About the technique of watercolor painting. Basic watercolor techniques for beginners Mastering techniques for working with ink and watercolor

Depending on the degree of moisture of the paper, we will highlight such watercolor techniques as "wet work"(“English” watercolor) and "dry work"(“Italian” watercolor). Working on a piecemeal moistened leaf gives an interesting effect. In addition, you can also find combinations of these techniques.

Working in the wet.

The essence of this technique is that the paint is applied to a sheet previously moistened with water. The degree of its humidity depends on the artist’s creative intent, but usually they begin to work after the water on the paper stops “glittering” in the light. With enough experience, you can control the moisture content of the sheet by hand. Depending on how full the hair tuft of the brush is with water, it is customary to conventionally distinguish between such methods of work as “wet-on-wet” and “dry-on-wet”.

Advantages of the wet technique.
This method of working allows you to obtain light, transparent color shades with soft transitions. This method is used especially successfully in landscape painting.

Complexities of wet technique.
The main difficulty lies in the main advantage - the fluidity of watercolor. When applying paint using this method, the artist often depends on the whims of the strokes spreading across the wet paper, which during the creative process may turn out far from what was originally intended. At the same time, it is almost impossible to correct only a single fragment without affecting the rest. In most cases, the rewritten section will be disharmonious with the overall structure of the rest of the canvas. A certain amount of filth, dirt, etc. may appear.
This way of working requires constant self-control and fluency with the brush. Only considerable practice allows the artist to somewhat predict the behavior of paint on wet paper and provide a sufficient level of control over its flow. The painter must have a clear idea of what he wants and how he should solve the problem.

A la Prima technique.

This is painting in the raw, done quickly, in one session, which creates unique effects of stains, overflows and flows of paint.

Advantages of A la Prima technology.
When the paint hits the wet surface of the paper, it spreads across it. in a unique way, doing picture of light, airy, transparent, breathable. It is no coincidence that work done using this technique is practically impossible to copy, since each stroke is wet leaf unique and inimitable. By combining various color combinations with a variety of tonal solutions, you can achieve amazing play and transitions between the finest shades. The a la prima method, since it does not involve multiple recordings, allows you to maintain maximum freshness and richness of colorful sounds.
In addition, an additional advantage of this technique will be a certain time saving. As a rule, the work is written “in one breath” while the sheet is wet (which is 1-3 hours), although, if necessary, you can additionally wet the paper during the creative process. This method is indispensable for quick sketches from life and sketches. It is also appropriate when performing landscape sketches, when unstable weather conditions require a quick execution technique.
When writing, it is recommended to make mixtures of two, maximum three colors. Excess paint, as a rule, leads to cloudiness, loss of freshness, brightness, and color definition. Do not get carried away by the randomness of the spots; each stroke is designed to meet its purpose - strictly consistent with the shape and pattern.

Complexities of the A la Prima technique.
The advantage and at the same time the difficulty here is that the image, which instantly appears on paper and fancifully blurs under the influence of the movement of water, cannot subsequently be subjected to any changes. Each detail begins and ends in one step, all colors are taken at once full force. Therefore, this method requires extraordinary concentration, polished writing and an ideal sense of composition.
Another inconvenience can be called the limited time frame for the execution of such watercolors, since there is no possibility of leisurely work with breaks between painting sessions (including when painting a large-format painting, by gradually executing individual fragments). The image is written almost without stopping and, as a rule, “with one touch,” i.e. If possible, the brush touches a separate part of the paper only once or twice, without returning to it. This allows you to maintain absolute transparency, lightness of watercolor, and avoid dirt in your work.

Dry work.

It consists of applying paint to a dry sheet of paper in one or two (single-layer watercolor) or several (glazing) layers, depending on the artist’s idea. This method allows for good control over the flow of paint, the tone and shape of the strokes.

One-layer dry-on watercolor.

As the name suggests, in in this case the work is written in one layer on a dry sheet and, as a rule, in one or two touches. This helps keep the colors in the image pure. If necessary, you can “include” paint of a different shade or color in the applied, but not yet dry, layer.

The single-layer dry-on-dry method is more transparent and airy than glazing, but does not have the beauty of wet shimmer achieved by the A la Prima technique. However, unlike the latter, without any particular difficulties it allows you to make strokes of the desired shape and tone, and provide the necessary control over the paint.

To avoid dirt and smearing, it is advisable to think through and prepare the colors used in the work in advance, at the very beginning of the painting session, in order to easily apply them to the sheet.
It is convenient to work in this technique by outlining the contours of the drawing in advance, since there is no possibility of making adjustments with additional layers of paint. This method works well for graphic images, since strokes on dry paper retain their clarity. In addition, such watercolors can be painted either in one session or in several (with fragmentary work) with breaks as needed.

