There are a few different watercolour techniques you can use on both a wet surface, and on a dry surface.
Get yourself a 100% cotton watercolour journal and spend some time practicing all of the blending techniques I have described below.
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Unlike the wet-on-dry method, glazing is a technique that allows you to adjust the colour and tone of an existing area without altering its underlying details.
Glazing adds richness and complexity to your watercolour painting by modifying the colour and creating subtle variations, making it a valuable technique for achieving depth and complexity in your artwork.
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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.
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When 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.
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If 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.
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Painting 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.
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When 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.
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Glazing 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.
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It'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.
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The 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.
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Visual 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.
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Charging 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.
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I 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.
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This 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.
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Not 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.
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The 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.
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One 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.
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Knowing 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.
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