Bley Hack - Colorways: Watercolor Flowers: Tips, Techniques, and Step-by-Step Lessons for Learning to Paint Whimsical Artwork in Vibrant Watercolor

C O L O R W A Y S

TIPS, TECHNIQUES, AND STEP-BY-STEP LESSONS FOR LEARNING TO PAINT WHIMSICAL ARTWORK IN VIBRANT WATERCOLOR

BLEY HACK

One of my greatest joys as a mother has been observing what captures my kids imaginations. My oldest son loves stories of ancient heroes; one of my girls is fascinated by fairy tales; and her sister is inspired by the things she can create with her hands. It is something different for each of my five children, and that has helped me realize what captures my imagination: color.

Color is the inspiration of my life. It is the thread that runs through everything I love and, perhaps, what I enjoy most about watercolor painting. Not only can color elicit emotion, it is also an exploration that will never disappoint, as there is always more to discover!

What do you need to explore color? All it takes is a willingness to play and experiment and an awareness of colors. Through the guided projects featured in this book, together we will explore ways of using and experimenting with color in watercolor painting.

Watercolor is a forgiving and spontaneous mediumone that doesnt let you take yourself too seriouslyand its super fun to play with! If you want to get comfortable with this medium and enjoy it to the fullest, commit some time to practicing and painting as much as you can. It really is true that theres no substitute for repetition.

The projects in this book are designed to suggest ways for you to experiment with watercolor, so you get the practice you need and can become equipped with a variety of methods and ways of thinking about watercolor. This will allow you to design your own unique painting experiences based on what inspires you.

Now, lets paint!

To get started painting with watercolor, all you really need are a few supplies: a good brush, several paint colors, a palette, a cup of clean water, and paper. Dont let yourself get caught up in purchasing just the right kind of everything and worrying that what you have is inadequate. More than likely, what you have is enough, and the best thing to do is just sit down and paint!

Watercolor paints are your most important tool. You dont need to purchase an expensive variety, but keep in mind that higher-quality paints can look more vibrant. Student-grade watercolors in a tube work great, as do concentrated liquid watercolors. A good old-fashioned sketch box with pans of paint is also an option. I use all three in my watercolor work.

If you cant afford to invest in a set of all-new paints, purchase a handful of colors that appeal to you. For mixing purposes, its wise to choose one color from the red family, one from the blue family, and one from the yellow family, as well as a couple of neutrals.

PAINT

PALETTE

Unless you purchase a paint box with a built-in palette, you will need a separate palette to put your paints on, as well as for mixing. There are many palettes to choose from, but a simple option often works just as well as the fancier ones.

Keep similar colors next to each other on your palette for easier use.

BRUSHES

When I first started painting with watercolor, brushes were one of the most mysterious supplies to me. What kinds did I need, and what sizes should they be? What type of fiber did I want, and in what shape? The only way to figure out the style and type of brush you most enjoy working with is through experimentation. Over time, I discovered that I prefer a small, round, size-6 to -8 brush for detail work; a large, round, size-16 brush for loose floral work; and a water brush for lettering. These are my three workhorse brushes, and Ive been using a couple of them for more than 20 years.

Buy the best quality you can afford, and keep in mind that synthetic fibers can make great brushes!

PAPER

For the greatest success when working with watercolor paints, purchase watercolor paper. Watercolor paper comes in hot-pressed and cold-pressed varieties and in three standard weights: 90-lb., 140-lb., and 300-lb. A good all-purpose paper is 140-lb. cold-pressed paper, which is widely available in many sizes. Rough watercolor paper has plenty of tooth, or raised areas, which add texture to your art. I also like using a 9" x 12" pad. Theres no need to spend a lot to get good paper. Local art-supply and craft stores carry high-quality pads at reasonable prices.

You may also find it useful to keep a sketchbook to paint in. Keeping all your pages in one place is a fun way to see how your art progresses over time.

Watercolor paper These three different sheets show how the paint looks on hot-pressed (A.), cold-pressed (B.), and rough, textured paper (C.).

Other Materials

In addition to paint, brushes, and paper, you may want the following items:

Water cup: I use an old jam jar with a folded paper towel placed underneath on which to dab my brush.

Pencil: Keep it handy for drawing guidelines.

Large tray: This is great for holding your supplies, especially if theres room for your pad of paper too. Then, when you are finished working, you can simply pick up the tray and put it away.

Watercolor Techniques

Learning a few simple watercolor techniques will make painting much more accessible and enjoyable for you! Here are some techniques you may want to use while painting colorful flowers using watercolor.

WASH

This technique is used to cover a large area with flat color. To create a wash, load your brush with a wet consistency of your chosen color, and then drag the side of the brush across the paper.

Add visual interest to a flat wash by dropping in another paint color while the first layer remains wet.

WET-INTO-WET

This technique can be used for all kinds of subjects and lends a spontaneous feel to a painting.