Wtarcolor Painting Artistic MiFelusi acre) ie) s ProcessContents Introduction, & Starting with a Deliberate Accident, 11 Painting on Wet Paper. 17 Graphite Wash Technique, 23 Using Opaque Watercolor, 26 Using Transparent and Opaque Watercolors Together, 33, Using Acrylic Paint as Watercolor. 35 Using a Painting Knife for Watercolor, 40 Using Salt and Sand, 47 Deliberate Backruns, 50 10. Impressing Real Obj 11. Turpentine and Spray Fixatives with Watercolor, 59 12, Starch and Watercolor, 66 13. Sponge and Watercolor, 69 14, Watercolor and Japanese Papers, 74 15. Aquagraph Prints, 113 16. Mixed Media, 115 17, Watercolor on Smooth Paper, 117 18, Soap with Watercolor, 119 19, Watercoloron Translucent Materials, 122 20, Watercolor Gollage, 124 21, Watercolor with Hard (Bristle) Brushes, 191 22, Wash and Line, 198 23, Liquid Dyes and Colored Inks, 138 24, Opaque Watercolor on Dark Paper. 140 25, White Paint and Transparent Watercolor, 142 26, Watercolor on Prepared Canvas, 144 27, Watercolor with Paper and Cardboard Strips, 149 28. Watercolor with Rollers and Squeegee. 154 29, Using Oil Paint Washes ax Watercolor, 158 30. Watercolor on Plaster, 164 s into Watercolor, 52 Index, 173Introduction ‘The word watercolor implies any painting medium which is soluble in water. For example, transparent ‘watoreolor (as perfected by the British), opaque water. color or gouache, casein tempera, ege tempera and ‘even acrylic all dissolve in water. In this book 1 have dealt with various media, using other than the tradi- tional mothode usually associated with watercolors, However, all such unconventional approaches still share one watercolor characteristic in common— spontaneity. They are all quite fun to do and require ‘an open and curious mind. ‘The variety of effects achieved with these paints is virtually limitless. You ean use them separately, mix them before or during application, or overpaint with them. Infact, you can do anything with them that your imagination may demand! The behavior of those pains is influenced by their environment, as well as by your personality. Those factors include the ais tom perature while you work, the humidity, the proportion ‘of moisture mixed into each brushful of paint, and your working surface, Itdoesn’t matter how well you master the technique fof watercolor, you can never be sure if your next painting will be a fresh work of art or a spoiled mess, ‘Tho temperament of thete aquatic media (as ll water. colors are called), guarantees the final result ill le ‘ways be as unpredictable as itis challenging, The eon. stant baitle between painter and media offers an exciting reward for a persistent artist: a succossful painting, Never let the ruined atiempis lower your mo ‘ale, Romombor that your learn every time vou paint ‘When a watercolarist is hooked, he is hooked for life— for a vory exciting life!ere are some of the tools and faach chapter, I ill give you forthe1. Starting witha Deliberate Accident ‘Tho aceidental approach to watercolor pain ing fs pa ticularly useful when you're in hesitant mood when ‘you're eager fo paint but ean't decide on « subject or approach. Your brushes, paint, and water are ready 10 go and soft music purts tn your ears, puting you in a Creative mood. Then, aglaringly clean shee! of your fa Vorte paper stazos up a! you and whispers, “Don't you ate touch me. Fam immacolate and beswtsful. Why don't you go end watch TV instead?" When this hap ‘pens, if8 timo for action. Matecials 1. Your usual tubes of transparent watercolors. 2 Watercolor brushes. 4. Handmade watercolor paper 4A piece of fat cardboard or wood. In addition, you'll need ideal studio conditions: | strongly advise you to allow no distractions: tolal con- Ceentration is nocessery to do a good job. ‘Youhavetocreatean clement of accident in order to stimulate a fresh, new approach. Any unintentional Siar will bo helpful. The following examples illustrate how this ean be done. “Accidental” Printing Select a pioce of board with @ smooth surface: card ‘board, wood, or oven 2 shee! of paper will do tho jo, Apply & few quick blobs or brushstrokes af your fa vorite color to the surface of the board. Before the has a chanco to dry. turn the board ovor so that inted side touches and transfers some of the paint to the surface of your watercolor paper. To make the transposed image stil more “accidental,” move the board around in a haphazard manner while its stil in Contact with the surface of the paper. Then lilt the board and Jock at the outcome (A), The resulting aby stractsmoor may'look like a mese.at frei alanee, but try Jorelate itt something meaningful, as you do when ‘you discover familiar objects while look ng at clouds You can ropeal this procedure until an idea clicks. As soon as you see a possihiliy, develop tinto a finished painting ‘Blind Brushstrokes Make a few brushstrokes on your paper in completo darkness. Don't try to make your mak resemble any- thing, just lt your hond go free for « few seconds (). Tur the light back on and look for an idea; when you find one. complete your paintingRolling Wet Tissue ‘You can start another way by making 2 small ball of wet facial tissue and saturating it with watercolor: Place this wot ball on your paper and roll t back and forth by tilting the paper in different direesions. The rogulling lino pattern con be exaggerated if you use several ball, separately or simalianeously, seturaied with varying colors (C) ls of Paint Splach a heavily overloaded brushful of pigment onto your paper to create a deep pool of pein Blow hard a this puddie at close range until a little bead of paint slaris runing away. Blow in several diteetions until tho blob of paint takes on an interesting form. Youll ‘ald interes if you do this several times, using different ‘colors and making them paztially overiap some of the ‘earlier shapes (0). Try adding new colors while the previous ones are still wet oF let each puddle dey bo- fore introducing a new one, “Another Approach ‘The sequence E-H shows yet another approach Fest. 1 et my paper (309 Ib, medium-rough) bocause wet paper makes accidents even more wapredietable and exciting (E). 1load my 1" Mat brush with one of my fa vorite colors, warm sepia, | hold the londed brush about 10" above my paper and pinch the bristles so that the paint splashes onto the wet surface ofthe pa- per. The pain starts to spread rapidly. The abstract shapos remind me of clusters of weeds; since | love ‘weeds and grass, purste the suggestions of my’accl- dont Tadd a few moze splashes of related warm colors ‘and til the paper to force the vel paint to fow ina di- rection that complements the composition being shaped (F). When the wet paint begins to spread more lovely, lasea bunch 11 wipe oll theexcess ‘water that has accumulated on the edges of the paper. For the following strokes, luse moro paint and less wa- ter in my slanted bristle brush. These strokes remain soft but begin to keep theis form. I continue with this approadh, avoiding mechanical syimmelry and build= ‘ng my composition 0 litle further with each touch. ‘After the shiny, wet suctace of the paper begins 10 dry and turns dull, reach for my srmall painting knife ‘and squeeze the slim strokes of pain! olf the damp. ppapor with a firm motion ko that used to spread but. ter (G).These ight strokes represent light, sharp weeds among the dark, soft oncs. Tada the final sharp detalls after the paper is con. pletely dey (HD.‘Starting with a Deliberate Accident ‘Stop 1. (40 Ib, D'Arche's eold-prestod handmade paper) !makesia impression with a richly loaded natural sponge by vigorously pressing it om dry pager.Step 2. Avoiding the sponge mark, | wet the surrounding space. Using soft brush, 1sweep gentle blue washes on the top atea, With a brislle brush. Lapply the mass value of weeils at (hy bottom. A few seropes with a pocketkalfe pit fon the damp paper supply seine details,2. Painting on Wet Paper Seeing watercolor respond fo wet paper is one of the rest tiring exporionees painter oan have. Th process of applying wel watercolors to wet paper is ‘ometimes called the wel-in-weltechoigee. Because you must work quickly to apply your washes belore the paper dries, his technique wil certainly help yo Tnosen up in your work. Cape you havi exciting r= ‘alls when you ry i Materials 4. Two large containers of water: one with clear water: ‘used only for wetting the paper and clean bashes, the other with water in wt th to clean your brushes. 2 Alist-size sponge and lots of paper towels ortissues ‘wilh “wot steangth” to grab as you paint. 8. Brushes: a largo, soft fot brush at leas 2” wide, a1” fat brush: and yourother favorite watercolor brushes. 4. Handmade watercolor paper se of your uzual transparent, tubo watercolor Because so many differen: types an qualities of wa tercolor paper ate available (machine-made as well as hhandmedo), and bocause working conditions include virtually unlimited variations in air temperate and humidity. its impossible ta set out firm tiles for wsing the wot-in-wottechniquo. Your own experionee is the ‘only guide youean depond on, However, the Following ‘ane several Jeciors you should keep i mind 9s you make your Bist altempls. ‘Outdoor Working Conditions ‘As tho minutos go by, the surface of your wet papsr ‘will change: iI wall atiorh soane ofthe water as the ex ‘ese aris toevaporate, The rate of drying will depend ‘on the tomperature andl tho amount of humidity in the ait. Onacold day when temperature is around the.a5" ‘mark, your dying period willbe so long that you m have to spocd it up by artificial moans—for example, by placing yeue paper near your ext heater. Dey, hot 4g on the other hand, will speed up the evaporation provass. ‘You should never point in dict sunlight: the drying will be instantanoous, and the blinding jlaee from your poper will distort your value and colle judgment. Find shade, or turn so thatthe sin is behind you anc your hody creates the necessary shadow, Exirome outdoor conditions are tho exception rather than the rule. However, ifthe elements prevent you from painting wet-in-wel on location, use another approach; do your wet painting Iater, in your studio ‘where you have more central over atmospheric condi- tions, Horizontal Painting Surface ‘The law of gravity olfeets the behavior of watercalor fon wel paper If you place your shiny wel paper on a horizontal surface table, for insianer—the water color paint will spread evenly in all directions a8 000 as you apply i (A). Gravity forces the excess water in the paint to spread and combine with the water on ‘your paper, Tilled Painting Surface you tit your wet painting sueface in any dinect sither before, while, or immediately after you apply ppaint—the paint will rapidly law dowaveard as the: sult of gcavity (B). The steeper the slope of the paper the foster the paint willow, You ean contol the flow fof the paint by rotating your paper either clockwise oe ‘counterclockwise ax you bk at the same angle Diluted Paint ‘The degreo of definition your brushstrokes have when applied! to vet paper is also fered by gravity. EXPo though you may not be conscious of the reason, the re cull will be obvious. The thinnor the paint on your Faris, the further i will spenad ax yout apply Wt (©) Consent, the less luted the paint, the less it will spread and the more definition it will have. ‘Accidental Scratching When watercolor paper is wet, ity surface is easy to mark, either accidentally ot on purpose. Such markePainting on Wet Peper Step 1. (9001b. D'Arche's cold-presoed handmade paper.) A quick sweep with Soft wie bresh establishes theedge ofthe hill and a hint ofthe misty sky. use ‘bristle brush vwell loaded with pigment on the saturated paper surface 10 in- ‘cate the misty forest atthe edge of the Dil.Step2. While the paper is still wet, bru the fuzzy wood seedlings. As the pap details anto the stump. athe warn loses Jors ofthe stamp and begin to paint crisp3. Graphite Wash Technique ‘One disadvantage of watercolor is that it can't be used outdoors in cold weather. Water freczos: con: sequently, watercolor Freezes 9 your paper as you ane Bee petted haloes lantacops fel jects winter offers, you must paint indoors from toforonces However, the techniques involved in using ‘graphite washes are the closesi "ve found to thos of ‘watercolor, and graphite washes won't freeze even in sub:zero temperatures. i ia onucheaeel I aye ae leet etic ‘eharacteristico! watercolor, but in only one huc—gray. 1p a tense, such paintings have the same roferonce value as peneil drawings, except that they also offer the sublle tones and watercolor characteristics that ‘pencil drawings can't duplicate. Because of iho inerod- bly fast-drying quality of the solvents used, you should keep your graphite-wesh sketches small. On. large surfaces, work on one small area at a time and ‘move from ono aroa to Tho nos! Materials 1. A sheet of very fine sandpaper. 