Another way to perform single-layer watercolor is wet-on-dry, is that each stroke is applied next to the previous one, capturing it while it is still wet. Thanks to this, a natural mixture of shades and a soft transition between them is formed. To enhance the color, you can use a brush to pour the necessary paint into the still wet stroke. You need to work quickly enough to cover the entire sheet before the previously applied strokes dry. This allows you to create beautiful picturesque tints, and the dry surface of the paper contributes to sufficient control over the fluidity and outlines of the strokes.

Multilayer watercolor (glaze).

Glazing is a method of applying watercolor with transparent strokes (usually darker ones on top of lighter ones), one layer on top of the other, while the bottom one must be dry each time. Thus, the paint in different layers does not mix, but works through transmission, and the color of each fragment is made up of the colors in its layers. When working with this technique, you can see the boundaries of the strokes. But, since they are transparent, this does not spoil the painting, but gives it a unique texture. The strokes are done carefully so as not to damage or blur the already dried areas of the painting.

Advantages of multi-layer watercolor technique.
Perhaps the main advantage is the ability to create paintings in the style of realism, i.e. reproducing this or that fragment as accurately as possible environment. Such works have a certain similarity in appearance, for example, with oil painting, however, unlike it, they retain the transparency and sonority of colors, despite the presence of several layers of paint.
Bright, fresh glaze paints give watercolor works a special richness of color, lightness, tenderness and radiance of color.
Glazing is a technique of rich colors, deep shadows filled with colorful reflections, a technique of soft airy plans and endless distances. Where the task is to achieve color intensity, the multi-layer technique comes first.

Glazing is indispensable in shaded interiors and distant panoramic plans. The softness of the chiaroscuro of the interior in calm diffused light with many different reflections and the complexity of the overall pictorial state of the interior can only be conveyed by the glaze technique. In panoramic painting, where it is necessary to convey the most delicate aerial gradations of perspective plans, one cannot use corpus techniques; here you can achieve the goal only with the help of glaze.
When writing in this technique, the artist is relatively independent in the matter chronological framework: There is no need to rush, there is time to think without haste. Work on a painting can be divided into several sessions, depending on the possibilities, necessity and, in fact, the desire of the author. This is especially important when working with large format images, when you can create different fragments of the future picture separately from each other and then finally combine them.
Due to the fact that glazing is carried out on dry paper, it is possible to achieve excellent control over the accuracy of the strokes, which allows you to fully realize your idea. By gradually applying one layer of watercolor after another, it is easier to select the required shade for each element in the drawing and obtain the desired color scheme.

The complexities of multi-layer watercolor.
The main criticism leveled at this technique is that, in contrast to the single-layer style of painting, which preserves the transparency of the colors as much as possible, watercolor works made with glaze lose their airiness and resemble oil or gouache paintings. However, if the glaze is applied thinly and transparently, then the light falling on the picture will be able to reach the paper and be reflected from it.

It is also worth noting that the multi-layered nature of the writing often hides the texture of the paper and paints or the texture of the strokes of a semi-dry brush on a grainy sheet.
Like any watercolor painting, glazing requires very careful work - strokes must be placed carefully so as not to smudge the lower, already dried, layers of paint. Because a mistake made cannot always be corrected later without consequences. If the paper and a fragment of the image allow, you can blur it with a hard column, previously soaked in clean water, bad place, then blot it with a napkin or cloth, and then, when everything is dry, carefully restore the color.

Combined (mixed) watercolor technique.
One painting harmoniously combines both “wet” and “dry” techniques. For example, the first layer of paint is placed on wet paper to create the desired blur of the background (and/or individual fragments of the middle and foreground), and then, after the paper has dried, additional layers of paint are applied successively to draw detailed elements of the middle and foreground. If desired, other combinations of raw writing and glaze are used.

Interesting way of working on a fragmentarily moistened leaf, when the latter is not completely wetted, but only in some specific places. A long stroke, covering both dry and wet areas of the paper, will acquire unique shapes, connecting, with its overall continuity, clear contours in dry places with “spreading” in humid places. The tonality of such a stroke will change accordingly in areas of the paper with different degrees of moisture.

Based on the color palette used by the artist, we will conditionally distinguish monochrome watercolor - grisaille, and multicolor - classic. In the latter there is no limit on the number of paints used and their shades, while in grisaille various tones of the same color are used, not counting the color of the paper. The most commonly used colors are sepia and, less commonly, black and ocher.

