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FirstpublishedintheUnitedStatesin2014byChronicleBooksLLC
Textandcompilationcopyright©2005,2013byHarperCollinsPublishers.Photographsandillustrationscopyright©1995,1999,2005byInklink.Allartworksandpaintingscopyright©1995,1999,2005bytheindividualartists.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformwithoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher.
ISBN978-1-45213722-3(epub,mobi)
TheLibraryofCongresshaspreviouslycatalogedthistitleunderISBN:978-1-4521-2716-3(pb)Page10constitutesacontinuationofthecopyrightpage.
ChronicleBooksLLC680SecondStreetSanFrancisco,CA94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
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CONTENTS
Introduction8Acknowledgements10
1/SUPPORTS122/DRAWINGMEDIA363/PAINTINGMEDIA624/WHERESHALLISTART?1225/DRAWING&SKETCHING1366/PAINTINGTECHNIQUES1607/COLOR&COMPOSITION2108/WHATSHALLIPAINT?2349/THESTUDIO34210/GALLERYOFART356
Reference384Index395
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INTRODUCTIONRenoironceobservedthat“paintingisn’tjustdaydreaming,itisprimarilya
manualskill,andonehastobeagoodworkman.”Toooftenitisforgotten
thatpaintingisacraftaswellasanart–andadifficultcrafttomaster,atthat.
Atfirstsight,dippingabrushintopaintandapplyingittoasurfaceseems
easyenough.Buttherearetrapsfortheunskilled:aninadequatelyprepared
supportmaywarporbuckle;thewrongsupportcanadverselyaffecttheway
thepainthandles;ill-chosencolorsturnmuddywhenmixedtogether;poor-
qualityorfugitivecolorswillfadeintime.Byunderstandingthematerialsand
techniquesathisorherdisposal,theartistcanavoidsuchpitfallsandincrease
thepleasuresofmakingart.
Inrecentdecades,artschoolshavetendedtodismissbasicskillsand
techniquesas“irrelevant,”andtheyhavebeenneglectedinfavorof“freedom
ofexpression.”Insodoing,tutorshavethrownthebabyoutwiththe
bathwater,forwithoutathoroughtechnicalgraspofmaterialsandmethods,
studentsofarthavenorealfreedomtoexpresstheirideas–itislikeasking
someonewithnoknowledgeorconceptofgrammarorsyntaxtowriteanovel.
Thisisnottoimplythatagoodcraftspersonisnecessarilyagoodartist.
Manualdexterityandtechnicalknow-howaremeaninglessifanartist’swork
isdeficientinthoughtandfeeling.Alongwithalearninghand,onemust
developaseeingeye–andformanypeople,thisisthemostdifficultpart.In
thedesiretoproducea“finished”picture,theimpatientstudentoften
overlooksthetwothingsthatarefundamentaltoallart:drawingand
observation.Itisvitaltotrainyoureyesbyreallylookingattheworldaround
you,andtokeepsketchinganddrawingallthetime.Whenyoudrawwhatyou
see,youdevelopyourpowersofobservationandanalysis.Yourmindabsorbs
manydetails–forinstance,thewaylightandshadowcreateform,howtone
andcoloralterwithdistance–enablingyoutodrawasurprisingamountfrom
memoryandfromimagination.
Thepurposeofthismanual,then,istwofold.First,byprovidinganin-
depthexaminationoftheskillsandtechniquesinvolved,notonlyinpainting
anddrawingbutalsoinpreparingasupportandinchoosingandmixing
colors,itendeavorstoencourageaprideinthecraftsmanshipneededto
produceaworkofart.Second,byusingawiderangeofworkbyrespected
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professionalartistsasasourceofinspiration,itaimstohelpyoudevelopyour
personalvisionoftheworldandtofindyourownvoiceininterpretingthat
vision.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThisbookistheworkofmanyhands,andistheresultofseveralyears’
planningandpreparation.Thedesigners,editorsandproducersareindebted
toallwhohavecontributedandhavegivenfreelyoftheirtimeandexpertise.
