, and various types of washes. Washes refer to a puddle of liquid colour which is then brushed over the paper in a controlled way. The basic washes are either flat or graduated .
Hints:
* Always pre-mix enough colour to cover the area you want to paint. Load the brush fully each time you re-dip it in the paint. With some brushes it may be necessary to touch the tip to a sponge or tissue after loading it with paint and before touching the paper.
* To create a very even flat wash pre-dampen the paper lightly with a sponge or large brush. Start laying the wash as soon as the shine has gone off the paper.
* Keep your board tilted at a slight incline as you lay the wash.
* Use the largest brush you can for a given area. This will minimize the number of brush strokes used and create a smoother wash.
* To create very large washes try using a wide hake brush or even a decorator's varnish brush.
* Don't go over a wash again or you'll create streaks. If you need to correct it wait until it is completely dry, then wet it quickly and lightly with clean water and lay in the colour.
* In very hot weather you can slow down the drying of washes by adding 10-15 drops of glycerin to each cupful of mixing water. You can also lay a wet thin cloth beneath the paper (if paper is unstretched) and this will stop the washes drying out so quickly. In very cold weather, drying can be speeded by adding a little alcohol to the mixing water.
FOUR BASIC METHODS FOR APPLYING COLOUR
The following four techniques of applying paint will produce variety and interest. Overuse of any one method can make your painting look less interesting.
Wet on dry - this refers to applying wet paint to dry paper, or to a dry under-painting. This method creates crisp, clean edges and the paint will stay just where you put it. If you're unhappy with too many hard edges, soften them by using a cotton bud to diffuse the edge while the paint is still wet, or use a clean, damp brush to soften the edge. Glazing uses the wet on dry method.
Wet on wet - this refers to the applications of wet paint into wet paint, or wet paint onto dampened paper. For the wet-blending of colours, the pigment and the water in the brush should equal the wetness of the paper. However if there is excess water in the brush, the colour will almost vanish when applied to the wet paper. It is advisable to keep the board level for this method, though sometimes the board can be lifted and tilted around to encourage the hues to mingle and merge and then laid flat again while the wash dries. By varying the strength of paint on the brush you can regulate the degree to which the colour will blend into the first wash. Lovely atmospheric effects can be achieved using the wet on wet technique but it is much less controllable than other methods and some unexpected happenings may occur - delightful or disastrous! There are numerous uses for wet on wet including soft skies, tonings on snow, misty effects, underwater scenes, underpaintings for florals or landscapes, soft background effects for florals. It is a very popular technique amongst watercolourists.
Dry on dry - this refers to applying paint with a just-damp brush to dry paper or to an underlying dry wash. The brush is then skimmed lightly over the paper while being held at a low angle. This technique works best on rough paper but can be used quite successfully on a cold pressed surface. This 'drybrush' technique is very useful for suggesting texture on things like wood, fruit, rocks, buildings, or to convey the shimmering sparkle of a sunlit sea. It can be used wherever distinctive texture is needed, but use with discretion as too much dry brushwork can make a painting look 'bitty'.
Dry on wet - this refers to the application of thick strong colour into a damp wash. Make sure the brush is just damp, not wet, before loading it with paint. The resulting shape will have diffused, not hard, edges and if the paint is thick enough it will hold its shape fairly well.
How to prevent hard edges and rings forming at the edges of a wash
Try using less water and more pigment. Alternatively, soak up the excess water by touching the tip of a thirsty brush to the pool of water
You could also try pre-moistening the paper in both the light and dark areas. Lay the light wash on first, allowing it to spread into the dark area. When dry, paint in the dark area.
Glazing versus the 'One-off' Method
Many watercolourists over time come to favour one or other of these approaches. One school of thought believes that the fresh, spontaneous look of a painting done primarily by 'wet on wet' and direct methods is superior to the more labour-intensive method of layering or glazing the colours. Artists who favour glazing feel they have much more control over where the painting is going and can adjust tones and colours to their hearts' content. There is a third way which other artists follow. It involves combining the two basic approaches in the one painting by starting with a wet on wet mingling of colours, letting them dry, then slowly building up tone and colour intensity by the applications of layers of paint.
