Johnson - First Steps Painting Watercolors

FIRST STEPS
SERIES
Painting Watercolors

CATHY JOHNSON

NORTH LIGHT BOOKS
Cincinnati, Ohio
www.artistsnetwork.com

Painting Watercolors. Copyright 1995 by Cathy A. Johnson. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F +W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.

Other fine North Light Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or direct from the publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Johnson, Cathy (Cathy A.)

Painting watercolors / by Cathy A. Johnson.1st ed.

p. cm. (First steps series)

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-0-89134-616-6 (pb)

ISBN-10: 0-89134-616-3 (pb)

1. Watercolor paintingTechnique. I. Title. II. Series: First steps series (Cincinnati, Ohio)

ND2420J63 1995

751.42'2dc20 95-6084

CIP

Edited by Greg Albert
Designed by Brian Roeth

Dedication

To my students and readers, whose intelligent questions have helped to shape this book; to my brother-in-law, watercolorist Richard Busey, for reminding me what to say; to Greg Albert, my supportive and meticulous editor; and to David Lewis, who kick-starts it all; and to Harris, whose presence makes it all possible.

Table of Contents

Chapter One
GETTING STARTED

All about the materials you need to begin painting right away.

Chapter Two
EASY-TO-LEARN WAYS TO PAINT

The fun way to learn watercolor techniques right from the start.

Chapter Three
HOW DO I PAINT... ?

Learn how to paint trees, skies, waterall the things that make up a great painting.

Chapter Four
STEP-BY-STEP DEMONSTRATIONS

A dozen detailed demonstrations show you the complete painting process.

Introduction

W hy does watercolor inspire such passion and loyalty? Here are ten good reasons:

One, it is fresh. Watercolor has a glow that no other medium can match.

Two, watercolor is wonderfully transparent. It can capture light as can no other medium.

Three, watercolor is versatile. It can be loose and free, or as full of crisp details as a photograph; it can be pastel and soft, or strong and bold.

Four, watercolor is quick. Fast mixing, fast blending, fast dryingit's that very quickness that encourages swift handling (and those fresh effects).

Five, watercolor is convenient. There's no need for messy mediums or elaborate preparations.

Six, it's reasonably inexpensiveor it can be. Your setup doesn't have to cost the crown jewels.

Seven, the necessary materials are available just about anywhereat art supply stores, by mail, even at discount stores.

Eight, watercolor is clean. Cleanup is a snap; brushes come clean with a swish through the water bowl. There's no telltale odor of turpentine or layer of pastel dust on the floor.

Nine, watercolor is portable. You can carry enough supplies to do a full-fledged painting (or several of them) in a backpack.

Ten, watercolor is unpredictable. That may sound like a minus to you if you're just starting out, but it's also exciting. You'll never be bored or complacent.

Intrigued? Ready to jump in and test the waterand the water-color? You can do itand I'll show you how.

Chapter One
GETTING STARTED

G etting started with a new medium is excitingwatercolor makes it more so. Where do I start? What do I need to buy? What kind of brushes are basics, and do they have to be expensive? (They don't.) What colors do I need? What's really a necessity and what's not? And what do all those strange words mean? (In fact, every job, every hobby, every aspect of our lives has its own special set of words to describe what we're doing.)

TIP

Watch for our Watercolor Dictionary throughout this bookwhen an unfamiliar term comes up, we'll define it right away to let you in on the lingo. Our dictionary acts as a brief introduction to those colorful terms that describe the thingslikewashes and puddlesyou'll be doing with ease after a little practice.

Watercolor Dictionary: Wash

To show you how it works, we'll jump right in with a definition of wash. A wash is any area of pigment and water that you apply to your paper. This can be quite large (a sky wash, for instance) or as small as an individual brushstroke. It may be flat or graded (graduated from light to dark or vice versa, or from color to color).

Watercolor Dictionary: Puddle

Another word we usually understand in a different context. A watercolor puddle is an extremely wet wash that's allowed to dry without touching it; it develops hard edges, but relaxyou want them here. See the how-to section for more information on puddles.

What's the Best Way to Start?

The best way is to want to paint in watercolormotivation, inspiration, whatever it takes. Then, get a basic set of painting gear togetherand I do mean basic. Take it easy on yourself and your budget. Test the waters first to see if you even like the medium.

Be gentle with yourself. Don't expect to produce a masterpiece your first time out (or your tenth). And don't expect to pull a wash perfectly the first time out. It's like any other skill; it takes a bit of worka bit of practicealong with the fun. But trust me, it's worth it.

Watercolor Dictionary: Pull a wash