When it comes to learning the art of watercolour painting, watercolour methods are critical (or aquarelle). Watercolour paint was invented thousands of years ago, and as a result, several styles have been practised throughout time. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a complicated yet incredibly adaptable medium.
Watercolour paints are comprised of pigments suspended in a water-soluble carrier. By combining the white paper’s reflection with the transparent, delicate watercolour paints, an exquisite brightness is created on the page. Watercolours are not simple to master, but with the proper methods and effort, they can be very gratifying.
Purchase a variety of brushes
When painting with watercolours, you’ll want to have a variety of brushes on hand. The brushes you pick will be determined by the size of your work. If you operate mostly on a smaller scale, you will almost certainly need brushes ranging in size from 000 to six. It’s advisable to experiment with a variety of various sizes to see which are your favourites and which work best for you. Acquire a couple of brushes that are smaller than your usual size as well, since they may come in helpful later on when adding details, you didn’t foresee.
Purchase some high-quality paints
It’s a good idea to buy some high-quality watercolours, since they may really transform your work and elevate it to another level. Additionally, higher-quality paints will stay longer and will not discolour or deteriorate as quickly. There are several high-quality watercolour brands available in a variety of locations, both online and in-store. Holbein and Winsor & Newton are two brands we suggest. You can read about What to look out for when purchasing a watercolor paint by visiting http://fnrtattoos.com/what-to-look-out-for-when-purchasing-a-watercolor-paint/
When you first begin, it’s a good idea to purchase a few colours from several companies to determine which paints work best for you and to have a better grasp of how watercolours function. You do not need to purchase every colour of the rainbow; you may make your own utilizing even the most restricted palettes.
Consider the difference between dry and moist
When painting with watercolours, two primary considerations are wet and dry. Watercolour, as the name implies, is a water-based media. You may adjust the pigment’s darkness and saturation by varying the amount of water added. There are several techniques for painting with watercolour paint, and as you experiment, you’ll discover which ones work best for you. Working from dry to wet may assist in achieving more control.
Work your way from bright to dark
Working from light to dark is another critical watercolour paint skill to know. This implies that any areas of your watercolour painting that remain white or bright must remain so throughout the course of the piece. Build your values up layer by layer until you get the desired result. This will need much forethought, but the rewards will be well worth the effort.
Purchase paper towels in bulk
A paper towel is a critical product to have in your watercolour painting set. This functions virtually similar to a kneaded eraser for your watercolours. Laying down a splash of colour and then lifting sections of it up is an excellent technique for progressively adding layers of detail. Additionally, paper towels are quite beneficial for fixing errors or rerouting the watercolour paint.
Watercolours should be splattered
A simple approach for infusing your watercolour painting with vitality is to use the splatter watercolour paint technique. This may assist convey the impression of a water spray or floating dust. Between your thumb and middle finger, place your paintbrush. Pull back on the bristles with your index finger and allow them to snap forward. Although this process is rather random, it may provide some quite enjoyable outcomes, making it well worth experimenting with.
Colours should bleed into one another
The ‘blooming’ watercolour paint method is an excellent way to bleed colours into one another. Apply a generous quantity of water to the pigment in your brush and brush it over the paper. Add another colour with the same quantity of water while the stroke is still wet. At this stage, you may modify the colours to get them where they need to be. Allow watercolour paint to dry and you’ll see tiny variations running throughout the stroke. Additionally, view our guide on wet-in-wet watercolour painting.
Correct the textures
You’ll find that painting with watercolours on rougher paper has a number of benefits. One apparent benefit is that you do not have to use excessive effort to obtain a pleasing texture. Having said that, it is critical to attempt to show things and materials with their textures intact. This includes the use of lights and darks, as well as wet and dry pigments.
Add colour
When you use a dry, more saturated stroke in watercolour painting, you may extract merely water from that stroke. This watercolour paint method is excellent for illustrating the shape and denoting a light source or edge. Apply a stroke with a little amount of water and a lot of pigment. Take a relatively moist brush and draw the colour out of the darker stroke before it dries. Depending on how dry the first stroke is, you may draw the colour fairly far.
Colours should be layered
Due to the thin nature of watercolour paint, you’ll need to gradually add colour. This is another perk of the medium since it enables you to experiment with colour mixing directly on the paper. Lay down one colour. Allow it to dry before reapplying another shade. You’ll see that when they overlap, the pigments combine and create a new colour. This is excellent for toning the skin.
Consider scumbling
Scumbling is a watercolour paint technique that many oil painters employ to produce subtle colours of layered pigment and light. Essentially, you add the colour in soft, indirect layers to get the desired hue and effect. Continue to add water as you add additional colour to ensure that the colours merge and remain soft. It’s easy to overwork this, resulting in a muddy appearance, so less is more.