These three approaches are all valid and have their place in your arsenal of techniques. Beautiful paintings can be created using all these approaches. There are other resourceful methods used by a minority of watercolourists but they cannot be covered here.
If you are going to glaze one colour over another in layers, then it's advisable to use transparent stainers as your under-glazes. Once dry they won't lift off when you apply your next colour glaze. However, if you apply non-stainers or sedimentary colours in your initial layers, you may end up with muddy colours. As you brush a new colour over the top the undercolour will start to lift off and the two colours will begin to mingle unhappily.
Hints:
* Make sure the underlying wash is completely dry before applying a glaze.
* An opaque colour can be used thinly as the topmost glaze, but don't use opaques for underlayers.
* No more than 2-3 glazes should be applied for optimum effects, although a few artists have refined a method of applying numerous extremely thin glazes with stunning results .
* Apply glazes lightly. Remember that with each paint application you are diminishing the ability of the white paper to shine through the veils of paint.
* Don't use yellow, however transparent, as an over-layer. It will reduce luminosity. It is much better to use it as a first layer.
* Glazes can be applied to deepen a colour, or to create a different one, eg. creating green by glazing blue over yellow. This green can be more visually exciting than when mixing the blue and yellow together on the palette.
The question is sometimes asked:
'How many "layers" do I need to use to make a painting or a segment of a painting look good? Are three enough or will that look thin? '
There is no set formula here. This will depend on what looks right to you. If it looks too thin or weak then you can add another layer when it's dry. Sometimes the colour can be laid down straight off at the required strength and intensity, but this takes quite a lot of experience. Keep in mind that on many papers the colours will dry about 25% lighter than they appear when wet. If you want to achieve the correct tone and colour at first go, then choose a paper that is both internally and surface-sized. On the other hand if you feel happier layering colours then you may find that after three layers there is a noticeable decline in luminosity as the white light reflected back from the paper becomes further obscured.
Another question:
'Should I mix a green on the palette or put down a thin yellow wash, let it dry, then lay down a thin blue wash on top of the yellow to get green?'
Both methods are valid. If you are very patient you might prefer to mix your colours optically by using the glazing technique. This can produce delightful effects.
If you prefer to mix your colours on the palette make sure you don't over mix them. You'll get a much more interesting 'green' by allowing some of the yellow and blue pigments to sparkle within the green.
You can happily use both methods in the one painting as long as you remain in control of the processes at all times.
There is a third way called 'mingling' where you wet the area with clean water then drop in the different pigments. Lift the board and tilt it around so that the pigments partially blend. This can create quite a scintillating effect if well controlled.
Student watercolourists often have a hard time grasping the importance of tones (values) in creating a successful painting. Tonal contrast is a very important element in picture-making. Even the most attractively coloured painting can look flat if it lacks this contrast.
This issue is made clearer if you keep in mind that light, wherever it falls, creates tonal values on three-dimensional objects. Just studying various items in your room will demonstrate this fact. Any object with light fully striking it will have a very brightly-lit area while other parts will be in varying degrees of shadow. You should be able to distinguish light, middle and dark tones when looking at objects. This is easier to see on a bright, sunny day. To help you see the tones try squinting your eyes. This will minimise detail and help you discern the broad areas of light, middle and dark values.
The Tonal Sketch.
Learning to see and judge tones is an essential part of becoming an artist. Whether you are looking at a tree, a face, a vase, a cloud, or a full landscape you will need to apply your knowledge of tonal values if you aim to create an authentic rendering of what you're looking at. If you are planning to paint in a purely decorative, imaginative or abstract style under what might be called 'universal' or 'non-directional' light, then you will not need to stick to these guidelines. But for representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface you will need to have a good understanding of light and its behaviour when it strikes objects.
