Time For Technique
In the wonderful world of watercolor there are so many amazing techniques that you can incorporate that you could not in any other medium. This post will explain 5 great techniques that will better your watercolor journey!
Dry Brush
In my latest post you have learned about wet-on-wet technique and dry-on-dry technique but dry brush is a little different. Dry brush is simply having just a tiny bit amount of water (to activate the paint) and a dry paint brush to create nice harsh strokes on your paper. This is great for backgrounds, skies and landscapes. Best for abstract art!
Dabbing or Lifting
This technique is done by using a lot of water and some pigment on your paper. When you use too much water the good thing is that you can dab or lift the color and water off of the page. There, you will have the background of the paper coming through. I love to use this to create organic shapes for backgrounds. It also comes in handy to make amazing cloud formations on a sky!
Sponge
By using a sponge you can create many cool effects. Simply dip your sponge in the water, squeeze excess water from the sponge and dip into your paint. Dab gently where you would like your pigment to be. You can layer, create backgrounds, abstract and the best is using it to create the leaves on trees!
Salt
Using salt in your watercolor painting can create some amazing randomized shapes. All you have to do is still have your paint wet and sprinkle salt on it where desired. It all comes down to science! The salt will soak up and dry some of that water and paint and it will create star like formations. This technique is great for a night sky or a crystal geode!
Masking Fluid
The use of masking fluid is almost like using a masking tape, but it's a liquid and wont rip your paper after peeling off! This fluid acts like a barrier between your paper and the paint. It will hold the negative space of the paper and you can paint right over it! Simply paint the masking fluid on parts of your painting that you wish not to get paint on, let it dry and gently peel it off! This works so well for small intricate details such as a lacy design, stencil effect or small hairs for fur!
There are so many amazing effects that can better your painting style and give it something extra. Its all a matter of experimentation, try it out! There will be another blog soon showing you more techniques so stay tuned!
Samantha Bias