Demonstration of Watercolor Techniques, Hints and How-to's

Demonstration of some watercolor techniques: Water is the most important component in watercolor painting. It takes practice to learn how much water is needed to create the right colors and to make the right effect. Click on an image to view larger detail. View Angela's art online: ● flower paintings ● landscape paintings
It's Never Black & White. A guide to color mixing	All Washed Up! I start most of my paintings with a wash using one of two methods.	Don't Give Me the Brush Off! Brush Techniques
I don't use white paint in watercolor painting. You lighten each color's value by adding water - the more water, the lighter the shade. White Roses by Angela Fehr	Flat Wash: I mix a puddle of mostly water with some pigment in my color of choice, then I use a large flat brush to cover my paper with a layer of paint, working quickly to cover the entire sheet. Once it is completely dry, I can continue with additional washes or start doing detail work.	The demo at left shows the difference between a brush stroke on wet or dry paper. The top of the mauve stroke is on dry paper, and forms a crisp line called a hard edge; when the stroke reaches the moist paper, the mauve bleeds and creates a soft edge.
To make rich blacks it is best to mix a couple dark colors together (like indigo and alizarin) rather than use black paint which can have a "dead" or dull look. Detail of wrought iron from "When Life Hands You Lemons" by Angela Fehr You can make a beautiful gray by mixing cobalt & burnt umber - this is one of my favorite effects.	Varied Wash: I brush clear water over my entire page and drop or brush in the colors desired, allowing them to flow together. The wetness of the paper will have a strong influence on how the colors mix, and it will take practice to achieve the desired effect. If the paper is too wet the colors will puddle and flow to the edge of the page, and could dry in a "cloudburst" effect, if the paper is too dry, the colors will not mix and you will get a "hard edge". The paper should have just a sheen of moistness to it.	Dry brush: The amount of paint on your brush is another factor in technique - a brush with just a little pigment (not too wet) will create a "dry brush" effect that is ideal for creating texture like grass, hair, etc. A rigger or liner brush works well for this. A loaded brush (full of paint but not dripping) will produce a more even line, or fill a larger area without 'skipping.' I used a loaded round brush here to define the petals of my flower.
I almost never use a color straight from the palette - they look too artificial in pure form. Even if I just add a touch of another color, it makes a difference, especially with greens. Try these combinations: - hooker's green/burnt umber - alizarin/cobalt blue - new gamboge/raw sienna - payne's gray/hooker's green	A wash doesn't have to cover an entire page. I often use the varied wash technique for small parts of a painting, like the leaves on the flower at right - I painted in the green leaf shapes and while the paint was still wet, brushed in some burnt umber, allowing the colors to blend to create shadows and interest.	This small painting took about 15 min. and uses a variety of techniques. A small quick painting like this makes a great greeting card.
Rules of Thumb	Adding Texture	Toys to Try
When you're starting out, go easy on color - you can always go darker by adding more layers of color, but it's hard to lighten up. "Red Canoe" by Angela Fehr When starting a watercolor painting, work light to dark. And do your washes of large areas first, save the details for the end.	Salt, Pickling Salt, Rubbing Alcohol: can create interesting effects when sprinkled or dripped onto a wet wash. The wetness of the paper and the type of pigment will affect your results. Shown: Pickling Salt on wet varied wash. Detail of "Butterfly" by Angela Fehr	Liquid Mask or Frisket: Similar in makeup to rubber cement, you can use this to keep white areas white. Brush onto the area you want to keep white, allow to dry, and you can create your washes without worry. Rub the mask off with your finger or an eraser when complete, being careful not to damage the paper. Note: I have not had success with the Permanent Mask Medium by Winsor Newton, I don't recommend it. Also Note: This stuff is death to paintbrushes, so use an old brush, a piece of credit card, or a brush handle to apply the mask. If you coat your brush's bristles with soap before dipping into the mask, you can use your regular brushes...at your own risk.
	Scraping out Texture: You can add texture and restore white to your paper by scraping the surface with a knife. Save this till you are finished your painting, because you will be damaging the paper fibres and will not get a good result if you try to paint over the scraped area.
Layers are the way to go in watercolor, and sometimes it's hard to know when to stop, you can keep glazing (adding layers of color) forever! It can really add depth and richness to your painting.	Plastic Wrap and Plastic Bags: A fun exercise for a new painter is to paint a varied wash over a large sheet of paper, then, while the wash is wet, press a sheet of plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag onto the page, wrinkling and crumpling. Allow to dry, then remove the plastic. Use the shapes remaining to guide your painting - works well for floral paintings - just look for leaf and petal shapes and define with continued glazes.	Inks: I like to use gold and silver permanent inks to add interest to some of my paintings. Winsor & Newton makes some bottled inks available in a rainbow of colors.
A good pencil drawing can really help - the stronger your drawing, the easier creating your painting will be. Sketch lightly directly on your watercolor paper, or trace your completed drawing onto watercolor paper with graphite paper. Carbon paper is wax or oil based and will repel water, so you want to use graphite paper, or just cover the back of your sketch with a layer of pencil, place it on your watercolor paper and trace the lines, applying pressure.	Paper Towel & Kleenex: I never paint without a sheet of paper towel in my hand. It is indispensable for cleaning brushes, but also does a wonderful job of lifting color off a wet wash. Try painting a cobalt blue wash for sky in a landscape, then using crumpled paper towel to lift out cloud shapes. Some prefer Kleenex as it gives a softer edge. Detail of Fehr's Swinging Bridge by Angela Fehr	Granulating Colors: Different colors of paint react differently in water - some blend smoothly, and others "granulate" - that is, dry with a bit of a "flaky" look. Ultramarine Blue is a granulating color, which is why I recommend Cobalt Blue for skies which usually need an even gradation. Granulating colors do add a hint of texture to a painting, and come in some gorgeous shades. Iridescent Colors: If you are a color addict like me, you will want to look at a Daniel Smith catalog - they make some really neat specialty colors, like iridescent colors. You can also buy a Winsor & Newton Iridescent Medium which you can mix with paint or use straight from the bottle. It adds a fun shiny sparkle that's like frosting for art!