It's best to work with sketchbook and pencils while mastering this subject. Start with a simple item and concentrate on getting down four main tonal areas - the light area (which will be the white of your paper) the light grey area, the dark grey area and finally the darkest area. In essence, you will be translating the colourful object you're drawing into white areas, very dark areas and various shades of grey that lie between. Remember to continually relate one tone to another.
If you have difficulty deciding the tonal value of a colour try comparing it with a scale of grey tones ranging from white to black. If you're still struggling with all this, try taking a black and white photo of the object, or scene, and this will quickly allow you to see the various areas of tone. Barring this, take a colour photo and scan it into a computer. Use graphics software to convert it to a black and white image.
When it comes to composing the sketch for a painting it is always advisable to draw a small tonal sketch or two using your pencils (or charcoal if you prefer). On the sketch you can use numbers to help you define areas of light, light-grey, dark-grey and very dark. A very important reminder is to draw an arrow on your sketch to show which direction the light is coming from. This will help you put your cast shadows in the correct place, and help to clarify all the shadow areas in your painting. When painting, don't be afraid to use really dark tones where needed to add punch and depth to your work. (See mixing darks).
A very interesting and instructive book on the subject of light and values is Light in Watercolour by Lucy Willis (available through art stores and online through amazon.com)
Treatment of edges should always to be considered before beginning a painting. Many paintings are enhanced by having a variety of edges - some hard, some soft and some 'lost and found'. Hard edges are created by painting on dry paper, soft edges by painting on damp paper and 'lost and found' edges by painting on dry paper then using a damp brush to fudge or totally lose a portion of the edge.
A question students often ask is:
"Why are my edges messy instead of nice and clean and sharp and straight?"
It will be easier to achieve crisp neat edges on smooth paper as opposed to rough where the coarser texture will mitigate against sharp clean edges.
When painting wet on dry, try loading your brush fully, then touch its tip to an absorbent sponge, test on a piece of scrap paper, then go to work on your painting. Messy edges can be caused by insufficient paint and water in the brush.
When painting wet on wet, don't expect crisp edges. The best you can do here is to charge your brush with thick barely-diluted paint and when you apply it to the damp wash it will tend to hold its shape but the edges won't be crisp. Fuzzy edges will also be caused by painting dry on wet.
To lay a soft wash against an edge that needs to remain crisp:
First draw the outline with a clean, damp brush, then dampen your paper up to the line and work paint into just the dampened area.
Here are some techniques used to create texture. Use these effects sparingly for maximum effect. Too much texture can look mechanical. Aim to balance busy or textured areas with quiet and restful areas. Make samplers of the various textures that follow and label them for future reference -
Salt - Sprinkle salt into a semi-wet wash. Leave till completely dry and brush off. Table salt can work well, but other types are worth trying. Salt texture is useful for falling snow, starlit skies, rust, frost-covered glass, flowers in a field, or to add textural variety to a background or foreground.
Plastic cling wrap - lay it over a wet wash that is just losing its shine. The more crumpled the wrap, the more complex the resulting pattern. Leave for varying lengths of time for different effects. The longer it's left on the more hard-edged the patterning becomes. Useful for oceanic effects, forest interiors, granite and marbling effects, and background texture.
Tin foil; waxed paper - use as for cling wrap. Experiment with both materials, either keeping them flat or crushing them before laying on the wet wash. Initially weight them and leave for varying times for different effects. Very attractive textures.
Sponges - some effective textures can be created using different types of sponges dipped into diluted colour and dabbed onto wet or dry washes. Sponges create a speckled texture. Natural sponges are often better than man-made ones, since the holes in them are less uniform. Foliage textures can be created this way, also. Practise first and use sparingly.
Spattering - is a very popular texturing effect amongst watercolour painters. Use scrap pieces of card or paper to mask off the areas you want to keep free of spatter. Use an old toothbrush, or a stencil brush, and dip it into some diluted paint. Quickly draw your thumbnail through the bristles so that a spray of coloured dots falls on the paper. Apply to either wet or dry washes for different effects. Also try spattering or dropping masking fluid off the end of the brush into a wet wash. Let dry naturally then rub off gently.