Ourthanksgotothefollowing:
EditorialConsultantsDrSallyBulgin
EditorandownerofTheArtistandLeisurePaintermagazines.Authorofseveral
artinstructionbooksAngieGair
Authorofseveralartinstructionbooks
ArtandTechnicalConsultantsTrevorChamberlain,ROI,RSMACarolynnCooke
DavidCurtis,ROI,RSMAJohnDenahy,NEAC
JohnLloyd
JohnMartin
TerryMcKivraganIanRowlands
BrianYale
Withspecialthanksto:KenHoward,RA,ROI,RWS,NEAC
Daler-RowneyLtdEmmaPearce
Winsor&Newton
DemoArtistsAlastairAdams
RayBalkwill
DavidDay
JennieDunn
TimothyEaston
DavidGriffin
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RobinHarris
NickHyams
DavidJackson
EllaJennings
SimonJennings
KenHoward
JohnLidzey
DebraManifold
AlanMarshall
KayOhsten
KenPaine
PeterPartingtonJackieSimmondsShirleyTrevenaValerieWiffen
ColinWilley
LaurenceWood
JohnYardley
Artists
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Gratefulthanksalsogotothefollowingartists,whogenerouslyloanedsamples
ofmaterials,artworksandtransparencies,andwhoprovidedmuchtime,advice
andassistance:AlastairAdams
VictorAmbrus
NickAndrew
PennyAnstice
PaulApps
BarryAtherton
GigolAtler
RayBalkwill
ValerieBatchelorJoanElliottBatesRichardBell
JohnBlockley
JaneCamp
SarahCawkwell
TrevorChamberlainTerenceClarke
TomCoates
JillConfavreuxGrenvilleCottinghamEdwinCripps
JamesCrittendenFredCuming
DavidCurtis
DavidDay
JohnDenahy
SarahDonaldsonJennieDunn
TimothyEaston
SharonFinmark
RoyFreer
KayGallweyAnnabelGault
GeraldineGirvanPeterGraham
DavidGriffin
GordonHales
RoyHammond
RobinHarris
DesmondHaughtonAndrewHemingwayKenHoward
MichaelHyam
NickHyams
AlanHydes
DavidJackson
PaulineJacksonEllaJennings
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SimonJennings
RonaldJesty
CaroleKatchen
SallyKeir
SophieKnight
ToryLawrence
JohnLidzey
AnnaMacmiadhachainPádraigMacmiadhachainDebraManifold
JohnMartin
JudyMartin
SimieMaryles
DonaldMcIntyreAlexMcKibbin
TerryMcKivraganJohnMonks
AlisonMusker
PatriciaMynottKeithNew
KayOhsten
KenPaine
PeterPartingtonElsieDinsmorePopkinPennyQuested
JohnRaynes
JacquelineRizviKeithRoberts
DennisMathewRooneyLeonardRosomanGeorgeRowlett
NaomiRussell
HansSchwarz
HilScott
BarclaySheaks
JackieSimmondsRichardSmith
MichaelStiff
SallyStrand
DavidSuff
RobertTilling
ShirleyTrevenaJacquieTurner
SueWales
ValerieWiffen
ColinWilley
AnnaWood
LeslieWorth
BrianYale
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JohnYardley
RosemaryYoung
GalleriesArtSpaceGallery,LondonChrisBeetlesGallery,LondonBrowseandDarby,
LondonTheFineArtSociety,LondonFischerFineArt,LondonKentmere
HouseGallery,YorkLizardi/HarpGallery,Pasadena,CaliforniaLlewellyn
AlexanderGallery,LondonMontpelierStudio,LondonMuseumofModern
Art,NewYorkNationalGallery,LondonNewAcademyGallery,LondonNew
GraftonGallery,LondonOnLineGallery,SouthamptonPiccadillyGallery,
LondonRedfernGallery,LondonBrianSinfieldGallery,BurfordTateGallery,
LondonWestcottGallery,Dorking
CompaniesAcco-Rexel
ArnesbyArts
TheArtistmagazineBerol
Bird&DavisKenBromley’sPerfectPaperStretcherR.K.Burt&Co.
Canson
ChromaColor
ColArt
L.Cornelisson&SonDaler-RowneyLtdFalkinerFinePapersFriskProducts
Inscribe
IntertradeInternationalJakarInternationalKhadi
Koh-i-Noor
LetrasetUK
A.Levermore&Co.
LiquitexUK
DavidLloydPictureFramers
Martin/F.WeberCo.
Osborne&ButlerPentel
Philip&TraceyProArte
ProjectArt
Raphael&BergeC.Robertson&Co.
RotringUK
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RoyalSovereignStCuthbert’sPaperMillsTateGalleryPublicationsTollit&
HarveyUnison
Winsor&Newton
PhotographersandpicturesourcesStudiophotographybyPaulChaveandBenJenningsOtherphotographyby:
Acco-RexelLtd;JohnCouzins;Daler-RowneyLtd;IkeaLtd;SimonJennings;
Raphael&BergeSA;andShonaWood
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Chapter1
SUPPORTS
Beforestartingapaintingordrawing,itisworthspendingsometimechoosingandpreparingthe
surface,orsupport,asthiswillhaveagreatbearingonwhichmediumyouuse,andtheeffectsthatyou
areabletoachievewithit.Althoughtherangeofcanvases,panelsandpapersmayseemsomewhat
bewilderingatfirstglance,findingtherightsupportforyourpurposeisnotverydifficultwhenyou
understandthepropertiesofeachone.Aproperlypreparedsupportwillgreatlyincreasethelongevityof
aworkand,inaddition,youcanderivealotofpleasureandsatisfactionfromthisaspectoftheartist’s
work.
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CANVASInpainting,canvasisstillthemostwidelyusedofallsupports.Stretched-and-
primedcanvasistautbutflexible,andhasauniquereceptivenesstothestroke
ofthebrush.Thetwomostcommonfibersformakingcanvasarelinenand
cotton,althoughburlapandsyntheticfibersarealsoused.Eachofthesefibers
differsintermsofdurability,evennessofgrain,easeofstretchingandcost.
