How I Watercolor

I have been working with watercolor since my college days at KU in the late 80's.  I took a class from Prof. Curtis Besinger (a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice).  Simple washes, typically 1 color was the method as seen here.  Never more than a 4 color palette for simplicity.  Graphically is was  easy to apply, went well with the ink work I did , and  was effective in differentiating ideas.  I even  later applied the 4 color palette to my  final studio project which won me an  honorable mention in a national competition.

Watercolor is a not the be all for illustration work but it has some great properties that make colors bright,  energetic and a distinctive illusion of space.  Not realistic but captivating "real".

After  graduation,  I worked for Sneary Architectural Illustration.  Were I found these methods useful but barely scratch the surface of how I learn to use watercolor today.  While the method of applying the color is not much different,  Here I learn about  intensity of color, color mixing, and the many tricks one can employed to get certain effects sometimes only seen in watercolor.

The main advantages of watercolor are..

• It is a transparent medium. 
  
  • When applying two separate "washes"  the overlapping  of the two washes produces a third and general harmonious color.  This means and early  underpainting can be brought forward through later colors to help unify an illustration.  In addition,  a separate line drawing can be printed on watercolor stock and show right through the color reinforcing the edges for greater contrast.  IN FACT, since watercolor is transparent, you can actually see the paper through the color on the original drawing.  This means that there is no glossiness to the original and that it can be be seen from the most acute angle anywhere.
  • This same advantage can be it Achilles heel, in that any mistakes never go away or make a color become too muddy if overworked.   Too avoid this I use  a step process with review points  to reduce the need for  changes later and after  reviewing the chosen colors, plan the process of applying color to.  It is easier to make a watercolor darker than go backward.  In end though,  I have apply  "opaque"  watercolor and color pencil when necessary to those area then need brightening
• Color mixing
  
  • Since color is transparent, watercolor is best treated as an additive process, starting light and building toward it deepest darkest values at the end.
  • The simple washes learned in college  have given way to gradient washes with a twist.     As I cut each wash into the rendering,  I am constantly changing either the color by adding other colors or adding water to get the desired gradation. This changing of both color, value and chroma within the wash help to create the illusion of depth.
  • Personally, I like playing with warm/cool colors and push the intensity but have modified my color palette at people request.
• Paper
  • Typically, I use cold press watercolor paper mounted on gator stock.  The gator gives the watercolor stock a  nice flat surface so I can can better control how my washes dry to the desired effect.  The cold press has a texture quality that adsorbs the color well as well as clearly maintains the  waterproof print of the line drawing.  Left unscreened the line drawing can help reinforce edges, while if screen to a pencil gray, will disappear making for a softer edged straight watercolor.  Hot press watercolor paper is a smooth version for those that do not want the textured paper.
• Techniques
  • Liquid Frisket and Tape is a  methods of masking that can keep an  area dry and devoid of color,  The paper is the whitest the drawing will be and maintaining white can be invaluable.
  • Large Washes (Underpainting) -  I typically apply a few early on to help shape the image and inspire my future washes.
  • Salt absorbs water and this uneven drying  creates an interesting effect
  • Fan, Round and Flat brushes allow for  difference effects.  Even a Tooth brush can apply a nice stippling pattern.
  • Crumpled paper, sponges when applied will create variation when padding the drying color
  • Back Wash is when the wash drys back into the middle making a hard irregular crust of edge.  While this is general avoided.  It can be employed when aware to interesting results.
  • Luminous Shadows.  Avoid making shadow too dark.  Allow for bounce light to bring back color while maintaining contrast.
• Changes
  • Even the best planning cannot avoid the need for changes.  Small change can be accomplish hopefully with added watercolor or the use of "opaque" watercolors that have more pigment and no longer let the paper to be seen through the color.  If the area is big. this can sometime make that area look glossy on the original, but will have no effect on reproductions.  Wholesale changes are better accomplished with a "pasteover" Drawn on a separate sheet of watercolor paper, cut, fitted and tacked in place for reproductions.

For the most part, my clientele appreciates the look and feel that I bring to my watercolors.   And while these advantages may not be readily appreciated, they create a unique product to seduce your clients with your design.