Spotlight on watercolour exercises.
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." ~ Zig Ziglar.
Either find a good reference picture or follow mine. If you are more experienced chose a more complicated reference picture and use graded washes, if you like.
Then:-
On a piece of watercolour paper draw a tone chart with six squares on one side of the page.
Use masking tape to section off the larger space.
Mix French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna together with water until you have a neutral grey colour. Mix up quite a bit as you will need it (I used about 10ml of water initially and my image is approximately 8" x 10").
Note: French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna are both granulating and lifting colours so a word of caution.
Firstly, the colours will separate both in the palette (see below) and slightly on the paper (see above). Don't worry about this just make sure you stir the mix EVERY time you dip into it.
Secondly, because they are both lifting colours make absolutely sure that each wash is thoroughly dry before adding the next one. Remember to keep loading the paint onto the paper so you have a large bead to work with. We're painting flat washes in this exercise so have a look at my YouTube Video first, if you like.
Then:-
On a piece of watercolour paper draw a tone chart with six squares on one side of the page.
Use masking tape to section off the larger space.
Mix French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna together with water until you have a neutral grey colour. Mix up quite a bit as you will need it (I used about 10ml of water initially and my image is approximately 8" x 10").
Note: French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna are both granulating and lifting colours so a word of caution.
Firstly, the colours will separate both in the palette (see below) and slightly on the paper (see above). Don't worry about this just make sure you stir the mix EVERY time you dip into it.
Secondly, because they are both lifting colours make absolutely sure that each wash is thoroughly dry before adding the next one. Remember to keep loading the paint onto the paper so you have a large bead to work with. We're painting flat washes in this exercise so have a look at my YouTube Video first, if you like.
French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna showing separation in the palette.
1) Prop your board at an angle. Starting with the weakest wash and your largest brush, paint all the squares starting from the second one down in the tone chart, and the furthest (in this case) mountain. Paint the wash all the way to the bottom of the page.
Allow to dry.
2) Darken the mix very slightly using the same two colours and test on a scrap of watercolour paper. If it looks slightly darker than the first wash paint the third square on the tone chart and the others below it and then paint the next mountain range...and paint all the way to the bottom again.
Repeat 2 until you have filled all of the remaining squares on the tone chart and finished the picture, remembering to allow each layer to dry thoroughly before continuing. If you are impatient use a hair dryer or heat gun, if you have one. If the paper feels cool to the touch (of the back of your hand) it is not dry.
This exercise teaches:-
How to mix two colours into a "wash".
How to mix two complementary primary colours to make a neutral one.
How to paint a "flat wash".
How to strengthen the wash with more colour to create a "tone chart".
How tone creates "aerial perspective".
How to handle a paint brush.
Patience!
Allow to dry.
2) Darken the mix very slightly using the same two colours and test on a scrap of watercolour paper. If it looks slightly darker than the first wash paint the third square on the tone chart and the others below it and then paint the next mountain range...and paint all the way to the bottom again.
Repeat 2 until you have filled all of the remaining squares on the tone chart and finished the picture, remembering to allow each layer to dry thoroughly before continuing. If you are impatient use a hair dryer or heat gun, if you have one. If the paper feels cool to the touch (of the back of your hand) it is not dry.
This exercise teaches:-
How to mix two colours into a "wash".
How to mix two complementary primary colours to make a neutral one.
How to paint a "flat wash".
How to strengthen the wash with more colour to create a "tone chart".
How tone creates "aerial perspective".
How to handle a paint brush.
Patience!
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