About the technique of watercolor painting. Watercolor painting techniques - tips and tricks Watercolor painting techniques list types

Basic techniques in watercolor. How to use?

Have a great Thursday! Today we have a topic about basic techniques in watercolor. And the most interesting thing is at the end of the article)) Well, here are the basic techniques.

Here I can say that they are painfully known to everyone, but I cannot skip this topic and not cover it))

In my works, I mainly use the wet technique, plus the dry technique for the main elements (we’ll talk about this later), sometimes fills and even less often glazes, which are more like a multi-layer watercolor technique, but I will still highlight them separately.

So, let's get started))

the most common and one of the main ones is pouring technique. It is performed on a dry surface using a large brush with a large amount of water and paint. There are fills plain And gradient when one color replaces another. Filling can be used both for a large space and for a small object of complex shape, where a uniform flow/transition of color without layers is necessary (sky, sea, illuminated and shadowed parts of buildings, etc.)

It is through filling that watercolor lightness is manifested, since it is done in one layer and can be multi-colored (i.e. there is no need to obtain color by layering many strokes, thereby complicating the work)

Gradient Filling with 2-3 colors is most often used in the sky to show the color change towards the horizon (sunrise/sunset blue sky acquires yellowish and pinkish shades to the horizon) You can also add a larger number of colors to the fill alternately (5...6) more will not be very harmonious, but we will talk about color in the next issues.

This change of colors is achieved texture, realism, volume of shadow areas. It turns out that without much thought, you change the fill color (within the selected colors for work) and you can get diverse, heterogeneous areas that the eye will complete with other objects. It turns out to be a kind of imitation and realism at the same time. If shadow, for example You will have a uniform color, it will be flat. So for any shadow areas I use a gradient.

What is the best way to fill? For this you will need a large squirrel brush, preferably with a French attachment. We'll talk about brushes in detail in a week, to fit everything into one topic. It is important to remember that on different paper all techniques will look different. In some places the filling goes on smoothly, but in others it doesn’t. Therefore, it is worth choosing paper based on whether you need or do not need some kind of effect. Below in the photo the same techniques are performed on different paper.

Next is my favorite technique raw. It can be used either separately - all the work is done raw - or for the first layer and objects in aerial perspective (work above), but more on that later))

We talked a lot about raw technique in #harmless_tips part 2 paper, about how to work with it on various papers and in topic 3 about moisturizing the sheet. Therefore, I will not dwell on it, the most important thing here is that due to it we can get objects with blurred contours, as if out of focus.

Further, not everything is very clear, since something is techniques, but something technology, but no matter what you call it, these points still relate to dry work and you shouldn’t confuse them. Therefore, I divided it in a similar way (for easier perception) the dry technique can be

in one layer - "a la prima"
multilayer
glazing

In general, technology a la prima Any work can be called (wet, poured and dry) but in one layer, or in a minimum number of layers. This technique is the most airy, but not everyone can achieve realism in it. When we work in one dry layer, we must immediately guess the tone and pick up the required amount of paint; if this does not work and we need to add a couple more strokes on top, then this is no longer a la prima, but a classic multi-layer watercolor

Multilayer is the same one that is taught in specialized universities. Thanks to it, you can achieve maximum realism, since an unlimited number of strokes of paint are applied to the object, starting with undertones, reflections and ending with areas of bright and dark tone. With this technique you can achieve the greatest realism in portraits, when a bluish-violet undertone is applied and beige-red shadows are applied to it and you get the feeling of a layer “peeping through,” like blue veins under the skin. But, as a digression, since I touched on the topic of the face, in general it does not have a beige pink, and different zones have different undertones from green to purple (if you are interested, I will talk about this in a separate issue.)

Let's return to multi-layer watercolors. For a beginner or self-taught person, oddly enough, it may turn out to be the most difficult! Although often it is generally accepted that it is the other way around, they say, what’s the big deal, put smears and put it. But no, here you need to have a good understanding of tone and color, and if used incorrectly, most often you can create dirt and pellets on the paper.

An important note here is that I don’t mean that the technique is easy in the raw, and even more so a la prima, in any technique it will not be possible to achieve accuracy, ease and mastery in a couple of months, but I often see beginners trying multi-layer watercolor , tortured, received dirt and disappointed.

That's why, my advice is here,

try reduce the number of layers , let it be left unsaid what he was tortured by.
Try think through Your layer
master gradient fills, which simplify life by creating color transitions in one layer.

Then you will definitely understand paint, paper, basics and your work will be light, and multilayer watercolors, portraits using this technique, etc. will turn out not dirty, but thoughtful. I am based on personal experience, since I myself do not have a classical academic education. In any case, I understand that there may be disagreements here, but this method helped me personally.

To summarize: multi-layer watercolor is not a very simple technique, it also needs to be approached intelligently, then there will be no dirt.

Now let's talk about glazing. They are used mainly in botanical illustration.

I’m not an expert in it, but I know that to give hyperrealism there can be up to 50-70 layers. But glazing can also be used in any other technique, in the case if you didn’t get the tone right away, but the layer itself turned out beautiful and you don’t want to overlap it.

