Watercolor Painting for Dummies (6 page)
Read Watercolor Painting for Dummies Online
Authors: Colette Pitcher
Tags: #Art, #Techniques, #Watercolor Painting, #General
In the project steps throughout this book, I tell you what to paint, what size to make your painting, and what colors and techniques to use. You can completely ignore what I tell you (who listens to me anyway?) and pick your own size, colors, and techniques.
I give you suggestions to help you create a successful finished piece like the one I painted. You can use your own creativity to pick and choose something you would rather see happen. This is art, and really there are no rules to art.
That being said, I hand you a bunch of rules throughout the pages of this book. Enjoy the rules. Savor them. Analyze them. Get to know them. Then when you’re comfortable with them, you can break any rules you want because you can justify why the rules don’t apply to you.
Many rules are just words and concepts that artists (that includes you) use to discuss art using the same language.
Art speak
is the eloquent usage of these concepts. The better you become at art speak, the bigger grants you will get and the better you can justify the higher price tags on your masterpieces.
In a garden, a bloom is a lovely flower. In watercolor, a
bloom
can be a fun technique that happens when you drip wet paint into paint that’s drier.
You may be thinking, “I’m not ready to paint anything yet!” but if you have some paint and a brush, you’re ready for this fun little project. You simply can’t make a mistake in creating this garden of blooms. I tell you how to set up your palette in Chapter 2, so for now just put a few colors out that you can play with. You choose what colors your garden will be. Think fun and abstract, and enjoy how the paint reacts to other paints and to water.
1.
Get a piece of watercolor paper about 5 x 7 inches.
2.
Cover the paper with clean water using a 1-inch flat brush.
3.
Pick up the paper and let the water drip off into your water container.
The paper should be shiny damp everywhere without puddles.
4.
Choose one color and cover the whole paper with that color.
Mix enough water with the paint so the color is transparent. No thick paint needed. Use your 1/2-inch flat brush so you can work quickly before the paint dries.
5.
Before Step 4 dries, drop water and other colors into the paint one drop at a time.
Drop clear water into the paint and watch it make a bloom. You can continue to drop colors or water until the paint and paper dry.
6.
Let the paint dry completely.
7.
Sign your name at the bottom.
Signatures should be small in the corner, usually the lower right one. Make it legible if you want anyone to know who created the work. If the brush is too difficult to sign your name with, use a permanent pen or pencil that will show up.
My garden of blooms is shown in Figure 1-8.
8.
Mount your painting on a card and send it to someone to brighten their day.
Figure 1-8:
Some water, some paint — a watercolor!
In This Chapter
Gathering your art materials
Composing your paint palette
Getting your paper ready
Setting up your place to paint
Bringing your brushes up to snuff
Making time to paint
B
efore you can put brush and paint to paper, you have to get ready to paint. You have to gather some materials to work with, carve out some time to work, and find a place to do it. Then you can begin the journey of a lifetime. And if you’re uncertain about how to start your watercolor hobby, this book is an excellent guide. You can work through it alone or with a friend.
This chapter explains what you need to know to shop for supplies and then how to set them up to prepare to paint.
Give a child a piece of watercolor paper, a set of paints, and a brush, and they’re happy. I’m usually quite happy with that combination, too. And basically, that’s all you need to start painting. But when you get to the store, choosing which items to buy gets a bit more complicated. The hundreds of choices of paper, paints, and brushes can make your head spin.
The good news is that you can start out as basic or as complicated as you want. In this section, I give you a deeper understanding of these essentials so you can make informed decisions about art supplies and pick out exactly what you want.
Most beginners buy inexpensive supplies thinking that, after all, the painting won’t turn out because they’re an amateur. The fact is that cheap supplies can actually be so frustrating to use and of such poor quality that what you think is ineptness on your part is actually inferior art materials. One easy way to improve your painting is to purchase better supplies. So my advice is to buy the best quality supplies you can afford and upgrade your supplies as you can afford to do so. Reward yourself with a quality art supply every so often. You’ll see the reward return in your painting.
Art suppliers are always coming out with new products, and they’re usually great. So don’t be afraid to try someone else’s great idea. Go to the art supply store frequently for inspiration. Maybe you’ll see a new tool that sparks your creative juices.