Sometimes in relation to watercolor works you can find such a term as “dichrome”. As a rule, it is used extremely rarely and refers to those images in the creation of which not one, but two colors were used.

By degree of humidity you can separate not only the working surface, but also the hair of the brush during a painting session. Of course, this division is more than arbitrary, since, depending on the wishes of the artist, the same brush can change the degree of moisture with each stroke. At the same time, we will highlight the work with a dry (wrung out) brush, semi-dry and wet, since the strokes in these cases differ from each other.
A smear with a wrung-out brush when writing “wet” provides less “fluidity” and allows you to better maintain control over the paint applied to the sheet. When writing “dry”, such a stroke can cover the paper only partially, “slipping” (this is especially true for embossed paper, medium-grain and torchon), which is of particular interest for specific creative solutions.

Writing with a semi-dry brush universal and well suited for writing on paper of varying degrees of humidity. Of course, each case will have its own characteristics. As a rule, they write with a wet brush “dry”, since wet surface on the sheet, dotted strokes give a strong “spreading” and are difficult to control. At the same time, a wet brush is well suited for fills, stretches, washes and other techniques when you want to keep it in the brush as much as possible. maximum amount water.

There are techniques when watercolor mixed with other painting materials, for example, with white (gouache), watercolor pencils, ink, pastel, etc. And, although the results can also be very impressive, such techniques are not “pure”.

In the case of combining watercolors with pencils, the latter complement the translucency of the colors with their bright and clear shades. With pencils you can either emphasize some details of the pictorial image, making them clearer, sharper, or you can do all the work in a mixed technique, in which linear strokes, brush strokes and colorful stains are equally present.

Pastel does not combine with watercolor as well as pencil, but sometimes artists use it by applying pastel strokes over a finished watercolor wash.

Mascara, both black and colored, can be used instead of watercolor. However, ink offers new possibilities and is commonly used in brush washes or pen drawings. The combination of black ink drawing and abstract watercolor spots, merging and crossing the boundaries of objects drawn in ink, gives the work freshness and looks original. The combination of watercolor and pen is very successful, for example, for book illustrations.

Usually, whitewash(opaque coloring material such as gouache) in mixed media are used to “simplify” the painting process. Sometimes “reserving” individual places in a picture presents a certain difficulty, especially when these places are small and there are many of them. Therefore, some artists paint without it, and then “whiten” the necessary areas with paint (for example, highlights on objects, snow, tree trunks, etc.).
When creating one work, it is also possible to combine various materials, for example, in addition to watercolors, whitewash, ink and pastel are used in the painting process, depending on the artist’s creative intent.

In watercolors, we can roughly distinguish such painting techniques as: brushstrokes, filling, washing, stretching, reserves, “pulling” paint, etc.
Strokes- this is perhaps one of the most common methods of writing in painting, by the nature of which it is easy to distinguish a dynamic drawing from a boring work. A brush filled with paint, in contact with the surface of the sheet, performs one or another movement, after which it comes off the paper, thereby completing the stroke. It can be dotted, linear, figured, clear, blurry, solid, intermittent, etc.
Fill- a technique performed in cases where it is necessary to cover a significant area of the picture with one color or make smooth transitions between different colors. It is performed on paper tilted at an angle, usually with long horizontal strokes with a large brush, so that each subsequent stroke flows down and “captures” part of the previous one, thereby organically merging with it into one texture. If, after completing the filling, there is excess color pigment left, you can carefully remove it with a wrung-out brush or napkin.
Washing- reception watercolor painting, in which paint heavily diluted with water is used - they begin to paint transparent layers, repeatedly passing through those places that should be darker. The overall tone of each area of the image is ultimately achieved by repeated application of these layers, with each of them applied only after the previous one has completely dried, so that the paints do not mix with each other. It is not recommended to apply more than three layers of paint to prevent dirt from appearing. Therefore, most often, the second registration enhances the colors of the midtones, and the third one saturates the color of the shadows and introduces details. Essentially, washing is the repeated pouring of one tone onto another with a solution of the same concentration. Most often, this technique is used by architects and designers, since a regular drawing does not give the viewer a clear idea of the shape and color of the building. In addition, when working with color, the architect finds the best combination of materials for the perception of the plan, clarifies the tonal relationships, and achieves an expressive silhouette and volumetric solution for the project.