Glaze is a translucent layer of one or several shades, thanks to which you can dial up the tone, but not cover the previous layer. In fact, this is one of the techniques of multi-layer technique, the layer just needs to be transparent and “disappear.” The trick is that the edges of this layer are not visible, so it is always washed away with clean water. Below I show an example of glazing, through which the previous layer appears, harmonizing all tonal relationships.

There is one more technique (well, in general there are many more, but not all are used) that I want to highlight here - this wash.

It is used quite rarely, but I even found it in myself old job with her. The point here is to paint objects maintaining their tone, and then wash off the top layer of paint with a damp brush or under running water, then the entire painted part is lightened, the color is muted, but the tonal relationships are preserved. Can be used for distant objects, previously used for objects in aerial perspective, now most watercolorists use a wet technique for this, which does not injure the paper as much as a wash.

The background behind the girl is made with a wash

And now we come to interesting moment. Well, actually, there are a lot of techniques - okay, so what to do with them? When to use which one?

I will certainly generalize now. Of course, there are exceptions, but even 80-90% of my work is done this way

for starters you select the main object, the one you're talking about. Any picture must tell about something, otherwise there is no point in painting. It could be one or group of objects the main ones for you. Chosen. Remembered. As a rule, these are either the darkest or the lightest objects in tone;)
now you need to choose objects next in importance, which are important, but not very)) 1...10 objects, but don’t select everything, there should still be something left;) Selected. Remembered. These objects are usually medium in tone
so what? remains, usually somewhere in the distance, sky, distant background, etc.: unimportant objects. Found them and remembered them.

When did you do this work? this can be either in your head or as a tone sketch) then everything will fall into place for you. Look, let's go from the end:

what least important you are drawing raw or large fill, these objects go into aerial perspective (when distant objects, out of focus, have blurry edges)
what medium importance You can draw or raw, but with a richer tone and add details, or multi-color and complex fill and also add details.
And, finally, what is most important you will have the clearest outline, because this object is in focus, you tell the viewer about it. So it’s already suitable here dry work(a la prima, multi-layered or with glaze - it's up to you)

The girl above illustrates this point well and simply (the long shot is her wash or wet, the middle shot is a multi-color fill, the girl is a clearly multi-layered watercolor)

It is important to remember that it does not have to be long/medium and close-up. If the main object for you is in the middle (in the work below, this is the house in the middle), then it makes sense to defocus the distant shot and fill the near one.

It is necessary to start from the idea.

Thus, by combining techniques with the mind, focusing the viewer’s gaze on the main thing, you get meaningful work, and even if technically, you still have room to grow (everyone has;) that’s the most important thing - this is the story, feelings, thoughts that you will convey to the viewer.

Creative success!

The next release will be in Thursday due to technical reasons, but perhaps there will be mini bonus episode where I will talk about photos of my works on Instagram

Watercolor painting has its own history and traditions. It first appeared in China in the 12th century, although as early as Ancient Egypt We used opaque watercolors with the addition of white.

It’s interesting, because one of the characteristic features of watercolor paints is their transparency, and sets never contain white. IN medieval Europe, as in Rus', opaque watercolor was used to color church books or manuscripts in which capital letters or ornaments were highlighted in watercolor.

Water based paints

What ancient Egyptian, medieval and later paints have in common is that the solvent for them is water - aqua. Hence the name aquarelle, or watercolor. This term applies both to the paints themselves and to the type of painting made with them. The main features of pure watercolor are the above-mentioned transparency and purity of color. Watercolor painting is usually delicate, fragile and airy. But until the middle of the 13th century, it had a purely applied nature; it was mainly used for coloring drawings, engravings, and frescoes. Although such a masterpiece as “The Hare” by Albrecht Durer, considered a textbook work, was written back in 1502.

From isolated hobbies to universal recognition

Remarkable isolated examples were encountered later, but these were the exception to the rule. Such generally recognized brush masters as Van Dyck, Giovanni Castiglione and Claude Laurent dabbled in watercolors. In England, it received special development thanks to Joseph Turner. Although even before him, watercolor painting was promoted by quite venerable English artists. Under Turner, watercolor became the leading painting in this country, and in 1804 the Society of Watercolorists was created in England.

Wonderful foreign watercolorists

Watercolor came into fashion in France, other countries of Europe and America. It can be added that at the instigation of the Argentine artist Rojo, International Watercolor Day was declared. It was first noted on November 23, 2001.

Amazing watercolor works can be seen in the public domain. Japanese artist Abe Toshiyuki, who achieves photographic precision in his extraordinary paintings.

Great Russian masters

How did watercolor painting develop in Russia? The first major master in this art form was P. F. Sokolov (1791-1848), who is considered the founder of the genre of Russian watercolor portrait. An academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts, he left a cross-section of the era for posterity, as he captured contemporary Russia in his landscapes, portraits, and everyday scenes. Karl Bryullov and A. A. Ivanov paid tribute to watercolors. IN XVIII-XIX centuries she is becoming very popular, especially the miniatures she made. But wonderful and large works created with water paints. Especially good are the paintings by Ilya Repin, Mikhail Vrubel, Valentin Serov, and the artists of the World of Art. The Society of Russian Watercolor Painters was created in 1887.

