Watercolor techniques. Watercolor painting

You can use one or two methods, or create your own page with all the options. Use a pencil and ruler to divide your watercolor paper into 8 rectangles to perform these techniques. Give each rectangle a method name, as shown in the image below.

Note before you start: I would recommend drying each rectangle completely before moving on to the next technique. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

1. Salt technique

Salt is my absolute favorite for creating textured backgrounds. I keep a small container of sea salt with my supply kit. To use the salt technique, choose one or two colors first and paint the first rectangle (or area) completely. Then, while the paint is still wet, sprinkle salt on top of it. Let the paint dry completely, and then use your fingernail to remove the salt from the design.

Note: The better your area is painted, the more salt will spread throughout it. Try to let the paint dry partly (just enough so that the water is shiny but doesn't bleed as you move the paper), and notice the difference in texture you create.

2. Tissue paper technique

Fill the next rectangle with the color(s). For best results, you will need a damp surface and rich color.

Crumple up a piece of tissue paper and place it on top of the wet paint. Gently cover the entire area, then press the paper gently with the palms of your hands. Let it dry a little (but not completely, otherwise the paper may stick). Then carefully lift the tissue paper from the design.

3. Alcohol technique

This technique quite funny. Paint the next rectangle with watercolors.

While the painting is still wet, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and place it on the wet paint. For best result, drip alcohol from the end of the stick (instead of touching it to the paper).

4. Pastel technique

You can use pastels to create a "wax resistance" technique. First draw your design with white pastel, making sure it is in firm contact with the paper.

Usage white pencil white paper makes it difficult to see what you're drawing. Tilt the paper to the side to get an idea of your idea.

Then fill the rectangle with color. The paint will resist areas with white pastels.

5. Pen and ink technique

This is another favorite technique of mine. Using a fine-tip ink pen, draw or sketch.

Then fill in the color as in the coloring book. Remember to switch to a smaller round brush to paint in smaller areas.

6. Water drop technique

Color in the next rectangle. Then dip your brush in water (or use a new color) and let the paint drip onto the background while it's wet. You can shake the brush slightly to help it drip.

7. Splash technique

The method is interesting, but it makes a mess. I recommend covering any areas of the paper that you don't want to splatter. Dip the brush into the paint and then hold it over the paper. With your other hand, tap the brush to create a splatter on the paper. Rinse the brush, choose a different color.

8. Transparency technique

Because watercolor has a transparent texture, you can create beautiful layers and thicken them in your work. To try out the transparency technique, it's best to start with a light shade and move on to a more saturated one. I decided to draw a few drops. Cover the area with shapes, using a lighter color first. Wait until dry, then choose a darker or richer color and paint more shapes, overlapping the first layer. You can repeat this process as much as you like.

I hope this post inspires you to try a new technique or two. Don't be afraid to just do it and have fun!

Stay tuned for more watercolor tutorials to get inspired!

There are a lot of techniques for painting with watercolors. In order to create unusual effects, artists use the unique properties of paint, and sometimes use additional tricks and techniques. Watercolor techniques are generally simple to perform, even beginners can do them, but the resulting effect is extremely interesting.

Watercolor on dry: glaze with watercolor

Glazing is a painting technique that involves sequentially applying transparent layers of paint. Each subsequent layer makes the image brighter, clearer and more saturated. This gradual addition of color allows for deeper and more interesting tones through layering of colors. It is very important to ensure that the layers do not mix further. wet surface.
Since proper execution of this technique requires complete drying of the paint on the previous layer, glazing is perfect for painting small details and working out contours. Only when painting with watercolors on dry, the strokes will not blur and remain clear.
Glazing is often used to create simple, small-format works that are not overloaded with details and nuances, as well as for drawings with graphic elements.

Often many book illustrations made using watercolor glazing. Landscapes made using the layering technique look especially advantageous. That is why glazing is a universal technique in plein airs. With a few easy strokes you can use it to draw a very realistic sky, mountains, forest or earth. Individual objects also look interesting and believable. To depict them, layer-by-layer registration is also used, followed by elaboration of small details and the background. Due to the fact that the first layers are very transparent and are more likely to be considered a tinting than a full-fledged paint layer, it is quite easy to hide errors if they arise.

Watercolor on wet

Paintings done in watercolor on wet look unique. With this technique you can achieve amazing effects. Working with watercolors on wet paper, you can either create an independent painting or prepare a background for further glazing. You can often find a combination of these two techniques.

For example, the technique of working with watercolors on wet paper is often used to depict the sky. The paint, diluted with water, spreads well on wet grainy paper and forms abstract figures that resemble clouds in their outlines. With certain skills, you can also recreate a neat and uniform gradient to convey a sunset or dawn sky. You can also find this technique - a few drops of clean water are added to a still wet layer of paint, which blurs the watercolor, exposing the light surface of the sheet. For a more pronounced effect, you can use a hairdryer. A powerful air flow will accelerate the paint and help create the illusion of cirrus clouds. It is important to ensure that the hairdryer does not dry out the paper, otherwise you will not be able to achieve the desired effect when drawing further.

To maintain the desired level of paper moisture, some artists place a wet fluffy towel under the sheet or periodically spray the work surface with a fine spray bottle.

A la prima (ala prima)

The a la prima technique involves painting with watercolors on a wet surface. Such works are written quickly, in one go. The paint, which is only partially subordinated to the artist’s hand, flows freely on the wet surface of the sheet, forming bizarre, unpredictable patterns, mixing with other tones, giving birth to new shades.

The work done using the ala prima technique looks very lively, expressive and expressive. And it is precisely under this beauty that all the complexity of execution is hidden. The artist will have to practice a lot before understanding the line when to stop adding new colors and water. With experience comes speed in your work, without which it is impossible to paint watercolor paintings on wet.

Watercolor and salt

An interesting result is obtained by combining watercolor painting on wet paper with the use of coarse salt. This technique comes from batik, that is, painting on fabric. To create chaotic patterns and stars, large salt crystals are scattered on silk, cotton or wool or urea is applied. When in contact with a damp sheet and watercolor, salt can also create the illusion of a starry sky, sparkles, snow or abstract inclusions.

Depending on what effect needs to be achieved, watercolor and salt are used several times. different ways. For example, salt is applied to wet watercolor over the entire area of the sheet or on separate areas. You need to carefully monitor how wet the sheet is, since on paper that is shiny from water, the effect will be weakly expressed or not appear at all.

The crystals must be left on the paper until the work is completely dry, since their premature removal will damage the drawing and disrupt the resulting patterns. Only after the watercolor has thoroughly dried can the salt be shaken off. The grains that have dried to the paper are removed with a large soft brush.

