Post 150: Learning to Use Watercolor Paint while in Richmond, VA

Learning to Use Watercolor Paint

I am currently sharing house sitting duties with an aunt in Richmond, Virginia for a cousin. It is a bit of a vacation for me as there is a pool to swim about in, an outdoor TV - bar - sitting areas - a cool pool house, and all around great house. (With shopping of any sort nearby) We did it a couple of times last year and even during the lockdowns, it has been a nice get away from our own homes for a bit of time.

Because I knew I would be away from home for a bit, I brought watercolors with me to attempt the new -for me- media.

I've been using acrylics for most of my artist exploration in recent years. In school and early life, I did use oils some but this is my first real excursion into the unknown world of watercolor.

Break out the YouTube videos and Google research on the how to's, hints and tricks of watercolor...first things first: Get the essential list of materials and the basics on them.

Essential Watercolor Supply List

1. Watercolor paint - pans or tubes

2. Paper - rough (texture), cold press, hot press (smooth). 

    Paper types - 90 lb lightweight, 140 lb medium, 300 lb heavyweight

3. Brushes - 1-size 4 or 6 round; 1-size 10 or 12 round; 1- size 1/2 inch or 1 inch flat brush

4. Palettes

5. Thick backboard or mat

6. Masking tape

7. Paper towels

8. Glass or plastic containers

9. Scrap watercolor paper

10. Pencil, graphite, sharpener and kneaded eraser

11. Soap - mild for cleaning brushes

Add-ons as needed:

12. Sea sponges

13. Spray bottle

14. Watercolor Pens

15. Watercolor Pencils

16. Mediums

17. Spray Varnish

18. Sketch book, Journal book

19. Masking fluid and brush for use with it

20. Misc. - binder clips, rulers

Watercolor List: here is a good reference list: https://www.glenarborart.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Beginning-Watercolor.pdf

It is much different than acrylic paint. As I have read, acrylic is considered the easiest to use as its qualities include quick dry times and its opaqueness. Basically, you work the paint from dark to light and a biggie is that in acrylics, you can cover up your boo-boos effectively. (Of course, I never make a boo-boo.)

Watercolors are a whole different animal. A different mind set. White and light areas need to be considered BEFORE you paint. You have to preserve your white space because you cannot put the white highlights in later. Or paint in white clouds like you can over an acrylic blue sky. (If you use black watercolor paper, change of plan.)

Watercolor Considerations

Paint spreads and can be mixed on the paper and/or in the palette (because of the flow of water, how much water is used) and special effects too are to be considered (can you say, "salt"?). The style of watercolor painting to be applied: Wet on wet, wet on dry or combo of those as well. Are you planning on mixed media? 

Watercolors are translucent so light can pass through, maybe not details though - it diffuses the light passing through it.

With watercolors, you usually work from light to the darker colors.

Mistakes are not easily hidden or covered over, making watercolors less forgiving than acrylics. 

Apparently learning to control the amount of water to use is key to best use in watercoloring and that comes with patience and practice.

Watercolor may be the most difficult of the mediums to use, and have read the most expensive. I'll need more research on that.

Gouache Paint

I did purchase some Gouache paint to try as well. What is it?

From https://createlet.com/gouache-paint-vs-watercolor-paint-vs-acrylic-paint/

"Gouache paint is opaque but becomes translucent when water is added. When using Gouache you have the option to either water it down or build up the consistency of the paint. The end result of a gouache painted piece is a radiant bright piece of artwork with a matte finish."

So there may be a way to add those "highlights" later after all....hmmm. Experiment time!

With all of this in mind, yesterday, I broke out the paints and paper.

My first attempt at watercolor.

UGH. My first attempt at watercolor water painting, incomplete 6/30/21. 

I also read that artists should journal, journal and journal all of their work. For one thing, it will show how far you have come over time - I hope. It also notes the art you have started and completed. Other reasons for journaling every day is that you make note of what inspired that day - any thing from a movie to the sunrise or sunset. A book read, a suggestion, a to do, whatever. It's a tracking of you and your progress. Our memories aren't all that reliable especially over time so it pays when you need a reminder in your journal records.

Now, if only I can get my aunt to give watercolor a try....

Working on a second version of the same watercolor.

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