Linenisconsideredthebestcanvasbecauseithasafine,evengrainthatisfreeof
knotsandisapleasuretopainton.Althoughexpensive,itisverydurableand,
oncestretchedonaframe,retainsitstautness.Good-qualitylinenhasatight
weaveofeventhreadswhichwillpersistthroughseverallayersofprimerand
paint;avoidcheaplinen,whichislooselywoven.
PreparinglinencanvasTheweavingprocessmakesrawlinencanvaspronetoshrinkingandwarping
whenitisstretched,andithasatendencytoresisttheapplicationofsize.
However,boththeseproblemscanbesolvedbytemporarilystretchingthe
canvas,wettingitandallowingittodry.Thenremovethecanvasfromthe
stretcherbarsandre-stretchit;thissecondstretchingcreatesamoreeventension
acrossthecloth.
CottoncanvasAgood-quality410–510gsm(12–15oz)cottonduckisthebestalternativeto
linen,andismuchcheaper.Cottonweavesofbelow410gsm(12oz)arefinefor
experimentingwith,buttheystretchmuchmorethanlinenand,oncestretched,
theyaresusceptibletofluctuationsintensionineitherhumidordryconditions.
Theweaveofcheapcottonquicklybecomesobscuredbylayersofprimerand
paint,leavingthesurfaceratherflatandcharacterless.
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Wetthestretchedlinencanvasandallowittodry.
CanvasweightsTheweightofcanvasismeasuredingramspersquaremetre(gsm)orouncespersquareyard(oz).Thehigherthenumber,thegreaterdensityofthreads.Better-gradecottoncanvas,knownascottonduck,comesin410gsm(12oz)and510gsm(15oz)grades.Lighter-weightcanvasesofbetween268gsm(8oz)and410gsm(12oz)arerecommendedforpracticeonly.
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Ready-preparedsupportsYoucanbuyready-primedandstretchedsupportswhichconsistofapieceofcanvasmountedonastretcher.Thesesupportsareconvenient,butareexpensivewhencomparedtothecostofstretching,sizingandprimingyourowncanvas.
Popularartist’scanvases1Ready-primedcotton-rayonmix2Ready-primedcottonduck3Ready-primedartist’slinen4Superfineartist’slinen5Cottonduck6Flaxcanvas7Cottonandjutetwill
BurlapBurlapisinexpensive,buthasaverycoarseweaveandrequiresalotofpriming.
Itisliabletobecomebrittleandlifelessintime.
SyntheticfibersSyntheticfabrics,suchasrayonandpolyester,arenowusedinthemanufacture
ofartists’canvas.Thesecanvasescomeready-preparedwithacrylicprimerand
areworthtryingout,astheyareexceptionallystronganddurable,flexiblebut
stable,andresistanttochemicalreaction.
Canvastextures
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Ifyouusebold,heavybrushstrokes,canvaswithacoarselywoventextureisthe
mostsuitable.Asmooth,finelywoventextureismoresuitedtofine,detailed
brushwork.Anotherconsiderationisthescaleofyourpainting.Afine-grained
canvasisbestforsmallworks,asthetextureofcoarse-grainedcanvasmaybetoo
insistentanddetractfromthepainting.
Ready-primedcanvasReady-primedcanvascomespreparedwitheitheranoil-oranacrylic-based
primer.Itisbettertouseanoil-primedcanvasforoilpaintingandleaveacrylic-
primedonesforacrylicpaintings,butyoucanuseanacrylic-primedcanvasfor
oilsifyoupaintthinlyandonasmallscale.
Canvasmaybesingle-ordouble-primed.Thelatterismoreexpensive;ithasa
densersurface,butitislessflexiblethansingle-primedcanvas.
Canvastexture
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Theformaleleganceofthisabstractpaintingisenhancedbythesubtletextureofthelinencanvas,whichappearsthroughthethinlayersofoilpaint.
PádraigMacmiadhachainBlueMorningOiloncanvas25×30cm(10×12in)BuyingeconomicallyBeforebuyinglengthsofcanvas,workouthowyouwilldivideupthefabrictomakeasmanypicturesaspossiblewiththeminimumofwastage(canvasrollscomeinseveralwidths).Whendoingyourcalculations,don’tforgettoallowa50mm(2in)overlapallroundeachpictureforattachingthecanvastothestretcher.
Acrylicandoildon’tmixMostoftheready-preparedcanvasesandboardsavailableinartshopsareprimedforusewithoiloracrylicpaint.Ifyoupaintinacrylics,takecarenottobuysupportswhicharepreparedspecificallyforoils.Thelinseedoilintheprimerrepelsacrylics,andthepainteventuallycomesawayfromthesupport.
OverlapRemembertoaddaminimumof50mm(2in)ofcanvasallround,forwhenyouattachittothestretcher.SEEALSOSTRETCHINGCANVAS16SIZINGFOROILS22
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PRIMING24OILPAINTS64ACRYLICPAINTS110
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STRETCHINGCANVASStretchingyourowncanvasnotonlyoffersasavingincost,butalsomeans
thatyoucanprepareacanvastoyourownspecifications.