2. 2H, 20, ond 6B graphite pencils (these are ordinary. ‘writing pencils, which aro often misiakonly called eal” pencils) 4, 214, 28, and 0B Mat yrophite drawing sticks (hese omen 3 > 80" "pie 4. Alt, 1? watercolor brash, and firm, sh bristle brush 5. Apint of turpentine, benzol or benzine solvent and small motal dish to hold (dont use plastic, because the solvent will dissulve i); I prefer to use turpentine Drocause it dries a bit sone slowly thas bemzol haved 6. Any high-quality. smooth drawing paper. If you ‘wan! the color ofthe paper to remain permanent, hy 2 paper with a 100% rag content. Pulp papers are ‘eheaper. but they tuen Irown with age, Your painting Procedure will br the saime, regardless of the Iype of paper you use ‘Turpontine, boszol, and benzine liquily graphite, but the later tia are highly toxie: und extremely fom ‘mable. Use them only outdoors, Do not smoke oF ase fire or sparks anywhere near your working area, ‘The furmos of eithor solvent can ignite very easily. Remem ber: Using graphite washes is an outdoor process. tse them valy outdoors ‘When you're ready to begin painting, pour about an ‘ounce of tolvent into tho motal dish, tray, oF simi ‘neosil Using Graphite Sticks Dip your brash into the solvent and rub it on the 2H ‘graphite stick until the brush is loaded with the dis solved graphite mixture. Transler the mixture onto Your paper in one or two brushstrokes. Ropeat this pprocediare with the 20 ad the 6B sticks as we!l. You" notice that your brushsicokes look like gray waler- color brushstrokes (A. The softor tho graphite slick you us, the darkor the brushstroke will be. Don't be upset ifthe solvent evaporates almost instanlly. You ‘have to ac fast to kocp pace with the drying time whon ‘you use graphite washes. a Using Graphite Dust Myon can’ get graphite sticks, or if you want very rie ‘washes use the sandpaper and-pencil methor 4° 0" piece of ine sandpaper to ahard, smooth su face to keep it from sliding around, Draw a wide Kine with each of your three pencils as if you sere shary~ening their points Koop your lines separate from one another. Then use the accurnulated piles of graphite ‘dust to mix your gray Washes, just as you used the sticks (8). The advantege of using this mothod is thet you can pick up the graphite more quickly. making your mixture before thesolvent has achanct to dry on your brush, ‘Wetin.wet Using Solvent ‘You can achieve the subtleeffacts of wet-in-wet paint- ing by slapping a generous wash of solvent on to your paper and immediate y sqpplying grape washes 1 41 (©), Manipulate your brush as if you were working vith watercotor, but work much faster If the solvent Aries 100 fast on your brush just dip it back into your ‘ay and continue painting. You can blend andsmaoth ‘oul your darks by applying mote solvent, making ‘changes until your sketch ha all tho subtle tones you ‘want If yout use a em bristle brash, it will give you a strong gray tone: using softer brush will result in Tighter brushstrokes ‘Afler you complete a graphite-wash sketch, you can ‘reste accents by using graphite pencil 10 add sharper finishing touches (D). However, try not to ‘overwork your sketch: proserve the soft look of the washes at any cost‘Step 1. (900 Ib. D'Arche's cold-pressed handmade paper.) Fist, using a bristle ‘brush, [saturate the paper with a solution of 4-B graphite and turpentine. Next, [wash in the sky, using vigorous horizontal brushstrokes. Onto the drying sur face, with more graphite and less turpentine on the brush, I paint the distant island andits fain reflection. A hint of the rocky shore andof water inthe fore ‘round complete my preliminary sketch, | | | | |‘Step 2. Still using a bristle brush, Iclongate the island and add the smaller hut, the telephone polo, and their reflections to help balance the composition Then, using a bristle brush richly loaded with a solution of 6D graphite and Iuspentine, [stroke on the sloping ehonolino and afew rocks in theshallows.[ indicate the gravel beach with a few drvbeush strokes,Step 3. For the finishing touches, add a few boulders to the shore, the boat ‘and its reflection, an ightpos!4, Using Opaque Watercolor Opaque watercolor, also known as designers! colors ‘and gouache, is cold in jars, in individual tubes, and in sels af tubes packed in metal boxes. The behavior of ‘poque colors ia similar to that of ‘ransparont colors. Because they're both soluble in water, ieaaspareat and ‘opaque watercolors can be called “sister” mediums. ‘Gpaque colors are usually made of the same pigments ‘as transparent colors, with the same gum medium as binder. To render them opaque, the manufacturer aikis chalk or Chinese white, both of which tend to ‘make opaque colors somewhat chalky. When thickly applied, lightopaque colors are capable of covering dark anes completely. Materials 1. Your regular watercolor brushes will work very well with opaque watercolors 2. high-quality white in your palette of opaque eol- ‘ors, proferably titanium white, which mixes well with fany color without disiying the cole. 3. A white paletie er a plain white porcelain plate to serve as @ mixing eurface, 4. Lote of scrap paper to test your paint on. 5. A generous container of water. 6, Tissues. 7. Asmall cake of any soap to vlean your brushes after your use tem, Opaque pigments are quite stubborn (0 clean out of ‘brushes, and soap is necessary to do a good job. Any paper will do as a painting surface, but a high-quality ‘papor will give you the best results. Now let's explore the characteristics of this opaque medium Adding White and Black to Opaque Colors ‘The only time you should use water with opaque ‘watercolor is when you want to thin the paint as it ‘comes from the tube=and then you should be careful not to dilute your colors so much that they become transparent. Po raise the value or lower the inter of an opaque eolor, you should use white paint rather than water. For example. if you ad white paint to a steong red, you can raise the value of the red~create a paler tint of the same color—as well as lower lis inten of tints and values that can be created by the addition of white paint o opaque colors suggests exciting now painting possibilities. On a foggy day. for example, when there Is litle conirast of value and colors havo relatively low intensity, you con suggest these effects by adding a touch of while to ev- cry brushful of pigment you apply, or by using alargo, soft brush to quickly slap a white wash over a com pleted dry sketch. Like white, black is another color that most aclisis refuse to use with transparent watercolor, but which is ‘very useful with the opague mediim. Ifs 2 good new tralizer—that is, i cau be used lo equalize value con- ‘rapis—and it produces a variety ef greens when mixed.‘with diferen! yellows in various proportions Black and white combine lo produce # cook. bluish ‘gray. You can warm thisgtay by adding « touch of yel- Tow ochte or abi of brown to it The amount of color you add is crucial, so be very cantious and begin by fdiding very small emounis. “Try adding 3 litle black and o misturo of black and ‘white 10 each of your pigments and alserye the m= sults, (Gee Color Chart A on page 81.) Mixing Ligh! and Dark Opaque Colors Another propesty of opaque watercolor shows up ‘when you rik light colors swith dark ones. (See Color Chart B on pagi #1) The light color will produce the sine results hose obtained by adding white=it will rao the valuo and lowor the intensity of the dark Color. The resulting wash will be a litle chalky. but this is noticeable only when you compare. these ‘opaque washes with transparent washes. Experiment bby mixing light colors with dark before you apply: them to an aewal painting Drying Characteristics of Opaque Colors Opaque pigments dry much lighter than they appear when wel (se illustration). Don't be upset about this ‘imply preparo your colors so that they look a litle darker as you pply them and thoy! be just right whea they dry. With practice. you'll automaticaly allow For tho change,‘Step 1. (60 Ib, D’Arche's cold-pressed handmado paper.) By brushing heavy tvashce of browns, blues and greens ona the wel paper surface. 1 sugzest the truss value of all weeds and establish « background forthe weeds to como. At the bottom ofthe painting Ise more blues to indicate early morn ing shadow.‘Step 2, Using © thickly loaded, fino brush, T paint the blue-shaded, trast cov fered weeds inthe fo polly dry, sketch fine, grasty “whiskers” with light or dark calors vo ii Strong light and dry shadow._ Using Transparent and Opaque Watercolors Together ‘To use transparent and opaque watercolors together successfully, you must take edvantogo of tho natural {qualities of both. Far example, while light transparent colors won't cover dark colors light opaque colors ‘will. Once you've learned how fo use these two very compatible mediums together. Im sure you'll find ‘many epportunitios to combine them creaiively Materials 1. Any high-quality handmade watercolor paper. 2. Two or three soft,round pointed brushes; a soft fat 1” broh: and a small peinting knife. 4. Ono alot for mixing transparent colors and one for mixing opaque volars. 3. Lats of tissues. 5, Two containers of water, one for cleaning brushes and the other tool only clean water. Keep the water inthe second containerelcon ot allies, so thats will, be read) lo use as you work quickly. “Tho most natural approach Iso star by applying your transparent colors, Don't go back and forth between transparent and opaque colors because you'll drag ‘opaque pigmenis into your iransparent colors thereby changing their nature somewhat. Proceed with your painling without too much concern about light ‘enis, for which you can use opaque pigments later. Painting a Disiant Forest Jost a simple. slightly varied. dark transparent wash is ‘enough to represent the edge of «Forest (A). After this ‘wesh dries, you can use opaque colors to apply as many’ tees as you wish over it (8). For these strokes, dilute your opaque paint with enough water to give it hhoavy, sour onsom consistency, Painting the Interior of a Forest Los look at another practical case—the interior of a forest, wiih trves freshly laden with snow. First use transparent watercolor ta paint the irees, suggesting the structutes of al the branches to indicate the den- ily of the Toros. [gnore the Mf snow on the branches at this stage, When you're satisfied with the valu andl design of your teanspaceot painting. and xyou'resure that the painting iscompletcly dey. you ean ihogin using opaque white to ad the snows on tho tees. Use a thin white wash for the distant patches, so Uhl the paint wil dey slightly transpanen andthe dark col ‘rs beneath will showy through just enough to make ia bitdarker than pure white. On the closer tranches, asequick, brave brushstrokes to apply thick white ‘wuss, leaving the sparkling areas of érybeush that ‘oceue here and there as the paint begins to dry on the brush. Uso the same techniques with thin and thick washes forthe blown saw at the bases of the distant and closer trees (C). Adding “Afterthoughts” Its important toremember that you can apply opaque paint on top of other colors, transparent oF opaque. ‘This means that you can fake advantage of after: thoughts. For example, vou can paint playing children Into acompleted landscape or streetscene which lacks slong center of interest, and several [reely gliding fea galls ean bring to ile a well done watercolor skeich of aseaside fishing village. When painting with ‘epaque colors, you can place such forms whorovor ‘yout compesition needs them, regariless of what eol- ‘rs you have to paint over. Mixing ‘Transparent and Opaque Paints icing opaque paint into a wet wash of transparent pigment ereates unpredictable “oozes,” or streaks of Dpaqiue paint. The opaque colar tends to dominate the transparent wash after it dries, particularly when a light opaque color is added to @ darker transparent wash, This is an exciting process thal lends itself to fresh “aceidents,"*To avoid dittying the colors on your ppaleties when you mix the twa mediums, use one brush for the transparent color and another for the opaque paint If you want to experiment with this approach try painting a huge sky ‘filled with clouds made from lransparentopague mixtures. For the demonstration of Using Tramsparent and Opaque Watercolors see the color ples on pages 2-05,6. Using Acrylic Paint as Watercolor ‘The endless possibilities provided by this untamod ‘medium, which can be use! both as watercolor and as aint, make it easy to fallin love with. In this book, T simply don’t have the apace to do more than intro. ‘duce you to the essentials, However, if you wish 10 learn more about the mediurn and its uses, {strongly large you {0 buy @ good book on the subject, such as Wendon Blaks's Acrylic Watercolor Posnting, which [elisted inthe Bibliography atthe back of this book Materials 4, About a dozen tubes of acryhic paint, 2.4 plastic, porcelain, oF metal palette for mixing paint. 