Colette Pitcher

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-12-2021

Watercolor painting lets you explore the world of color from a uniquely wet perspective, but, in the end, it’s mostly about the color. You have to become familiar with the color wheel and its primary and complementary colors. You need to be able to judge color values (light to dark, not cheap to expensive), and to need to choose water color paints and pigments according to their biases.

Article / Updated 11-12-2021

Typically, you paint on white watercolor paper. And ideally, you save the white of the paper to serve as the white in the painting. That is, you paint around the white areas, leaving the white paper to show. Although you can buy white watercolor paint, it looks a little chalky, and unless you're going for the unnatural look, you should avoid using it. Watercolor is very different from oil or acrylic painting where paint is applied for white areas. It's a good plan to paint light areas first and continue with successively darker colors. Work from light to dark. Use a white crayon or candle One trick to preserving the white of your paper is to use wax. Wax resists watercolor, so using a white crayon or a candle is a quick and easy way to save a bit of white when painting. Say you don't want to go to the effort of painting around an area for a tiny highlight in a flower. Just a touch of a crayon saves the dot, stays invisible, and keeps you from needing a steady hand to paint around that highlight. Any substance that prevents or resists paint is known as a resist, and wax is one type of resist. (Colored wax acts as a resist, as well, but it obviously leaves a colored area on the paper, so unless that's the effect you're going for, be sure to use white wax.) Steps to getting a wax resist To save white in a painting with a wax resist, follow these steps: 1. Find a white crayon or a white candle. 2. Draw on the watercolor paper using your crayon or candle. Your design will be hard to see — invisible in fact. But if you tip the paper, you can see by the matte finish where you applied the wax. In an actual painting, you'd put the wax anywhere you want to save a highlight, perhaps for a glint in an eye or a sunspot on a leaf. Just cover where you want white, but remember that the wax stays on the paper. If you want the paper clean later, use a masking fluid because it peels off after you've saved the white area. 3. Using a brush of your choice, paint over the top with a diluted paint of any color. Voilá! Your secret design is revealed. Preserving the white areas Keep these points in mind when you use wax to preserve white in your watercolors: The darker the paint you use over the wax, the more vivid your design will be. Smooth paper holds a better wax line. If your paper is really textured, the wax may not coat the paper entirely. If only the top surface of textured paper gets wax, the result is another spotty texture, which may be just the effect you're looking for. The wax stays on the paper because it's not removable. It's essentially invisible except for the waxy buildup. If used in small amounts, it may not be visible at all.

Article / Updated 11-11-2021

One of the endearing qualities of watercolor paint is that you can use a number of deceptively easy tricks to create some unexpected textures in your watercolor paintings. Not knowing the secrets, your audience will marvel at how difficult it was to complete your painting and how long it must have taken! Sprinkling salt A little table salt sprinkled on damp watercolor paint creates a delicate flower-like spot. Each crystal of salt chases away the pigment to make a lighter area beneath it. You can use this texture to create a field of flowers, snow, or leaves on a tree. It also creates interest in a background or foreground where not much else is going on. Salt doesn't always work the way you hope it will. It involves the right pigment at the correct dampness and speed that the paper and air dry. Sometimes you just can't predict what will happen, and that's half the fun. But if you use the following steps, you should get an interesting result from using salt: 1. Wet a piece of 5-x-7-inch watercolor paper with clear water. 2. Place the paper on a flat surface and paint the area where you want to use the salt. 3. Wait for the magic time when the paint is damp and shiny. If the paint is dry, this technique won't work. If the paper has puddles, pour them off or absorb the excess water with the corner of a paper towel. 4. Add the salt. Less is more. Take a pinch of salt in your fingers and sprinkle a few grains rather than dumping a whole shaker on your painting. 5. Let the painting dry without disturbing the salt. 6. Brush away the salt after the paint dries. If you apply the salt too thickly or add it when the paint is too wet, it tends to stick and not brush off when dry. The salt won't hurt the painting, but it will give it some real texture and a little crystal sparkle. Reusing plastic grocery bags Here's a great way to recycle all those plastic bags: dry cleaning bags, kitchen food wrap, newspaper sleeves, grocery bags, and so on. Basically, you crumple the plastic and push it into wet paint. After the paint dries, you remove the plastic, and it leaves behind lighter areas and a textural pattern. This technique makes great texture for rocks and mountains. To use plastic in your painting: 1. Tear or cut the plastic into a manageable piece and wad it up. About 6 inches square is a good size. 2. Wet your watercolor paper and paint some colors onto it with a half-inch flat brush. 3. Set the wadded plastic in damp paint on your paper. Remember that the paint must be damp to make this work. If the plastic won't stay in contact with the paper, set something like a can or bottle on it to weight it down. 4. Leave the plastic on the paper until the paint dries, then lift it off. The plastic leaves a shape behind wherever it touched the paper.