SOME BOOKS THAT FOCUS ON TEXTURAL TECHNIQUES
Creating Textures in Watercolor : A Guide to Painting 83 Textures from Grass to Glass to Tree Bark to Fur by Cathy Johnson (North Light Books, 1992)
Texture and Detail in Watercolour by Richard Bolton (Dover publ, 1997)
WAYS TO GAIN OR RESERVE 'WHITES'
* Leave white paper by painting around the areas you want to remain white.
* Masking fluid acts as a resist. A variety of tools can be used to apply masking fluid, including old brushes, twigs, or a steel-nibbed pen for very fine lines. The edges of the masked-out shapes will be very hard and may need to be later softened with a damp bristle brush. Good for starry skies, white yachts out at sea, flowers in a field, stalks and twigs, cobwebs, highlights on grasses, the veins on leaves, or spattered for textural effects, plus numerous other uses.
* A dampened tissue, or small piece of sponge is useful to wipe out colour after a wash is dry. This can be effective for light or shafts of sunlight. While a wash is damp try using a cotton rag on end of your finger to wipe out lights. To insert a vertical line, such as a mast, in a painted area, try butting two straight edges of card nearly together. Hold them firmly then swipe a damp sponge between them. This is a simple and effective technique.
* Scratch out with scalpel when wash is completely dry. Use sparingly. Useful for sparkle on sea, or tiny highlights. .
* A sharpened typewriter pencil eraser can be used to brighten existing highlights. Good for very specific details.
* A thirsty brush. While wash is drying use a barely damp brush to lift out colour. Repeat as necessary till a highlight is created.
* Candle wax can be rubbed on dry paper prior to painting over it with a wash. Try a child's tiny birthday candle to apply fine highlights. Apply the wax delicately. To remove large areas of wax when the painting is finished, try covering the area with absorbent paper and press it with a mildly warm iron. Repeat if necessary.
* Waxed paper used as a resist. Burnish over it carefully where you want highlights. This is good for the line where sea meets land, for small distant sails, for grass blades, stems in foreground, distant tree twigs and trunks.
Masking fluid is very useful for saving the white of the paper by preventing paint from covering those areas you want to keep white. Two notes of caution -
* Don't leave the fluid on the paper any longer than you need to. Over time it becomes increasingly hard to remove.
* Always pre-test masking fluid on a scrap of your chosen paper before using it. Masking fluid will react differently on different papers. At worst it can damage the surface of the paper.
METHOD:
Apply the fluid after stretching and when the paper is perfectly dry. Take a brush of appropriate size (preferably a cheaper synthetic brush), moisten it, then rub it in some wet soap so all the hairs are coated. Apply the masking fluid to those areas of your painting that you wish to keep white. Immediately cap the masking fluid bottle, then wash your brush in warm soapy water. If there is any masking fluid still clinging to the brush it can later be removed by working the brush through with lighter fluid, then soap and water.
Wait until the masking fluid is completely dry - don't use a hair dryer to speed it up - then apply your colour washes. When you've finished painting and the washes are completely dry, remove the masking fluid with your finger, or a rubber cement pickup obtainable at art supply stores.
Over time you may notice your bottle of masking fluid thickens up a bit. If you wish to thin it put a few drops of ammonia into the container and give it a shake. This should keep the fluid in good condition and prevent it drying out.
On many occasions artists need to lift out colour or lighten areas. This can be done successfully by the following methods. Keep in mind that staining colours cannot easily be lifted back to white paper, but they can usually be lightened to a degree.
* If the wash has completely dried, moisten it with water, wait a moment, then blot with a tissue. Repeat until sufficient colour has been lifted out. If the colour is stubborn, and your paper is robust, try scrubbing the wet area gently with a bristle brush.
* To lift colour from a circumscribed area after the painting is dry, make a stencil out of thin card, and use a damp sponge to wipe out the paint. This can be effective for adding light elements such as the sail of a boat, or a cottage in a landscape.
* While a wash is still damp, use a moistened brush, or a tissue to lift out colour and form lighter areas.
