WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Watercolour paintings and the artists enjoy several advantages by using the watercolours. These advantages lie in the colours’ quickness of its application and the transparent effects achievable. The brilliancy of watercolour gives to the paintings is also one of the major attractions to use. As the watercolours have certain advantages over other colours, the artists use the technique of watercolor painting to their advantage. They often depict much beauty and sense of the place than it would be nearly impossible otherwise.

Potsdam Alter Markt Stadtschloss 1840 -by Friedrich Wilhelm Klose

WATERCOLOR : GATEWAY OF THE ART OF PAINTING

The handling of watercolours is quite technical, too, as there are very few chances of correcting any mistake done while painting. These colours also need special care on the part of the artists and the owner of the paintings. The watercolour paintings would be vulnerable to sunlight, dust and humidity in the air. However the modern techniques have taken care of most of the drawbacks of the watercolours.

WATERCOLOR : Adding Light and Rhythm

One important aspect to consider while deciding paint watercolour is the look at the way in which the sun or moon illuminates the objects in the surrounding. For an experienced landscape painter, it is a supreme factor to consider the aspect of light properly. The falling of light adds value to the painting and infuses refinement to the objects. Ultimately the artists use these aspects to enliven on the canvass.

WATERCOLOR : Creating Harmony of Colors

Harmony is a state of happening where wavelengths of those present around meet each other to form a pleasant scenario. In painting harmony of colours is paramount. If the colours are used creating a harmonious looking painting, it is an achievement of the artist. Here the artist create a single effect using different characters of the colours of his or her plate; the plate might be full with cool or bright colours, but a painter configures whole picture to facilitate eyes of viewers to be pleased.

WATERCOLOR : Washing Technique, Wet-in-wet

There are certain and well-known techniques used while using watercolours. The most used technique is the ‘Washing’. In ‘washing’ technique the area of the paper the artists wants to be covered by the wash is wetted, by applying water with the help of brush or otherwise. The artist takes out the required blob of watercolour from the colour tube and applies it on the wetted surface; it can be applied freely over any portion that is already painted but still wet. Then the colour so spread out is allowed to be dried.

WATERCOLOR : Landscape Painting with Delicacy

When an artist looks upon a scene, immediately a visual experience is generated in her or his mental sphere. If this experience is caught in colours within a short period of time, it can be recorded with more authenticity and liveliness. Here the artist needs a medium that can be applied with delicacy; watercolours provides the artists with such an opportunity where she or he can use brushes loaded wet colours and loaded with elegance. Such a facility, such a luxury is hardly available while using oil colours as the oil colours take its own time to dry.

A well-painted portrait would show the inner qualities of the person whose portrait is done, as the aim of the artists cannot be limited to painting the contours of the face and limbs of the model.

Washing Technique, Wet-in-Wet

Watercolor paintings done by using different washing techniques

Berliner Hütte, watercolour by Unknown artist 1879

The artists use different styles and techniques while paintings. They have options before them so far as the tools of the trade are concerned. Various types of brushes in sizes and the long assembly line of colours to chose from: these are their facilities before they start paintings.

Water Colour Techniques: The artists, for using their art in an interesting way chose different techniques. In these techniques of watercolour painting, the colours are prepared by dissolving desired colours in water. Watercolours might be opaque or transparent; the artists should be well-versed with different techniques of watercolour painting.

WASHING Wet-in-wet

There are certain and well-known techniques used while using watercolours. The most used technique is the ‘Washing’. In ‘washing’ technique the area of the paper the artists wants to be covered by the wash is wetted, by applying water with the help of brush or otherwise. The artist takes out the required blob of watercolour from the colour tube and applies it on the wetted surface; it can be applied freely over any portion that is already painted but still wet. Then the colour so spread out is allowed to be dried.

The Materials: Then the necessary amount of pigment is mixed and applied over the wetted areas, and on any overlapping sections of the art, after which it is dried by either keeping in the sun, or under the fan. Only after drying the paint would spread evenly. At this time it would be useful to keep a piece of watercolour paper in hand for using it in case of needs arises; adjusting paint brush or excess colour laid on the paper. It would help a lot in bringing about controlled results.

There are so many techniques, popular and less used, which are applied by various artists making their artwork look attractive. They strive to make their work unique, too. While painting, in watercolour or oil painting, every artist desires expressing his or her thoughts in different ways and techniques known to him or her. While doing watercolour paintings, the ‘Washing’ technique is also such a kind of technique that has been in vogue for a long time. (Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

WATERCOLOR : Work of the Hudson Valley School Masters

America has given many versatile painters to the world of art. William Trost Richards who died in 1905 is one of the leading painters of America. He concentrated his skill on watercolours. In his days the painters known as HudsonValley painters were famous for their paintings. Their art was tilted on the side of romanticism. William Trost Richards carved out a different path and concentrated on the reality. (Image courtesy By Friedrich Wilhelm Klose Alternative names Kloss, Friedrich Wilhelm (ab 1840 • from 1840) Description German painter Date of birth/death 1804(1804) after 1863(1863) Location of birth/death Berlin Berlin Work location Berlin (Aquarell) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons)