Watercolor artists use “Wet-on-Wet” and “Wet-On-Dry” techniques, referring to the use of dry or wet backgrounds. But, there are also nuances within these methods that allow for subtle, uncontrollable-yet-foreseeable, results. The additional element, rarely discussed, is simply clean water.
The additions of water, either saturating the paper, dropped into pigment, or mixed into colors, are the variables that artists try to predict. In today’s class we’ll practice 10 techniques for using watercolor with the addition of clean water to get a feel for the results of combining them in various forms. Class includes 10 lessons, each one lasting just a few minutes. We’ll paint a row of orbs, using each technique, that results in a grid of orbs.
These techniques are valuable because you can begin to predict what happens when water is introduced (and removed) at various times in the painting process. By the end of the class, you’ll have a reference page to keep for future use.
We will use 2 colors, but instead of using them directly from the tube, we’ll mix pigments together to obtain our 2 colors used in class. Feel free to use your favorite colors, experiment with new combinations, or use them from the tube, as you like.
