What is Watercolour Painting?
Using a water-soluble medium, watercolour painting is the process of creating art through the suspension of pigments. A natural adhesive known as gum Arabic, which is derived from the sap of the acacia tree, is usually mixed with the pigment. A brush is used to apply the mixture onto a painting surface, typically paper. When water is added to the pigments, they dissolve and can be spread across the surface, creating a range of effects from light washes to more opaque colour.
Watercolour painting allows for a great deal of flexibility and creativity, as the pigments can be layered and mixed to create a wide range of colours and textures. The transparent nature of watercolour also allows for a luminous quality to be achieved in the finished work, as the light can pass through the layers of pigment.
Watercolour painting has a long history and has been used by artists for centuries. It can be used to create a variety of styles, from realistic landscapes and portraits to more abstract and experimental works. Watercolour painting is a popular medium among artists of all levels, from beginners to professionals, due to its accessibility, versatility, and unique qualities.
Watercolours Types
There are two main types of watercolours: pan watercolours and tube watercolours.
Pan Watercolours:
Pan watercolours are pre-dried watercolours that come in small rectangular or circular pans. They are easy to use and are perfect for traveling, as they are compact and can be easily stored in a small case.
Watercolour Tube:
Tube watercolours, on the other hand, come in tubes and are made up of a more concentrated pigment than pan watercolours. They are suitable for artists who require large amounts of paint and prefer to mix their own colours. Tube watercolours are available in a wider range of colours, and they are also more cost-effective than pan watercolours.
Watercolour Paints: Characteristics
Watercolours are a versatile art medium that is non-toxic, non-smelly, and water-soluble, making them safe for both adults and children. While watercolour paintings are traditionally done on watercolour paper, there are specially designed watercolour canvases available for the same purpose.
Watercolours are easy to use, lightweight, and portable, making them ideal for artists who like to move around. They're great for quick sketches, but also suitable for complex drawings such as still life, portrait, and landscape paintings. Watercolours can also be used with other art supplies like ink, graphite, coloured pencils, and watercolour pencils to create mixed media pieces.
Due to their translucent quality, watercolour paints are ideal for emotive and ethereal effects. Pre-planning your painting is important because it can be difficult to cover mistakes with watercolour paints. To avoid mistakes, most watercolour artists use a soft graphite pencil to sketch their composition before starting the drawing process.
Watercolours have reactivation properties and can easily be reactivated with water even after they have dried out. There are also several watercolour painting techniques, including wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet, as well as using salt and splattering to create unique effects.
Watercolour paintings can be preserved and stored using techniques such as applying varnish to provide a moisture-resistant coating or using archival framing techniques to frame artwork without affecting its quality.
Watercolour Paints Selection
Creating beautiful watercolour paintings is a delicate and time-consuming process that requires careful consideration of every ingredient in your paint. Choosing high-quality watercolour paints is crucial if you want to become a professional artist, as they not only produce beautiful artwork but also ensure your paintings are preserved for a long time.
Transparency is another vital property of watercolour paints. All watercolours have some level of transparency, but this varies from product to product. There are four different levels of watercolour transparency: opaque, semi-opaque, semi-transparent, and fully transparent. Fully transparent watercolours are recommended for professional artists as they offer brighter, more luminous colours.
When purchasing new watercolours, there are several important factors to consider. The performance of the paint, or its lightfastness, is essential in indicating the longevity of your artwork. The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard of lightfastness, with ratings ranging from I (best quality) to III (low quality), can help you choose the right product to ensure your watercolour painting lasts for a long time.
Watercolour paints come in a range of colours, and manufacturers use various pigments and paint formulations to make their products. Some manufacturers use attractive names such as vermilion or Scarlett Lake, but these names are often just for marketing purposes. It is advisable to focus on pigments rather than colour names since the colour of watercolour paint depends on the pigments it contains.
Watercolour paints with a single pigment usually offer more vibrant and intense colours than those containing multiple pigments mixed together. Opaque watercolours are chalkier and thicker in appearance, and artists use them in moderation. You can also decrease the transparency level of your watercolours by adding Chinese white.
What do I need to buy to start watercolour?
Some basic guidance on the essential supplies you will need to get started with watercolour painting. While there are many other supplies that you can add to your toolkit as you become more experienced, these six items are the essential ones you will need:
Watercolour Paints: You will need a set of watercolour paints. Look for quality paints with a good range of colours that are suitable for the type of artwork you want to create.
Paintbrushes: There are different types of brushes for watercolour painting. Look for brushes with soft bristles that hold a lot of water, so you can achieve different textures and effects in your paintings.
Watercolour Paper: You will need special paper that can handle watercolour paint. Look for paper that is specifically labeled as watercolour paper, and choose a weight that works for the type of artwork you want to create.
Palette: You will need a palette to mix and hold your paints. There are many types of palettes available, from plastic to porcelain. Choose one that is easy to clean and fits your needs.
Container of Water: You will need a container of water to rinse your brushes and to add to your paints as you work.
Rag: A rag or a piece of cloth is commonly used in watercolour painting to clean brushes. This helps to remove excess paint and water from the brushes, allowing the artist to create clean and precise brushstrokes. Additionally, using a rag or cloth to clean brushes can help to extend the life of the brushes by preventing the buildup of paint and water on the bristles.
With these basic supplies, you can start exploring the world of watercolour painting and discover your own unique style.
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