Splash Watercolour

Finally, after practicing washes we're ready to start on clouds! Keep a tissue handy and let's get some cool clouds! Very lightly sketch the cloud shape. Look at some real clouds and draw a basic shape or go with the examples here.  Keep some blue, i choose ultramarine if i want to get that lifted fluffy cloud,but cobalt blue,is also a good option. The reason being a staining colour won't let us lift the white clouds. You need a 150 lb or 300gsm paper for we are literally going to pour water on the paper...actually with a thick flat brush or your thickest one. wet the paper, thoroughly till the cloud area or above the horizon line. Use your palette to make a mix as thick as coffee, not milk or water. Paint the top and just run the brush along,; the loaded brush will help carry and you must have noticed in your practice how the pigment spreads. Don't stop it let  it splash on it's own. Then quickly before the shine of the paper vanishes scrunch your tissu...

Hi friends, Let's get closer to understanding washes, before we attempt anything else. These are the foundation to learning watercolours! Let's start with a graded wash! Get your gear - paints, paper, lat brush, palette, tissue and of course, WATER! You can do this on one sheet by dividing the space with watercolour or painter's tape. A GRADED WASH The first graded wash is simple yet exciting as you see the colour strengthen and fade into nothing! Chose any colour you like ultramarine blue, cobalt, alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow, red or any colour you like! Soak your flat brush with pigment with very little water. Just enough to move the brush smoothly. Practice on newspaper, rough sheets so you can be sure. As a sketch book you could use 180 gsm watercolour, paper for practice. I do that for my night sketches. Wet the area you're going to  paint. Fill your flat brush with pigment and move it on the paper in short strokes or one long s...

Who doesn't love clouds! Fluffy, soft, you yearn to touch these bits of candy floss! Dreamy yes, so why not try painting one in watercolour! You can practice clouds. Divide the paper into fours with your painter's tape and wet the paper completely! Take a look at some clouds below. One is blank and i will do the demo on that.  Meanwhile take a go. Watercolour clouds are the most fun. You never really know how it will end, often better or worse than you thought. I made some gigantic mess before i got the basics. Never give up hope. Always be positive that it's a matter of learning how to!.  Practice, practice, practice is the mantra to follow! Watercolours are a passion for me.  Hope you will find it as much fun. Splash in watercolours!