Thursday, February 13, 2014

Tips And Techniques For Abstract Watercolor Painting Success

By Jayne Rutledge


If you are interested in starting abstract watercolor painting, there are many tips and hints available to you to help you get satisfying results for your efforts. There are many techniques that you can explore to develop your style. By playing around with some of the methods and tips mentioned in this article, you will be well on your way to becoming a watercolor artist.

Getting prepared to work with watercolors is a very simple act. Mixing the paints is as easy as adding a couple of drops of water to the palette and combining it. Getting the right consistency can take a little trial and error, but it can be remedied by working with the liquid to paint ratio.

One of the first things you need to realize when using it is that it will always dry a lighter color than what it appears when you are applying the brushstrokes. It might take a little bit of trial and error in order to work out how to mix the colors to your liking. If you are finding that your canvases are drying too light, then you will need to play around with the paint to water ratio that you are using.

Regardless of whether you are working in light or dark shades, this kind of paint is always translucent. There is no doubt that it can look amazing, but it can also be challenging for the artist as it is difficult to mask any errors. It is possible to paint over the top of an error, but there is a real risk of having the work underneath show through. This is one of the aspects of using this kind of paint that you will have to experiment with.

Many artists recommend making a simple sketch of your subject before beginning with the real thing. This will help you to plan where and how you will composite the picture. Taking the time to do this can save you a lot of frustration and errors.

Limiting the range of colors that you use is often recommended by long-time watercolor enthusiasts. When using more than around three hues in a piece, the effect can be busy and appear overcrowded. Limit your palette while you are a beginner and experiment with the effect before branching out further along the line.

Another key point about painting in this manner is that you need to have quality materials. Your brushes are most important as it can be very frustrating when your brush is dropping bristles on the canvas. If you need to economize, do it on the canvas or liquids, but never on the brushes.

Abstract watercolor painting is an excellent place to begin your exploration of this style of art. Through trial and error and experimentation, you can come up with some excellent results and begin to understand the subtleties of using this kind of medium. Be creative, use your imagination and you will begin to develop some good work and your own particular style.




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