The beauty of watercolor landscapes

Water paints are suitable for all genres of painting, but landscapes are especially good. Watercolors can convey subtle color transitions, the saturation of space with air, the richness of each tone. That’s why they are so uniquely beautiful and colorful. blooming gardens on landscapes made in aquarelle.

The work of the English artist Beatrice E. Parsons (1870-1955) is especially good. Watercolor landscapes, in particular winter ones, made by Russian masters are unique and inimitable. A selection of Russian winter landscapes created by various watercolorists is widely available.

Characteristic techniques

How are effects unique to watercolor achieved? It is characterized by special techniques, it has its own rules and, of course, its own paints prepared in a special way. Blurring and streaking are specific techniques of this genre. We must immediately make a reservation that painting with watercolors is a rather complex matter, requiring special skill.

Nowadays, if available on the Internet huge amount master classes and advice on how to replace masterly use of a brush with various tricks, you can come across the statement that everyone can paint. Not all. And such a technique as glazing is available only to strong professionals. There are also such techniques as “wash”, “alla prima”, “dry brush”, “drops” and “wet”. Only virtuosos master them perfectly.

Painting on paper

In the second half of the 19th century, easel watercolor developed, the works of which are not inferior to oil painting. Their significant difference is not only in the colors, but also in the material on which the works are created. In watercolor it is paper, less often silk. And this makes drawing in watercolors similar to graphics.

When creating paintings with water paints, the paper is sometimes pre-wetted (the “wet” technique), the stroke takes on a special spread-out shape, and the one applied next to it forms, merging with the previous one, a new shade, which is sometimes even difficult to predict.

Special devices

The paper dries quickly and warps. Therefore, the sheet must be tensioned. This is achieved in several ways. You can place a wet sheet on the glass and then tilt it at the desired angle during work in order to better conserve moisture in the desired area. It is clear that this method is not available to a beginner. There are special frames for tensioning the sheet. They are called erasers. To retain moisture, place a damp flannel under the paper. It all depends on the ratio of paint and water, and completely different shades are achieved. Various aids have been created for different techniques, such as a tablet and watercolor blocks.

Tools

Each watercolorist has his own technique. Watercolor and all its virtuoso techniques are not so easy to master; you need to make a lot of paper, which is divided by quality into several types - Bristol cardboard, Whatman paper, torchon and many other types, adapted for frequent wetting. Watercolorists use brushes made from delicate squirrel hair. Such brushes are even used in forensic science. Marten, ferret and badger hair are suitable.

When working with water-based paints, there is a lot that is included in the concept of “technique”. You can work with watercolors, as mentioned above, on both dry and wet paper. In the first case, there are their own techniques, in the second - their own. When drawing directly with paints, the paper, even initially wet, is still dried. Applying several layers to obtain depth and iridescence of color (glazing) involves only dry cardboard.

The most common technique

Painting with watercolors “on wet”, or “on wet”, or “wet on wet” is unique and inherent only in this painting genre. True, frescoes are painted on damp soil, and some experts consider them to be the forerunner of watercolors made using the “wet” technique. A soft brushstroke and a one-of-a-kind texture of the paint layer are the specifics of working with watercolors “on wet”. In addition, in these works there is an effect of tremulousness and movement of the image. Then you can introduce a drawing with a pen or pencil into the dried watercolor, especially since watercolor pencils appeared not so long ago. The essence of watercolor is that a white or light tone is obtained due to the cardboard showing through a transparent layer of paint.

Actually paints

What about paints? Their quality is achieved by special grinding of the pigment and its quantity in the original product. To prevent the pigment from rolling into balls, ox bile is added to the paint, which is a surfactant that reduces tension. Easily water-soluble adhesives gum arabic and dextrin (processed corn and potato starch) are added to paints as binders.

To give them elasticity and plasticity, plasticizers such as glycerin are added to them, and invert sugar retains moisture well. The most important complaint about water-based paint is the uniformity of the coloring pigment. Bad colors remain on the paper in the form of grains of sand. This is an indicator of paint failure.

Watercolor marinas

It was noted above that water paints are unusually good for depicting landscapes. The sea especially wins. Watercolor, with all the techniques and methods available only to it, can depict all the exciting beauty of the water space. And then, maybe there is something in painting water with water-based paints? Maybe that’s why there are so many lessons for beginners in watercolor painting on how to paint the sea? And how consonant with the expanse of water are such watercolor techniques as “drops” or “blowing”. In addition to them, wax crayons can be used in the marina to cover the cardboard in order to preserve the white areas.

All sorts of different ways

Methods such as bleaching, punching, spraying, using masking tape and many others, used by watercolorists, especially beginners, will help not only to depict the sea in watercolors, but also turn the work into a fun activity, especially if you paint with a child. But in serious adult works, various techniques are also used. Sometimes, to achieve the desired effect, you can put the brush down and try something else. What the masters resort to: cling film, foam, salt, stamping and much more - the imagination of a person, especially an artistically gifted one, is limitless.