4 Amal botile of cetarder 1 slow dowa the dying time of the paint 4. A bottle of acrylic palnting medium, 5. Mat. soft, wide brisle or nylon brush: three round sable brushes, each a differeot size (Nos. 4, 8, and 12 ‘will do). 6, A palette knife 7, Any high-quolity papor, though honilmade paper will produce the best mulls 8. A fs © sponge, Koop an open and cvcoplive mind 2s you oxpostment ‘with arcylic painting techniques. The medium is so new thal menty approaches to it are yet to be discov- ‘ered, and you may be the one to stumble onto one or ‘more of them ‘You can use accvlic pain tp erate almost all the ef {ecto of transparent and epague watercolor. The fol Jerwing experiments illusteate the many adv using acrylic: ‘Tmust give you one warning about using thie mo Aum: before you touch aceylic paint with your beush Je sure to moisien your brush with water. Ifyou don’ the acrvlic emulsion will stick to the dey bristles and will gradually build up a still rw that vill ruin the Dus eof Drying Time Although aceylic paint deios very rapidly, Yé lke 10 ‘spel the myth that it dies too fas. I! doesn’t have to, ‘You can nov regulate the drying lime of acrylic paint by adding s small amount of rotarder, which is mado specifically for this purpose and is avallable al artists" supply stoces. You should {ey painting with and with ut the uso of eclarderto dotormine which you prefer, Overpainting with Acrylic Acrylic paint is water soluble when wet, but it dries to form a tovgh, watorproot film. Unlike watercolor, acrylic paint can’t bo softened with water and then ‘wiped off the painting surface, However. this charac» {eristic will allow you to paint one thin wash over an- ‘thor that hes dried compictely to ereate an almost in- Finite variety of translucent, overlapping colors ul disturbing or diluting the previous wash (A),Wet-in-wet Painting with Acrylic Using the vel-n-wwet technique with acrylic is 0 very rewarding experience. Wel your paper and touch it with 2 brushful of paint. The edges of tho by ‘rokos wall run with great speed, but if your paint iat too thin the brush mark will rtain its streaky charac: teristics (1), Glaaing” with Acrylic ‘Thesurface of acrylic paint usually dries while he pa- per still feels damp boncath it. This moans that you can paint new layers of thin washes on top of your Resi ‘Washes as soon as they dey but before the paper dies Completely. This “glazing” technique creates effects somewhere between those created by overpainting on dry paint and those that result from tha welin-wal technique. That is, while colors tend to blend. they re- ‘main more distinct than they would if thoy were ap. plied wetsin-wet (C). Using Acrylic as Opaque Pai After or instead of using transparent acrylic washes, ‘you can paint on opaque ot even thick impasto touches (D). Acrylic paint remains Mexible after it ‘iris, go you don't have to worry about the thicklayers chipping off as they might with opaque watercolor.Using Acrylic Paint as Watercolor Step 1. (300 Ib. D’Arche’s cold-pressed handmade peper))1 use a nylon acrylic brush to pain the dense colors of tho Forest edge, mingling blues and beowe fon the wer surface‘Step 2. As the paper dries paint the old foncepost light ot the top and dark at the bottom, sith soft shadows hating at deep snow, On the dry surface Udry- bbrush some final detoils into the femoopostStep 3. Using a painting knife, Ladd scrawny twigs ancl some orld leaves to th Young tres, The last touch isthe barbed wine protruding from the snow7. Using A Painting Knife For Watercolor ‘The possibilities provided by applying watercolor ‘with a painting knife haved yet been truly exploite. When used with watercolor. the behavior of a fine steel lado is 80 unique thot I consider it a must to at least introduce you to it in ths chapter. Materials 1. Your favorite transparent or opaque watercolor paints. My choice fer the experiments to follow is tho Transparent medium. 2 One small and another, longor painting Knife (A) Make sure the handloe of the knives you use have crooks in them: these will prevent your fingers from accidentally touching the paper while you paint, Also be sure your Knives don't have very sharp points ‘which would constantly eatch on the texture of the pa- per, catsing the knife to fick pint everywhere and generally crealing a nuisance. A fine round point is ‘deal 4. A piece of high-quality rag paper with a tough fin- ish, 4. Asponge and/or a largo, lat brush for wetting your paper. 5. A paleite with lots of fat surface area for mixing 8. A firm, medium-size brush to pre-mix your washes wit 7, Plemty of clean water and tissues. If you've just bought a new knife or if you want to use an old one that you ve used hefore veh oil or acrylic. you must treat it so that it will aceept water. If you have 4 thin layer of varnish on a now blae oF old dried paint on an old one, you must scrape it off. The _groasy quality of sleel repels wator eo your paint will head and roll off, To make the blade accept water tvenly you hava to remove tho surface grease. One ar hwo applications of household cleansing powder ust- ally do.0 very efficient job, However, if tho paint still ‘doesn't stay evenly on yout kno, stay the kaif ia lemon andi leave ili the fruit over night, The aid will take off the lest trace of grease and your knife will be roaly to paint with Begin as with 9 Brus ‘The most annatural effect created by a painting knife Js.a s0ft wash. The sharp metalic edges of your knife ‘can damage the surface of your paper. You have 16 ‘avoid scraping the wet painting surface with the knife ‘edges. Bogin just asif you were painting with brush, using a firm watercolor brush to mix a convenient size pool of the necessary color on your palete. The paint, ‘even the dark colors, must be of liquid consistency for ‘deal results, Wot your paper using your sponge or wide brush, Dip your knife into the just mixed paint submerging the blade complotety. ‘The Gentle Toweh Hold the loaded knife horizontally while you move it ‘over your paper fo prevent surplus paint from drop- ping where you don't want it to, To apply the paint touch the wet surface of the paper gently with the flat back side of the knife's tip and at the seme time drag, the knife with on even, gentle contact in ike ditvetion, ‘of the handle (B). Move quickly but with light pres- sure. Tho exciting rosulis ofthis stroke wll make the First few frustzating exercises worthwhile Greating Texture Duilding texture in a wet wash is whore the knife ‘ally ean shaw aff your shill. Press your knife’ edge down firmly where you already applied paint in one direction and move itn the opposite direction with motion like spreading butler. When one edge touches: the paper. mave toward the eight, and vice versa (C) ‘The pressure of your hond will squeeze most of the paint off the suetace until you Tif your knife. The extra paint you've moved abead of your knife will run into. tho untouched wet area ard slightly darken it It won't ‘go hack where your knife squeeze-dried the surface. You van do thie back and forth to achieve beautiful pattesns that are impossible ta imitate any other way 5, for example, tho texture of distant rocks:Painting Tree ‘The most natucal way to paint tree tranks and branches is to use your painting knife on dry paper. Lat’ start with the dark lower trunk. Use broad strokes ‘af dark but liquid pigraent. Squeeze the barklike wx ture into the ail wet point as before (D). Continue un: {il the branches become too fine for tho side of the Keio Putting in tho Branches Forthe hoavier branches, hold a lightly loaded knife in An upright position allowing the patat (a accumulate ‘atthe tip. Your fingers should holal the honale atthe fatiest point. Drog the knife with light prossure ond a jecky mation, imitating the characteristics of branches (), Don‘ lift the koife until it runs owt of paint. As the Irie loses its load, the line will become thinner and thinner and gradually siop, At the poinis whoro you have changed directions, you start new branches ‘Adding Twigs and Weeds To do the distant fine twigs that you see in the winter, ‘hole knife as if you were to cut the paper with the tip, Connect these fine lines to the heavier ones (F). This techn cal stoke is cqually useful to paintso! tll \woeds or any fine line Itcan provide you with an ex- tremely thin though wnremovable Ihie iF you apply your knife dry to a wet painted surface—for example, painting a telephone lino on a wot sky (C). Painting the Foliage ‘Toxet a dtybrush effect for lacy details, use a conse rough, cold-pressed paper, Hold the laaded knife in a ‘anner similar to zhoone you used for a soft wash (H). This time. haisever, you paint on dey paper. To force the paint to behave exaclly the way you want itt, wiggle the knife feft and right as you dag the paint ‘This stroke is extremely useful in painting foliage on trees. for example, or in building weathered texture ‘My final advico ie just a reminder leara to apply the ‘oorteet amount a gressuce to mix your paint the correct consistency. The rest is motter of practice.Using a Painting Knife for Watercolor Step 1. (300 [b D'Archo's cold-pressed handmedo paper) On a haphazardly: wot paper, Lavash ina light sky using the Ra. cear sid of « painting knife and letting the paint blend freely, 1 wash in the foreground grass tho sane way, ‘dragging the sirokes into the dry areas. The yellow washes in thu left back ‘ground establish the color forthe tamarack trees.Step 2, Using a viehly loaded painting knife, {paint tbe evexgrenas in the mic: ‘egroune! wilh sharp, vertical contact sleoke The dense pine claster on The fight was produced by dragging the knife horizontally acrons the paper. Simut taneously, Ladd the trestaps and thin, sharp arass forslefiition al halaneStep 3. Finally, paint the tall, scraveny, dry trees inthe foreground by holding the loaded painting knife upright and cregging is ip over the paper. I move the knife rapidly forthe trunks and slowly for the dry tivies8. Using Salt and Sand Salt and sand can be usoful whon you are after un- Usual textures, | uso these because of their relative ‘compatibility with regular pigments. Both are natural ‘materials, and time has proven their stability and per ‘manoncy. Materials 4, Your usual transparent watercolors, brushes, ond fe ‘vorite handmadp watercolor papers. 