Gradient stretch- a series of successive strokes smoothly transitioning into each other, in which each subsequent one is lighter in tone than the previous one. In addition, a smooth transition from one color to another is sometimes also called.
Often in watercolors a method such as “pulling” paint is used. A clean, wrung out brush is carefully applied to the still damp painting layer, the hair of which absorbs some of the pigment from the paper, making the tone of the stroke lighter in the right place. The paint is drawn out best when writing “wet”, since the surface is still wet and the pigment does not hold well. If the smear is already dry, you can carefully moisten it with a clean, wet brush, and then “pull out” the paint to the desired tone. However, this method is less effective on dry paper.

Reserve- This is the part of the sheet that remains white during the painting process. A true watercolorist follows the rules of purity of this technique, refusing white. Therefore, the artist’s skill level, among other things, is determined by the ability to perform the reservation technique in a high-quality manner. There are several main methods.
"Bypass"- the most complex and “cleanest” method of reservation. With this type of writing, the artist leaves the necessary parts of the picture unpainted, carefully “bypassing” them with a brush. The method is performed both “dry” and “wet”. In the latter case, you need to keep in mind that paint applied to wet paper spreads, so the reservation should be done with some “reserve”.
This method is often used as mechanical impact onto a dried layer of paint. In the right places, it is scratched with a sharp object (for example, a razor) to the white surface of the sheet. However, this technique requires a certain skill and disrupts the texture of the paper, which can ultimately lead to negative consequences.
It is also possible to use various so-called “masking agents”, which can be used at almost any stage of the development of the painting, preventing paint from getting into areas covered by them.
Using these solutions, you can keep bright light accents, highlights, splashes white, and achieve a variety of effects using the overlay method, when masking is applied after the first wash of color is applied, and a second, darker shade is applied on top.
However, with such a reservation, sharp and contrasting boundaries are obtained between the paint layer and the protected area. It is not always possible to soften such transitions successfully, so it is better not to overuse masking agents, using them only to create interesting and beautiful effects.

You can also create a preliminary drawing with wax crayons in the right places without covering large surfaces. Then moisten the entire work with water and paint over the still wet sheet. Places originally painted with wax crayons will remain unaffected by watercolors, because... wax repels water.

Another way is to paint washing with a damp or wrung-out brush. It is best done on a wet layer. However, it is no longer possible to achieve the original whiteness of the paper, since part of the pigment still remains in the texture of the sheet. Instead of a brush, you can use a dry napkin, carefully applying it to specified places in the picture (for example, thus “creating” clouds in the sky), etc.
Sometimes there is such a technique as removing part of the half-dried paint with a palette knife. However, it requires a certain skill and is used only in some particular solutions (for example, it can emphasize the outlines of mountains, stones, cliffs, sea waves, you can depict trees, grass, etc.).

Sometimes when creating watercolor works some special effects.
For example, salt crystals applied on top of a wet paint layer absorb part of the pigment, resulting in unique stains and moving tonal transitions on the paper. Using salt, you can create a moving air environment in a painting, decorate a meadow with flowers, and the sky with stars.

Of particular interest is watercolor made on pre-crumpled paper, due to which the paint accumulates in a special way in places where the sheet is folded, creating additional volume.

Tinting leaves of black tea can contribute to the visual “aging” of the paper.

In some cases, it pays to apply pigment to the sheet by splashing(for example, with a finger from a toothbrush), because reproduce many smallest points Using a regular brush is quite difficult and takes a long time. But you need to keep in mind that particles of paint solution with coarse hair the brushes “scatter” almost uncontrollably, so this technique requires a certain skill.

An interesting effect is produced by the usual cling film, firmly attached to the still wet paint and then carefully removed from the sheet.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, in addition to the main ones outlined, there are many other private techniques and ways of working with watercolors.

Watercolor is a very popular and relevant painting technique today. Sometimes it seems that absolutely everyone works with watercolors and, it’s worth noting that everyone works differently! There are a lot famous technicians working with watercolors, and new effects and techniques are constantly appearing. Often, novice authors try to work with all possible techniques at once, apply various effects, experiment in the vastness of watercolor painting and, as a rule, sooner or later find their combination, which subsequently often develops into their unique author’s style. I think the main advantage of watercolor is its versatility... I like to work in new genres and hone my skills in old ones. I always want to be able to choose a painting technique for a specific task, because I find it boring and wrong to approach a portrait or landscape in the same way and paint them in the same watercolor technique. Today I will talk about five different ways to work with watercolor using the example of a botanical illustration of the fly agaric mushroom. I will try to draw five identical motifs using five different watercolor painting methods: 1. “Glaze” watercolor technique 2. “A la prima” watercolor technique 3. Watercolor technique - using a masking fluid 4. A combination of several watercolor techniques 5. “Wet watercolor” technique or “Watercolor in the raw”

Watercolor technique “Glassing”

The first fly agaric I painted was made using the “Glaze” watercolor technique (from the German Lasierung - glaze). This technique is very suitable for beginners. She often works in art schools. It consists of layer-by-layer application of paint to the drawing. From the lightest shades to the darkest. Each layer must have time to dry. Working in this watercolor technique, we build up the tonality of the subject gradually, and always have the opportunity to adjust the color at each stage.