In our time, when the information field is so wide, when in any genre of fine or applied art, which we had never heard of before, you can not only try yourself, but also exhibit your work, a great many people have discovered their talents and decided on a direction developing your own skills. Moreover, on any issue there is a lot of available advice, master classes, recommendations and opportunities to purchase the necessary items and tools for this type of creativity. Watercolor painting for beginners does not stand aside. Dozens of lessons step-by-step descriptions Absolutely everything related to water paints is widely available.

Watercolor painting is a technology for creating artwork using water paints. familiar to most of us from childhood, when we used dry paints in ditches. However, such paints do not give the rich effect that the works of experienced watercolorists demonstrate.

Watercolor paint consists of a binder, a filler and the pigment itself. The binder most often used is glue of plant origin: gum arabic, dextrin, tragacanth, fruit glue, molasses or glycerin. When applied to paper, the water evaporates and the binder locks the pigment and media in place. Watercolor paint is available in semi-dry cuvettes and in tubes. To work with watercolor paints, artists use round brushes for basic work and flat brushes for other manipulations, such as adjustments or washes. A watercolorist needs a palette - plastic, white. Palettes with recesses can be used as ditches: paint from the tubes is squeezed into the recesses and allowed to dry. Some artists use paint in its “raw” form; in their opinion, the colors in the painting will be fresher. The choice of paper is important. The watercolor sheet should have a well-defined texture and not spread (swell) after wetting with water.

Watercolorists use various methods of applying paint to paper. The most common method is called “raw”. Initially, the paper is moistened with water and then a layer of paint is applied. Thus, the applied paint begins to spread across the sheet, blooming in unexpected patterns, merging with other paints and forming new shades. The raw method is quite complicated and requires skill, but it gives amazing results. IN watercolor painting The glazing method is also used, where the artist applies layers of paint one after another onto a dry sheet. Glazing allows you to achieve special precision of parts. If you want to add some accents to your wet-on-wet watercolor work, the artist can apply further layers of paint after the sheet has dried.

If you want to study the technique of watercolor painting, let’s say “for yourself”, you should choose paints for classes high quality. Most often cheap watercolor paints they do not provide sufficient color saturation and the desired texture, which can disappoint a novice artist. Not worth purchasing large number colors of watercolor paints, it is better to have a set of primary colors, since almost any shade can be created from mixing two or more other colors. For example, black is obtained by mixing red and green, and white watercolorists do not use it at all (after all, white paper shines through the paint layer, and the artist simply paints over those areas on the sheet that should remain white - this technique is called “reservation”).

When talking about watercolor painting, we most often remember the most delicate floral still lifes, permeated with light and reflections. But look how versatile the use of watercolor painting is in various genres! Beautiful miniatures and sketches, portraits, landscapes, unexpected avant-garde images.

Valeria Ann Chua

Malgorzata Szczecinska

Elena Shved

Roland Palmaerts

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Depending on the degree of moisture of the paper, we will highlight such watercolor techniques as "wet work"(“English” watercolor) and "dry work"(“Italian” watercolor). Working on a piecemeal moistened leaf gives an interesting effect. In addition, you can also find combinations of these techniques.

Working in the wet.

The essence of this technique is that the paint is applied to a sheet previously moistened with water. The degree of its humidity depends on the artist’s creative intent, but usually they begin to work after the water on the paper stops “glittering” in the light. With enough experience, you can control the moisture content of the sheet by hand. Depending on how full the hair tuft of the brush is with water, it is customary to conventionally distinguish between such methods of work as “wet-on-wet” and “dry-on-wet”.

Advantages of the wet technique.
This method of working allows you to obtain light, transparent color shades with soft transitions. This method is used especially successfully in landscape painting.

Complexities of wet technique.
The main difficulty lies in the main advantage - the fluidity of watercolor. When applying paint using this method, the artist often depends on the whims of the strokes spreading across the wet paper, which during the creative process may turn out far from what was originally intended. At the same time, it is almost impossible to correct only a single fragment without affecting the rest. In most cases, the rewritten section will be disharmonious with the overall structure of the rest of the canvas. A certain amount of filth, dirt, etc. may appear.
This way of working requires constant self-control and fluency with the brush. Only considerable practice allows the artist to somewhat predict the behavior of paint on wet paper and provide a sufficient level of control over its flow. The painter must have a clear idea of what he wants and how he should solve the problem.

A la Prima technique.

This is painting in the raw, painted quickly, in one session, which creates unique effects of stains, overflows and flows of paint.

Advantages of A la Prima technology.
When the paint hits the wet surface of the paper, it spreads over it in a unique way, making the painting light, airy, transparent, and breathable. It is no coincidence that work done using this technique can hardly be copied, since each stroke on a wet sheet is unique and inimitable. By combining various color combinations with a variety of tonal solutions, you can achieve amazing play and transitions between the finest shades. The a la prima method, since it does not involve multiple recordings, allows you to maintain maximum freshness and richness of colorful sounds.
In addition, an additional advantage of this technique will be a certain time saving. As a rule, the work is written “in one breath” while the sheet is wet (which is 1-3 hours), although, if necessary, you can additionally wet the paper during the creative process. This method is indispensable for quick sketches from life and sketches. It is also appropriate when performing landscape sketches, when unstable weather conditions require a quick execution technique.
When writing, it is recommended to make mixtures of two, maximum three colors. Excess paint, as a rule, leads to cloudiness, loss of freshness, brightness, and color definition. Do not get carried away by the randomness of the spots; each stroke is designed to meet its purpose - strictly consistent with the shape and pattern.