2. About tablespoon each of tablesalt and coarse pre- serving salt. 3. Clean sand. Dropping in “Stars” As you know, sat dissolves in water. It also has the ability to absorb water and a lot of pigment with the ‘water To demonstrate this quality. paint a brushstoke of any color on your paper with a medium wet bruh Keop your pspor in @ horizontal position. just bofore the wash loses its shine. drop one or two sll erysals ino it and watch alittle “star” form around each grain, asthe salt soaks up the paint solution (A). Tho size of bach litte star will depend an how wer your wash isa! the time of application. The wetter the wash. the larger and fointet the star will be, because the salt granule fot only absorbs water but dissolves itself. These forms have a delightful resemblance o snowflakes, Creating Flowers IF you uso one dye color and one earth color, you can femate the effect of small lowers, Far example sap fgmen and sepia alizarin crimson and sepia, or Prus- sian bluo and warm epic offor varicty of gardons (8) Tilting the Paper I you introduce lots of salt at one spot into a Rowing wer wash and tilt the paper gently. you will end up with @ flow of discolored salt solution that creates an ‘edge something hike that of jungle vogetation (C). The ‘more you tlt the paper the further your salt will spread, giving you endless opportunities for abstract patterns. When using salt, do not use a fan or hair Aryer to speed up the drying process. Their blowing force will rll the salt unconteollably on the wet sur- face, giving en impression of sloppiness. I found that natural drying time gives me the best results, Painting with Sand For another unusual texture, use sand. I found the ‘common, coasso building sand the most useful. Sand should be sprinkled onte your wet wash while your paper is ina horizontal position. Allow the paint to dey naturally. After itis dry, brush off the sand granules and you'll havea grainy texture. Your timing in apply ing and drying the sand, as well as the size, quontity fand natare of the send particles, will givo you a slight Variation. Extremely fino sand dooen’ offer a striking, enough result to justify the effort in using i Experimenting for Ditforont Results have prepared a fow ewatchos of examples (D) As you can se, different colors and their consistency af fe diferent results. [find the more transparent colors ‘and light washes leave more clearly defined pattorns. Experiment with salt and send until you make you are using them ia combinations compatible fenough to protect the permanency of your pigments For the demonstration of Using Salt ond Sond soc the color plates on pages #-8s.9. Deliberate Backruns Controlling backruns-the most abstract of watercolor accidente—i like taming a iornado, What Is a back- rn? | fabricated this term to define the result of one itech brushful of watercolor running back into an- other wash that sin the process of drying. Though you ‘ean never contral this cetion, you con certainly take advantoge of its result. Materials 1. Your transparent watercolors and brushes. 2. High-quality poper. ‘Timing the Backrun What happens in a backrun is that after the fresh bishful of watercolor has run back into the dryin wash, an uneven hard edge results. This edge occu here the wet wash stopped because it ran out of the surplus water that hed forced it to spread. To estimate the drynoas of the first wash is the most difficult part of the game. Your best timing for the fresh paint is. little before the first wash dries enough to lose its shine Shaping the Runs ‘The shape of your baekrun depends on the shape of ‘your spreading brushstroke. For example, a drop of ‘water ota drop of thin paint witha high water content will cause a circular backrun. Several ofthese droplets ‘will ereate many circular runs blending softly where they touch each other but drying unevenly. The result iso circular odge that looks like fufly cumulus cloude ‘Tiling the Paper Water drops will radiate evenly in all direetions if your paper is on a horizontal surface. Ifyou tilt this surface, however, the water will move downward toward tho Jowost point of your paper (8) Using Different Colors Ifyou use a color for the wet stroke different from the ‘one you used for the drying pigment, youl get some interesting effects. fon the edge of 2 blue-gray wash, like a forest in winter, you add an elongated stroke of burnt sienna, it will dry back to look like distant shrubs (C). This color play is particularly effective if your cool bluish hues are applied against warm browns or roi Pushing Back Non-Dye Paint Should your first wash bea mixture of adye pigment— such a sap green and a non-dye color, your second ‘wash will push back the latter for the simple reason that non-dye granular paint just sits on top of the sur face, The dye color will stay, however, beceuse it has stained the paper. Experimenting with Papers Backruns behave differently on different papors. They ‘will diffuse farther on smooth paper than on rowzh. ‘The slower the paper absorbs water the farther will your backrun spread, and vice versa, Tlustration (D) Shows similar experiments on hotprested, cold- prested, and rough handmade D'Arches paper. No twa papers react the same way, so you'll havo to ex: periment with many backruns befare you can begin te tame these tornadoes. For the demonsiation of Deliberate Backrups see the olor platos on page 83-87.10. Impressing Real Objects into Watercolor (fall the special ways of ercating a watercolor psint- ‘ng, pressing real objects inta wet paint can be truly excitingproviding discipline 1o use ther wisely. The ‘mone sophisticated your ehoics of objacte and colors fre, the more unusual the result will be. Materials 1. Your usual brushes, watercoloss, nd paper. 2. Acan of acrylic spray 3. A number of objects with a relatively flat side, con- ‘venient for printing | have used tissue paper. Inaves, and juniper twigs, but almest ny object will do, 4. A cake of soap, 5, Some powdered starch, You do not nood a press. The pressure of your hand is all that’s required. ‘Choosing the Right Paper ‘You must select the eight kind of paper for maximum restlls, Smooth or hot-pressod paper gives the cleanest ‘print, but medium-roggh or coldepressed paper offers ' better chance to paint on top of the printed image simply because tho paint doesn’t loosen as easily as does un smooth paper. Experiment on small swatches ‘of cifferent papor before making a final choice for 9 painting. Take notes on these swatches te help you re- ‘member later how you achioved particular effects, My iMustrated samples are done on D’Arches cold-pressedt paper and on 100% rox het-proased commorcial paper. ‘Using a Maple Leaf “To illustrate the impressing technique, 1 will choose few objects with interesting shapes—a maple leaf,atis: sup, the cut ond of a bamboo hapdle—and then paint tosh on a flat surface and immediatcly press the ob- Jeet into the wet paint. The paini-covered article is ploced carefully on the clean dry paper. After gently Joying a tissue on the surface o/ the paper where Lwish to avoid undesirable smears, {press on the painted ob jgct until the paint is transferred from it to the paper. ‘The surfaces of some objocts—feathers, the izzy sido ‘of maple leafrepel water, so before I dip these into my wash I paint them with a quick coat of soap, They then work nicely. This procedure is illustrated with a few examples (A). mix a quantity af powdered stareh ‘nfo my wash and repeat the printing procedure with another maple leaf; the swatch and the print afer day- ing is shown in skotch B. In illustration C, I paint diteclly ontothe leaf and print i as described above, Impressing Tissues Mlustrations D and E show some utes for ordinary. household tissue ‘The impressions are made with a Tightly bunched “up tissue squoczed Letween my Thumb and two fingers dipped into a wet surface. Be cause ofits extremely absorbent quality the tissue moves a good deal of pain! froma wath leavingan terestingly textured shape. It transfers very lit paint, ‘howover, in spite of heavy prossure, You can improve the printing quality of an absorbent surface by cov- fring it with an aceyle epray, Wait a fow minutos thespray dries and then proceed before. You'l noticeable improvement, as my oxamplo & with ti indicates. Applying a Bamboo Handle ‘The cul era of a bamboo er soft, wood brush handle hae enough absorbent quality to remove the paint froma wash when you press it into a rich. demp sur- faoo, In illustration F, | have painted a quick wash on. sinyolh paper: The flower petals are done with the end ‘of my bamboo brush handle, the leaf with the adge of the wood handle. To get aselatively uniform fone. the brush handles ate elcancd of surplus paint between. bach rapid contact sith a tissue in my Toft hand. Further oxperiments with improssing real objects will offer yor an endless number of leas Diseigline tnd good taste should guarantee your swoopswe Bus ae ’€Impressing Real Objects into Watercolor ‘Stop 1. (800 'b.O’Archo's cold prossod handmade paper) After brushing soap fon both sides of lite feather. T palat «rich cost of bluesray color on il place i! carefully on dry paper and with a double-folded “l Surface. This process is repeated ave and aver agai, Thi the actual wel Feather in place before impression.4. Leaves dipped into bright red help me indicate the chicken’s running, ud its tongue. | press on a large wing feather with black paint Lo add di mension and humor,11. Turpentine and Spray Fixatives with Watercolor When wot, spray fixatives and turpentine resist water. ‘oth are made to protect piginvots, so you ean be sure of their compatibility sith watercolor paint. Many other water-resistant chomicals are available, 50 by al ‘means experiment with them. Leara all about therm ‘however, before you use them on paintings Materials 1, Your rogular transparent watercolors, brushes, and handmade watercolee paper 2 A small hotle of turpentine One can of damar varnish spray 4. One can of lteasot matt fixative, 5. One can of glossy pastel fixative. 65 One extra brush to be used in turpentine only the Digger the betes Painting over Turpentine Of thece moterials, turpentine givos the most definite and predictable result. Bui because it evaporates rap idly you must have your watercolor mixed, ready to paint before the turpentine dries. You may apply tur entine on pure paper as woll as on top of dried ‘washes (A). You may usp it two or three times in the ‘same area as long as you allow each wash to dey com plotoly before applying the next one, Once the turpen: {ine is absolutely dry, you can proceed to brusb on a ‘wash in the usu way. In your Search for a variety of textures, youll find that tho exciting beading effect that Lurpentine creates under a wash has a million uses, such as for rock, bark, and concrete surfaces, Mining a Solution Another more limited, but vory exciting use of turpen- tine isin a mixiure of diluted watercolor (B). The wit tercolor will collect in large beads in the mixture. If ‘you shake the solution vigorously, you'll reduce tho beads to tiny blobs, but thay il stay separate, Wit a soft brush, pain! on this mixture of ililferent size beads, and you'l sce that watercolor remains intact on top of the tuepentine-soaked paper. As the turpentine dries the paint wil stick to the paper surface and dry in the same place it was in when veel. Using Varnish ‘You can get asimilar result if you use daroae varnish ia much the same way as turpentine (C). Spray vannish and bottled varnish are both good. Howover, pleaser member tha: the varnish will penetrate the paper and will say there: i will mot evaporate. Use it sparingly Applying Acrylic Sprays Acrylic sprays behave similarly, and If your timing right offec a tich, wel-looking texture (D). [have used Kom Higloss acrylicepray enamel undera wet wash well as ltraset matt fixative (E). The results shown are self-explanatory, though it must be noted thatthe Let raset spray on top of 2 wet wash gives a very super: ficial elfect and is easily damaged. (&) A Word of Coution | would like to eepeat » word of advieo: avoid exces: siveuse of those ghemicals. If you don t your paintings will become giomicky, Use them