Watercolor technique “A la prima”

The second mushroom is drawn using the “A la prima” technique (or “Alla prima”, from Italian a la prima - “in one sitting”). This is a more expressive technique, and is very suitable for those who know how to knead Beautiful colors the first time. A drawing using this technique is done quickly in one layer, in one session, without further additions or alterations. We immediately receive the finished drawing. Here you need to be careful that when mixing large quantities watercolor flowers There was no mess and the colors were bright and clean. Watercolors made using this technique are usually very colorful! This watercolor technique is quite quick to execute and is loved by those who do not like to work for a long time.

Watercolor technique - using masking fluid

I painted the third mushroom using a reserve (masking) liquid. In order not to bypass the white spots on the mushroom cap, I “hid them with a reserve”, that is, I first applied a reserve liquid to the spots of the spots (on a dry sheet, before starting to work with paints). Of course, this cannot be called a watercolor technique, it is more of an effect. Today, all kinds of reserves (masking liquids) have become very widespread. If you don’t want to paint over every spot or are afraid that in an emotional outburst you will paint over some highlights, then you can use a reserve.

Working with a reserve goes much faster. But it is worth noting that this technique also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that the edge is very sharp. In your work there will always be a sharp border in the place where the white sheet on which there was a reserve liquid passes into the area painted over with paint. This will give you away. This doesn’t bother many artists, and sometimes it even helps create additional effects! Also, the reserve is sometimes difficult to remove from paper, and sometimes it is not removed at all. Therefore, before using the reserve in your work, test it on a small sheet of similar paper.

A combination of several watercolor techniques

The fourth mushroom is drawn with a combination of effects (watercolor technique). Before starting to work in color, I “hid” the entire mushroom with a reserve liquid. This allowed me to create a dense multi-layered background with paint. I applied the paint in 4 layers. Only by layer-by-layer glazing is it possible to achieve a sufficiently dense, dull, but at the same time not black background. After waiting for the background to dry, I removed the reserve and painted the mushroom using the same “Glaze” watercolor technique.

“Wet watercolor” or “wet watercolor” technique

With the fifth mushroom I worked with the most “watercolor” technique of all. Looking at it, it is immediately clear that we are looking at watercolors. This is a “Wet Watercolor” technique (often called “Wet Watercolor”, “Wet Watercolor”), and it is certainly impressive. In my opinion, this is the most difficult aspect of watercolor painting. The artist’s skills and exclusively personal experience are very important here. The “Wet Watercolor” technique is that before you start painting, a sheet of paper is completely moistened with water, and then you quickly write on the still wet surface. By spreading, watercolor paint can convey soft transitions from one color to another. If you need to draw small parts, then you need to wait until it dries completely, and only then make additions.

Wet watercolor is especially sensitive to the quality of the materials used. Paper, paints, brushes - everything is important here. In this watercolor technique you have to work quickly and confidently. The artist must be extremely concentrated and ready for anything. We must give the watercolor some freedom, but at the same time create conditions in which it will flow exactly as we need it. And the watercolor should dry when we need it. In this watercolor technique, the most common mistakes are a poorly wetted sheet and a lack of understanding of the depicted form. And most importantly, wet watercolor is beautiful in its lightness and ease. But we are often afraid to “let go” of the paint, we try too hard to control it, we try too hard, thereby losing that very lightness and ease. This technique requires constant practice, and if you want to work in wet watercolor, I advise you to practice it more often.

Conclusion

In this article I described the main effects and watercolor techniques that I work with. Of course, this list can be continued for a long time, and I am sure that there will always be something that I have not tried yet, which will inspire me to new works and experiments. I wish you creative success and inspiration!

Watercolor painting is a technology for creating artwork using water paints. familiar to most of us from childhood, when we used dry paints in ditches. However, such paints do not give the rich effect that the works of experienced watercolorists demonstrate.