A similar effect can be achieved using alcohol. The principle of operation is similar to the “salt” technique - drops of alcohol are applied to damp paper covered with a thick layer of watercolor using a cotton swab or brush, which seems to dissolve the paint, creating unusual patterns and textures.

Wax and watercolor

Wax, like salt, is also used in batik. Due to its dense texture, it protects the surface from dye getting on it. IN watercolor painting Using wax you can achieve unique effects. The interesting thing is that wax strokes look different on paper with different textures. The higher the grain size, the more interesting the resulting pattern will be.

Often the wax technique is used to depict reflections on the surface of the water, sea foam and ripples on the surface of the water.
The technology for working with wax and watercolor is extremely simple:
You will need to take a small piece of white candle and a sheet of grainy paper.
The desired areas of the painting are rubbed with wax. You can first experiment with the pressure applied and the thickness of the lines in order to understand what effect you will ultimately get.
Watercolor can be applied to waxed paper. To achieve a more impressive work, you can add different colors and shades.
Excess wax must be removed from a dried painting using a metal ruler or a dull knife. So, with the help of wax and watercolors you can achieve interesting effects.

Watercolor masking fluid and ink

Another interesting technique, it is also called “reserve”. With it you can create amazing paintings, which will look like stained glass patterns. To create such an effect, you will need additional materials; watercolor alone is not enough.

The progress of the work is straightforward. First you need to create the outline of the drawing. To draw it you need to purchase masking fluid. The bottle containing the masking composition usually has a special design with a thin tip. Or you can purchase a wide-neck bottle of watercolor masking fluid, which requires the use of a thin brush. With the help of masquerade you can work out the smallest details. After registering the outline, you need to let the work dry, and only then apply watercolor.
Masking fluid is easily removed from a dried watercolor painting, leaving unpainted white areas that can serve as highlights or outlines. This is the “reserve” technique.

In addition, watercolor can be combined with ink. After the watercolor has dried, you can start working with ink, which is also applied only to dry paper, otherwise it will mix with the watercolor and ruin the illustration. It is important to choose the right working tool. This can be a pen or a synthetic brush. The choice will depend on how thin the lines are needed to draw the outline. Using ink you can create interesting, graphic illustrations.

Drawing on a crumpled sheet

The techniques described above require the ability to work with paint and water. To create paintings with the effect of cracks and aging, you will also need to prepare paper. Watercolor brightly colors chaotic creases and folds, which looks very unusual from a decorative point of view.

How to do crumpled paper for drawing?

To work with this technique, it is necessary to prepare the work surface in advance. Of course, the paper is easy to crumple, however, it is necessary to follow the technology and take into account all the details. First of all, you need to select suitable paper. Sheets with a density of about 100 grams per meter are best suited. You will also need PVA glue and a sheet of thick cardboard.

First you need to crumple a sheet of paper. There is no need to soften it by friction - just squeeze it tightly in your palms once;
The resulting lump must be straightened out and tried to be smoothed out. Do not rub the sheet too hard with your palms, as this will disrupt the texture of the paper and the paint will adhere less well to such a surface. It is enough just to make sure that folds and cracks appear evenly along the entire perimeter of the sheet. In the case where there are flat areas left, you need to crumple the paper again;
The sheet is ready for tinting. To give the paper the desired shade, just paint the surface with a wide flat brush. For example, you can create an antique effect using brown, yellow and beige tones. Watercolor will highlight all the creases and cracks;
Tinted paper must be dried. The sheet may warp and bend, but you should not pay attention to this;
From thick cardboard you need to cut a sheet that will be smaller than the tinted one. The difference in scale should be sufficient to allow the edges of the crumpled sheet to be folded;
The cardboard must be evenly coated with a thin layer of PVA glue;
The crumpled sheet is glued with its clean side to the cardboard. You need to press the paper well against the cardboard base. When the glue has thoroughly soaked and moistened the crumpled paper, you can carefully straighten it onto the cardboard frame. You need to act carefully, as an already damaged sheet can be easily torn. After the tinted paper has been straightened, you need to press it firmly against the improvised stretcher again;
The protruding edges of the paper and the back side of the cardboard also need to be greased with PVA and glued together. Particular attention should be paid to the corners, additionally coating them before gluing. The finished structure must be placed under a press until it dries completely, after which you can begin to work.

Scratches

Paper can not only be wrinkled, but also scratched. This technique also allows you to achieve an unusual decorative effect. Using fine scratches, you can depict grass, hairs or fur as realistically as possible. It is difficult even with the finest brush to create an illustration so believable and graceful. Watercolor flows into damaged areas of paper, highlighting and making them brighter compared to a plain background.

How to make a drawing with scratches?
To create an illustration with scratches, you need to prepare a sheet of thick paper and a breadboard or stationery knife. You can also use a sharp awl;
You can make sketches on paper with a pencil, but in some cases it is better to immediately work with a sharp tool, creating scratches;
After processing with a knife, you need to fill the surface of the paper with diluted watercolors. The paint will instantly flow into the scratches and highlight them. After drying, scratches may become even brighter;
After tinting, you need to wait until the work dries, after which you can start working on the details with a brush.

So we discussed the basic techniques of watercolor. We hope that the material was useful to you. We remind you that if you want to learn how to draw, then. We will be glad to see you and see you soon 😉

With watercolors you can paint anything - from a realistic portrait to imaginary alien worlds. Many people think watercolor is a complex artistic tool. But all you really need to learn how to paint with watercolors is to just start. We have selected 11 tips for you, thanks to which you will become 11 steps closer to understanding the art of watercolor drawing.

1. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

If you've never drawn before, it's time to get started. Open the album, create interesting textures and stains with watercolors so as not to freeze in front of a white sheet of paper. Start from them in search of a plot. Color pages can be bright and exciting or create a calm, melancholic mood. Color or texture may suggest the next step - or maybe you're itching to paint without it.

Illustration from the book “The World of Watercolors”.

2. Find your watercolor paper

The result of the work largely depends on the quality of the watercolor paper. Go to a bookstore and select 5-10 different sheets of watercolor paper to try out. Be sure to make notes on each sheet (type, weight of paper and results of working with it). A suitable paper weight for beginners is 300 g/m2, some professionals prefer 600 g/m2. There are other types of watercolor paper, such as NOT paper and rough texture paper, or cold pressed paper.

@miftvorchestvo

3. Use professional paints

Even novice artists should purchase professional watercolor paints. Unlike cheap analogues, artistic paints lay beautifully and spread on paper.

