Watercolor Techniques (descriptions)

Flat wash-

Saturate the square with water(optional). Mix a small amount of a single color with water(do not dilute or thin out too much apply as evenly as possible within the square- so you achieve a falt even wash.

Graded wash-

Saturate the square with water(optional). Mix a small amount of color with water(do not thin out too much) apply thickly at the top of the square and gradually fade out the color towards the bottom by adding more water to the mixture so that the square and grudaually fade out the color towards the bottom by adding more water to mixture so that the square goes from light to dark.(Remember with watercolor--you are usuing the white of the paper to achieve your lights by adding less pigment and more water to the higher areas, or no paint or water at all if you want pure white.)

Variegated Wash-

Saturate the square with water(optional). Apply one color to the top of the square and one color to the bottom gradually wash the colors out until they meet in the middle and form a new color.(Primary or Complements will work well for this,  do not other mix once the colors start to blend)

Value wash-

Saturate the square with water. Take a single color and create four distinctly separate values by adding different amounts of water to the color(these could be abstract or form a simple representational picture within the square.)

Dry brush-

Apply paint to the brush and than scrape the brush across the dry surface of the paper.(This will produce a  different texture effect than if the paper were wet.) Do this repeatedly with a few different colors after each layer of color has dried to experiment with the effect.

Wet into wet-

Saturate the square with water. Then before it dries, take a color or two and paint them into the square. Notice how the edges bleed out and produce a different effect then when working wet into dry.(you should always use a wet into wet technique when painting subject matter in which yo do not want sharp define edges-- such as when painting s sky with clouds or shadows)

Brush Strokes-

Apply a thin wash of light color. Let it dry. Then mix up another darker color so that the mixture holds a lot of pigment and is not overly watered down. Practice laying down a variety of brush strokes (Notice how you can get sharp detailed edges with the brush strokes when working wet into dry.)

Staining-

Apply a thick even wash of  color or colors then when still wet,  drip a very small amount of water onto the square. Notice how the water reacts to the surface changing the value of color.(It is also possible when working larger to blow onro tile the paper causing the water to run in order to achieve a variety of abatract effects.)

Sponge & or Thooth brush

Using a sponge or thooth brush dip the edges into paint and apply to the square ( try wetting 50% of the square and work wet into wet, as well as into dry) notice the different range of textures and marks you can ge using something other then a paintbrush.  Let dry and repeat with a different color to build up the effect.

Stipple-

Mix up a few colors so that the tip of the brush hold the paint. Then lightly touch the tip onto the surface of the paper creating a single dot.  Do this repeatedly to create a stipple effect. When used corectly stippling can even appear to have value depending on the amount of dotes pleaced in close proximity to one another. Fill the square with dots-some close together some far apart.

Glazing-

Apply a few separate colors and let them dry. Then go back with another color and paint over them with a transparent mixture so that the color beneath shows through. Work with a few different stripes of color(2 or 3 for more) within the square so you can experiment by brushing color over them in the opposite direction and observe how the color is affected.

Scraping-

Apply a thin wash in the square and let it dry than apply a thick layer of color on top of it and when the paint is still wet use the end of the paintbrush to scrape into the paint producing different marks. On good quality thick watercolor paper you can  scrape down to the white of the page with a sharp pointed object(anything with a study or some what sharp edge will work for scraping--Pallet knife, stiff card board, credit card ect)

Salt-

Apply a watery wash to the square with good amount of pigment added. Then sprinkle sea salt or other large granular salt onto the square to observe how the salt reacts with the watercolor. Let the salt dry on the page before removing

White wax-

Use common white wax from a candle and rub it into the white surface of the dry paper in an interesting pattern. Then go back and paint over it with a few different color observing the wax repels the paint and creates a pattern and or texture.

Drip/Splatter-

Drip small amounts of paint onto the square and try loading the brush with a watery mixture so that you are able to tap the brush and the paint splatters onto the square. Do this repeated with different colors to build up the effect(Note-surround the square with bound paper so that you do note splatter paint into the other studies,)

Lift Off-

Using a mumber two pencil lightly draw a one and a half inch in the square. Then choose one color and paint a dark solide wash around the circle. Let it completely dry. Then mix up a lighter wash of the same clolor( a mid tone) and completely cover the circle. Before this dries take a paper towel or cloth and wUipe out a highlight in  the upper right portion of the circle revealing the white of the paper.

Masking Fluid-

Apply masking fluid to a few section of the white square creating a  design or pattern. Let the masking fluid dry then paint over the entire square with a color or wash mix of colors. After the wash has soaked into the page and dried peel off the dry mask to reveal the white of the pages below. Optional-Repeat this process again usuing a different color and different areas masked off to observe how you can build up a layered effect.

Gouche or Chinese White-

Lay down a layer of wash color and drop some white onto the wet surface, or try waiting for the wash to dry and then paint over part of it creating a pattern usuing the Gouche or Chinese white.(Note: Do not even mix white into your watercolor paint- it will only make it look chalky and pale and will loss its chroma Instead, to lighten a color add more water and let the white of the page show through.)

Material Plastic Effects-

paint a thick built up texture area in the square usuing Gouch or chinese white. Let it dry then go back over it with watercolor observing how the build up white painted areas react differently than the unpainted paper.

Gum  Arabic-

Mix some Gum Arabic in with your paint and try blending a  few colors thogether as well as painting distinctly seperate brush strokes-creating a small abstract design. The Gum Arabic should help in blending as well as keep the brush strokes more separate and the paint less runny. It will also add a shine to the paint.

News Paper Mask-

Rip off a few small pieces of newspaper wet them as well as the square and press them onto it. Then a wash usuing a few colors overtop of the entire square. Remove the newspaper quickly for ragged edges or leave on until dry for shaper edges. This could be repeated to build up the effect.

India Ink or Black ink Pen

Lay 3 or 4 colors into the square so that the edges barely blend. Let them dry, then take an ink pen or India ink with small brush and draw a design over the color following the edge of the color to produce a stained glass effect(water-based inks are very compatible with watercolor paper)

Lightening-

Paint a wash over the square usuing a color or two.  Then before the paint has dried take a dry paintbrush and lift off some of the paint from the page using the end  of the brush.(This technique is similar  to Lift off and another method for removing paint from your picture plane.)

Misc Texture-

Most any material when pressed into wet watercolor paint will leave a texture or mark of some kind. Choose a material or object and experment with what types of marks you can create( What you choose is completely open and up to you)

Rubbing alcohol-

Dip your cotton swab in to the rubbing alcohol.

The rubbing alcohol pushes paint away

Scgraffito-

Scratch the paper usuing a pin or needle

Scratch your design on the paper paint over the design