Sunday, March 20, 2011

Pouring Watercolors Demo

Pouring a watercolor - Step by Step

FIRST POUR
1.   Make a value study - with a contour drawing
        Your value study should have lights, mediums and darks
2.   Your drawing on w/color paper should be darker than you normally would
      draw
3.   Mask all the white or the areas that you want to keep the lightest.

4.   Ready for first Pour
      All the masking is complete and dry
5.   Mix your paints (I like to use clear plastic cups)
       Have 1 brush for each color
        First Pour:
         Quinacrodone Gold
         Quinacrodone Coral
         Verona Gold Ochre or Yellow Ochre
6.   Wet your paper - enough for the clear water to move
7.   Run off excess water and Pour the paints
8.   Let the paints mingle on the paper - don't rush this step
9.   Pour off into a large container
10. Let dry (I like to use a hair dryer to control the backruns)

SECOND POUR

Review your value drawing.  Select the next lightest areas.  These are the areas
that need to be masked at this time.

1.  Mask the middle value areas


2.  Ready for Second Pour
     All the masking is complete and dry
3.  Mix your paints for the second pour
        Use a new cup and a clean brush for each NEW color
          Quinacrodone Gold
          Quinacrodone Gold Deep
          Quinacrodone Burnt Orange
4.  Wet the entire paper - again enough to move the clear water and
      drain off excess
5.  Pour the paints - thinking about where you want the darker values.
     As we are pouring a "Transparent Glass Painting" keep in mind that
     dark values must be poured through the "Glass"
6.  Drain excess paint
7.  Dry totally before the next step


THIRD POURING

Check your value drawing and decide which areas need to be masked before the third pouring.  The Next pouring will be quite dark.

1.  Mask the next value

Notice how just about the entire flower is now masked

Ready for Third Pour
2.  Mixing Paints  in separate cups
       Quinacrodone Gold Deep
       Quinacrodone Burnt Orange
       Perm. Alizarin Crimson
       Burnt Sienna
3.  Wet the entire painting and pour off excess water
4.  Pour paints and let the paints mingle
       This time you will be more selective in your pouring areas
       You will want to keep some areas free of the darker colors
5.  Drain excess paint
6.  Let dry
(Notice this pattern is slightly different than the others.  Also texture was created by spraying Rubbing Alcohol into the wet paint)


FOURTH POUR

This is now our final pour
All your masking should have been completed for the Third Pour

1.  Check your value study - paying attention to the darkest areas


Ready for 4th Pour

2.  Take all your paints from the 3rd pour and pour into one cup
3.  Add to the mix:
        Sepia
        Burnt Umber
4.  Gently wet your painting - not to the point where you have to drain excess
     water
5.  Pour gently on left side - a small amount and let it slowly spread to approx.
     one third of the painting
6.  Let dry

ADDING SHADOWS

Check your value drawing - see where the dark shadows are.



In this painting I sprayed the entire painting with a diluted spray mixture of Quinacrodone Gold.  This enhanced the nice glow.

1.  Using the dark mixture from the 4th pour, paint the dark shadows
2.  Special attention is given to the edges of the glass - making sure the sides
     of the glass are darker to make it look round
3.  Let dry
4.  Remove mask
5.  Tidy up and soften any edges needed that were created by the masking fluid

The Finished Paintings:

Lily and Glass

Arches 300lb CP
                                           22" x 30"


Lily and Ribbon

Arches 300lb CP
                                          22" x 30"