“I prefer tubes rather than pans: firstly, you don’t have to wait for the paint to soften and become workable, and secondly, it’s easier to create rich, dark mixtures with tube paint.”Billy Showell

It is true that artist paints are more expensive, but they will also last longer. They dilute better and therefore are not used up so quickly.

Advice. Try new colors and others art materials as often as possible. Experiment. Don't become a hostage to one habit

4. Observe and consider before you take up the brush

Before drawing, study the structure of the object. Look at it as if you were seeing it for the first time, look carefully, take notes, sketches, get familiar with textures and details that you have never paid attention to. For example, observe the spiral arrangement of the leaves or the whorls along the veins of the stem.

You get double benefits from drawing plants - first you meditate while looking at it, and then you get real pleasure from drawing. Isn't it wonderful? @miftvorchestvo

Try to mentally break down what you see into its components. Select the main shapes. See how they overlap each other. Imagine the landscape as a stage set. Pay attention to what is closest and what is further away.

5. Learn to mix paints

Try mixing colors to get an idea of what shades you can achieve with your paint set. Mix two colors first, then add a third to them. Experiment!

You will love creating such beautiful colors and variations of shades and tones, the number of them is almost inexhaustible.

Focus on yourself. You can do or very realistic drawings or very non-trivial. Your task is to collect paints whose properties you will know, which will allow you to create the desired shades with a guaranteed good result.

By mixing pure pigments, you can create cool, warm or grayish variations of the same color. Illustration from the book “Song of Colors”

6. Start with sparing expression

If you make pencil sketches or sketches, you can diversify your watercolor drawings by adding accents. You don't have to color the entire page; sometimes a few well-placed brush strokes create the most powerful effect.

Careless dotted watercolor strokes in sketches are the signature style of Felix Scheinberger. Illustration from the book “Watercolor Sketching”

7. Use liquid primer for watercolors

Liquid primer for watercolors is applied to the paper before starting work and allows you to easily remove dried paint if necessary. This is especially important when working with intense or persistent pigments: you don’t have to worry about “staining” the paper in the area of highlights. Before using it, practice in a sketchbook, as the surface for drawing will be quite slippery.

To remove paint from those areas where it was not needed (you accidentally went beyond the edges or you need to create highlights), simply wash off the paint with a clean, dampened brush or sponge.

8. Learn the art of glazing

Artists call glazing a technique for obtaining deep iridescent colors by applying translucent paints on top of the main one. The glaze technique is a great way to convey the finest color scheme. The paints are applied very delicately, layer by layer, and after drying the details of the last layer are worked out.

Illustration from the book “Song of Colors”

9. Dry brush technique

This technique can be used to draw animal fur or small hairs on fruits such as kiwi.

Apply paint to the brush and remove excess with a napkin. Straighten the brush hairs. Apply paint to a dry surface previously painted in the background color. Work in small strokes in one direction, imitating hairs on the surface.

Kiwi using dry brush technique. Illustration from the book

Preview:

Learning watercolor painting techniques

in art classes

Performed:

Gileva Olga Lazarevna

Novokuznetsk, 2013

Introduction........................................................ ........................................................ ......3

1.1.Features of watercolor painting.................................................... .......5

1.2. History of watercolor technique……………………………………7

1.3. Classification of watercolor techniques.................................................... .....9

2.1. Studying watercolor techniques at school………………………………...22

2.2. Development of a lesson on the topic: “Watercolor painting. Warm and cold colors"................................................... ........................................................ ...27

Conclusion................................................. ...................................................33

Bibliography................................................ ....................................35

Application................................................. ...................................................36

Introduction

In the fine arts there is a huge variety of materials. Some of them are used quite rarely, others, on the contrary, are known to everyone. Watercolor is one of these widely known materials.

Watercolors are paints for which water is used as a solvent. They are environmentally friendly, do not require complex equipment, and are easy to use. Therefore, watercolor paints are used for both children's and professional creativity.

Watercolor is usually done on paper, so it is often referred to as graphic techniques. At the same time, in terms of its pictorial capabilities, it is difficult not to classify it as painting. The uniqueness of watercolor lies in its intermediate position between two extremely interesting types of fine art.

The most important feature of watercolor is its transparency. This property of the material allows us to convey the depth of space of the light-air environment, the variability and mobility of the surrounding world, and the variety of color and tonal relationships.

At the same time, watercolor is a portable and fairly affordable material. It is convenient to use both when working outdoors and in a workshop.

Watercolor has wide technical capabilities. Watercolor works can be built on the finest color transitions of a transparent paint layer or deep rich color spots.

It can use a stain that is evenly colored or has unique streaks, different shapes colorful strokes and lines.

Watercolor has one more feature. She doesn't like corrections. And this requires the performer to master not only the technical techniques of watercolor painting, but also the ability to draw confidently. That is why watercolor should be considered one of the most complex painting techniques. Of course, the process of mastering the techniques of writing in watercolor requires serious and purposeful work.

The question arises about the advisability of studying watercolor painting at the initial stage of learning fine arts. Answering this question, you can give a lot of arguments both for and against the use of this material for teaching children the fine arts.

Object of study: the process of teaching painting in fine arts lessons.

Subject of research: watercolor painting techniques in art lessons.

Graduation goal qualifying work– determine the need to study watercolor painting techniques in art classes.

To achieve this goal, the following tasks should be solved:

Highlight the features of watercolor painting;
Consider the types of watercolor techniques;
Identify the features of studying watercolor techniques in art lessons;
Develop a lesson on the topic: “Watercolor painting”

Research methods:

Analysis of psychological, pedagogical and special literature on the topic of final qualifying work.

Chapter 1. Theoretical foundations of watercolor painting techniques

1.1. Features of watercolor painting

Watercolor paints were known back in ancient Egypt, in ancient China and the countries of the ancient world. For a long time writing was considered by them to be only one of the components graphic drawing. Watercolor painting in its modern representation arose relatively recently: in late XVIII – early XIX centuries Then it gained independence and became one of the most complex painting techniques.

