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Watercolour
is the most used painting method world-wide today. Painting is one
of the most popular hobbies in the UK. This can largely be attributed
to the exquisite effects of depth, texture and light, which can
be achieved through delicate washes.
Watercolour
is also attractive because of its portability all you need is a
paint box, brush and a sheet of paper. We provide all the information
you need to paint in watercolour.
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To
begin painting in watercolour, you need three simple things:
• Some good beginners' materials
• A subject to paint
• A basic technique
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Which
Paints?
Palette of Colours
The
common practice is to maintain a broad palette of about twelve
colours and add to it for specific requirements. A beginner's
palette from the Winsor & Newton Water Colour range could
consist of the following colours:
•
Lemon Yellow Hue • Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue • Cadmium
Red Hue • Permanent Rose • Alizarin Crimson Hue
• Ultramarine • Intense Blue • Viridian Hue
• Raw Umber • Yellow Ochre • Burnt Sienna •
Chinese White
Once
you have this initial palette, the next stage is to find suitable
brushes and surfaces.
Which
Brushes?
Cotman
brushes are ideal and economical for beginners. They are pure
synthetic round brushes which, point well and have reasonable
colour carrying capacity. To begin with you only need four
main brushes.
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1
x 25mm
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Wash
Brush for washes and glazes
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1
x 13mm
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Flat
Brush 666 for edges and straight lines
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1
x Size 14 series 111
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For
large surface coverage
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1
x Size 3 series 222 (rigger)
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For
fine detail and thin lines
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These
are the recommended brushes but many watercolour artists use
simply a large brush for coverage, a small brush for fine
detail and a wash for effects.
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Once
you have chosen your brushes the next stage is selecting the
best surface.
Which
Paper?
Cotman Water Colour paper is mould made paper, which is
acid free giving it an extensive life without deterioration.
The paper is pre-sized allowing the artist to sponge and erase
(if necessary) without causing any damage. There are three
main types of surface:
•
Hot Pressed - very smooth
• Cold Pressed - semi rough
• Rough - a rough surface.
Pads (sizes 12" x 9" up to 16" x 12")
are recommended for beginners.
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Once
you have the materials a few basic accessories are also required
such as:
•
A pencil & eraser for sketching an outline
•
A board or hard surface (though pads and blocks can provide
ample support) to support your paper
• A roll of masking tape to secure the paper to the hard
surface if required
• A water pot or container
• A flat plastic palette or tray to mix colour if required.
Possibly a hairdryer to dry the watercolour quickly and give
you more control over the drying process.
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What
to paint - finding a subject
Many
artists find it difficult to be inspired by the ordinary everyday
things. However, true artists can turn the very ordinary object
into something special by simply looking at it creatively. You do
not have to travel to find the perfect view or the ideal image Í
simply look around and decide what you want to paint and PAINT it.
It
may be a landscape, a building, an interior scene such as a kitchen,
or a still life such as vases or bottles. If you feel really confident
you might want to try portrait, botanical painting or even an abstract.
The options are endless, but the key thing is making the decision,
staying with it and bringing your vision to reality in the form
of a watercolour painting. It doesn't have to be accurate or perfect,
remember art is in the eye of the painter not the critic.
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Painting
a watercolour landscape
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Landscapes
are arguably the easiest for beginners and the following basic technique
can be applied. Four general principles apply when painting a landscape.
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Your
view - As an artist you are looking to create a visual representation
of your chosen scene, it is not a copy but an illusion of what you
are painting. Remember it is how you see it and paint it that makes
it a unique work of art.
Aeriel
perspective - Take time to look at the scene you want to paint
and you will see four aspects emerge. Firstly the objects in the
distance will appear smaller. Secondly the distant objects will
be less detailed. Thirdly colours become less vivid the further
away they are. Fourthly, as objects recede their tones become paler
and less contrasted.
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Composition
- Using your pencil lightly sketch the outline of the landscape.
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Ensure
you set out a horizon, middle and foreground within your landscape.
Normally this follows as the horizon being the background of the
painting, with the horizon line being about a third from the bottom
of the page. Most beginners start drawing the horizon half way up
the page - but our eye line only sees 30-40% of the 'surface matter'
in any given scene and the rest is sky. The diagram outlines this
perspective of landscape.
Once
you have drawn the basic outline of your landscape you are now ready
to apply the colour into your picture.
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Basic
technique
Squeeze
a pea sized amount from your watercolour tubes or dab a wet brush
into your watercolour pan - best to start with three primary colours
a red, blue and yellow.
Use
the large brush Size 12 series 111 and start putting some blue on
the sky dabbing the colour with a wet tissue to create cloud shapes
by lifting out the colour.
Then
work onto the distant horizon line using muted colours (i.e. thinned
blues, greys and yellows with water) then onto the middle-ground
area using more blues-greens and then onto the foreground using
yellowy-greens and stronger more vivid colours - not diluted with
too much water.
Once
you have built these colours you can then build up a series of layers
to suit your style. If you are really adventurous you might wish
to try the wet-into-wet technique. This is where the colours blend
while they are still wet. This creates beautiful subtle tones and
is excellent for moody, atmospheric paintings.
Another
technique is creating a watercolour wash which gives many special
effects such as gradation, granulation and variegated. Without being
overly technical, a wash is really where one colour changes because
of the water content mixed with the raw colour. To create such an
effect, start at the top of a dry sheet of paper and paint a band
of dark colour (ultramarine blue), then add more water to the brush
and make a second band under the first. Continue doing this until
you have a graded wash. i.e. the colour shifts from dark to light
and in some cases transparent.
Summary
These
are the basics of watercolour painting, however it should be stressed
BASICS. Give yourself time to develop your own style and try as
many techniques as possible to find which one suits your creativity.
Finally,
read any books and magazines on watercolour to pick up more knowledge
and skill. The important thing is that you enjoy it and are proud
of your work of art.
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Don't fiddle around with the painting; once it is complete
don't add more touches thinking you will improve it.
Let
the colour dry between stages of application unless
you are using the wet-into-wet technique. A hairdryer
will speed up the drying process.
Constantly
refer to the subject you are painting and to your work
of art.
Start
painting from the top of the paper.
Don't
let your palette become too wet.
Always
clean your materials with soap and water.
Paint
loose; don't get hung up on accuracy. Remember it's
a painting not a photocopy.
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The
information contained within this craft technique sheet is presented in good
faith, but no warranty is given, nor results guaranteed. Product quantities
and selections may vary at each HobbyCraft Superstore. Products are subject
to availability and not all ranges are available in all stores. Before making
a special journey please contact the store direct to check that they have your
required product in stock. HobbyCraft Group Ltd disclaims all liability from
any injury to anyone using this craft technique as a result of improper safety
precautions. Since we have no control over physical conditions surrounding the
application of the information herein contained, HobbyCraft Group Ltd disclaims
any liability for untoward results.
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