Article / Updated 11-11-2021

There are many characteristics of watercolor paper to consider when you're shopping for paper for your watercolor painting. Two important characteristics are weight and texture. Paper weight One characteristic of all paper, including paper meant for watercolor paintings, is its weight. The manufacturer weighs a ream of 500 sheets of paper in its uncut state and gives it a number to indicate the paper's weight. Weight indicates the quality (and usually the price) of the paper. Typical weights for watercolor paper are: 90-pound paper is a student grade and is rather thin. It buckles when wet and can't endure much scrubbing for changes. 140-pound paper is probably the most popular choice. It's fairly stout, can be stretched to avoid buckling when wet, dries quickly, and is medium-priced. 300-pound paper is like a board. It doesn't require stretching, costs twice what 140-pound paper costs, and takes longer to dry. You can judge the other weights available in comparison with these weights. Each paper weight has its advantages, and the weight you choose depends on what you want to accomplish. Beginners can get a good start with 140-pound cold-press, 100 percent cotton rag, acid-free paper in any brand. (For more on cold press and hot press, see the next section.) In addition to the various weights of paper, you can use watercolor board, which is paper adhered to illustration board. It doesn't buckle when wet and is available in 20-x-30-inch pieces or by the case. Touching on texture Texture describes the surface finish on paper. The type of paper you choose gives you different effects with the paint. You may want a smooth paper for lots of detail or a textured surface to make sparkling reflections on water. You can choose from three main surface textures: Hot press: This texture is even and smooth and makes a nice surface for prints and drawings. The paper has a slicker finish that you can use to create some interesting results. It's more difficult to make soft transitions when using this paper, so you may have more hard edges than you want. Cold press: This slightly bumpy texture is the most popular texture for watercolorists. The texture allows paint to settle into the texture pockets or sit on top and skip over the pockets, creating some different painting technique options. Rough: Rough texture has an even bumpier surface than cold press. This surface is good for exaggerated rough texture techniques. Sheets, Blocks, or Pads When you're buying paper for your watercolor creation, you don't want to skimp on paper quality. Cheap paper can't take the abuse required of watercolor. Good watercolor paper is made of 100 percent cotton rag, acid-free content. (Acid-free is important because it ensures your paper won't turn yellow.) It lasts a very long time — it's been found in Egyptian tombs in good condition! A ratty edge, called a deckle, is a sign of high-quality, handmade paper. Straight, even edges indicate machine-made paper. Handmade papers are really nice, but you can also find some nice machine-made papers. Just go with whatever you prefer or can afford. Watercolor paper is typically white, whether that's bright white or natural white. White provides the most reflected light though transparent color. You can get colored paper in tan, blue, gray, and pink that makes for an interesting background color. Individual sheets are a popular way to buy watercolor paper. Sheets of paper come in different sizes: Full sheet is 22 x 30 inches. Elephant is 29 x 41 inches. Double elephant is 40 x 60 inches. In addition to sheets, you can purchase paper in convenient pads and blocks: A pad is several sheets bound with a wire spiral or glue at one end. You can paint while the paper is still attached to the pad, or you can tear off one sheet at a time to use. The edge usually tears out pretty neatly. Paper in wire-bound pads usually has a perforated edge, so the tear-out is clean. You can use scissors to cut the paper to the size you need. If you end up framing the painting, a matte usually covers the edges, so how they look doesn't matter that much. A block contains a number of sheets and is glued on all four sides. You paint on the top sheet and then remove it with something dull (a plastic knife or credit card works great) when you're finished to reveal the next clean sheet. If you want to paint a mural, you can also buy rolls of paper, which are usually 44 to 56 inches wide by 10 yards long.