Watercolor ( fr.Aquarelle - watery;Italian acquarello) - picturesquea technique that uses special watercolor paints that, when dissolved in water, form a transparent suspension of fine pigment, and thereby allow creating the effect of lightness, airiness and subtle color transitions. Watercolor combines the features of painting (richness of tone, construction of shape and space with color) andgraphics(active role paperin the construction of the image, the absence of specific relief of the brushstroke, characteristic of a pictorial surface).

basisfor watercolor is, as a rule,paper, which is often pre-moistened with water to achieve a special blurred stroke shape. For this purpose, special frameworks can serve -erasers- on which the sheet is stretched. Thus, while writing, the paper can be wetted from below, or the paper can be placed on a wetflannel. A simpler method is also possible: a pre-moistened sheet of watercolor paper that absorbs moisture quite well is placed onglass, in this case, depending on how long a particular section of the pattern is worked out, the angle of inclination of the glass is chosen, but most often the glass lies horizontally. In accordance with your own mannerisms, you can allow the water on a sheet of paper to appear in the form of a puddle or to be deeply absorbed and create only a separate wet area. In such cases, the paint plays differently, creating the desired effect. In fact, this is precisely the most common modern understanding of watercolor technique. In addition, watercolors can be used to work with fills and dot-and-hatch techniques. It is for such techniques that stretching a sheet of paper onto a tablet, as well as so-called watercolor blocks, is used.

Binder for watercolor paints Transparent vegetable glues that are easily soluble in water are used -gum arabic And dextrin. As plasticizerthey contain glycerin and invert sugar, which retain moisture. Without this, paints would easily dry out and become brittle. Another additive to watercolor paints that servessurfactant- ox bile. It prevents paint from rolling into drops, making painting easier. To protect againstmoldantiseptic is administered -phenol.

According to experts of the 19th century, “for watercolor painting either Bristol cardboard orWhatman paperpaper, or torchon,brushessquirrel, mustelids, badger or ferrets. Monochromatic drawings are made either according to Hubert’s method, usingsepia, or neutral tint. For color watercolors, the most commonly used paints are:gamboge, Indian yellow, yellowocher, terre de Siennanatural, same burnt,cinnabar, carminegarance, lacquer garance, burnt carmine, red ocher, Venetian red, Indian red,cobalt, ultramarine, Prussian blue,indigo, neutral tint and sepia"

Working with watercolors outdoors, from nature, requires speed and well-developed technique. At the same time, you should have a vessel with clean water and a sponge at hand, which, as a rule, participates in the process along with brushes. The quality of watercolor paper is very important for work, but the most expensive and best paper is not always available to beginning artists, and therefore it is quite possible to adapt to what you already have - so much so that even on the best, but unusual paper, the result may be weaker.

Modern artists quite successfully use watercolor pencils, as well as other materials that allow them to “finish” watercolors, for example: pastel,wax crayons, gel ink, etc.

1.2. History of watercolor technique

Watercolor technique began to develop inChinaafter the invention of paper2nd century ad. IN XII- XIII centuriespaper became widespread in Europe, primarily inSpain And Italy. The predecessor of watercolor technique in Europe was painting on wet plaster (fresco), which made it possible to obtain similar effects.

In Europe, watercolor painting came into use later than other types.painting. Of the foremost artistsRenaissanceleft a significant mark in watercolorsDurer, whose “Hare” became a textbook work, then watercolors paid tributeAnthony van Dyck, Claude Lorrain And Giovanni Castiglione. However, these examples remained isolated until the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, so even in1829Payot de Montaberin his “Complete Treatise on Painting” he mentions watercolor in passing as an art that does not deserve serious attention.

At the same time, the technique using weakened contours and shading with a brush was widely used, especially in the 18th century, by participants in scientific and military expeditions for sketching archaeological and geological objects, plants, animals, when coloring architectural and topographical plans: originally Chinese was usedmascara, then mascara with carmine lacquer,sepia, and then other water paints. In the middle of the 18th century, painting with water paints became a popular form of leisure for non-professionals: the spread of this entertainment was especially promoted by those published in the 1780s. and travel diaries celebrating the beauty of the English countrysideWilliam Gilpin, which he provided with his own illustrations. As a result, at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, efforts firstPaula Sandby, then Thomas Gurtinand finally, and above all,Joseph Turnerwatercolor turned into almost most important species English painting - inThe Society of Watercolor Painters was founded (EnglishSociety of Painters in Water Colors).

In addition, the popularity of watercolors increased due to the spread in the second half of the 18th century. fashion onportrait miniature, is a genre that numerous amateur artists have begun to master with success.

The innovations of Gurtin, who began to use watercolors for large-format paintings, and Turner, who significantly enriched the arsenal of technical techniques as a watercolorist, brought to life the further rise of English watercolors in the work of such artists as landscape paintersJohn Sell Cotman, Anthony Copley Fielding, Richard Parkes Bonington, David Cox, who wrote extensively about architectural structuresSamuel Prout, master of still lifesWilliam Henry Hunt, and Samuel Palmer, John Varley, John Frederick Lewis, Miles Burkett Foster, Frederick Walkerand other masters. The role of watercolor in English fine art was consolidated in the works ofJohn Ruskin, who announced Turner the greatest artist of its time.

In the mid-19th century, watercolor also gained wide popularity in the United States thanks to the works of artists such asWilliam Trost Richards, Thomas Moran, Thomas Eakins And Winslow Homer.

In France, the spread of watercolor painting was associated with namesFields Delaroche, Eugene Delacroix, Henri Joseph Arpinier, as well as masters of satirical drawingsHonore Daumier.

TO end of the 19th century century, there was some revision of the attitude towards watercolors, partly due to the fact that many new paints, introduced into widespread use by watercolorists of the mid-century, turned out to be very short-lived and quickly faded. Nevertheless, at the turn of the century, watercolors paid tributePaul Signac And Paul Cezanne in France, Maurice Prendergast And John Singer Sargent to the USA and then Wassily Kandinsky, Emil Nolde, Egon Schiele, Paul Klee And Raoul Dufy.

Watercolor painting in Russia reached an exceptional flowering in the last decades of the 19th and the first two decades of the 20th century. From our contemporaries, in Russia at the end of the 20th century - beginning of the XXI centuries The most notable phenomena in the art of watercolor were a series of works by Sergei Andriyaka and the masters of his school (School of watercolor by Sergei Andriyaka), who strive to revive the techniques, techniques, and genres of Russian classical multi-layer watercolor.

1.3. Classification of watercolor techniques

There are many different techniques for performing watercolor paintings. These methods can be identified and classified only conditionally, depending on certain factors (see Appendix 1).

Depending on the degree of moisture of the paper, one can distinguish such watercolor techniques as “working wet” (“English” watercolor) and “working dry” (“Italian” watercolor). Working on a piecemeal moistened leaf gives an interesting effect. In addition, you can also find combinations of these techniques.

The essence of the “wet work” technique is that the paint is applied to a sheet previously moistened with water. The degree of its humidity depends on the artist’s creative intent, but usually they begin to work after the water on the paper stops “glittering” in the light. With enough experience, you can control the moisture content of the sheet by hand. Depending on how full the hair tuft of the brush is with water, it is customary to conventionally distinguish between such methods of work as “wet-on-wet” and “dry-on-wet”.