* If a wash dries too strong, apply masking fluid over the area. Let it dry then rub off the masking fluid. This will lighten the wash.
AN APPROACH TO CREATING A WATERCOLOUR PAINTING
:
1. Do several thumbnail sketches to work out the composition. Also draw or paint a small rough tonal sketch and indicate the direction of light on it. For this, either use several grades of pencils to lay in the darks, middle tones and lights or paint a small tonal sketch using a single colour. Repeat these sketches till you're happy with the balance of tones and the overall design.
2. Plan your colour scheme and which areas will be left white before beginning the painting. Decide on your method for gaining or reserving whites. Make sure you know which colours you'll be using and how you'll mix them. Work out colour mixtures on scrap paper.
3. Plan what techniques you'll use..…where you'll use wet on wet washes, and where you could use the other types of wash. Decide on methods such as glazing or achieving your tones and colours in one go (the 'direct' method). Contrast 'wet on wet' with 'drybrush' techniques. Contrast soft edges with crisp edges. Contrast busy passages with calm areas. Contrast warm colours against cool colours. Contrast light against dark. Practise on scrap paper any techniques you're not confident with. Some preliminary planning helps keep you on track even though the painting will sometimes carry you down a completely different track from what you first envisaged. Sometimes you just need to 'go with the flow' and experience the adventure and excitement of an unknown outcome. Bear in mind the advice of some famous watercolourists - 'Suggest - don't State!'. 'Simplify the subject and avoid too much detail'. 'Less is More'.
4. Prepare your watercolour paper by stretching if need be, or taping it down to the board. Transfer your sketch to the watercolour paper using any of these methods. Pre-mix plenty of paint for your big washes.
The Painting
:5. Use two water bowls of fresh clean water - keep one for washing out the brushes and the other for picking up clean water. Change frequently to avoid contamination of pure colours especially when painting flowers. Use the biggest brush you can for each stage of the painting. This will prevent fussiness. Try to keep your smallest brush to the end for any essential details. Make every effort not to overwork the painting or you may kill it. Think of your painting as a watercolour, not a coloured drawing, and try to lay in broad areas of colour and tone, rather than filling in between lines. Stand back at intervals and assess what you've done.
6. Keep the whole picture going simultaneously rather than breaking it down into parts and finishing one part at a time. This will ensure a sense of unity and harmony in the finished work. Conversely, landscape artists often work from the top down - painting the sky first, then the background, middle ground and finally the foreground. This can work well as long as there are no obvious hard colour divisions between each section of the painting and colours are repeated and reflected between land and sky.
7. When you reach the last stages of your painting you may decide that it needs some additional element. Be cautious and either lay a sheet of acetate over it and paint the object on that, or draw and paint the element on scrap paper, cut it out, and lay it on the painting, or draw the new element on tracing paper and lay this over the painting to judge the effect. This will give you a good idea of whether it's going to work and will spare your paper from scrubbing out if you later decide you don't like it.
8. If you're happy with the finished work, congratulate yourself. If you're dissatisfied with it, don't toss it away. Keep it in your 'history' folder to look back on later so you can gauge your progress. Often small successful areas of so-called 'failures' can be cut out and used as greeting cards, or small gift paintings. Use your mat-board corners to test-crop your paintings. On many papers you can use the back successfully especially if the paper hasn't been heavily soaked prior to stretching or lost too much of its size during wet on wet processes. You can learn a lot by painting the same subject several times. Each time you'll be working out solutions to trouble-spots and by the end you'll have learnt a great deal from your own trial and errors.
The best protection is to surround the finished painting with an acid-free mat and backing board and then frame it under glass. If hanging, choose an area away from direct sunlight and damp conditions. Otherwise store the paintings in acid free folders in a dry area of the house or studio.
An illumined artist and thinker once wrote:
"Painting is creating. Art is not the imitation of nature. Art is nature transformed. And what a painter paints should look painted. He does not record appearances, but, inspired by the visual facts he forges a new reality."