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Watercolor painting haslong been a favorite mediumof expression for enthusiasts and professional artists alike.
In fact, you probably have some of them in your home right now.
Feeling confused about why you need rubbing alcohol to paint?
Photo:Abstract dry brush on paperfrom Yeroma / Shutterstock.com
Don’t worryit’s all explained below.
Simply dip your brush in clean water and paint, and then spread it over your painting surface.
We use the flat wash in our demonstration ofhow to paint watercolor flowers.
Its created by painting a wash of wet paint on dry paint.
First, paint a wash onto your dry paper.
After it has dried, apply paint on top of it.
Because of the transparency of the paints, you will most likely see the bottom layer behind that stroke.
This technique is a fun way to explore layers of color and loose strokes.
Start by painting darkload up your brush with the most pigmentand then drag it across the paper.
The two groups will begin to converge and eventually look like one.
Repeat this process, adding less and less pigment, until youve got your desired tonal range.
To produce this technique, simply wet part of the paper with your brush.
(you could use either water or a little pigment.)
This in-depth tutorial will show you the wet-on-wet (or wet-in-wet) technique in real-time.
Afterward, spread it over a dry piece of paper.
The result will be a highly textured mark thats great for implying fur or hair.
Apply this material in places where you dont want the pigment to go.
Once the watercolor is dry, peel the rubber cement or masking tape from the page.
Youll see the paper underneath.
This is a great solution for preserving white paper among the rest of your painting.
Begin by laying down a wash thats juicyyou want to have some extra pigment on the paper.
After youve painted the color, spread the salt on top of it.
Like the salt method, began with a wash thats got some extra pigment to it.
Wait for the paint to fully dry.
The pigment will pool under the plastic and create an interesting texture.
Or, pour some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle to keep things loose and free.
It will create an alluring effect thats reminiscent of tie-dye.
Start by painting a wash where youd like the scratch texture to go.
Paint will fill the punctured surface and appear darker and more defined than the rest of your wash.
This technique is perfect for those fine details that will really set your finished piece apart.
Try this method to create woodgrain texture on your trees, or to create tiny needles on your cacti.
(But isn’t that part of the fun?)
The spatter technique will give a chaotic, Jackson Pollock-esque effect to your work.
To create it, load your brush with pigment and use your finger to flick it onto your paper.
This technique is great for creating energy and bringing importance to the foreground of your piece.
Don’t want to get paint on your hands?
Another option for spattering is to use a secondary brush and knock your painting brush against it.
The force will release the pigment and it will transfer onto your paper.
The downside of this method, however, is that you have less control over where the paint goes.
Watch how to spatter in this video:
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