BEGINNER/BASICS
Part 1: The Basics of
Watercolor Paints
by Christopher Willard
Knowing how watercolor paints are classied and how the colors appear on paper and differ among manufacturerss is the critical rst step for any manufacturer watercolor artist. Here’s what you need to know.
S
ome arrive at class with a set of prepackaged watercolors provided by a paint manufacturer,” she observes. “Others may hold a list provided by an instructor, but they have no idea why certain colors are included.” Still others, some teachers report, ask for the names of the reddest red, the bluest blue, and the yellowest yellow, with the goal of buying the fewest paints possible. These newcomers to watercolor assume that by adding black to three good pr imaries they can obtain a full range of color—just like their color printers. Although in theory this may make sense, in reality it can only lead to disappointment and frustration. Here, Dressel explains what every artist should know about watercolor paints. OPAQUE, TRANSPARENT, GRANULATING
Watercolor paints vary widely in their formulations, so it’s important to experiment with different brands to find the paints you prefer. Manufacturers generally classify the paints as either transparent or opaque. Transparent paints are created by mixing pigment with a transparent binder and a wetting agent. When applied to paper, much of the reflective white surface shines through. Opaque paints, on the other other hand, dry to various various degrees of opacity because of the addition of chalk. Some pigments, such as certain earth colors, leave par ticles behind on the painting sursurface and are therefore referred to as granulating pigments. Although most of Dressel’s palette consists of transparent paints, she notes the importance of having a few opaque earth tones on the palette: “I sometimes play translucent
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BEGINNER/BASICS
Four Steps to a
Glowing Watercolor
by Barbara Fox
Following a four-step application of color washes, I capture the glow of light, the richness of color, and the realistic detail of my subjects.
I
paint watercolors very realistically, with an emphasis on color and contrast, almost to an extreme. In fact, many of my paintings are more about color and light than they are about specific subjects. I arrived at this sys tem of painting after years of observation, reading, and painting, and now I want to share my system with others. A QUICK LOOK AT THE STEPS
The four steps of my process can be summarized as follows:
Opposite (detail) and above: Five Macs in a Row , 2004, watercolor, 6 x 18. Collection the artist.
Step 1. Glow. I lightly draw the major outlines of my subject on watercolor paper with graphite and apply a light wetin-wet wash of warm and cool colors over the entire stark white sheet so it has a flow of light pigment. Step 2. Base. After the glow is dry, I lay in flat, graded, and wet-in-wet washes of color to establish a general descrip tion of of the image. image.
Below:
A homemade gray scale created by painting successively darker squares and punching holes in the middle of each square. I hold this up to a painting so that I can see the painted color through the hole and am able to judge the relative value. That’s especially helpful when gauging the contrast between light and shadow.
Step 3. Contrast. I build up from two to five layers of a more extensive palette of colors to create a sense of depth in the values, and gradually build up contrast until the painting is nearly complete.
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Subjects will be more interesting to paint if they are familiar places, prized possessions, or close friends.
METHODS
The Constant Challenge
of Watercolor
by M. Stephen Doherty
Sheila Stilin maintains an enthusiasm for watercolor by exploring different techniques and subjects with each new painting.
T
he joy Sheila Stilin experiences in creating watercolors can be easily understood by anyone who has given serious, hands- on time to the medium. There is something exciting about using simple yet potent materials to respond to what we see and feel, compose a two-dimensional two- dimensional representation of the world, or explore a set of ideas and expressions. Stilin has spent years exploring the medium that demands only a br ush, a few tubes of paint, and a sheet of paper, yet presents continual challenges to the artist.
Above: Glass Apple 1, 2001, watercolor, 14 x 17.
Collection the artist.
It is that constant exploration of new opportunities that keeps Stilin excited about watercolor. While she is in the midst of painting a picture, she tries new materials and techniques, techniques, searches searches for for innovativ innovative e ways of of handling handling a familiar subject, or simply works toward a higher standard of excellence. And once one painting is completed, she feels a rush of new ideas that suggest a direction for her next watercolor. “At first, I thought I just didn’t have enough experience to feel completely confident about everything I did in watercolor,” Stilin states. “Then I talked to other artists and discovered that everyone is trying to learn and grow beyond their current level of skill and understanding. Indeed, that sense of wanting to get better and to explore new styles and sub jects is what what keeps most watercolorist watercoloristss motivated.”
Opposite: Collectibles, 2003, watercolor, 11 x 16.
Collection the artist.
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contents
Brush up on your
Watercolor work!
Beginner/Basics:
• The Basics of Watercolor Paints • Three Key Elements of of a Successful Painting: Focal Point, Composition & Depth • Four Steps to a Glowing Watercolor • 10 Tools for Better Watercolors • The New Face of Watercolor Methods:
• The Constant Challenge of Watercolor • Methods & Materials: Innovative Innovative Watercolor Additives & Techniques • The Watercolor Page Subject Matter Techniques:
• Experience with Experimentation • Painting the Impressionist Impressioni st Still Life • Mature Models
A
merican Artist Guide to Watercolors offers you a diverse group of masters sharing techniques, tips, and tricks for composing beautiful watercolor paintings.
You’ You’llll discover discover the fundam fundamentals entals of of watercolors, watercolors, includi including ng choosing choosing paints, paints, colors, and paper, as well as detailed information on the application of color theory in the medium. American Artist Guide to Watercolor Painting also explores the techniques for good composition, capturing the glow of light, and choosing the right surface. Top artists-instructors, such as Christopher Williard, Chatherine Hillis, and Nancy Collins, guide you through through the the process of of envisioning envisioning and and creating creating a painting painting from from beginning beginning to end end to achieve achieve the the desired desired effect. American Artist magazine has been a widely read and well-respected resource for over 70 years; an essential tool for artists, both professional and beginner. Every issue is filled with step-by-step demonstrations, technical technical Q&A, in- depth artist artist profiles, profiles, and more. more.
Expert Advice:
• How to Create Your Best Paintings Ever • Achieving Optimal Effects • Using Gum Arabic for Additional Control
Paperback, 8½ x 10¼, 128 pages ISBN 978-1-59668-269-6, $24.95 Available October 2010 2010