when yon need thom, but only ashen sow nced them‘Turpentine and Spray Fixatives with Watercolor Step 1 (300 Ib. D'Arche's cold: prossod handmade paper) Lsoak my paper with iurpentine washes uni i isshiny we. Using.a soft, Nat 2” brush. slap the wet bbrush across the foregrouni to show the gravel beach, (Since the turpentine dries rapidly, 1 have to wath to keep up wh it] Onto she dy paper, pale the fase tone forthe faniay rock formation,Stop 2. Using a similar sable brush, | ottor dofine the bouldors and sxld ther, smaller rock. Again with the Soft. flat brush. ut the bluesgeay shaded lip tothe lof ofthe rocks and add a few drybrush hints of the lazy waves to‘Step 3. With quick honia Dlue washes over the tarp strokes, malcing two oF Uaroe passes with light w-dlampenod paper, [paint the waves a! the top.12. Starch and Watercolor ‘The offects that starch provides in its wee with water- color ate positive. The technique, however, is more troublesome to the artist than the viewer can judge from looking at the finished product. Again, you're urged to use restraint. Materials 1, Your usual paletto of watercolors, brushos and pa- per 2, One small bag of laundry starch in powder form. 8. One ean of spray starch, 4 A mall pan ot plate for mixing. ‘The more starch you mix with your color tho lighter and more opaque it will become. Abways mix your ‘washos in a teparate pan by adding clean paint to the Sarch and not the ether way around, Varying the Consistency Inmy illustration A you can see « regular wash. a wash ‘with starch powder mixed into it for a creamike con- sistency, and a wash with lots of starch fo form a peste ‘with the eonsistency of thick sour cream. Changing the Value Inmy nest iluszation on smooth paper you ean detect the value change (B). Inthe top eight comer {show you the value of warm spia and green before | add starch {0 it The skeich is much lighter. The starchy wash is responsive to modeling because the brush or dab ‘marks suevive much as they do with oil paint Using a Loaded Brush ‘When I paint intoa wot clear starch wash using a woll loaded bristle brush. the paint does not spread out es fast and as far as it does on wet papor that has no starch on it. (C). The jregular edges and the crackled! texture are unpredictable bonuses. Applying Starch Paste Starch paste mixed with watercolor should be used on solid surface, such as illustration board or Masonite, to which a white orgreen latex undercoating has baer: applied to prevent cracking if the surface is bent (D). ‘This pasie can give you a drybrush offeet even on smooth paper. I'll show every bair mark of your brush ‘6 you apply it (E).wieER Working with Spray Starch Spray starch behaves in the same manner as starch powder, excep! that with spray starch your consis. tency is already established. You ean only use it in ‘washes is to thin for paste. [n my litle illustration have sprayed the top of the paper (above the pencil lino) with epray starch. | then immodiatoly paint the heavy washes into this surface. dragging the strokes conto the dry surlace of the paper (below the pencil line). As this wash stars to dry and Teses jis shine, give a quick squirt of spray starch to the damp paint therehiy ereuting the white matted effec, Storch is compatible with watercolor. Use it with safety, but uso it only f you have a ereative reaton for doing se. For the demonstration of Starch nd Watercolor see the color plates on pages t-8o13. Sponge and Watercolor ‘Sponges ere old friends of the watercolor painter. “Their conventional uses te wot ant scrub the paperin preparation for stretching or painting tn this chapter ‘will deal with some ofthe more prosdaetive uses of this ersatile took Materials 4. Your usual watercolor paint, brushes, and paper 2, Ono ogg-size natural sponge. 4, Soveral aynthetie sponges varying in size from a gar box to a wallet, Getting the Feel of Sponges ‘Youl get the best response from your sponge if you ‘moisten it bofore use, Its dampness is ideal for trans: ferring pain’ of for bloiting, Just to got the feck of your sponges, mix a heavy load of dark color on a fat din- ner plate or the op of a washable plastic table oF om i sheet of glass. You necd a fairly ample Mat surface for palette. Dip each ono of your sponges into this pre pared] wash and then make aw feaprint on clean dry pa: per by pressing the paint-covered sponge gently. The Teault will show you the exact natural paltorn that sponge can offer (A) Inthe same manner make additional printings with asolt dahbing motion. using cach type of sponge sepa ‘ately as boforo(B). After this pattern dries, go ever ita scond time with te paintladen sponge (C). The see fond application will result in a stronger tone, Emphosizing Differences ‘To build up strongth and charactor in your improe sions, apply thece layers but use various sponges (0). First paint on a dark color, and then three differen! cok ‘rs ta emphasize the difference (E). Choosing Possibilities 1 the illustrations of glacial roeks in F and G. 1 show: town practical applications chosen (rom an endless t= ray of possibilities In one I apply a simplo, fest, amp, wath and gently pross a largo, lat, thirsty, synthetic shionge ante itn the other Het the basie wash dry and then dab on the texture, using frst a fine and then a ‘coarte synthetic sponge Painting for Elects [have begin the ve approaches to wooden fences in Hand I by brushing oa the board shopes quickly. In the darker one 1 drag a clean, thirsty sponge over damp. dark paint, end this results in a grainy texture {nthe lighter illustration I paint the grain on top of the first igh! wash with 0 dorker brown on my sponge and ‘with just enough progsure to make a mark Tho grass effect is achieved by using the same sponges as you would a drybrush, hope you'll remember not only when but when not to use-a sponge. It must remain a creative tool, not a crutch For the demonstration of Sponge and Watervolor sve the color plates on panes 0-91me”44. Watercolor and Japanese Papers “The Japanese paper industry has reached such « high standard in the production of quality papers thal T trould like to introduce you to the fun of experi ‘menting with them. Many’ re made from rlee, and any paper importer can advise you about their basic quai: ties. Only you, however, ean tell which paper is suit ble fo your particular painting requirements, andl you can best determine that by’ buying some samples and {ying them. Motori 4, Regular watercolor paints: 2, One wide and two or three smaller sable brushes, 48, One bristle brush about 3” wide. 4. Painting knife, 5. A varioly of Japanese papers. 6, Some wet-strongth tissue Practicing on Wet Tissue Fortunately, most Japanose papers are inexpensive. But because they are so delicate, you: i difie culty experimenting with them freely. To break down fou timidity and to give you a basic idoa of what its fe to work with these heautiful papers. try fist to paint on a wet tissue, Tho surface of wet tissue ts als ‘ery fail and a few brushstrokes on it will give you an ‘approximate ides of what to expect when you paint ‘onthe soft japanese papers. Of course, not all Japanese Papers are soft. Some have a hard, smooth surface, ‘They also offer a groator variety in color, from pure white to yellowish grays. The assortment of their tex ture is endless as wel. Il naw introduce you to some ‘of my favorite papers and show you have they bebave under the brush, P yo isa warm white, softly textured paper on one side and alitlesimoother on the other. Ihave used the wet- in-wet technique on the mottled side (A). The paper gives a drearnlthe, soft diffusing effet to the paint that speaks for ital avers ting Wet in- WotApplying the Knife ‘On the smoother, dry reverse side, | have drawa some kife lines (8). After they dry. f again wet the eurface ‘with a soft brush and apply the touches of color. As ‘You can notice the dark knife lines do aot run froma ‘wetting iho paper. Thie surprising quality suggosts i numerable possibilities foeine ane wash techniques. Wilh such encouragement, I now apply a straigbt palette knife to the rough side after the paper has dried (©). drag, serape, squeeze, and wigalo the knife, and 1 ‘ean tell you thls paper ean Lake it. The colors stay brilliant end clean, end they blend well and can be me- noavered beautifully. Using Difleront Brushes ‘Muse i blue-white, thin, haed-surfaced paper. Ire somblos the North American hond in toxture and be- havior on one sie. The reverse side, however, keraugh and couse Tse the rough side hist. pply tho paint with a soft, wide, 2” sable brush andl the thin edge of my small painting koife (D), The same side of the paper behaves lently whon wot 1 paint with a heaey load of pig ‘ment on a bristle brush (E) The painl spreads out fast and fat, going slighty out of conttol. The eolor deies paler than usual but the scrape marks feom the brush handle survive well enough to give « touch of linecomplement. Tae litte star shapes are total surprise ‘Quite possibly, the manufacturer used salt in the pa per to increase ils permanency in tropical climates Neither the wet-insve! nor the bamboo knite tock nique show any'sigh of tho stars on the smooth side of the Musa paper F) Yok is a hurd, smooth, blue-white, thin paper. It buckles badly, and is haed to control, The sample sketch G should toll you about ls unusual qualities Painting Rapidly Okaweire is my favorite of tho Japancee papers that ‘im listing for you at this rime (4). It eheavy enough to resist hue ling, yet its creamy’ color and beautiful tex: {ure make i feel like cloth. It absorbs paint 30 fast that you can expect the second brushful to survive while the frst feat damp. Is fun to use, possessing unig ‘qualities for the speedy application of watercolor. Col ‘rs dey aublly, complimenting the tono of the paper. ‘itokata is asmoother and much thinner brother of Okawara (\). {thas the same creamy color. absorbs paint about as fast, and colors on it cry similarly. Bu because it is delicately thin paper, the odge of your palling Knife can cut it anider even the slightest pres Using a Workhorse Las but not least of my preferved Japanese papers is the old Sumi-e workhorse rice paper (DI! comes ina varioly of thicknosees and shacles, Kesem ling 4 blot {ing paper in behavior, Sura-e has lovely texture and. isexttemely absorbent. Colors survive rich and clean. Of all the jepanese papers that can be used with ator olor, thie one isthe castest 10 purchase and usually the leas! expensive hope that you'll find these lovely papers as stimu lating to upe as { do. Somehow they parmit you to lack {nto the ariontal spiit—sand to appevetate divans even For the demonstrations of Wotercolor and Japanese Papors seo the color plates on pagns 92-1. we “" M" mUsing Transparent ‘and Opaque Watercolor ‘Together (Project 3) ‘Step 1. (Jon Ib, D'Arche’s cald-pressex! handmaile paper) Starting on wel par per, with a bristle brash and transparent watercolor | vigorously stroke ia the dark distant forest Step.2, Tallow with applications of vared colors anil transpacencies, hinting at eott weedy values‘Step. When the papor is dy, uso thin touches of opoque watercolor ti paint the smal shrvt inthe mihileground, its branches, snd som of the fine weeds ‘Then Lspleshon sparkling yellow andl red falling leaves with thick opague wo: lencolor, defining the clever leaves hetne. The larger leaves landing on the weeds offer a finshing touch,Using Salt and Sand (Project Step 1. (00 Ib. D'Arche’s cold-pressed handmade paper) To point the fresia ‘omdoor almasphere, I mark ont with masking tape the space visible through the broker window. | scot this area of the paper and paint tho misty, saowy Tandstape onto the wei surface As the paint dries ani before the shine disap ppoars [sprinkle on a few grains of salt which dry to Look like snowflakes ‘Step. Aftorthe snow scone drios, ! remove the masking ape and brush off the soll Then [mask the inside edges of the broken window. including glass chip Al the boitom. For the old glass pane, | stroke on a generous wash of various colors: cerulean blue, yellow ochre, Sepia, and french ullramazine (altrama Fine blue). Onio this, Usprinkle dry. coarse building sand. Whon thi dies, 1 remove the masking tape.Deliberate Backruns Project 9) Step 1. (200 Ib, D'Ache's cold-pressed handmade paper) On a wet surface, 1 use bristle brush loaded with rich brownsand grays to paint the sugzestion of ‘foros! in the background and tho toll woods in the foreground. Ladd touchos ff aliaatin crimson foe the tll Frew blossom, fut asthe shine disappears {roma the paper, I drop touches of clear water onto the lower edge of the foros sausing hackru ‘Stop 2. When the surface is dry. ass.Slep 2. With « few knifestrokes, I add the young trees above the hackruns so thal they now look like tcl foliage on shits.Starch and Watercolor (Project 12) ‘Step 1. (300 b.D’Arche’s cold-prossed handmade poper, Lspray the whole sur- face with spray starch and brash it even with a wide housepminter's brush. Us- ing a soft, fat 1” brush, | point the somber, stormy aay, the diem! bil, ad the ‘mass value of the Foreground weeds. As the dtying paint lass its shine t scrateh in the lightning with the tip of a pocketknife. Step While the paper dri Hadid dofnition tothe leaning grasssind wordsStep 8.For afnishing touch, {add some knifescrapes forthe whitened Ides of gras,‘Spongo and Watorcolor (Project 13) Step 1. (200 1b. D-Arche's cold:pressed handmade paper) I wet the bottom third of the paper. With a large brush, | define the boulder shaeply on top and saflly at the hottom where the paper is wet, With brisk brushstrokes, I paint in the lush gross af the bottom of the composition, ‘Step 2. wet the top thied of the paper and whisk ina light wash to indicato the ‘ky ATier the wash dees to «dull finish, gently press a damp clean sponse diown on the rock, lifting eff some of the point Aiter completed drying, 1a ‘he sponge full ofsivong color. on the mossy stone to add to the mottled effect. Using a small sponge, l also add some blue in the grass.Stop 3. Strong sponge-dabs of bron: shape of tho tre, With a paintin Using a fine brush, [finish the b plot the painting il reds above the rock indicate the Info, [draw in afew branches for definition, ve Mowers and the five all weeds which com:‘Watercolor and Japanese Papers (Project 14) ‘Step 1. (HHeavy-grade rice paper.) With a soft, wide 1" brush, | sivoke ia several Jhazy washes for thesky. With a painting knife, | paint a hint ofthe distant ever. sreens as woll as my center of interes, the spruce tee. ‘Step 2. With a smaller brush, 1 add more distant trees and flash the larger “spruce, Following thi, Ldrybrash the thick weeds next to the spruce and wash ‘tisome light blue dipe in the middleground snow Using apinting knife Tadd some larger weeds to the Foreground.‘Step 3.A fow light, soft brushstrokos give form to tho unifying shadows inthe Foreground snoxe, The sd ion of some werds nshes the ob,Aquagraph Prints (Project 13) Step 1, (2401b.D’Arche’shavd-nished prin! paper) Allthe pointing Isdoneon a sensitizod offeet plate. Firs | wet the surface of the plots, Vaen I apply the pnt for the moody cloud effect und for the red hale of thesloopling gokless of the volcano. 1 also paint the black volcano with red lava lowing out of ats ‘mouth. Afler the plate dries, make the fisst impression with the press on a Timp. presoaked paper. Wilh 4 damp sable bnush, I carefully wipe olf tne face of the goddess. Bach time {touch the plate with sy brush, I blot off the resul- {aot moisture witha tissue held in the other hand. Ido this until all the pain is wove! Feorn her ace Step 2. Alter Iremove the plate from the press, it has enough color lol on ito show the image seit vas in Step 1. This allowe me to work in perfout myisier for eacl step. Ladd a sparkling helo cbout the goddess” head and leaping flames to the mouth of the volcano. Last, 1 darken the aleatly angry Tooking sky. I sepeal the prinling process using masking-tape guides Jo realign the plate with the fist smpression,fully studying this impression on the paper, Leonect the vol ano and the sleeping gocless with a fess louches of Rare. including her eye lash, After the paint dries on the plate again, | print one more anpression to finish the work,Mixed Media (Project 16) ‘Step 1. (90 Ib. D'Arche’s cold-pressed handmade paper, Firs | wet the paper. ‘Then using abrisle brush, {establish the misty, forest-covered shove hills AF. ter this wash dries o a dull finish but is still damp, [scrape out the three ce spes with a pocketknife, pressing it hard snd holding asi [were spreading Stop 2 Loading my painting knife with opaque watorcolar, | paint the other flooded trees. Using « medium-size sable brush, | paint the tees" rellevtions wilh a diluted wash, For the rough bark on the three ead birches Tse thick, ‘opaque watercolor.Step 3. | point the large stump and add final touch o the troos with a pastel stick dipped in water: I wet the paper and then craw inthe Title groen spruce rowing out of the dead stump. Both (he demp pastel stick and the pastel ‘drawn on wwe! papor produce a aol, slightly biurzo feet. Finally, {paint ia the remaining Foflectionswatercolor fon Smooth Paper [Project 17) Step 1. (900 Ib. D'Arche’s cold-pressed handmade peper,) I start on dry paper. Using 4 fla soft 1” brush, [apply loads of browns and blaes to tae sky atea allowing the washes to blend freely. With similarly vigorous strokes but fewer tolors. I paint the choppy water in the foreground. To prevent the paint from blending at the horizon, I simply use less moisture in my brush, ‘Step 2 With » small painting knife I rauigh Ho dhe Hie island! and the cocky shore in the foreground.Step 3.1 darken the waves aroun! the isla! snd auld final details to both the ‘lose and distant rocks. For the sun's rays, I moisten the dry paint witha single Innushstroke of clear waver and thon blet up the damp paint. The ginsction of the brushmask indicates the angle af the su's caysSoap With Watercolor (Project 18) Stop 1. (200 Ib. D'Archo's cold-pressed handmade paper) Using a fat, soft 1” bush, Fapply some light washes of mixed sroons to Lhe wet paper. (rub asoap bar with a1” bristle brush and then pick wp a ric load of paint, mixing it well into the soapy’ brash. Lappy this mixture to the wet surface forthe tall grassy ‘wonds; as you can seo, the paint doesn't ooze aviay but stays where I pat it 1 repeal this process until he grass is clearly established. leven pull afew light knife strokes into the damp paint for the whilened grass blades, Step 2.1 paint in the feacepest for my center of interest, using a dark wash. After it dries, brush on the wood texture and the mess Por Turther kfinition, Taild some fine grass to the compositionStep 3 Last comes the windblown wire for a touch of storylike qualityWotercolor on “Translucent Matorials (Project 19) (Heavyweight, good-quality tracing paper) Using a painting knife 1 draw in the young trees. [align the botioms of the trees with a loose paper smask: the resulting ouline serves asthe ele ofthe distant hill also sketch Some weeds into the orexzound. Step 2, Still using the pointing knife, Ladd a few more trees along the hill lina, a Jarge fove in tho middloground, and more weeds inthe foregroum With small sabe brush, {sprinkle the dry leavesn the irees and afew on tho grass.yer around and paint a heavy blue wash above the bill le ofthe paper. using the bottom ofthe trees asa guideline. ‘Aftos this wash dries, urn the papor around agai to the front, The blue wash fon the reverse side nowy Jooks paler and just ightWesh end Line (Project 22) Sep 1, (00 Ib D’Arche’s cold pressed handmode paper) {wel he paper U- ing abr ush pant the edge he tnt forest with alight tah Ten, ting the of he Uh hal actape fees no Wiearen While prper sell ot | slteke ono rppling washes to ndiontodeepsnowaris ‘Step 2. Using my painting knife, l carefully draw the old balftburied fence. 1 brush on a daoper blue wash fo further defino tho foreground snow dri, Again sing the paling knife, Faccent the distant drifts with w fow light lines end also draw some more young tras into the backgrovnd, aStep3. Using # rounded sable brush, 1saugh in the larger cee. Bor a ‘use my painting knife to add dela to the tev as well ast sketch froven weeds.Liquid Dyes ‘and Colored Inks (Project 23) Stop 1. (300 Ib. D Arche's cole pressed handmade paper. First, mask out he sun with Liguid latex. After it dries, [vet the papet, Using a Ma, soft 1” brush richly loaded with blue, ed, and orange inks, l stroke in the brilliant sky Step 2 After Stop 1 dries, I poo! aff he Tatex mask, exposing the white cinde ‘which will be te sun, With quick strokes ef slzong red ink, { paint over he Towoe edge of the sky right through the sun. A stroke of brown makler across the glowing red sun indicates a passing clouddein the foregrousd with rich, dark st the horizon, ‘washes, ond silhoueOpaque Watercolor ‘an Dark Paper (Project 24) Step 1. (Dark brown, heavy mat board) With a richly loaded, soft 1" brush, 1 ‘wash inthe sky and water area. To optimize the influence of a dark paper back. ground, Tuse well-diluted opaque watercolor. give careful attention to paint ing the land just visible on the horizon, Step2. Using painting hile and drybrush strokes, I paint the litle island. Por the ialand’s lazy refloction inthe wator, I use a large, fla, soft brush and short, sidewise strokes.Stop 3. To increase tho throe-ainting KnifeStep 3.1 add the finishing touches to the nets, and the watercolor calle is completed,21. Watercolor with Hard (Bristle) Brushes Bristle brushes are firm but springy. They ean pick up more concentrated paint fasier than any soft-hairod. brush. For the vigorous application of watercolor. a bristle brush will serve you well Matesials 1. Your watercolors. 2, One " and one 1" No, 1186 Grumbacher bristle bush or similar size ol-painting brushes 4. Handraade watercolor paper 4. A new No. 2 and No, § short-haired, oilpainting brush Making Essontial Brushstrokes Fics Fd Tiko to introduce you to one ef my favorite painting tools « erudely finished, inexpensive briste hush mace exclusively by Grumbocher—catalome No, 1146, Its made with astanted edgo tbat just rg for making thive essential brushstrokes, Iusration A. shows you the shape of the brush as well asthe three brushstrokes done on dry and wet cold-pressed DiArches paper, The three numbers identity the side fo the brush thar made these sizokes, andl the arrows show the direction in which Fpulled the rus Pushing the Brash {f_you keep your paint dey in the wells of you pa like Ido, the bristle brush will offer vou instant ection because it wots and pick up paint fast In my sketch ve painted the forest wth is variety ef values with a slanted brush on wet D’Arches cold-pressed paper (i) Alter the paper dies [point the "deybrush” grass ‘ot by palling the brush natweally but by pushing its tae in the appesive diction from the handle Scrubbing with a Paintbrush The small No.2 oi pointing brush surves as a sereb- Jet I'scapabie of loosening dey paint All you have 10 ddo iy sirub the dry paint with the dary point ofthe brush and blot up the loose, moistened paint with a sof tisue. That's exaetly what I do on the snow-cov tacit othe ee rtecred roof in illiteation C. For the sharp white of the moon Tus a paper mask. cutting the shape of the moon from a piece of paper. | hold the mask in posi. tion while Fuse my brush vo serub briskly the exposed ‘moon-shape atea. Lifling the mask quickly from the painting, limaediately blo! off tho loosened paint. For the faint circular continuation of the shaded side of he moon, | make one pass with the same damp scrub. ber and blot it up aga, Using @ Stanted Brush [nthe Last Mustration (D). Thrush on the stump of the taee and then use my ” slanted brush for that seem ingly insignificant weed. The important consideration here is the romovel of the dark paint where the thin word sin fort of the stump, I cut a strip of paper in half on a curved tine, place one half with the curved ‘edge where {want the weed 10 be located, hold itn position with my left hond, and pul the other half flown just a haidline any. helding tin position with sy lell thumb, With the two pieces of curved paper forming a mask, 1 ther scrub ay a light line for the ‘weed in the same way I scrubbed away’ the moon in ©. ‘Asyou remove dey paint with your brush, some wa tor is bound to seep under the edge of your paper mask. Don worry ebout it I's only siting on fop of your paint, If you act quickly when you blo! the Toosened piginent. your issue will soak up this surplus ‘Wotor and it won't leave any math, Don' press the lis sue to0 hard and don't dillydally. As soon as you put down your scrubber, blot immediately. Specd is im portantWatercolor with @ Bristle Brush Step 1. (900 1b. D'Acche's cold-pressed handmade paper.) use @slanted-cdge 1 bristle brush on dry paper to rough inthe rich washes of grass and the base Value of the discarded boards and barn wall. To get that mottled elfect in the 410s, [use strong brushstrokes with lots of paint and little moisture; for the Wispy grass in the foreground, Lune light deybrush strokes22. Wash and Line When mas! people think of wash-anueline watercolor technique, they think of transparent watercolor and India Ink. But this s only ono of many wash-andtine techniques, To me, it involves ony line complementing atorcolor. ‘The technique is a combination of biend- ing wash tones and solid Lines tha set offeach other Mate 4, Your regular watercolors, brushes, and handmade apor. 2, One HB pencil 9, One old-feshioned writing or drawing pen (nib and holder). 