Complexities of the A la Prima technique.
The advantage and at the same time difficulty here is that the image, which instantly appears on paper and fancifully blurs under the influence of the movement of water, cannot subsequently be subjected to any changes. Each detail begins and ends in one step, all colors are taken at once in full force. Therefore, this method requires extraordinary concentration, polished writing and an ideal sense of composition.
Another inconvenience is the limited time frame for the execution of such watercolors, since there is no possibility of leisurely work with breaks between painting sessions (including when painting a large-format painting, by gradually executing individual fragments). The image is written almost without stopping and, as a rule, “with one touch,” i.e. If possible, the brush touches a separate part of the paper only once or twice, without returning to it. This allows you to maintain absolute transparency, lightness of watercolor, and avoid dirt in your work.

Dry work.

It consists of applying paint to a dry sheet of paper with one or two ( single layer watercolor) or several (glaze) layers, depending on the artist’s idea. This method allows for good control over the flow of paint, the tone and shape of the strokes.

One-layer dry-on watercolor.

As the name suggests, in in this case the work is written in one layer on a dry sheet and, as a rule, in one or two touches. This helps keep the colors in the image pure. If necessary, you can “include” paint of a different shade or color in the applied, but not yet dry, layer.

The single-layer dry-on-dry method is more transparent and airy than glazing, but does not have the beauty of wet shimmer achieved by the A la Prima technique. However, unlike the latter, without any particular difficulties it allows you to make strokes of the desired shape and tone, and provide the necessary control over the paint.

To avoid dirt and smearing, it is advisable to think through and prepare the colors used in the work in advance, at the very beginning of the painting session, in order to easily apply them to the sheet.
It is convenient to work in this technique by outlining the contours of the drawing in advance, since there is no possibility of making adjustments with additional layers of paint. This method works well for graphic images, since strokes on dry paper retain their clarity. In addition, such watercolors can be painted either in one session or in several (with fragmentary work) with breaks as needed.

Another way to perform single-layer watercolor is wet-on-dry, is that each stroke is applied next to the previous one, capturing it while it is still wet. Thanks to this, a natural mixture of shades and a soft transition between them is formed. To enhance the color, you can use a brush to pour the necessary paint into the still wet stroke. You need to work quickly enough to cover the entire sheet before the previously applied strokes dry. This allows you to create beautiful picturesque tints, and the dry surface of the paper contributes to sufficient control over the fluidity and outlines of the strokes.

Multilayer watercolor (glaze).

Glazing is a method of applying watercolor with transparent strokes (usually darker ones on top of lighter ones), one layer on top of the other, while the bottom one must be dry each time. Thus, the paint in different layers does not mix, but works through transmission, and the color of each fragment is made up of the colors in its layers. When working with this technique, you can see the boundaries of the strokes. But, since they are transparent, this does not spoil the painting, but gives it a unique texture. The strokes are done carefully so as not to damage or blur the already dried areas of the painting.

Advantages of multi-layer watercolor technique.
Perhaps the main advantage is the ability to create paintings in the style of realism, i.e. reproducing this or that fragment as accurately as possible environment. Such works have a certain similarity in appearance, for example, with oil painting, however, unlike it, they retain the transparency and sonority of colors, despite the presence of several layers of paint.
Bright, fresh glaze paints give watercolor works a special richness of color, lightness, tenderness and radiance of color.
Glazing is a technique of rich colors, deep shadows filled with colorful reflections, a technique of soft airy plans and endless distances. Where the task is to achieve color intensity, the multi-layer technique comes first.

Glazing is indispensable in shaded interiors and distant panoramic plans. The softness of the chiaroscuro of the interior in calm diffused light with many different reflections and the complexity of the overall pictorial state of the interior can only be conveyed by the glaze technique. In panoramic painting, where it is necessary to convey the most delicate air gradations long-term plans, you cannot use body techniques; here you can achieve the goal only with the help of glaze.
When writing using this technique, the artist is relatively independent in terms of chronological boundaries: there is no need to rush, there is time to think without haste. Work on a painting can be divided into several sessions, depending on the possibilities, necessity and, in fact, the desire of the author. This is especially important when working with large format images, when you can create different fragments of the future picture separately from each other and then finally combine them.
Due to the fact that glazing is carried out on dry paper, it is possible to achieve excellent control over the accuracy of the strokes, which allows you to fully realize your idea. By gradually applying one layer of watercolor after another, it is easier to select the required shade for each element in the drawing and obtain the desired color scheme.

The complexities of multi-layer watercolor.
The main criticism directed at this technique is that, in contrast to the single-layer style of painting, which preserves the transparency of the colors as much as possible, watercolor works made with glaze lose their airiness and resemble oil or gouache images. However, if the glaze is applied thinly and transparently, then the light falling on the picture will be able to reach the paper and be reflected from it.