StretcherbarsWoodenstretcherbarsaresoldinmostart-supplystoresandcomeindifferent
lengths.Theyhavepremiteredcornerswithslot-and-tenonjoints.Thefaceside
ofeachstretcherbarisbevelledtopreventtheinneredgeofthestretcher
creating“ridge”linesonthecanvas.Stretcherbarscomeinvaryingwidthsand
thicknesses,dependingonthesizeofsupportyouwishtomake.Forawork
under60×60cm(24×24in),use45×16mm(13/4×
5/8in)stretcherbars.For
largerworks,use57×18mm(21/4×
3/4in)bars.
WedgesYouwillalsoneedeightwedgesor“keys”foreachstretcher.Thesefitintoslots
ontheinsideofeachcorneroftheassembledstretcher;ifthecanvassagsata
laterdate,thewedgescanbedriveninfurtherwithahammertoexpandthe
cornersandmakethecanvastautagain.
Canvas-strainingpliersCanvas-strainingpliersareespeciallyusefulforstretchingready-primed
canvases.Theygripthefabricfirmlywithoutanyriskoftearing,andthelower
jawisbevelledtogivegoodleveragewhenpullingfabricoverastretcherbar;the
correcttensionisachievedbyloweringthewristasthecanvaspassesoverthe
backoftheframe.
OtherequipmentUseaheavy-dutystaplegunandnon-rustingstapleswithadepthofatleast
10mm(3/8in)tofixthecanvastotheframe.Youwillalsoneedaruleortape,a
pencilandapairofscissorstomeasureandcutoutthecanvas;awoodenmallet
totapthestretcherbarstogether;andaT-squaretocheckthattheframeis
square(oryoucanusealengthofstringtoensurethatthediagonal
measurementsbetweenthecornersarethesame).
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LargecanvasesAsupportthatislargerthan80×100cm(32×40in)willrequireanextracrossbarbetweenthetwolongestsides,tosupportthemwhenthecanvascontractsduringpreparation,exertingagreatdealofforce.
TacksUsingahammerandnon-rustingcantackstofixthecanvastotheframeismoreeconomicalthanstapling,butmeansmorework.
PliersCanvas-strainingpliersstretchready-primedcanvasesfirmlyandwithouttearing.
CuttingthecanvasUsepinkingshearstocutcanvas;theyavoidtheneedtofoldtheedgesoveratthebackoftheframetopreventthecanvasfraying.
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AssemblingthestretcherframeSlotthestretcherbarstogether,checkingthatallthebevellededgesareatthefront.Tapthecornersgentlywithawoodenmalletorapieceofwoodforaclosefit.
CheckingforsquareUseaT-squaretocheckthatallthecornersoftheassembledframemakerightangles.Double-checkbymeasuringthediagonalswithanexpandingtapemeasureoralengthofstring;theyshouldbeofequallength.Iftheframeisoutoftrue,correctitbygentlytappingthecornerswiththemallet.
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StretchingthecanvasWorkingonalargetableorthefloor,laytheframebevel-sidedownonapieceofcanvas.Cutthecanvastofittheframe,allowingamarginofabout50mm(2in)allroundforstapling(1).
(1)CuttingoutthecanvasEnsurethatthewarpandweftthreadsofthecanvasrunparallelwiththesidesoftheframe.Foldthecanvasroundtotheback,andsecurewithastapleatthecenterofonelongstretcherbar(2).
(2)SecuringwiththefirststapleReversetheframe,pullthecanvasfirmlyandevenly,andsecureastapleoppositethefirstonesothatconsistentstrainingisobtained.Youcanusecanvas-strainingpliers,ifnecessary,togriptheclothandpullittautovertheframe(3).Ifgluesizeistobeapplied,thecanvasshould
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betaut,butnotastightasadrum,toallowforpossibleshrinkage.Repeattheprocessonthetwoshortsides,sothatonestapleholdsthecanvastothecenterofeachstretcherbar(4).Checktheparallelalignmentofthecanvasweave.
(3)Tensioningthecanvas
(4)Continuingtostaple
SecuringthecanvasNowaddtwomorestaplestoeachofthefourstretcherbars–oneoneithersideofthecenterstaples–followingthesequenceshowninthediagram(5).Thestaplesshouldbeevenlyspacedat50mm(2in)intervals.Continueaddingpairsofstaplestoeachside,graduallyworkingtowardsthecorners.Insertthe
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finalstaplesabout50mm(2in)fromeachcorner.Notethatworkingsystematicallyouttothecornerskeepseachsideinstepwiththeothers.Fasteningthecanvascompletelyononesidebeforedoingthenextstretchesthecanvasunevenly.