Watercolor paint consists of a binder, a filler and the pigment itself. The binder most often used is glue of plant origin: gum arabic, dextrin, tragacanth, fruit glue, molasses or glycerin. When applied to paper, the water evaporates and the binder locks the pigment and media in place. Watercolor paint is available in semi-dry cuvettes and in tubes. To work with watercolor paints, artists use round brushes for basic work and flat brushes for other manipulations, such as adjustments or washes. A watercolorist needs a palette - plastic, white. Palettes with recesses can be used as ditches: paint from the tubes is squeezed into the recesses and allowed to dry. Some artists use paint in its “raw” form; in their opinion, the colors in the painting will be fresher. The choice of paper is important. The watercolor sheet should have a well-defined texture and not spread (swell) after wetting with water.

Watercolorists use various methods of applying paint to paper. The most common method is called “raw”. Initially, the paper is moistened with water and then a layer of paint is applied. Thus, the applied paint begins to spread across the sheet, blooming in unexpected patterns, merging with other paints and forming new shades. The raw method is quite complicated and requires skill, but it gives amazing results. Watercolor painting also uses the glazing method, where the artist applies layers of paint one after another onto a dry sheet. Glazing allows you to achieve special precision of parts. If you want to add some accents to your watercolor work painted using the “wet on” technique, the artist can apply further layers of paint after the sheet has dried.

If you want to learn the technique of watercolor painting, let’s say “for yourself,” you should choose high-quality paints for your classes. Most often, cheap watercolor paints do not provide sufficient color saturation and the desired texture, which can disappoint a novice artist. Not worth purchasing a large number of colors of watercolor paints, it is better to have a set of primary colors, since almost any shade can be created from mixing two or more other colors. For example, black is obtained by mixing red and green, and White color watercolorists do not use it at all (after all, white paper shines through the paint layer, and the artist simply paints over those areas on the sheet that should remain white - this technique is called “reservation”).

When talking about watercolor painting, we most often remember the most delicate floral still lifes, permeated with light and reflections. But look how versatile the use of watercolor painting is in various genres! Beautiful miniatures and sketches, portraits, landscapes, unexpected avant-garde images.

Valeria Ann Chua

Malgorzata Szczecinska

Elena Shved

Roland Palmaerts

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The natural composition of watercolors is ground pigment with natural adhesives - gum arabic, casein or milk phosphoprotein, dextrin, honey, phenol. The paint is applied with water with a brush on the surface of the paper. This term denotes work performed in this environment. The pigments are usually transparent, but can be made opaque by mixing them with white - in this form the paint is known as gouache.

Watercolor differs from other types of painting in its variety of technical techniques.
Weightless light paint gives freshness and luminosity in calligraphic strokes, which gives the work atmosphere and weightlessness.

There is one fundamental difference between watercolor and other painting mediums - its transparency. The artist applies one opaque color to another in oil until the desired result is achieved. Watercolor is a universal drawing medium, as it makes it possible to reproduce all genres, since the water base allows you to obtain unique and unpredictable effects. For abstract style

random scattered watercolor strokes on wet paper help create a blurry effect.

Sanguina drawing with red crayons

Watercolor paints on paper can melt, spread, and mixtures create a beautiful combination of colors in painting of different styles.

Watercolor is the freest form of painting due to its transparent watery nature. There are certain painting techniques for working with watercolors, but the most popular ones are:

Differential Blur

This is the basic way artists work and is achieved by wetting paper in a specific area and applying pigment to the surface from top to bottom. The technique is used for a massive image of the sky, water, meadow and allows you to experiment with various shades. The paper rises almost vertically, and on a damp surface the colors spread in all directions. The technique requires drying naturally.

Glazing

This method is similar to blurring, but requires the use of a pigment that is applied to a dry sheet. The method actually regulates color and tone, ideal colors and transitions. Dry each color separately before applying the next one.

"Wet on Wet"

The "A la Prima" method is a process of wetting the paper before applying pigment. To do this, use a large brush or sponge to evenly distribute the water over a sheet of watercolor paper. The technique creates beautiful blurred shapes and colors, soft shades and paint transitions in the works.

Impasto painting technique

"Dry brush"

For painting, use a barely damp, hard brush with big amount paints on dry paper. On an uneven surface, a clear, hard, highlighted mark is obtained, with granular effects similar to a pencil drawing. Entire compositions are made in this way, also used to enliven a dull background.

Washing off

The process of removing paint after application and complete drying. The area that needs to be changed, to deepen the color or add volume, is moistened with water and the paint is blotted with a cloth. The technique creates complex shapes and lines, especially if strips of paper are used to mask areas with removed pigment in the painting.

Impact of water on paint

When the applied watercolor in the drawing dries, you can use a clean wet brush to drip water onto the desired area to obtain the effects of layering, cracking, roundness, and volume.