Advantages of the wet technique: this method of working allows you to obtain light, transparent color shades with soft transitions.

This method is used especially successfully in landscape painting. The main difficulty lies in the main advantage - the fluidity of watercolor. When applying paint using this method, the artist often depends on the vagaries of strokes spreading on wet paper, which during the creative process can turn out far from what was originally intended. At the same time, it is almost impossible to correct only a single fragment without affecting the rest. In most cases, the rewritten section will be disharmonious with general structure the rest of the canvas. A certain amount of filth, dirt, etc. may appear. This way of working requires constant self-control and fluency with the brush. Only considerable practice allows the artist to somehow predict the behavior of paint on wet paper and provide a sufficient level of control over its flow. The painter must have a clear idea of what he wants and how he should solve the problem.

The A la Prima technique is painting in the raw, painted quickly, in one session, which creates unique effects of stains, overflows and flows of paint.

When the paint hits the wet surface of the paper, it spreads over it in a unique way, making the painting light, airy, transparent, and breathable. It is no coincidence that work done using this technique can hardly be copied, since each stroke on a wet sheet is unique and inimitable. By combining various color combinations with a variety of tonal solutions, you can achieve amazing play and transitions between the finest shades. The a la prima method, since it does not involve multiple recordings, allows you to maintain maximum freshness and richness of colorful sounds.

Besides, additional benefit This technique will save some time. As a rule, the work is written “in one breath” while the sheet is wet (which is 1-3 hours), although, if necessary, you can additionally wet the paper during the creative process. This method is indispensable for quick sketches from life and sketches. It is also appropriate when performing landscape sketches, when unstable weather conditions require fast technology execution.

When writing, it is recommended to make mixtures of two, maximum three colors. Excess paint, as a rule, leads to cloudiness, loss of freshness, brightness, and color definition. You should not get carried away by the randomness of the spots; each stroke is designed to meet its purpose - strictly consistent with the shape and pattern.

The advantage and at the same time complexity of the A la Prima technique is that the image, which instantly appears on paper and fancifully blurs under the influence of the movement of water, cannot subsequently be subjected to any changes. Each detail begins and ends in one step, all colors are taken at once in full force. Therefore, this method requires extraordinary concentration, polished writing and an ideal sense of composition. Another inconvenience is the limited time frame for the execution of such watercolors, since there is no possibility of leisurely work with breaks between painting sessions. The image is written almost without stopping and, as a rule, “with one touch,” i.e. If possible, the brush touches a separate part of the paper only once or twice, without returning to it. This allows you to maintain absolute transparency, lightness of watercolor, and avoid dirt in your work.

Working “dry” means that paint is applied to a dry sheet of paper in one or two (single-layer watercolor) or several (glaze) layers, depending on the artist’s idea. This method allows for good control over the flow of paint, the tone and shape of the strokes.

One-layer dry-on watercolor. - the work is written in one layer on a dry sheet and, as a rule, in one or two touches. This helps keep the colors in the image pure. If necessary, you can “include” paint of a different shade or color in the applied, but not yet dry, layer.
The single-layer dry-on-dry method is more transparent and airy than glazing, but does not have the beauty of wet shimmer achieved by the A la Prima technique. However, unlike the latter, without any particular difficulties it allows you to make strokes of the desired shape and tone, and provide the necessary control over the paint.

To avoid the appearance of dirt, it is advisable to think through and prepare the colors used in the work in advance, at the very beginning of the painting session, in order to easily apply them to the sheet.

It is convenient to work in this technique by outlining the contours of the drawing in advance, since there is no possibility of making adjustments with additional layers of paint. This method is well suited for graphic images, as strokes on dry paper retain their clarity. In addition, such watercolors can be painted either in one session or in several (with fragmentary work) with breaks as needed.

Another way to perform a single-layer watercolor - wet-on-dry - is that each stroke is applied next to the previous one, capturing it while it is still wet. Thanks to this, a natural mixture of shades and a soft transition between them is formed. To enhance the color, you can use a brush to pour the necessary paint into the still wet stroke. You need to work quickly enough to cover the entire sheet before the previously applied strokes dry. This allows you to create beautiful picturesque tints, and the dry surface of the paper contributes to sufficient control over the fluidity and outlines of the strokes.

Multilayer watercolor (glaze). - glazing is a method of applying watercolor with transparent strokes (usually darker ones on top of lighter ones), one layer on top of the other, while the bottom one must be dry each time. Thus, the paint in different layers does not mix, but works through transmission, and the color of each fragment is made up of the colors in its layers. When working with this technique, you can see the boundaries of the strokes. But, since they are transparent, this does not spoil the painting, but gives it a unique texture. The strokes are done carefully so as not to damage or blur the already dried areas of the painting.

The main advantage of the multi-layer watercolor technique is the ability to create paintings in the style of realism, i.e. reproducing this or that fragment of the environment as accurately as possible. Such works have a certain similarity in appearance, for example, with oil painting, however, unlike it, they retain the transparency and sonority of colors, despite the presence of several layers of paint.

Bright, fresh glaze paints give watercolor works a special richness of color, lightness, tenderness and radiance of color.

Glazing is a technique of rich colors, deep shadows filled with colorful reflections, a technique of soft airy plans and endless distances. Where the task is to achieve color intensity, the multi-layer technique comes first.

Glazing is indispensable in shaded interiors and distant panoramic plans. The softness of the chiaroscuro of the interior in calm diffused light with many different reflections and the complexity of the overall pictorial state of the interior can only be conveyed by the glazing technique. In panoramic painting, where it is necessary to convey the most delicate air gradations long-term plans, you cannot use body techniques; here you can achieve the goal only with the help of glazing.

When writing using this technique, the artist is relatively independent in terms of chronological boundaries: there is no need to rush, there is time to think without haste. Work on a painting can be divided into several sessions, depending on the possibilities, necessity and, in fact, the desire of the author. This is especially important when working with large format images, when you can create different fragments of the future picture separately from each other and then finally combine them.

Due to the fact that glazing is carried out on dry paper, it is possible to achieve excellent control over the accuracy of the strokes, which allows you to fully realize your idea. By gradually applying one layer of watercolor after another, it is easier to select the required shade for each element in the drawing and obtain the desired color scheme.

The main criticism directed at this technique is that, in contrast to the single-layer style of painting, which preserves the transparency of the colors as much as possible, watercolor works made with glaze lose their airiness and resemble oil or gouache images. However, if the glaze is applied thinly and transparently, then the light falling on the picture will be able to reach the paper and be reflected from it.

