Welcome to my watercolour painting tips page! You've stumbled upon my secret lair where I share my top-secret tips for mastering the art of watercolour. Just kidding, it's not a secret lair, but it is the perfect place for you to brush up on your painting skills (pun intended). As a professional watercolour artist, I'll be sharing all the juicy details on how to create stunning watercolour masterpieces. So whether you are a beginner or a seasoned watercolour artist, go and grab a cup of tea, your brushes and your paints, and let's create some magic together!
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Your personal art style refers to the unique and distinctive way in which you express yourself through your work. It is your artistic voice. It is the result of your personal preferences, experiences, influences, and creative decisions. A personal art style encompasses your individual techniques, subject matter choices, colour palette, compositional preferences, and overall visual language. It is unique to you and it's a reflection of your personality and creative identity.
Read MoreWhen working wet on wet, the fluidity of watercolour paint is one of its characteristics that makes it so appealing to use. Some artists say that a watercolour painting often paints itself. This is because of the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of working with watercolor. It captures the idea that watercolor, due to its unique properties, can sometimes lead to unexpected and beautiful results that may seem to emerge organically, almost as if guided by the medium itself.
Read MoreIf you are like me, you probably frequently struggle with perfecting your technique, and there are times when your paintings may fall short of your expectations. Instead of throwing in the towel, persevere and strive for improvement. Don't give up easily and continue to push through your problems.
Read MorePainting in watercolour is magical! I became captivated by it in 2011, and my excitement for it has not waned since then.
With its delicate washes, amazing luminosity, and unpredictable nature, once watercolour has you in its spell there is no turning back. Every brush stroke becomes an adventure as you watch the wet paint dance over the paper. There is no other medium like it.
Read MoreWhen you mix colours it’s a good idea to start with the lighter colour or the colour that has the lighter value.
For example, if you want to mix green, it’s best to start with yellow and mix blue into it gradually until you reach your desired colour, rather than the other way around where you start with blue and mix yellow into it. Blue has a darker value than yellow- it is more dominant than yellow.
Doing it this way will reduce paint wastage.
Read MoreGlazing is useful for creating depth, luminosity, and richness in a watercolor painting. By gradually layering colours, you can create subtle shifts in colour and tone, enhancing the overall vibrancy and complexity of your artwork.
You can also use watercolor glazing to increase color harmony through your painting.
Read MoreIt's called negative painting because it refers to the technique of painting or utilising the area of negative space around a subject. You are effectively, painting the negative spaces in order to leave the positive shapes.
Negative spaces on a painting are those empty areas that surround your subject. The positive spaces or positive shapes, are the subject itself.
Read MoreThe easiest way to tell whether a watercolour pigment is granulating is to look at a colour chart of the paints you use. The paint manufacturers indicate on their charts whether a pigment is granulating or not. You can buy the charts or you can go online and download them from the paint manufacturer's website.
Read MoreVisual texture in a watercolour painting refers to the illusion of different surface qualities that are created through the use of various brushstrokes, colours, and techniques. It adds depth, dimension, and interest to the artwork. Artists can use textured areas to create focal points and draw the eye to specific areas of the painting. Texture can be used to convey emotions and enhance the expressive qualities of a watercolour painting.
Read MoreCharging can be used to create interesting textures and visual effects in watercolour paintings. By manipulating the wet paint or water, you can create patterns, ripples, and organic shapes, adding depth and visual interest to your artwork.
When I paint initial washes on a subject I like to add interest by dropping in another unexpected colour as I did here on this Rooster painting.
Read MoreI find painting on watercolour blocks to be a frustrating process. Despite my best efforts, I often end up with puckered paper and the resulting hills and valleys make for an unpleasant painting experience. I paint with a lot of water though, so maybe if you paint with a drier painting process you might find them suitable to paint on.
Read MoreThis brush is perfect for creating highlights on a watercolour painting after the paint has dried.
It’s a flat, stubby brush with stiff bristles. It’s stiff enough to remove the dry paint but soft enough to not damage the paper.
Read MoreNot only is watercolour painting inherently transportable, but it allows for an easy clean up once you’re done with your artwork. All you have to do is wash off any excess paint from your brushes. They don’t need to be cleaned thoroughly after each painting session.
Read MoreThe wet on dry technique is a fundamental method in watercolour painting where wet paint is applied onto a dry paper surface. We use it to create precise lines, textures, and details, because it provides greater control over the paint and prevents bleeding or flowing over the paper surface.
Read MoreOne major difference between pan paints and tube paints is their form of packaging. Pan paints come pre-dried in a plastic or metal container where they can be easily stored, while tube paints are packaged in small containers with a twist-off cap that contains wet paint.
Read MoreKnowing these pigment codes can help you identify specific colours and their properties, including lightfastness, opacity, granulation and staining qualities. This information can be invaluable when selecting watercolour paints to create your artwork. It also enables you to mix colours accurately and hopefully achieve the desired results every time.
Read MoreThe two most popular types of paper for watercolour painting are cotton paper and rag paper. While the terms "rag" and "cotton" are often used interchangeably, there are slight differences between the two.
I’m going to get a bit technical here so bear with me.
Read MoreWorking wet on wet in watercolour seems to trouble a lot of beginners. Below are some common questions I am often asked:
-How do you determine how much water to have on your brush or paper?
-How much water is too much?
-When working wet on wet how can I control how far and how uniformly pigment flows away from my brush?
-I find wet on wet to be a challenge. I almost always end up with ugly blooms. How do you avoid them?
-My paper is drying too quickly - please help?
Alrighty, let’s see if I can help.
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