(5)Stretchingandstapling
(6)FixingthefirstcornerstapleFinishingoffThecornersshouldalwaysbefinishedoffneatly;iftheyaretoobulkyyouwillhavedifficultyinframingthepicture.Pullthecanvastightlyacrossonecornerofthestretcher,andfixwithastaple(6).Thentuckintheflapsoneithersidesmoothlyandneatly(7)andfixwithstaples.Takecarenottostapleacrossthemiterjoin,asthiswillmakeitimpossibletotightenthecanvaslateron.Thenfixthediagonallyoppositecorner,followedbytheremainingtwo.Ifnecessary,hammerthefoldsflattoproduceaneatcorner(8).Finally,inserttwowedgesintheslotsprovidedineachoftheinnercornersoftheframe;forcorrectfit,thelongestsideofeachwedgeshouldliealongsidetheframe(9).Tapthewedgeshomeverylightly.Thecanvasisnowreadyforsizingandpriming.
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(7)Foldingtheflaps
(8)Thefinishedcorner
(9)InsertingthewedgesSEEALSOCANVAS14SIZINGFOROILS22
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BOARDSANDPANELSMan-madeboardsarecheapertobuyandpreparethanstretchedcanvas;they
arealsoeasiertostoreandtransport,andtheywillprovideamoredurable
supportthancanvas.
WoodpanelsWood,forcenturiesthetraditionalsupportforoilandtemperapainting,canno
longerbereliedupontobewellseasoned,soittendstosplitandwarp.Itisalso
heavytotransport,andisnowlargelysupersededbyeconomicalcomposition
boards.
Hardboard(Masonite)Hardboardisinexpensive,strongandlightweight.Itisavailableintwoforms:
temperedanduntempered.Thetemperedvarietyissuitableforoilpaintsand
primers,anditdoesnotrequiresizing.Foracrylicpainting,however,use
untemperedboard,whichhasnogreasyresidue.Sundealaboard,grade“A,”is
particularlyrecommended,asitislightweightanditssurfaceisslightlymore
porousthanstandardhardboard,givingagoodkeyforsizeandprimer.
Hardboardhasonesmoothandoneroughside;thesmoothsideistheone
mostoftenused.Theroughsidehasatexturewhichresemblescoarsecanvas,but
itisonlysuitableforheavyimpastowork,asthetextureisverymechanicaland
over-regular.
Hardboardispronetowarping,particularlyinhumidclimates,butthisriskis
reducedbyprimingthefront,backandedgesoftheboard.Paintingslargerthan
45cm(18in)squareshouldadditionallybebracedwithaframeworkofwood
batteningacrosstheback(seebelow).
PlywoodPlywoodcomesinvariousthicknessesandhassmoothsurfaces.Itdoesnot
crack,butitcanwarp.Tokeepthesheetstable,sizeandprimeitonthefront,
backandedges.Largesheetsshouldbebattenedor“cradled”bygluingwooden
battenstothebackoftheboard(seebelow).
Chipboard
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Chipboardismadefromwoodparticlescompressedintoarigidpanelwithresin
glue.Thickpanelsofchipboardareasoundsupportastheydonotcrackorwarp
anddon’trequirecradling,buttheyareheavytotransport.Anotherdisadvantage
isthatthecornersandedgesmaycrumble,and,beingabsorbent,theyneedtobe
wellprimed.
Medium-densityfiberboard(MDF)MDFismadefrompressedwoodfiberandisavailableinawiderangeof
thicknessesandinstandardboardsizes.Itisadense,heavy,butverystable
materialandhasfine,smoothsurfaces.MDFiseasilycutbyhandorwith
machinetools.Large,thinpanelsmayneedtobecradledtohelpkeepthemflat
(seebelow).
KeyinghardboardBeforepaintingonthesmoothsideofhardboard,lightlysandthesurfacetoprovideakeyfortheapplicationofprimer.
PreparingapanelTosavetime,anartistwillperiodicallyprepareabatchofpanelsatonce,allcutfromonesheetofboard.Forexample,fromasheetofhardboardmeasuring120×240cm(4×8ft)youcancutthirty-two30.5×30.5cm(12×12in)panels,orthirty-eight25.5×30.5cm(10×12in)panels.Mostlumberyardscutboardforasmallfee,oryoucancutityourself.
CuttingpanelsMarkoutthesheetwitharuleandpencil,makingsureallthecornersaresquare,andsawalongtheselines.Now“dress”theedgesofeachpanelwithasandingblocktoremoveanyburrsfromthesawcuts.Toprovideakeyforthesizeorprimingcoat,lightlysandthesurfaceofeachpanel.Alwaysusealighttouch;toomuchdownwardpressuremaycreatedepressionsintheboard.
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CradlingboardsCuttwobattens50mm(2in)shorterthanthewidthoftheboard.Chamfertheendsandthensecurethebattenstothebackoftheboard,usingwoodglueforman-madeboards,orwoodscrewsforsolidwoodorthickerboards.
CardboardDegasandToulouse-Lautrecpaintedonunprimedcardboardonoccasions;they
useditswarmbrowncolorasamiddletone,andproducedamatt,pastel-like
effectontheabsorbentsurface.However,afinishedpaintingmustbeframed
underglassifitistolast.Cardboardmustbesizedonbothsidesandonthe
edgestopreventwarpingandtostopimpuritiesinthecardboardfromleaching
intothepaint.
MountboardHeavymountboard,orpasteboard,isavailableinarangeofcolorsandhasa
smoothsurfacesuitableforpaintinginacrylicsandgouache,particularlywhen
thinwashesandglazesareapplied.Itisalsousedforpen-and-inkdrawing.