It is also worth noting that the multi-layered nature of the writing often hides the texture of the paper and paints or the texture of the strokes of a semi-dry brush on a grainy sheet.
Like any watercolor painting, glazing requires very careful work - strokes must be placed carefully so as not to smudge the lower, already dried, layers of paint. Because a mistake made cannot always be corrected later without consequences. If the paper and a fragment of the image allow, you can blur the bad place with a hard column, previously moistened in clean water, then blot it with a napkin or cloth, and then, when everything is dry, carefully restore the color.

Combined (mixed) watercolor technique.
One painting harmoniously combines both “wet” and “dry” techniques. For example, the first layer of paint is placed on wet paper to create the desired blur of the background (and/or individual fragments of the middle and foreground), and then, after the paper has dried, additional layers of paint are applied successively to draw detailed elements of the middle and foreground. If desired, other combinations of raw writing and glaze are used.

Interesting way of working on a fragmentarily moistened leaf, when the latter is not completely wetted, but only in some specific places. A long stroke, covering both dry and wet areas of the paper, will acquire unique shapes, connecting, with its overall continuity, clear contours in dry places with “spreading” ones in moist ones. The tonality of such a stroke will change accordingly in areas of the paper with different degrees of moisture.

According to the artist's color palette we will conditionally highlight monochrome watercolor - grisaille, and multicolor - classic. In the latter there is no limit on the number of paints used and their shades, while in grisaille various tones of the same color are used, not counting the color of the paper. The most commonly used colors are sepia and, less commonly, black and ocher.

Sometimes in relation to watercolor works you can also come across such a term as “dichrome”. As a rule, it is used extremely rarely and refers to those images in the creation of which not one, but two colors were used.

By degree of humidity You can separate not only the working surface, but also the hair tuft of the brush during a painting session. Of course, this division is more than arbitrary, since, depending on the wishes of the artist, the same brush can change the degree of moisture with each stroke. At the same time, we will highlight the work with a dry (wrung out) brush, semi-dry and wet, since the strokes in these cases differ from each other.
A smear with a wrung-out brush when writing “wet” provides less “fluidity” and allows you to better maintain control over the paint applied to the sheet. When writing “dry”, such a stroke can cover the paper only partially, “slipping” (this is especially true for embossed paper, medium-grain and torchon), which is of particular interest for specific creative solutions.

Writing with a semi-dry brush universal and well suited for writing on paper of varying degrees of humidity. Of course, each case will have its own characteristics. With a wet brush, they usually paint “dry”, since dotted strokes on the wet surface of the sheet give a strong “spreading” and are difficult to control. At the same time, a wet brush is well suited for fills, stretches, washes and other techniques when it is necessary to retain the maximum amount of water in the brush.

There are techniques when watercolor mixed with other painting materials, for example, with white (gouache), watercolor pencils, ink, pastels, etc. And, although the results can also be very impressive, such techniques are not “pure”.

In the case of combining watercolors with pencils, the latter complement the translucency of the colors with their bright and clear shades. With pencils you can either emphasize some details of the pictorial image, making them clearer, sharper, or you can do all the work in mixed media, in which linear strokes, brush strokes and colorful stains are equally present.

Pastel does not combine with watercolor as well as pencil, but sometimes artists use it by applying pastel strokes over a finished watercolor wash.

Mascara, both black and colored, can be used instead of watercolor. However, ink offers new possibilities and is commonly used in brush washes or pen drawings. The combination of black ink drawing and abstract watercolor spots, merging and crossing the boundaries of objects drawn in ink, gives the work freshness and looks original. The combination of watercolor and pen is very successful, for example, for book illustrations.

As a rule, whitewash(opaque coloring material such as gouache) in mixed media are used to “simplify” the painting process. Sometimes “reserving” individual places in a picture presents a certain difficulty, especially when these places are small and there are many of them. Therefore, some artists paint without it, and then “whiten” the necessary areas with paint (for example, highlights on objects, snow, tree trunks, etc.).
When creating one work, it is possible to combine various materials, for example, in addition to watercolors, whitewash, ink and pastel are used in the painting process, depending on the artist’s creative intent.

In watercolor, we can roughly distinguish such painting techniques as: brushstrokes, filling, washing, stretching, reserves, “pulling” paint, etc.
Strokes- this is perhaps one of the most common methods of writing in painting, by the nature of which it is easy to distinguish a dynamic drawing from a boring work. A brush filled with paint, in contact with the surface of the sheet, performs one or another movement, after which it comes off the paper, thereby completing the stroke. It can be dotted, linear, figured, clear, blurry, solid, intermittent, etc.
Fill- a technique performed in cases where it is necessary to cover a significant area of the drawing with one color or make smooth transitions between different colors. It is performed on paper tilted at an angle, usually with long horizontal strokes with a large brush, so that each subsequent stroke flows down and “captures” part of the previous one, thereby organically merging with it into one texture. If, after completing the filling, there is excess color pigment left, you can carefully remove it with a wrung-out brush or napkin.
Washing- a technique of watercolor painting in which paint highly diluted with water is used - they begin to paint transparent layers with it, repeatedly passing through those places that should be darker. The overall tone of each area of the image is ultimately achieved by repeated application of these layers, with each of them applied only after the previous one has completely dried, so that the paints do not mix with each other. It is not recommended to apply more than three layers of paint to prevent dirt from appearing. Therefore, most often, the second registration enhances the colors of the midtones, and the third one saturates the color of the shadows and introduces details. Essentially, washing is the repeated pouring of one tone onto another with a solution of the same concentration. Most often, this technique is used by architects and designers, since a regular drawing does not give the viewer a clear idea of the shape and color of the building. In addition, when working with color, the architect finds the best combination of materials for the perception of the plan, clarifies the tonal relationships, and achieves an expressive silhouette and volumetric solution for the project.

