Transparent Watercolor: from landscape to abstraction

Notes from Catlin Gabel Community class 1: 9/22/2021

CREATING A WASH

The word transparent is the perfect word to describe the medium of watercolor, which is unlike any other painting medium. It is the transparent quality that creates a veil of color, layering color onto color, which gives an illusion of light and space. To understand these many layers of washes as a beginner takes some experimentation and practice.

By working small, about 3x5” in multiples is a good way to start. Sticking to a limited palette will help you stick to about 3 colors(complementary colors or a warm and cool), which in turn, will mix together into a multitude of colors. Practice mixing color on your palette, a large, flat mixing area on a palette or a butcher tray (sold at art supply stores). See what variation of colors you can come up with. Make a pool of well saturate color>

There are two different approaches to creating washes: one is to wet the paper with clean water where you want the wash to be. I do this with a wash brush, about 3/4” quill, square or oval wash brush, wetting the entire surface with enough water to saturate the paper. (Not puddles of water) Then you can start dropping color onto the wet paper. Keep in mind that the water on the paper will dilute your color, so good to have a well saturated pool of color mixed up on your palette ready to go. The more water you use, the lesser the saturation of color and will be a lighter value. Another note: Wet paint on paper will dry much lighter. Dont be afraid to use your paint!

The second approach to a wash is to add diluted color onto dry paper by starting with a loaded brush in one area of the paper. Move your brush, encouraging the color across the area of the paper, adding fresh color as you move, staying connected to the starting point. Drop in a second color while the initial pigment on the paper is still wet, allowing it to fuse and merge with the first pigment… leave it alone. Don’t overwork it, or it will lose the fresh quality of a translucent wash!! You may turn your paper around to move the wet pigment around. If it pools up on the taped edge, you may wipe the excess water off the tape, but do not dab your paper!

You may flick drops of a contrasting color while the surface is still wet to create some interesting texture or break up the color.

TIP: Move quickly when creating washes to avoid hard lines that are difficult to work on in future stages.