Joanna James
Watercolour may be a tricky medium to master. But once you learn a few basic skills it is easy to learn the many techniques. Thus, creating mesmerising images. If you need to improve your skills here are some top watercolour essentials for every artist to master.
It's important to have varied sizes of brushes on hand to create textures and add fine detail to your painting. Choose your range of brushes depending on the general size of paintings you do. If you are more into creating larger paintings, then have a set of brushes ranging from six and above or 00 and above if you like doing smaller paintings. Choose brushes on the type of style they offer, plus a few smaller brushes, and you will be able to easily create varied effects and add finer details to your paintings. Observing the work of other artists is a great way to improve your skills. Check out the skillfully created collection of Sri Lankan paintings on display at Colombo city galleries and also popular online platforms such as Sri Lankan Art Gallery.
Splurging and including a collection of good quality paints in your set of watercolours is essential if you want to dabble successfully in varied techniques. The quality of paint has a great effect on the outcome and you should not cut corners here. Plus, the use of quality paint will guarantee the durability of your artwork; it will not fade or turn yellow in time. Explore the market, there are lots of reputed brands out there and exploring a few reviews and recommendations will help you to choose the best.
Watercolour is used by mixing the paint with a bit of water; however, you can experiment and create different textures with dry and wet paint. It's easier to manage pigment and saturation by adding water gradually. And through trial and error, you will be able to create different textures increasing or decreasing the mixing ratio.
A rule of thumb when painting with watercolour is to work from light to dark. Start with lighter shades and gradually build them up by layering colours. While it is a tedious and time-consuming technique, this method when applied gradually will help you to achieve the exact image you have in mind.
An essential for every watercolour artist, paper towels will help to diffuse a colour, clear a wash and get the right shading you require, and help with cleaning up extra splodges of paint. Add a pack of paper towels to your toolbox and you won't have to run around looking for rags in the middle of a painting.
Splattering your paint is a good way to bring a painting to life. You can create a floating dust particles effect and spray effect with this simple technique. Simply hold the bristles of the brush in between your fingers, pull them back, and let them spring back splattering the paint in them.
This method is used to bleed colours into one another, thus creating shading and a merged effect. Bleed colours while the previous colour is still wet for the best results.
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