Gradient stretch- a series of successive strokes smoothly transitioning into each other, in which each subsequent one is lighter in tone than the previous one. In addition, a smooth transition from one color to another is sometimes also called.
Often in watercolors a method such as “pulling” paint is used. A clean, wrung out brush is carefully applied to the still damp painting layer, the hair of which absorbs some of the pigment from the paper, making the tone of the stroke lighter in the right place. The paint is drawn out best when writing “wet”, since the surface is still wet and the pigment does not hold well. If the smear is already dry, you can carefully moisten it with a clean, wet brush, and then “pull out” the paint to the desired tone. However, this method is less effective on dry paper.

Reserve- This is the part of the sheet that remains white during the painting process. A true watercolorist follows the rules of purity of this technique, refusing white. Therefore, the artist’s skill level, among other things, is determined by the ability to perform the reservation technique in a high-quality manner. There are several main methods.
"Bypass"- the most complex and “cleanest” method of reservation. With this type of writing, the artist leaves the necessary parts of the picture unpainted, carefully “bypassing” them with a brush. The method is performed both “dry” and “wet”. In the latter case, you need to keep in mind that paint applied to wet paper spreads, so the reservation should be done with some “reserve”.
This method is often used as mechanical impact onto a dry layer of paint. In the right places, it is scratched with a sharp object (for example, a razor) to the white surface of the sheet. However, this technique requires a certain skill and disrupts the texture of the paper, which can ultimately lead to negative consequences.
It is also possible to use various so-called “masking agents”, which can be used at almost any stage of the development of the painting, preventing paint from getting into areas covered by them.
Using these solutions, you can keep bright light accents, highlights, splashes white, and achieve a variety of effects using the overlay method, when masking is applied after the first wash of color is applied, and a second, darker shade is applied on top.
However, with such a reservation, sharp and contrasting boundaries are obtained between the paint layer and the protected area. It is not always possible to soften such transitions successfully, so it is better not to overuse masking agents, using them only to create interesting and beautiful effects.

You can also create a preliminary drawing with wax crayons in the right places without covering large surfaces. Then moisten the entire work with water and paint over the still wet sheet. Places originally painted with wax crayons will remain unaffected by watercolors, because... wax repels water.

Another way is to paint washing with a damp or wrung-out brush. It is best done on a wet layer. However, it is no longer possible to achieve the original whiteness of the paper, since part of the pigment still remains in the texture of the sheet. Instead of a brush, you can use a dry napkin, carefully applying it to specified places in the picture (for example, thus “creating” clouds in the sky), etc.
Sometimes there is such a technique as removing part of the half-dried paint with a palette knife. However, it requires a certain skill and is used only in some particular solutions (for example, it can emphasize the outlines of mountains, stones, cliffs, sea waves, it can depict trees, grass, etc.).

Sometimes when creating watercolor works some special effects.
For example, salt crystals applied on top of a wet paint layer absorb part of the pigment, resulting in unique moving stains on the paper. tonal transitions. Using salt, you can create a moving air environment in a painting, decorate a meadow with flowers, and the sky with stars.

Of particular interest is watercolor made on pre-crumpled paper, due to which the paint accumulates in a special way in places where the sheet is folded, creating additional volume.

Tinting leaves of black tea can contribute to the visual “aging” of the paper.

In some cases, it pays to apply pigment to the sheet by splashing(for example, with a finger from a toothbrush), because Reproducing many tiny dots with a regular brush is quite difficult and time-consuming. But at the same time, you need to keep in mind that particles of the paint solution from the hard hair of the brush “scatter” almost uncontrollably, so this technique requires a certain skill.

An interesting effect is produced by the usual cling film, firmly attached to the still wet paint and then carefully removed from the sheet.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, in addition to the main ones outlined, there are many other private techniques and ways of working with watercolors.

There are no comrades for taste and color. Have you ever heard such a proverb? Without a doubt. People can argue for hours about which artist is better and which is worse. However, it is difficult to find a lover of beauty who does not like watercolors.

Poetry in colors, flights of fancy, colored music - these are just some of the epithets that watercolor works deserve. Now we will try to plunge into this poetry and music in order to find out better what the world of watercolor is like. For beginners, this will be an unforgettable journey into a land of beautiful magic.