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Alwayschooseconservationboardforworkthatisintendedtolast,asthisis
guaranteedacid-free.
WatercolorboardWatercolorboardconsistsofasolidcorefacedwithgood-qualitywatercolor
paper.Theboardprovidesextrastrengthandstability,anddispenseswiththe
needforstretchingpaperpriortopainting.Checkthatthecoreoftheboard,as
wellasthepaper,isacid-free.Watercolorboardsalsoperformwellwithpastel
andcharcoal.
PastelboardPastelpapermountedonboardisavailableinarangeofsizes,colorsand
finishes,fromsoftvelourtoahigh-tooth,abrasivesurface.
GessopanelsGessopanelsarethetraditionalsupportforegg-temperapainting.Theycanalsobeusedforoil,acrylicandwatercolorpainting,butarequitedifficultandtime-consumingtoprepare.Ready-preparedgessopanelscanbeboughtfromspecialistartstores,thoughtheyareexpensive.Gessopanelshaveanexceptionallysmooth,brilliantwhitefinishwhichparticularlyenhancesthetranslucenceoftemperacolors.
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HenrideToulouse-Lautrec(1864–1901)WomaninProfile(detail)Oiloncardboard
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TomCoatesAlfredDanielsPaintingOilonpanel25×20cm(10×8in)
CardboardandhardboardCardboard’swarmcolorbringsamellowharmonytoToulouse-Lautrec’soilsketch.Notehowthebrushdragsontheabsorbentsurface.Forhisbravurapainting,TomCoatesusedthereversesideofsomeunprimedhardboard.Thereisalivelyinterplaybetweenthickimpastosandthin,drybrushedmarks,withthepaintcatchingonthetoothoftheboard.
Marouflagingaboard
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(1)Cuttingthefabrictosize
(2)Applyingsizetothefaceandedges
(3)Smoothingthefabric
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(4)Trimmingthecorners
(5)Foldingthecorner
CanvasboardsandpanelsCommerciallypreparedcanvasboardsandpanelsconsistofacrylic-primed
cottoncanvasmountedonrigidboard.Theycomeinarangeofstandardsizes
andsurfacetextures,andareagoodchoiceforbeginners.Becausetheyare
compactandlightweight,theyareidealforpaintingoutdoors.Cheaper-quality
canvasboardswithanimitationcanvassurfacehaveanunsympathetic,
mechanicaltextureandaratherslipperysurfacepriming,andthebackingboard
ispronetowarping.
MarouflagingboardManyartistspreparetheirowncanvasboardsbycoveringboardswithcanvasor
muslin–amethodknownasmarouflaging.Fabricgluedtoboardprovidesa
surfacewhichcombinestheuniquefeelofworkingoncanvaswiththegreater
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stabilityofafirmsurfacewhichisnotpronetomovementunderatmospheric
changes.Anynaturalfabriccanbeused,suchaswornlinen,cottonsheetsor
tablecloths,unbleachedcalico,buttermuslinorcanvasoffcuts.
MethodCheckthattheboardiscutsquareandtrue.Dresstheedgesandlightlysandthe
smoothsidetoprovideakeyfortheglue.Brushawayallsawdust.Laytheboard
overthefabric,thencutthefabrictosize,allowinga50mm(2in)overlapall
round(1).
Withahouseholdpaintbrush,applysizetothefaceandedgesoftheboard
(2).Smooththefabricovertheboardwithanequaloverlapallround(3).Ensure
thatthewarpandweftthreadsliestraightandparallelwiththeedges,asany
distortionintheweavewillshowinthefinishedpictureandbevisibly
distracting.
Applymoresizetothecloth,brushingfromthecenteroutwardsand
smoothingoutanycreasesorairbubbles.Whenthesizehasdried,turnthe
boardoverandtrimacrossthecorners(4).
Sizeamarginaroundtheedgeofthereverseoftheboard,wideenoughto
stickdowntheoverlappedcloth,whichshouldnotbepulledtootightasitmay
causetheboardtowarp.Smoothdowntheflapsofmaterialandfoldthecorners
overneatly(5).Addafinalcoatofglueoverthereversesidetopreventwarping.
Leavetodryflatovernightbeforepriming.
PrimingforoilpaintToprovideasympatheticsurfaceforoilpaint,primeamarouflagedboardwithalkydoracrylicprimer.Ifyoupreferaslightlyabsorbent,mattsurface,thintheprimerwithwhitespirit(about10percentbyvolume).
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Time-savingWhenmakingupseveralsmallboards,youwillfinditquickerandeasiertogluethefabrictoalargepieceofboard.Leaveittodryandthencutitupintotherequirednumberofboards,usingabandsaw.Aslongasthefabricisglueddownfirmly,itwon’tmatterthatsomeedgeshavenooverlap.