4. A painting knife, 5. One bottle of India Ink. 6. An ordinary pocketkaite 7. A nail clipper Watercoloring with Pen Ifyou take a close look at the most common wath-and. Aine techniques, watercolor apd India ink.you'l notice that the black of the ink contrasts bus!, and acts a8 greater unilying force, when it's used with light value ‘washes. Never try fo comoulage oF weaken this eon- Teast. 've deaven the lines in illustration A with a play. ful application of a dravsing nib, After the ink lines dry, Islap on the light washes with similar (riskiness, ‘You can take even greater advantage of your lines if {you use woll diluted watercolor in your nib instead of India ink You don't have to dip your pen in she water ‘color; you can pick up the paint with 2 brush and brush it onto your nib. And you can use several colors ‘Thor's also another advantage in making lines wth diluted watercolor: after they ve dried, you ean soften them and add tone value by simply brushing ovor the Tinos with clear water (), ‘Making Lines with Your Knife Pea nibs are not the only tools you can use for drawing lines Your painting knife is one of the best ite help.ers youll ever nved. No! only can you use i for vatted ‘colors end tones, but you ean paint your lines i thier: teat widths, In sketch C. am using the broad sida my knife for the wide ines sind the thin edge, push ward. to paint the thinner lines, lke the edges of the trunk, | drag the knife point over the surface ofthe pa por for the branches aod clouds. To paint the tii ‘gris blades, Tse the edge of tho kaif tip as though | Sere slashing with it For the “drybrush” touch on the trunks, 'use a thick pain’ and then sinear it with the hack, Nat part of my knife Wigaling the Tip ‘Your knite i also capable of making loose lines on top af dry paint. In skeleh D, | paint e rather vaguely de fined forest on wot paper. I oul be too indetiave without the dack trees and green touehes in the fore {groune. To achieve these rich Lines {hold my knife by the end of the hanclle and drag it backward, touching the papor only with the ip. hold the bandlo lightly fnotigh to allow tie wigyle asthe iaoth of the: paper Gictates Asthe knife is loosing paint, the Lines get thin rer and finely fade away. "You can make effective lines not ouly on dey paper but on wet paper as well. You can draw into a wit ‘wash with any firm look, and as soon as it touches the ‘wot paper & lino will develop of a dark densiiy: This Tine will dey even darker. so bear in raind thet i can't hhe removed because you've damaged the surtace of your paper, To draw the dark ire trunk on the eft in iMluiration E. Luse the tp of «nail clipper handle over ‘wet wesh, The sharp poin! of my brush handle does the thin branches, leaves, and green blades. On the right ede, 1 got a light-line effect by squeezing the palo off the same wash ‘shen i is no longer dripping ‘wet. For this | use « pocketkailo as if epreacing buiter, but | preset very hat As you can ste. line can he an essential part of wa tercolor. Don't be afraid of oking full advantage of i For the demonstration of Wash ond Line soe thw color plates om pages 104-105.23, Liquid Dyes and Colored Inks Because of the liquidy qualities of liquid dyes and col- fred inks, the advantages of theco chomically mado pigments are transparency and brilliance. In most teases thoit pormanonce is questionable though rala- tively good. except for the aniline-base dyes, Before you use any of them, inquire about their qualities from the dealer or manufacturer. Artiss are known to care Lite ebout the chemical properties of their material ‘You should be an exception: itpaysmany dividends, Materials 4. One set of primary and secondary colors. It'should include colored inks. Ise speedball inks in my illus: ons 2. An inoxpensive. children's watercolor sel with brilliant colors. These are usually made with aniline dyes, Recenily, the Japanese seis have boon the least expensive and the most brilliant 3, One set of batik dye Procion colors You can pur- ‘hase these in powder form at any craft supply house 4, One wide at and two smaller round, soft brushes. 5. Your favorite handmade paper, ‘To liguily your powdered Procion colors, which can be accomplished easily in jars follow this recipe: to ‘one part dye, two parts non-iodized salt, and one pact washing soda, add four ounces of wars water and str Whes the solution sotiles you are ceady to paint “Those water-soluble liquid colors are nat substivwies for watercelors, Thoy have thei limitations, but thoir nusefulness, partieulatly for commercial usteation, is ‘unquestionable. Comparing Ink and Watercolor (Colored inks, whether transparent orsomi-opaque, are always brilliant. In the Value Chott on page 01 ve chotea & semiopeque ink made by the Speedball Company. The behavior of these inks is clase to trans- psten! watercolor, as you can see. They mix well with ‘each other, rus on wel paper. dry with aslighily grainy’ toxture, and wipe off a litle when they te dry. Mixing Browns If you mix the three primary colors, the three see~ ‘ondaries, or all six combined you'll end wp with three browns that are very difficull to distinguish. tn the Overprint Chaet A on page #1 illustrate the over. printing qualities of these inks. Blending Colors A few years ago on Hawali {had the good foriune to ‘witness tho breathtaking color display of a distant ‘erupting volesno, My lite sketch shows how well the bright reds blend with the darker, subtle blve-grays. ‘The resulting dramatic impact is worth the fight 10 achieve. Getting Moximum Transparency Some Procion dyes are more brilliant than others, but they aze all extremely transparent and faifly perma- neat. They are designed to stain textile materials, and consoquentiy: they behave in similarly. permanent fashion on rag-conteat paper. { described above how you can make these dye liquids yourself to achieve ‘maximum transperency. use only the clear liquid on top of the settled solution. Don't stir up the sediment unless you want your wash to have a gratiny quality. Overprint Chart Bon page 112. shows the teans- parency and the overprinting qualities of thas des. "The staining power of Procion dyes is so capid that they show 4 definite overprint shape (ee Overprint Chart C, page 112) even if they are washed into one other when wer “Achieving Transporoncy with Brillianoy ‘o lustrate maximum transparency with brilianee have prepared this sketch ofa difficull subject: bright sunéot, It Is Impossible for thosa dyes to become ‘opaque, so everything stays brilliant To got dark defi- nition on the scarecrow. | scrape into tke wot surface swith my painting k Tnexperimenting with bright and highly transparent colors, use am inexpensive watercolor set with an ani line-dye base. These colore havo a strong siaining power and are extremely bright. They are fugitive, hhowovor, ond will fade, unlika Procion dyos. Paint swith them accordingly For the demonstration of Liquid Dyes and Colored: Inks see the color plates on pages 106-107.24, Opaque Watercolor on Dark Paper the natural viele of transparent wateroolor is ency. so the natural virtue of most tempera paint is its opacity. Light opaque paint will partially ‘cover # dark backgrovnd sf it = ciluted xt wall com. pletely cover it if the paint is thick. For this exeres therefore, think in terms of light tones. top of dark Materials 1. Some opaque watercolors. ‘The best ones come in jars or tubes. Designers colors, made by most peint manufacturers—Peliken, Winsor & Newton 10 name just two~are the seme thing, Buy e jar or tube of each, primary and secondary color plus white. 2. Your watereolor brushes. 3. A painting knife 4. One sheet of black paper or board. 5. Your choice of one other dark-color paper or boa Because « heavy layer of opaque paint can crack if hhont too far, you should paint an heavy board or mounted paper. IMlustrating their Qualities Your opaque watercolors will work in ways similar to your regular watercolors. I've prepared a few sketches fo show you their essential qualities. In tho first (A), 1 ‘mounted three strips of dark mat board. Across the three surfaces | brushod one stroke of thick paint, ono ofstighily diluted paint.and a thied line of thin paint. 1 am using white and yellow for theso brushstrokes. Directly below them | apply a few sirokes with my pointing kaife~one with « broad seroping motion, the fine ones with the edges of my knife. Working on a Wet Board Using a wot dark brown board in skeich B. I paint fo light coloe washes. Whon they start to dey. Lemableto tive some definition to the ferns hy sereping away the paint and exposing the dark background. | add the few Touches of thin weds and Mowers at the end Painting on a Dry Mount In my illustration C, 1 chose the same dark brown board again, but I used it dry. L make the entire sketch with my painting knife. The opaque paint is of the thinnest consistency forthe clouds, a Hite heavier for the evengroon tree, and the thickest for the rock Using Two Techniques {In skotch D, 1 take advantage of both techniquos, 1 brush on a pale blue wet wash for the background and then vise my knife for the stark light trees If you work from « derk background to light values with opaqua waterceler you can create a strong senas fof drama, But don't turn this striking elfect into a painting eruich that keeps you in a rut, To know how. Jo achieve certain resulis is good. But to be a slave to ne particular tochnique is doadly. Let common senso. be your safeguard. For the demonstration of Opaque Watercolor on Dark pez see the color plates on pages 108-10925. White Paint and Transparent Watercolor When you ase white paint with transparent water- olor, You've invalidating. in a sense, the nature of the ‘watercolor medium=transparency, And thoro's only ‘one reason to justify doingso.Itiscreativity. The most ‘commonly used white watercolor in this technique is Chinese white, which is made to complement trans- ‘parent watercolors. However, you may use any fine srained white paint with a water bass Materials 1. Your usual watercolors, brush paper 2. A (ube of Chinese white watercolor. and handmade 2. One or woother typos of water-based white paints Softening with White ‘The purpose of using white paint with your water- coors tosoften the colors You can achieve this result eithor by mixing the white into your color wash before ‘you apply itor by painting a wash of white on top of ‘your color wash ofter it has dried. Tye prepared a limited pateite of three colors (1) burnt sionna (2) Winsor bine, and (8) raw sienna and two givens resulting from a combination af either siopna with the blue. (See the Limited Palotte Chaet A ‘on page 112. This chart also shows the same color with 4 thin white wash on top of them alter they're dried land as mixed Into a wet wash) Contrasting with Warm Darks One practical example of using a white watercolor 1s shown in skotoh A, where {mix i into the misty back round, You can see the caolingeffect 1 has on the pige men's. This cooling effect contrasts nicely with the strong, warm darks on the wood steucture in the foro. sxtound, Details on the distant boats are just Covering a Dry Wash Insketeh BI paint the same background urea with just straight trensparent watercolor. I paint it much darker than in sketch A in preparation for slayer of sehite ‘wash to be applied on top after it hes driod. For this procedure J cut a paper mask in-a shape that exposes ‘only the distant bay. Thea Idip one corner of a wet.” fat, soft brush into white paint and spread a thin film ‘of iL over the entire exposed background. The beavily loaded cornor of the brush leaves a thicker layer af ‘while at the bottom. After it dries this chalky wash ‘acts asa fille, hiding mapy of the sherp details on the boat I paint the two seagulls with pure white paint on ‘fine brush, I purposely loft the wooded area unfin- ished in order to shovr you the ecge of the white paint and how it differs from the value of the wash under neath, Splattering Opaque White You can also uso white paint very effectively tn a other way-if youre discriminating White in its ‘opaque form can besplatiered on top ofa dry painting. In illustration C, 1 use a bristle brush loaded with a heavy consistency of white paint. 