Article / Updated 05-19-2021

As you grow in your art, you may hit a plateau. You may need a kick-start for inspiration or wonder how to improve your art skills. The good news is that there are lots of ideas to push you to the next level. Refer to the following list whenever you need a little spark to get your inner fire going. Buy better art supplies Possibly the easiest way to get better is to upgrade your art supplies. A well-cared-for sable brush can last your whole career and produce the same fine lines on its last day of work as on its first. A better grade of paper helps give your paintings depth and texture. More expensive paints produce richer colors. Practice, practice, practice Improve your drawing skills. Draw every day. Keep a sketchbook and use it. Set up a studio space you use only for creating art. Paint every day. Paint from life. Study art experts Take workshops. Watch how-to videos. Read art books. Visit art galleries. Join an art club. Subscribe to an art magazine. Look up art sites on the Internet. Take a life drawing class. Copy an old master work for study. Explore art movements in history. Read biographies of other artists. Dig deeper Observe your subject and really "see" the details. Think of a title that captivates the audience even before you paint. Incorporate symbolism. Tell a story. Communicate. Create mood. Illustrate a cause. Paint what you know. Research your subject. Make use of composition and design Design your composition before painting. Plan a color scheme. Plan and use a value pattern. Use thumbnail sketches. Make sure to include a center of interest. Obey the laws of perspective in realistic landscapes. Take the image all the way to the edge of the paper. Use thick and thin and broken lines. Make more gradation. Make no two shapes the same. Nurture your inner artist Watch a sunset. Appreciate beauty. Visit local galleries and museums wherever you are. Wonder at the world. Collect art you admire. Listen to Mozart. Travel for new discoveries and perspectives. Buy a new color of paint just because you like it. Tend to your creature comforts Make your work area ergonomic and comfortable. Clean your palette before putting on fresh colors. Set up your painting area in a room with a view. Play your favorite music while you paint. Find a painting coverall you like to wear over your clothes. Spark your artistic creativity Look for an unusual angle. Try a new tool or technique. Look at the painting in a mirror. Create a series of related paintings. Choose a theme. Turn the painting upside down. Zoom in. Include an element of surprise. Look at the painting from a distance. Create something totally new. Improve your artistic technique Layer paint. Change colors every inch. Use economy of brush strokes. Add interesting shadows. Leave some white paper for sparkle. Observe light and shadow. Pass it on Teach someone a technique. Show a child how to watercolor. Start a critique group with other artists. Organize a show just for yourself or for your painting group — it's a wonderful motivation to keep painting.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you're buying paper for your watercolor creation, you don't want to skimp on paper quality. Cheap paper can't take the abuse required of watercolor. Good watercolor paper is made of 100 percent cotton rag, acid-free content. (Acid-free is important because it ensures your paper won't turn yellow.) It lasts a very long time — it's been found in Egyptian tombs in good condition! A ratty edge, called a deckle, is a sign of high-quality, handmade paper. Straight, even edges indicate machine-made paper. Handmade papers are really nice, but you can also find some nice machine-made papers. Just go with whatever you prefer or can afford. Watercolor paper is typically white, whether that's bright white or natural white. White provides the most reflected light though transparent color. You can get colored paper in tan, blue, gray, and pink that makes for an interesting background color. Individual sheets are a popular way to buy watercolor paper. Sheets of paper come in different sizes: Full sheet is 22 x 30 inches. Elephant is 29 x 41 inches. Double elephant is 40 x 60 inches. In addition to sheets, you can purchase paper in convenient pads and blocks: A pad is several sheets bound with a wire spiral or glue at one end. You can paint while the paper is still attached to the pad, or you can tear off one sheet at a time to use. The edge usually tears out pretty neatly. Paper in wire-bound pads usually has a perforated edge, so the tear-out is clean. You can use scissors to cut the paper to the size you need. If you end up framing the painting, a matte usually covers the edges, so how they look doesn't matter that much. A block contains a number of sheets and is glued on all four sides. You paint on the top sheet and then remove it with something dull (a plastic knife or credit card works great) when you're finished to reveal the next clean sheet. If you want to paint a mural, you can also buy rolls of paper, which are usually 44 to 56 inches wide by 10 yards long.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Watercolor painting is a little about water and a little about color. You can get the water many places, but becoming familiar with the color wheel may take a bit more time. The color wheel shows the primary colors — red, yellow, and blue — and the many colors they can combine to make. The primary colors are the basis for every other color, and you can’t create the primaries by mixing other colors. Use the color wheel to choose color painting schemes, mix color formulas, and make color combinations. Neutralize a color (make it less bright and more natural — towards gray) by mixing it with its complement, found opposite it on the color wheel.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Each one of the primary colors — red, yellow, and blue — is biased, meaning that it leans toward one of the other two primary colors. When mixing watercolor paints to get a secondary color — orange, green, or purple — use two primaries biased toward each other. Otherwise, you get a gray, muddy color. For example, to get purple, be sure to mix a blue biased toward red such as ultramarine blue and a red biased toward blue such as alizarin crimson. When mixing colors, refer to the following list: Reds with a blue bias: alizarin crimson, carmine, crimson lake, magenta, opera, rhodamine, rose madder, scarlet lake Reds with a yellow bias: cadmium red, chlorinated para red, chrome orange, English red oxide, fluorescent red, Indian red, light red, permanent red, perylene red, phioxine red, red lake, red lead, sandorin scarlet, Venetian red, vermillion, Winsor red Yellows with a blue bias: aureolin, azo, cadmium yellow lemon, cadmium yellow pale, Flanders yellow, lemon yellow, permanent yellow light, primary yellow, Winsor yellow, yellow light Yellows with a red bias: aurora yellow, brilliant yellow, cadmium yellow medium and deep, chrome, gallstone, golden yellow, Indian yellow, Mars yellow, Naples yellow, permanent yellow medium and deep, raw sienna, Sahara, yellow lake, yellow ochre Blues with a red bias: brilliant, cobalt, cyanine, indigo, mountain blue, ultramarine blue, verditer blue, Victoria blue Blues with a yellow bias: Antwerp, cerulean, compose, intense blue, manganese, monestial blue, Paris blue, peacock blue, phthalocyanine blue, Prussian, Rembrandt, speedball, touareg, turquoise, Winsor blue