A little history

Watercolor's amazing ability to convey transparency has attracted artists all over the world. Great variability in writing techniques allows true magicians to create very cool things. Entering the museum on a hot day, you will certainly fight the temptation to throw yourself into the cool water of a lake or river, painted in watercolor.

It is almost impossible to determine where and when watercolor paints were first used. But already in the 15th century, the outstanding German Renaissance master A. Durer used watercolor with great success, creating amazing works.

It’s not for nothing that watercolor is called color music and poetry. Airiness, brightness, mystery and some kind of transcendental lightness, like a magnet attracts to water paints, this is how “watercolor” is translated from Greek.

Not only technical characteristics attract young painters to these colors, but also the laurels of past masters encourage them to personal achievements and exploits on the pictorial front. Watercolor gained particular popularity at the end of the 17th century. early XVIII centuries. The London fogs served as inspiration for many watercolor masterpieces English artists XIX century. One of them, W. Turner, simply sang a love song to the hazy streets of London in his works.

Russia is also famous for its watercolor painters of the century before last. K. P. Bryullov could not only create a filigree thing with oil, but watercolor in his hands was just as flawless. A.A. Ivanov was a great master and lover of watercolor richness. His works were simple and at the same time brilliant.

I. E. Repin,
V. I. Surikov,
I. N. Kramskoy,
M. A. Vrubel,
V. D. Polenov,
V. A. Serov,
A. A. Deineka.

This list can be continued indefinitely. All the great artists of the past left their unforgettable watercolor strokes in the history of painting.

To make you want to pick up a brush and paint your first watercolor, run to the museum to see the classics! If you prefer to get inspired without leaving home, then admire just some of the works of the masters of the past. Keep in mind that the screen does not convey the liveliness that real watercolor drawings breathe.

Watercolor Basics

Where to start? The question we ask ourselves when we really want something. The best way to master watercolor is to acquire the essentials. Here is a small list of things without which your future watercolor masterpiece will not happen:

Paints. There are a huge variety of watercolor paints, with all sorts of shades and additives. But a cool watercolorist should know that 8-10 primary colors are enough to work with. The best watercolor paints are produced in the glorious city of St. Petersburg. Watercolor with the addition of honey is brighter and tastier, but it is advisable not to eat it, but still use it for its intended purpose.

Brushes. Many experienced watercolor painters use just one brush. This is usually a good medium sized squirrel brush. If you like to hold different brushes in your hands, then use from 8 to 16 numbers. Smaller brushes are usually used only for painting miniatures and drawing details. However, if you are a lover of impressionism, then forget about them. In addition to squirrels, kolinsky and sable are also suitable. The main advantage of such brushes is their ability to absorb a lot of water.
Paper. If you decide to practice watercolors on notebook sheets or on wrapping paper, then immediately throw this nonsense out of your head! For watercolors you need special thick, bubble paper. good quality. Having bought it, don’t rush to immediately paint ninja turtles or a charming princess! First, let the paper sit for several days, then check it for water absorption and how the paint adheres to a snow-white surface. If everything suits you, and the turtles are green and the princess is pink, run to the store and buy more good paper. You're not always so lucky.

Easel. Workplace You also need to prepare it in advance. Of course, you can create on the table, but you hardly need scoliosis, poor eyesight and other related products. Therefore, immediately buy a good sketchbook with legs, then it will be equally convenient both at home and in the field. If you don’t have enough cabbage for your easel, then a simple plywood board can become an excellent easel. The main thing is that you can attach to it a sheet of bubble paper that you just stocked up on.

Well, you are ready to paint your first picture. Remember right away that when you become a great watercolorist, this work will have no price. At the Sotheby's auction, even the buttons from the first creation will go under the hammer. What do you need to do to learn how to paint with watercolors?

Watercolor for beginners

First, let's get acquainted with the basic techniques of painting with watercolors. What and how can you create with it? Of course, you remember that watercolor is a transparent paint. No matter how hard you try, the bottom layer will always be visible. Therefore, the following methods are used when working with water-based paints:

In the wet. This method business card watercolors. No other paint can achieve such fantastic shimmers that occur when mixing paints on wet paper. Try! Wet a large area of whatman paper with the brush, and then brush one color and another next to it, so that the strokes touch each other. Make a rainbow like this and let it dry. Wasn't it a miracle?!

Now a little about writing technique. What should you remember? Watercolor is beautiful until it's turned into mud. This results from mixing more than three colors. Don't get carried away with it! Don't forget that three layers equals at least three colors! The best way to paint in watercolors is to shoot at the bull's-eye, that is, it is advisable to immediately hit the color and tone. Therefore, they begin to prescribe the drawing with bright places, and end up the darkest. Always apply a new layer after the bottom one has dried. Don't rush!

However, having tried it for the first time, many ask themselves: “When will fame come?” The answer is simple: study, study and study again! To do this, constantly paint with watercolors; the more often you do this, the faster you will master the skill. It's like riding a skateboard. No matter how much you look at him, you won’t learn to drive. Only by getting on a skateboard and hitting more than one bump can you become a cool skateboarder. It’s the same in painting. Stop skateboarding and pick up your brush! You will succeed!