Glaze

This is a method of applying multi-layers of watercolor from a light tone at the base to a darker shade on top. Watercolor is applied with transparent, thin strokes after the previous layer of work has dried. The result is a three-dimensional image where the colors do not mix, but complement each other and allow you to see the border of each layer.

Properties of oil pastels

Author Natalia Shevchenko

scratching

By scratching or removing some areas of the painted dry surface, lighter areas of the same tone are created.

Disguise

If it is necessary to keep some areas white during work, use a reserve, that is, cover required places masking with paraffin or wax, which, after the work has completely dried, I remove with a brush or roll into a ball with my hands.

Addition

Adding another color to the wet area of the painting allows it to merge and branch out, creating interesting illusions. The method produces interesting and vibrant color gradations that cannot be achieved by mixing pigment on a palette.

Famous artists

Some famous artists those working with watercolors often used similar effects in their works:

Dry brush technique in painting

Watercolorists learned to take advantage of the unexpected results of painting. The Greatest Masters painting practiced spontaneity. Artists improvised to effectively harness the power of watercolor.

English School

The classical painting technique was perfected in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries:

Watercolor is a tradition that has its own chronicle in history. Primitive used pigments mixed with water to rock paintings and applied them with fingers, sticks and bones. The ancient Egyptians used water-based paints to decorate the walls of temples and tombs and created the first designs on papyrus.

Wall art

Eastern school

In the Far and Middle East, the first watercolor schools had an individual style - Chinese and Japanese masters painting on silk and fine rice paper self made. Their art was filled with literary allusion and calligraphy. But the basic image remained a typically contemplative landscape, which became a central aspect of the watercolor tradition in subsequent centuries. In India and Persia, opaque gouaches were used for religious images.

Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, European monks used tempera to paint manuscripts—books were considered the most important form of art and the equivalent of easel painting. The monks copied holy texts by hand on sheets of parchment made from sheepskin and calfskin. Sometimes entire pages were decorated with elaborate flourishes and symbolic images.

A couple of hundred years ago, not everyone could subjugate such a capricious and insidious watercolor. But now there are a huge number of methods that help to comprehend this art, which is definitely worth such work. While creating watercolor painting, the light reflects off the white paper and passes through the paint, giving it a truly magical glow.

The watercolor painting techniques described below will help you master the necessary skills.

1. Buy a set of brushes

It is necessary to have several different brushes.

Availability large selection tassels – important condition working with watercolors. The size and shape of the brush used will depend on the size and nature of the area being covered. I often work with small elements, so my brush sizes range from 000 to 6. Experiment with different brush sizes to find the ones that work best for you. However, it won’t hurt to get smaller sizes. They are useful for working on minor details that may appear during the process.

2. Use quality paints

Good watercolor pigments are a worthwhile investment.

Invest in high quality watercolors. It will last for a long time, it will not turn yellow and will not deteriorate over time. In art and online stores you will find paints of various brands. I prefer Holbien and Winsor & Newton products. Buy several pigments from different manufacturers and choose your favorites. Don't add too much at once: from a few primary colors you can mix all the shades you need.

3. Try painting with both pure and diluted paints

Experiment with pigments by adding different quantities water.

You can work with both watery mixtures and “dry” watercolors. The very name of the paints implies the use of water. You can get colors of different depths and saturations depending on the ratio of water and pigment in the wash.

You can apply watercolors different ways. After trying them, you will determine which ones are most suitable for you. Personally, I like to write dry-on-wet. This technique allows you to better control the wash on your paper.

4. Start by applying light tones, gradually moving to darker ones

This technique requires drawing up a work plan, but the result is worth it.

Next important point The thing to keep in mind is that the design is covered with light shades first. This means that any white or light areas of the painting remain untouched throughout the entire process. We will obtain the desired depth of tone by layering washes. You will have to work according to a certain system, but the resulting effect will surprise you.

5. Stock up on paper towels

A paper towel is a kind of nag for watercolors.

Another important tool that should always be on hand when working with watercolors is a paper towel. Its effect is comparable to a kneaded eraser. If you apply a layer of paint and remove some of it with a paper towel, you will get a smooth tonal gradation. This simple attribute will also help correct mistakes and redirect the flow of watercolor.

6. Splatter watercolor

Use your index finger to comb the bristles of the brush towards you.

As a clever way to add dynamics to a painting, you can use splashing watercolors. The method is ideal for depicting splashes of water or clouds of dust.