PreparingcanvasboardIfyoudisliketheslipperysurfaceofsomecommerciallyprimedcanvasboards,youcansimplyapplyafurthercoatofalkydoracrylicprimer,inordertogiveamoreabsorbentsurface.Matthouseholdpaintmaybeusedforsketchesorpracticework.SEEALSOPRIMING24
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PAPERSFOROILSANDACRYLICSPaperisaperfectlysatisfactorysupportforsmall-to-medium-sizepaintingsas
wellaspreparatorysketches,aslongasitisaheavy,good-qualityonewith
plentyoftoothtogripandholdthepaint.Thinpaperswillbucklewhenthey
aresizedorprimed.
PreparationPapermustalwaysbesizedbeforeoilpaintisappliedinordertopreventtheoil
binderbeingabsorbedandleavingthepaintfilmunderbound.Thepapermaybe
sizedwithrabbit-skinglue,PVAglueoracrylicmattmedium,orprimedwith
acrylicprimer.Sizingisnotnecessaryforacrylicpaints.
AcrylicsketchingpaperThiscomesintheformofspiral-boundpadsofembossed,acrylicprimedpaper,whichareveryconvenientforsmallpaintingsandsketches.
TypesofpaperWatercolorpaperHeavy,rough-surfacedwatercolorpaperorhandmadeIndianpapercanbeused
asasupportforoilandacrylicpainting.Thepaper’stextureshowstoadvantage
whenthecolorisappliedinthinwashes.Forextrastrength,thepapercanbe
mountedontohardboard.
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Oil-paintingpaperSheetsofpaper,texturedtoresemblecanvasandprimedreadyforoilpainting,
areavailableinfineorcoarsegrades.Cheaper-gradeoil-sketchingpapercomes
inpadandblockform.Thisisconvenientforsketchingoutofdoorsandis
economicalforpracticework,butyoumayfindthatthesurfaceisgreasyand
unpleasanttoworkon,likethatofthecheaperpaintingboards.
PaperforoilpaintingSizethiswithrabbit-skinglue,PVAglueoracrylicmattmedium,orcoatwithacrylicprimer.
Indianpaper(top)andcanvas-texturepaper(above)
PaintingonpaperPaperisanexcellentandeconomicalsupportforpainting.Itwillacceptmostmedia,aslongasyoufollowtherulesofpreparation.Thispaintingisinacrylics,workeddirectlyontoagood-quality,heavy-weightwatercolorpaper.Atonedwashofthinnedacrylicwasappliedfirst,totonedownthewhitesurfaceandtoactasanextrasizeforthesupport.
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DennisMathewRooneyHauntofAncientPeaceAcryliconwatercolorpaper38×53cm(15×211/4in)
SEEALSOSIZINGFOROILS22WATERCOLORPAPERS28OILTECHNIQUES162ACRYLICTECHNIQUES202
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SIZINGFOROILSSupportsforoilpaintingmustalwaysbesealedwithathincoatofgluesize
beforetheapplicationofaprimingcoat.However,youshouldnotpreparethe
canvaswithgluesizeifyouaregoingtouseanacrylicgroundoracrylicpaints.
FunctionofsizeSizesealstheporesbetweenthefibersofthesupport,makingitlessabsorbent.
Thispreventstheoilbinderintheprimingandpaintlayersfromsinkingintothe
support,leavingthepaintfilmunderboundandliabletosinking,flakingand
cracking.
Rabbit-skinglueRabbit-skingluehastraditionallybeenusedforsizingoil-paintingsupports,
sinceithasgoodadhesivestrength.Itcomesintheformofgranules,andis
availableinmostart-supplyshops.Thegluesizeismadebymixingdrygluewith
waterandgentlyheatingit–butbewarnedthatitsmellsunpleasant!
PreparingsizeTheingredientsshouldbecarefullymeasuredtoproducetherequiredstrength.
Ifthesizeistoostrong,itformsabrittlelayerwhichcouldcausetheprimerand
thepaintingtopeelandcrack;toodiluteasizewillproduceaweakfilmwhich
allowsoilfromtheupperlayerstosinkintothecanvas.
Placethedrygranulesintothetoppartofadoubleboiler.Addthewaterand
leaveforabouttwohourstoswell.Heattheresultingsolutiongentlyinthe
doubleboileruntilithasmelted,stirringuntilallthegranuleshavecompletely
dissolved,andneverallowingthesizetoboil–thiswilldestroymuchofits
sizingqualities.Ifyoudon’thavetheuseofadoubleboiler,youcanheatthe
glueinabowlstandinginapanofwater(asshownintheillustration,below).
Setasidetheglueforacoupleofhours,tocoolandformajelly.Keepthe
containercoveredtopreventanylossofwaterthroughevaporation,andto
protectfromdustandflies.Testthestrengthofthegluewithafinger–the
surfaceshouldberubbery,yetjustsoftenoughtosplit.Thesplitformedshould
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beirregular;ifitissmoothandclean,thesizeistoostrong.Ifthisisthecase,
justrewarmit,addwater,andallowittoreset.Ifthesizehasnotset,youcanstir
inupto10g(1/4oz)ofglueandthenleavetosoakfor12hours.
Rabbit-skinglueThisisthetime-honoredsizeforrenderingcanvasimpervious.Availableingranuleform,itisdissolvedinhotwater.