1 hold the brush about 3 from the painted surface and flick the hair several times with my thumb. For the Jower, white part of the pichite, I mix alitle blue into the white be- Foro splatter again, The roaul 2 easonable mpees= sioa of falling spo. [Let mw give you another hint, Don't use opaque white extensively with transparent watercolor. Lieit ittoemall aroae-dots, lies, small shapes, and co forth Used carefully. white should be a happy compromise botwoon transparent and opeque watercolor and should he difficult t detect on the finished work. For the demonstration of White: Paint and Trans- parent Wotercolor see the color plates on pages 0-101,26. Watercolor on Prepared Canvas Lot's deal for a moment with a painfully unnatural ap- plication of watercolor, Artists ste a curious group of individuals, and the wausual is almost always an in sielible challonge. This one's a real dandy for you, Materials 1 Your transparent watercolors, brushes, and a paint- ing hnife. 2. One or two small picees of prepared canvas, either feanvass board or eanvas cat and stretched from ll jar of Chinese white or powdered 4. One can of damar varnish, 5. Ono small bottle of m age (gury arable) ‘You must make the surface of your eanvas receptive to waier. You can do this by painting on white laten wall paint, acryle gosso, regular gosso, or ordinary laundry starch 1 use liquid spray starch. Powdered starch mixed with while crumbles after drying on the sur- face; if you use powdered starch, therofore, you must add 4 drops of gum arable to 1 Muid ounee of starch dand water ‘Working on Unprepared Canvas Just toshow you what happens when you apply water ‘color to canvas that has not been made receptive to water, I've made up a limited palette chart of raw Sienna, Wineor blue, and burnt sienna, both cloar and with white mixed into them. (See Limited Paletle Bon age 112}) The greons aro a mixture of cach brown with the blue. Note the tiny oles that showed up as tho paint dried. Thoy'te caused by air bubbles rapped Inthe grain of the canvasas the wet hish sipped over thom. Coating with Starch ‘Transparent watercolor is much easier to work with ‘on 2 compatible canvas base. In sketch A, Ipainton & canvas board coated with povidered starch and valet ‘mixed with gum arabie, When this surface dries, you find watercolor easy to maneuver, but note that itl leave brushmarks as you pain! similar to thoso you get from a thin ol wash, (ve added a litle crispness here ‘with the painting knife. Don't havo your paint too wet ‘on the knife or i will ran into the wash around it, just ‘orf the surface were wet Using Opaque Watercolor ‘Opaque watercolor adhares better to canvas than doe ‘ransparent watercolor, but il covers up the grain of the canvas. Presumably, the only reason you would ‘other to paint in watercolor on canvas isto take ad- ‘vantage of ils texture. To use opaque watercolor on. canvas, therefore. would defeat your purpose A limited use of opaque paint vrith transparent col- ‘ors can, however, be an advantage, For the falling snow and forthe white hump under the snow fence, | Use opaque sketch B.The pale hive wasflicked on w th my bristle brush, but you may use en old toothbrush if ‘you have one. Protecting Your Surlaco No matter what method you use far applying water. color to canvas, you'll end up with a delicate surface that is vory vulnerable to hurndhty and scratches. You ‘ust protect it f you dont want to cover your surfece ‘with glass, spray i with a protective coat, Damar var. ‘ish i ideal, but remember tha it wil slightly deepen the gotare. You can use acrylic sprays toa, but damar gives you the toughes! finish, Whichever you chose, nyitoma scrap of canvas fst, “Though I've purposely limited this chapter toa di cussion of watercolor on canvas, let_me note that ‘acrylic paints work much better on eanvas.Watercolor on Prepared Canvas Step 1. (Commercially prepared canvas board, Let the surface ofthe canvas ‘with cleor water, Using a fat, soft 1” brush, I stroke on a sot, windswopt sky. Switching to a brisle brush loaded with concenteated paint, I paint in the rocks and clumps of grassStep 2 1 paint some snagulls above tho rocks, using opaque white watercoler where the sky is dark end using gray watercolor where the sky is light. The gulls add vertical interest to an atherwiso horizontal landscape.27. Watercolor with Paper and Cardboard Strips ‘This exorcise isa tore loosoner-upper. Crude tools dictate simplified procedute, If you decide to paint ‘unfamiliar subjects. and you feel the need of a fresh “approach, try this watercolor technique jus for fun, Materials 1. Your transparent watercolors and handmade paper 2.Cne firm 1" bristle brush tozransfer heavy washes to ‘a spacious flat surface. 8. Strips af heavy cardboard, about 3" © 3" wide and Tong enough for you to get a good grip. The cardboard fs your painting too! Using the Eége ‘Transfer your paint with a frm brush to @ flat, wash able surface, such as a dinner plate. Hold your card board femly between your thurnb and fingers. Dip the edge of your cardboard strip into the pool of color end {ou aro ready to paint, Urag the paimied edge on dry paper ioward your thumb. pressing firmly but evenly ‘This scroping action will give you a thin wash, straight, at tho starting point, bul turning irtegular ae the board lases paint You ean cxpate a straight line by just ouch= ing the paper with the freshly dipped edge of your ‘painting strip, Tae corer will serve as a simple line ‘rawing point. For sketch A, Tse one 2°, one" and fone 8 strip of mat hoard Working on @ Dry Surface Formy next illustration I uso cold-pressed paper with addy surface (@) Lay # wide strip of ordinary writing paper iatoa pool of pain. lit it onto my painting suse face, and pros it down gontly with my fingers. Noto the sky oxture the paper ereates, For the boals, waier, andl boardwalk Huse carclhootd strips The mess are painted withthe edgos of my eardboard. Scraping for Values ‘When you transfer paint with your eardboard strips ta ‘wat paper it will spread and flow os if you had used abrush In sketch Cam using both a wet and dry sur face—mret for the background and dry for the lines in the foreground. I serape off part of the dark wash on the banana leaves while the paint is very damp: inthis ‘way Lam able to achieve the light values on the leaves. ‘The scraping technique works best with staining col- Adding Details In my last ilustration, 1 siart with wet paper, adding dotaile as tho papor dries uso the corner peint of a sirip of cardboard to draw in the swaying palm branches and the birds. ‘Try many types of paper and carcboard and with a variety of eu! and torn edges. You! find this technique sharpens your power of concentrationWatercolor with Paper and Cardboard Strips Pe ote re aaa rorya) Venere ee ee eee color, | use the board's edge to sketch the dry weeds in the foreground, fuse the Gans aun outage ye tn tet lve omtrig te ee flees Ge seee tas ducees wren teas‘Step 3.1 break up the charp horizontal division inthe composition by acing ‘tees and weeds to the miidleground. Carefully controlling the corner el a news sarap of board, I paint in tin: scattered leaves and the hint of yellow Folge stil left on the troos,28. Watercolor with Rollers and Squeegee ‘Tho uso of roller with watorcolor is also fun. They further demonstrate the versatility ofthe medium, too. ‘Moreover, rollers will polish your sanse of design be- ‘cause of the bold simplicity they afer. You can't get Doaged down with details, The limitations of the tools ‘wor Let you, Your design must carry the composition. Materials 4. Your watercolors 2, One frm 1” brush, 3, Handmade paper 4. 4.3” hard plastie or wooden buenishing roller. 5. One colt, narrow wall-paint corner roller, {6 One rubber squeegee shout 6” wile ‘Toating the Soft Roller Make afew impressions with your new painting tools {find out whalthoy’ll do. Lets atert vith the rollers. If ‘you press lightly an the soft, ulfy corner roller, it will ‘maken impression on the surface of your paper very much like a sponge (A), Press hardor and you'll have shat looks like a wash with an irregular, rough odge. ‘Tho variation and repetition of these roller marks on dry oF wet paper will give you a good number af tex: fuze combinations Conditioning the Hard Koller ofore you can use a burnishog (hard) roller for pain ing, you must conditioa it. The usually smooth wood or plastic surface wll repet water, so rab it with fine sandpaper until the glossy finish turns dull. Now You're ready (o test st With the help of your firm 1" bristlehrush, make «pool of wotercolor on alarge, lat eurface, You must have enough Foom te move the roller freely back and forth. Now bathe the roller in tho paint until tho entire surface is covered (3). Koll theedge on your paper inst straight line and then curve ita litle, When your roller uns out of paint, pick up ‘more and you're ready to go again. Nex! trya rectangu- Jer wash by rolling and pressing the exlinder on its broad side. f you just fouch the bread eide ofthe rollor it will leave a heavy swath, Using Both Rollers [have painted sketch C using both rollers: The sky is done with broad sweeps ofthe hard roles, end for the texture of the weeds {use the soft corner roller. Tho sharp edge ofthe hard roller is made use of to indicate the wiros and thin weeds over the dark fence posts. ‘Varying the Pressure Feorillustzation D the herd roller only isemployed."The Daper is dry. For the sky 1 apply gentle pressure 10 get the texture. In the lower ares I press hard to obtain a solid coverage of light blue. Into this wet wash I roll the light browa and let it blend with the blue. After these washes dry, [roll on the dark linear definition, Including the birds withthe sharp edge of the roller. Painting with a Squeegee For a rubber squeegee you can use the edge of your windshield wiper or a sill-screen squeegee. Dip your ‘Squeegee into a pool of watercolor and make an im= pression on your paper by pressing and pulling the hdge inthe seme direction several times, pacily over lapping the strokes (E). You can make fine, straight lines with the odge of the rubber blade. Ard you can. ‘gain variation if you make one stroke in one direction find a accond stroke croasing over !he Removing Surplus Paint J have painted the small sketch F with a rubbor squneger, 1 shows all these strokes. Pressure on the rubber cdge removes the surplus psint a! the top edge Of the water to show a distant horizon line wader the disiont ound hills. Pee drawn the bird with the cornce fof the rubber blade