Hold the hand with your thumb and middle finger. Use your index finger to run along the hairs of your brush towards you. The result is often unpredictable, but always looks very fresh. I highly recommend trying it.

7. Match colors on paper

The surest way to blend two shades on a sheet is with the gradient wash method.

To do this, dilute the pigment generously with water, pick it up on a brush and apply it to paper. While the layer is still wet, add another similar watery paint to it. In this case, you can direct the drips to the desired area. Let the drawing dry and you will see a smooth color transition along the entire length of the stroke.

8. Show texture

Try to be sure to draw objects and materials along with the features of their surfaces.

You will find that working on rougher, grainier paper has its benefits. The most obvious one comes from not having to work too hard to render texture. It is very important to learn how to convey surface roughness. This will require the use of light and dark tones, wet and dry brush work.

9. Color stretch

Using this method, you can show the shape and edge of an object, as well as indicate the direction in which light falls.

After applying a stroke of rich color with a semi-dry brush, you can stretch it with clean water. This way you will give the drawing volume and picturesqueness. The wash should contain more pigment than water. While the paint is still wet, use a relatively damp brush to spread it onto the paper. This way you can cover a significant area of the design, depending on how dry the initial stroke was.

10. Layer colors

Since watercolor is translucent, you will have to apply it in several layers, gradually achieving the desired tone. Here lies another advantage of watercolor paint, because layering allows you to mix colors directly on paper.

Apply a wash to the drawing and let it dry. Now cover it with a mixture of a different shade. When you layer one color on top of another, you get a completely new tone. This great way transfer of skin color.

11. Try glazing

Glazing is a watercolor painting technique that provides soft shades of layered pigments.

This technique is also used when working with oil paints to achieve gradual tonal and color gradations. Essentially, you simply apply the wash in several layers with light, random strokes, modeling the desired shape and shade. In other words, put some watery flowers on the paper. Since my washes contain more pigment, I try to smooth out the transitions with water. Try not to overdo it, otherwise you will end up with a cloudy stain.

12. Remove paint

By blotting part of the watercolor, you can correct a mistake or create a highlight.

There will be times when you will need to "erase" the color. Of course, it will not be possible to return the paper to its original whiteness. However, you can remove the blur and correct a misunderstanding, or show the illuminated area of the subject. If the paint has already dried, wet the area of the desired shape with clean water. Let it dissolve the watercolor for no more than a minute. Then, simply blot it dry with a paper towel. The clarified area will have the outline of a wetted surface.

13. Use salt to create texture.

Salt will help you get an interesting texture easily.

The main thing in watercolor painting is to layer paint and convey the properties of surfaces. You can fulfill the last condition using ordinary salt. Absorbing water, its crystals form specific patterns on the wash. Cover the sheet with watercolor and, without letting it dry, sprinkle it with salt. Dry the drawing and brush off the salt. This technique realistically displays the texture of natural objects, such as rock surfaces or tree trunks.

14. Apply paint with a sponge

Another household device used in watercolor painting is a sponge. Simply place the paint mixture in a flat saucer or tray, dip a sponge into it, and press it onto the paper. Blurs of different saturations create different effects. A less watery mixture is suitable for depicting plants or scaly skin. While a well-diluted pigment helps to depict clouds or a water landscape.

15. Master negative drawing

Working with watercolors requires careful planning of your actions. Before you start coloring, determine the lightest and whitest areas of the composition. The success of the painting will depend on your ability to control the brush when drawing the contours of the negative space. Fill your brush with a not too thin mixture of watercolor and apply a stroke along the border of the area that you want to leave unpainted. Now make a color stretch of this stroke.

You will learn more useful tricks in our guide to negative drawing in watercolor painting by following the link.

16. Use tape for crisp edges

Using adhesive tape you can keep individual pieces white. This technique is useful when creating rigid contours in subjects related to mechanical engineering and architecture. Just tape over the areas that you want to remain white.

Use tape that will not damage the paper, such as construction tape or art tape. You can write both around the tape and on it. Once the paint has dried, peel it off and you'll get clear lines.

17. Make sketches with a 2H pencil

A hard pencil will not smear from water.

I drew this sketch with a 2H pencil so that its lines would not be distorted by wet watercolor. Now I'll layer the light wash with a medium sized brush. I use paints that are heavily diluted with water, so they will not immediately give the desired tone.

18. Save the darkest tones for drawing small details

Apply deep shades of pigments at the final stage of work.

Resist the temptation to use the darkest colors until you get closer to completing the painting. Because of the transparency of watercolor, you need to be careful not to darken the light areas too much and not go into dark tones and detail too early.