It should be noted that the multi-layered nature of the writing often hides the texture of the paper and paints or the texture of the strokes of a semi-dry brush on a grainy sheet.

Like any watercolor painting, glazing requires very careful work - strokes must be placed carefully so as not to smear the lower, already dried, layers of paint. Because a mistake made cannot always be corrected later without consequences. If the paper and a fragment of the image allow, you can blur it with a hard column, previously soaked in clean water, bad place, then blot it with a napkin or cloth, and then, when everything is dry, carefully restore the color.

Also, works can be performed in a combined (mixed) watercolor technique, when both “wet” and “dry” techniques are harmoniously combined in one painting. For example, the first layer of paint is placed on wet paper to create the desired blur of the background (and/or individual fragments of the middle and foreground), and then, after the paper has dried, additional layers of paint are applied successively to draw detailed elements of the middle and foreground. If desired, other combinations of raw writing and glaze are used.

An interesting way of working on a fragmentarily moistened sheet is when the latter is not completely wetted, but only in some specific places. A long stroke, covering both dry and wet areas of the paper, will acquire unique shapes, connecting, with its overall continuity, clear contours in dry places with “spreading” ones in moist ones. The tonality of such a stroke will change accordingly in areas of the paper with different degrees of moisture.

Based on the color palette used by the artist, one can conditionally distinguish monochrome watercolor - grisaille, and multicolor - classic. In the latter there is no limit on the number of paints used and their shades, while in grisaille various tones of the same color are used, not counting the color of the paper. The most commonly used colors are sepia and, less commonly, black and ocher.

Sometimes in relation to watercolor works you can find such a term as “dichrome”. As a rule, it is used extremely rarely and refers to those images in the creation of which not one, but two colors were used.

According to the degree of humidity, you can divide not only the working surface, but also the hair tuft of the brush during a painting session. Of course, this division is more than arbitrary, since, depending on the wishes of the artist, the same brush can change the degree of moisture with each stroke. At the same time, we will highlight the work with a dry (wrung out) brush, semi-dry and wet, since the strokes in these cases differ from each other.

A smear with a wrung-out brush when writing “wet” provides less “fluidity” and allows you to better maintain control over the paint applied to the sheet. When writing “dry”, such a stroke can cover the paper only partially, “slipping” (this is especially true for embossed paper, medium-grain and torchon), which is of particular interest for specific creative solutions.

Writing with a semi-dry brush is universal and well suited for writing on paper of varying degrees of humidity. Of course, each case will have its own characteristics. With a wet brush, they usually paint “dry”, since dotted strokes on the wet surface of the sheet give a strong “spreading” and are difficult to control. At the same time, a wet brush is well suited for fills, stretches, washes and other techniques when you want to keep it in the brush as much as possible. maximum amount water. There are techniques when watercolor is mixed with other coloring materials, for example, with white (gouache), watercolor pencils, ink, pastels, etc. And, although the results are also very impressive, such techniques are not “pure”.

In the case of combining watercolors with pencils, the latter complement the translucency of the colors with their bright and clear shades. With pencils you can either emphasize some details of the pictorial image, making them clearer, sharper, or do all the work in mixed media, in which linear strokes, brush strokes and colorful stains are equally present.

Pastel does not combine with watercolor as well as pencil, but sometimes artists use it by applying pastel strokes over a finished watercolor wash.

Ink, both black and colored, can be used instead of watercolor. However, ink offers new possibilities and is commonly used in brush washes or pen drawings. The combination of black ink drawing and abstract watercolor spots, merging and crossing the boundaries of the objects drawn in ink, gives the work freshness and looks original.

The combination of watercolor and pen is very successful, for example, for book illustrations.

Typically, white (an opaque coloring material such as gouache) in mixed media is used to “simplify” the painting process. Sometimes “reserving” individual places in a picture presents a certain difficulty, especially when these places are small and there are many of them. Therefore, some artists paint without it, and then “whiten” the necessary areas with paint (for example, highlights on objects, snow, tree trunks, etc.).

When creating one work, it is possible to combine various materials, for example, in addition to watercolors, whitewash, ink and pastel are used in the painting process, depending on the artist’s creative intent. In watercolors, we can roughly distinguish such painting techniques as: brushstrokes, filling, washing, stretching, reserves, “pulling” paint, etc.

Strokes are perhaps one of the most common methods of writing in painting, by the nature of which it is easy to distinguish a dynamic drawing from a boring work. A brush filled with paint, in contact with the surface of the sheet, performs one or another movement, after which it comes off the paper, thereby completing the stroke. It can be dotted, linear, figured, clear, blurry, solid, intermittent, etc.

Filling is a technique performed in cases where it is necessary to cover a significant area of the drawing with one color or make smooth transitions between different colors. It is performed on paper tilted at an angle, usually with long horizontal strokes with a large brush, so that each subsequent stroke flows down and “captures” part of the previous one, thereby organically merging with it into one texture. If, after completing the filling, there is excess color pigment left, you can carefully remove it with a wrung-out brush or napkin.

Washing is a watercolor painting technique in which paint that is heavily diluted with water is used; they begin to paint transparent layers with it, repeatedly passing through those places that should be darker. The overall tone of each area of the image is ultimately achieved by repeated application of these layers, with each of them applied only after the previous one has completely dried, so that the paints do not mix with each other. It is not recommended to apply more than three layers of paint to prevent dirt from appearing. Therefore, most often, the second registration enhances the colors of the midtones, and the third one saturates the color of the shadows and introduces details. Essentially, washing is the repeated pouring of one tone onto another with a solution of the same concentration. Most often, this technique is used by architects and designers, since a regular drawing does not give the viewer a clear idea of the shape and color of the building. In addition, when working with color, the architect finds the best combination of materials for the perception of the plan, clarifies the tonal relationships, and achieves an expressive silhouette and volumetric solution for the project.

Gradient stretching is a series of successive strokes smoothly transitioning into each other, in which each subsequent one is lighter in tone than the previous one. In addition, a smooth transition from one color to another is sometimes also called.

Often in watercolors a method called “pulling” paint is used. A clean, wrung out brush is carefully applied to the still damp painting layer, the hair of which absorbs some of the pigment from the paper, making the tone of the stroke lighter in the right place. The paint is drawn out best when writing “wet”, since the surface is still wet and the pigment does not hold well. If the smear is already dry, you can carefully moisten it with a clean, wet brush, and then “pull out” the paint to the desired tone. However, this method is less effective on dry paper.

