Starting Watercolors: Basic Principles In Painting

Watercolors as an art medium is probably one of the trickiest to master – because being basically colored water, makes it problematic. Water, unlike oils and acrylics, doesn’t stick to the canvas. It actually warps the canvas as it is applied. In a way, watercolors fight you the entire way through a painting.

So why use them? Because watercolors are non-toxic and easy-to-use. This is great for beginners as it gives them less things to worry about. It makes the medium an excellent starting place to introduce painting to children. Note that oil paints and acrylics need special care when used and can be dangerous for those using them.

What the artist need to be concerned with is how to paint properly using watercolors. For those people who’re still having trouble painting in this medium, here are a few tips to help you improve your technique:

a) Have A Good Set Of Supplies – One of the rules about getting anything done is to have a good foundation. In painting, this means you have to have a decent set of supplies and tools. Substandard equipment can make your attempt at watercolors a painful experience.

To get a proper set of supplies, here are the important ones you need: a proper brush, a good set of paints and the appropriate type of paper. There are a few more things that you should have, but these three are the most important.

First of all, if you can only have one brush, then purchase a #8 round red sable watercolor brush. Other brushes can be purchased later, but this particular brush is good for general use. Next, you can purchase a good set of “academic” watercolors as a starter set for your attempt at painting. These usually have a good selection of pigments for you.

Finally, always use watercolor paper, whether they be in a pad or a sheet – watercolor paper is thicker and heavier so you won’t have to deal much with the warping caused by the water being painted on the paper.

b) Learn To Hold Your Brush – Using your brush properly is another way to make sure your painting comes out right. There are several ways to hold your brush to maximize the effect of your painting.

The classic hold is used when you’re using the brush like a pen – this is why you hold it similar to the grip used when writing, although your hand is further back on the brush.

Another hold is the pinch, where you hold the brush as if you were picking it up from the table. This allows you to better paint downward strokes. There are several other holds that you will need to know, but these two are the most basic.

c) Learn How To Wash – “Washing” in watercolor terms is to build up layers of color with your brush to get a particular level of depth and detail. This is the most basic skill in watercolor painting so you will need to learn it.

It’s simple really – for a simple flat wash, just paint an initial stroke on the canvas, then follow it up with another stroke beneath it. The result should be like a stacking tower of color.

There you go! These tips should help you start on your way to proper watercolor painting.

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