The reserve is the part of the sheet that remains white during the painting process. A true watercolorist follows the rules of purity of this technique, refusing white. Therefore, the artist’s skill level, among other things, is determined by the ability to perform the reservation technique in a high-quality manner. There are several main methods.

“Bypass” is the most complex and “cleanest” method of reservation. With this type of writing, the artist leaves the necessary parts of the picture unpainted, carefully “bypassing” them with a brush. The method is performed both “dry” and “wet”. In the latter case, you need to keep in mind that paint applied to wet paper spreads, so the reservation should be done with some “reserve”.

A method often used is mechanical action on a dried layer of paint. In the right places, it is scratched with a sharp object (for example, a razor) to the white surface of the sheet. However, this technique requires a certain skill and disrupts the texture of the paper, which can ultimately lead to negative consequences.

It is also possible to use various so-called “masking agents”, which can be used at almost any stage of the development of the painting, preventing paint from getting into areas covered by them.

Using these solutions, you can keep bright light accents, highlights, splashes white, and achieve a variety of effects using the overlay method, when masking is applied after the first wash of color is applied, and a second, darker shade is applied on top.

However, with such a reservation, sharp and contrasting boundaries are obtained between the paint layer and the protected area. It is not always possible to soften such transitions successfully, so it is better not to overuse masking agents, using them only to create interesting and beautiful effects.

You can also create a preliminary drawing with wax crayons in the right places without covering large surfaces. Then moisten the entire work with water and paint over the still wet sheet. Places originally painted with wax crayons will remain unaffected by watercolors, because... wax repels water.

Another way is to wash out the paint with a damp or wrung-out brush. It is best done on a wet layer. However, it is no longer possible to achieve the original whiteness of the paper, since part of the pigment still remains in the texture of the sheet. Instead of a brush, you can use a dry napkin, carefully applying it to specified places in the picture (for example, thus “creating” clouds in the sky), etc.

Sometimes there is such a technique as removing part of the half-dried paint with a palette knife. However, it requires a certain skill and is used only in some particular solutions (for example, it can emphasize the outlines of mountains, stones, cliffs, sea waves, you can depict trees, grass, etc.).

Sometimes some special effects are used when creating watercolor works. For example, salt crystals applied on top of a wet paint layer absorb part of the pigment, resulting in unique stains and moving tonal transitions on the paper. Using salt, you can create a moving air environment in a painting, decorate a meadow with flowers, and the sky with stars.

Of particular interest is watercolor made on pre-crumpled paper, due to which the paint accumulates in a special way in places where the sheet is folded, creating additional volume.

Tinting a sheet with black tea can contribute to the visual “aging” of the paper.

In some cases, it pays to apply pigment to the sheet by spraying (for example, with a finger from a toothbrush), because Reproducing many tiny dots with a regular brush is quite difficult and time-consuming. But at the same time, you need to keep in mind that particles of the paint solution from the hard hair of the brush “scatter” almost uncontrollably, so this technique requires a certain skill.

An interesting effect is produced by ordinary cling film, tightly applied to the still wet paint and then carefully removed from the sheet.

In addition to the main ones outlined, there are many other private techniques and ways of working with watercolors.

Thus, we can conclude that watercolor has wide technical capabilities. There are many different techniques for performing watercolor paintings. These methods can be identified and classified only conditionally, depending on certain factors. Each technique has a number of advantages and at the same time difficulties in execution.

Chapter 2. Watercolor painting techniques in fine arts lessons in secondary schools

2.1. Learning watercolor techniques at school

On lessons Visual arts many teachers prefer to use gouache rather than watercolor in the educational process. Although there are also teachers who are big fans of watercolors and supporters of it wide application in the educational process.

The most important argument for using watercolors is that watercolor is a more complex material, and, therefore, thereby accustoms children to serious, thoughtful activity in the field of creativity. Watercolor helps develop the skill of careful work, develops the ability to see the subtlest color transitions, and teaches non-standard perception of the image of the surrounding reality, as well as its transmission.

In addition, in general, watercolor painting forms the grace of the perception of the world and the subtle spiritual organization of the personality of the young artist.

Before you start working with watercolor paints, you need to be properly prepared - at least minimally equipped workplace and buy the necessary supplies.

Workplace.

The ideal room for working with watercolor paints - as with most other materials - would be a bright room with good natural light during the day and competent, uniform artificial light in the evening. Curtains and blinds will help regulate the flow of daylight, and good lamps, including table lamps, will provide good illumination in the evening.

It is best to work with watercolors on an easel or on a table that has a slope. On a flat surface, paint and water will accumulate in one place of the drawing, forming puddles. The table for working with watercolors should be large enough - on it we have to put not only a sheet of paper, but also all the tools that we may need in our work. This is a jar of water, paints, brushes, etc.

Water.

To work with watercolors, the most common tap water is suitable. It should be poured into a jar - of course, for children you should not take glass jars, it is better to take a jar of green peas, coffee, olives, etc. The volume of the jar should be sufficient - about 250 ml. It is recommended that parents buy non-spill jars. Practice shows that they are inconvenient to use: the volume of the jars is small, so the water quickly becomes dirty, it has to be changed more often - and it is difficult for a child to open the jar without spilling water.

Paints.

Watercolor paints are prepared from colored pigments of plant and animal origin, or artificial, and a binder, which consists of water with the addition of glycerin, honey and preservatives.

There are several types of watercolor paints:

Solid. Placed in plastic or porcelain containers. The paint is heavily pressed, so it is not easy to saturate the brush with it.

Semi-soft. Available in the form of bars with a high content of glycerin and honey, which makes them softer. These paints dissolve well in water and are widely used by professional artists.

Soft. They come in tin tubes in the form of a paste.

Liquid. Most often used in book graphics. They have fairly rich colors and are sold in glass bottles.

During lessons it is recommended to use only semi-soft paints. Please note that there is no white in the paint box. In watercolor painting, light colors are achieved by adding water; White just gives it a dirty tint.

Tassels.

There are many brushes for watercolor painting. The quality of the brush is determined by the hair. Brushes are:

Core

From squirrel hair

From mongoose hair

Ferrets

From doe hair

Synthetic.

Kolinsky brushes are considered professional, but for schoolchildren it is recommended to buy brushes made from squirrel hair. They are ideal for working with watercolor paints. It is not difficult to check the quality of such a brush: you should wet the brush with water - it should “go within a hair’s breadth”, that is, maintain a sharp tip.

Pony brushes are not suitable for watercolor painting - they do not have the sharp tip required for working with watercolors.

Size watercolor brush denoted by the number 00, 0, 1, 2, etc. The lower the number, the thinner the brush. In art lessons, you can limit yourself to brushes No. 5 and No. 6.

Paper.

When practicing watercolors, the quality of the paper is crucial. Under no circumstances should you paint with watercolors on thin paper - writing paper, office paper, etc. Such paper warps even from a small amount of water and is completely unsuitable for watercolors. The paper should be thick enough.

Smooth paper (for example, Whatman paper) is produced by hot pressing, which gives it a special gloss. It is quite suitable for practicing watercolors, but is intended mainly for professionals working with aniline dyes and an airbrush. You can use it to perform special fine pattern, however, this requires a lot of experience. If there is too much water, the contours are blurred and the pattern is lost; if, on the contrary, there is not enough water, the watercolor dries too quickly, which leads to the appearance of so-called color breaks.

To work with watercolors, it is better to choose thick, grainy paper. This is sold in stationery stores - “Folder for watercolors”, A3 sheets. This paper, rough to the touch, does not absorb paint too quickly and does not dull its color.

It can be noted that professional artists most often choose coarse grain paper. It is usually very expensive as it is made by hand.

There are many techniques for watercolor painting.

One of the first techniques that schoolchildren can master is the “raw technique,” for example, when writing a drawing based on patterns on glass. Painting a picture can be done in the form of an “artistic dictation”: the child must wet the entire sheet of paper with water and draw under dictation. We paint a frosty morning, nature wakes up, so our colors whisper. Woke up first purple paint, she woke up the blue one. (The sheet should be moist enough so that the colors flow into one another and do not remain in clear stripes). But together they got bored, and they woke up the emerald and green ones (remember that colors whisper). Our frosty window is ready. Then you will need to let the sheet dry so that the design does not spread. At the second stage of the lesson, the novice artist can be asked to become Frost and draw a flying fairytale bird on the window. Easily, without pressing hard on the brush, we first outline the bird’s head, neck, and the movement of its beautiful wings. You can paint with fills, but unlike the background, you need to use less water and more paint. Don't forget to write the tail, the movement of large feathers. Then we add details - carefully draw the beak, eyes, small feathers. You can complement the work with other patterns, write frosty flowers, twigs, snowflakes.

The technique of painting with a brushstroke can be studied using a still life as an example. To get a feel for the specifics of working with watercolors, you can first paint a still life in one-color painting (grisaille). It can be made black or dark brown paint. Grisaille will help you master the technique of painting with strokes, without being distracted by color selection, and will allow you to find out how the paints will behave as they dry. Typically, when watercolor dries, it becomes lighter by about one-third of its original (wet) tone. Need to do following conditions when painting a still life using this technique:

1. The stroke should not be dry - there should be no stripes of unpainted paper in it as the brush moves. But if there is too much water on the brush, the paint flows down the paper in rivulets. The paint should apply transparently even in the darkest places, the paper should shine through the paint.

2. Until the smear has dried, you should not place the smears next to it - the smears should not merge in their raw form.

3. The smear cannot be repainted after it has been placed. You need to try to immediately hit the right tone. If a stroke is incorrect, it should not be corrected, but compensated for in the course of further work at the expense of neighboring strokes. You need to try to find as many color shades as possible - let there be no two identical strokes.

4. The first stroke should be placed in the darkest place - this will immediately set the tonal range of the still life.

5. At the beginning of work, you should not put more than two strokes on one object. Moreover, if one stroke is placed on the illuminated part of an object, the other stroke should be placed in the shadow of this object

6. First you should work in the middle of the picture, where the largest number of tonal relationships are adjacent, gradually coming to the edges of the image. When the first pass is made, in which not a single stroke is placed close to another, then we return again to the middle of the sheet. Now we place the strokes of the second pass close to the dried strokes of the first. With each pass of white paper, there is less and less space between strokes until the entire space of the drawing is covered with strokes of paint. Leave the highlights on glossy surfaces white.

7. The stroke can be placed on the form in the same way as the stroke. At the boundaries of the form, it is better to place the stroke along the line - this will help preserve the design.

8. Light objects can easily be made too dark. They should be written when their surroundings are written - this makes it easier to strike the right tone.

In grades 5-6, you can study the glazing technique; the development of the lesson will be presented in the next section.

. Lesson development

Watercolor painting is a technology for creating artwork using water paints. familiar to most of us from childhood, when we used dry paints in ditches. However, such paints do not give the rich effect that the works of experienced watercolorists demonstrate.

Watercolor paint consists of a binder, a filler and the pigment itself. The binder most often used is glue of plant origin: gum arabic, dextrin, tragacanth, fruit glue, molasses or glycerin. When applied to paper, the water evaporates and the binder locks the pigment and media in place. Watercolor paint is available in semi-dry cuvettes and in tubes. To work with watercolor paints, artists use round brushes for basic work and flat brushes for other manipulations, such as adjustments or washes. A watercolorist needs a palette - plastic, white. Palettes with recesses can be used as ditches: paint from the tubes is squeezed into the recesses and allowed to dry. Some artists use paint in its “raw” form; in their opinion, the colors in the painting will be fresher. The choice of paper is important. The watercolor sheet should have a well-defined texture and not spread (swell) after wetting with water.

Watercolorists use various methods of applying paint to paper. The most common method is called “raw”. Initially, the paper is moistened with water and then a layer of paint is applied. Thus, the applied paint begins to spread across the sheet, blooming in unexpected patterns, merging with other paints and forming new shades. The “raw” method is quite complicated and requires skill, but it gives an amazing result. Watercolor painting also uses the glazing method, where the artist applies layers of paint one after another onto a dry sheet. Glazing allows you to achieve special precision of parts. If you want to add some accents to your wet-on-wet watercolor work, the artist can apply further layers of paint after the sheet has dried.

If you want to learn the technique of watercolor painting, let’s say “for yourself,” you should choose high-quality paints for your classes. Most often, cheap watercolor paints do not provide sufficient color saturation and the desired texture, which can disappoint a novice artist. Not worth purchasing a large number of colors of watercolor paints, it is better to have a set of primary colors, since almost any shade can be created from mixing two or more other colors. For example, black is obtained by mixing red and green, and White color watercolorists do not use watercolors at all (after all White paper shines through the paint layer, and the artist simply paints over those areas on the sheet that should remain white - this technique is called “reservation”).

When talking about watercolor painting, we most often remember the most delicate floral still lifes, permeated with light and reflections. But look how versatile the use of watercolor painting is in various genres! Beautiful miniatures and sketches, portraits, landscapes, unexpected avant-garde images.

Valeria Ann Chua

Malgorzata Szczecinska

Elena Shved

Roland Palmaerts

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