PreparingsizeinadvanceIfyouaremixingupabatchforlateruse,itisusefultonotethatgluesizecanbe
keptinarefrigeratorforuptoaweekbeforestartingtodecompose.
RecipesforgluesizeThesemeasurementsareagoodstartingguide,althoughyoumaywishtovarythemslightly.
Forsizingcanvas:Youneed55g(2oz)–tworoundedtablespoons–glueto1.1litres(2pints)water.(Alternatively,use1partbyvolumeofglueto13partswater.)
Forrigidpanels:
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Useastrongersolutionof85g(3oz)glueto1.1litres(2pints)water.Thisrecipewillmakeenoughsizetocoverasupportmeasuringabout120×180cm(4×6ft).
ImproviseddoubleboilerAneffectivesubstitutecanbemadefromabowlorcleantincanheatedinapanofwater.
ApplyingsizeRabbit-skinglueisastrongadhesiveandmustbeusedthinly,oritwillcrack.
Onethincoatissufficienttosizeacanvas;toothickalayerformsacontinuous,
levelfilmonthesurface,andpreventsthesubsequentpriminglayerfrom
bondingwiththecanvas.Gentlyreheatthesizeuntilitisjustlukewarmand
almostjelly-likeinconsistency.Applyittothecanvasinathinlayer,working
quicklybeforethesizebeginstodry.Startfromtheedge,andbrushinone
directiononly–donotmakeaback-and-forthmotionwiththebrush,astoo
muchsizewillbeapplied.Sizethebackflapsandedgesofthesupportaswellas
thefront.Leavetodryinadust-freeplaceforabout12hoursbeforeapplying
primer.
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TemperatureSizemaybeappliedhottopanelsandboards,butoncanvasitmustbeapplied
lukewarm.Iftoohot,itwillsoakthroughandgluethecanvastothestretcher
andyouwillneedtopriseitfreewithapaletteknife.Hotgluesizemayalso
causefabrictoover-tighten.
SizingboardsandpanelsForboardsandpanels,usetheslightlystrongersolutiondescribedonthe
oppositepage.Thinboardsshouldalsobesizedonthereverseandedges,to
preventwarping.Leavetodryfor12hours,thensandlightly.
KenHowardHomagetoLautrecOilonunprimedcanvas40×30cm(16×12in)
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UnprimedsupportsThewarmbrowntoneofsurfacessuchashardboard,plywood,cardboardandlinencanvasprovidesamiddletonewhichcanbeincorporatedintothepainting.Tomakethemsuitableforpaintingon,whilemaintainingtheircolorandtexture,sealthemwithacoatofdilutegluesize(foroils)oracrylicmedium(forallmedia).Here,KenHowardusesverythin,turpentine-dilutedpaint,sothatthecanvascolorshowsthrough.Thisgivesamarvelousimpressionofreflectedlightonthemodel’sback.
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Brushsizeinonedirectiononly
SizingimplementsThebestbrushforsizingisaflathogvarnishingbrush,withagoodwidthandlongbristles.Decorators’brushescanbeused,butpoor-qualityonesmayshedhairs.Someartistsuseanaturalsponge,whichgivesmorecontrol;gentlysqueezeoutmoregluewhenyoufeelthesurfacegoingdry.Itcanalsobeusedtomopupanyexcess.
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AlternativegluesizeAmodernalternativetotraditionalgluesizeiscarboxymethyl/cellulose(CMC).Thisexpandsandcontractsatthesamerateasthecanvas,greatlyreducingtheriskofcracking.Itisalsoeasiertouse:justdissolvethegranulesineitherwarmorcoldwater(usingan8percentsolutionbyvolume),leavetoswellandapplywithastiffbrush.Thereisnoheatinginvolved–andnosmell.SEEALSOCANVAS14BOARDSANDPANELS18PRIMING24FAT-OVER-LEAN166UNDERPAINTING164
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PRIMINGTheprimer,orground,notonlysealsandprotectsthesupport,butalso
providesabasethatwillreadilyaccepttheapplicationofpaint.
ChoosingprimerTherearevarioustypesofprimer,eachwithitsdifferentcharacteristics.Itis
importanttochoosetherightoneforyourneeds,asitaffectsthewaypaintis
“pulled”fromthebrush,anditsfinishedappearance.Forexample,ifyouliketo
workonasmoothsurface,youwillrequireadifferentgroundtosomeonewho
prefersaslightlytextured,dryishsurfacethatgivesthepaintamatt,chalky
appearance.
Inaddition,itisvitalthatyouselecttherighttypeofprimerforyourchosen
support.Canvasexpandsandcontracts,andthusrequiresaflexibleground;
thereforeaninflexiblegessogroundisnotsuitable.
Thegroundshouldbeabsorbentenoughtoprovideakeyforthepaint,but
notsoabsorbentthatitsucksoilfromit–acommoncauseofsinking(the
appearanceofdullpatchesofpaintacrossthecanvas).
OilprimerThetraditional,andbest,primerforoilpainting,particularlyonstretched
canvas,isoil-basedlead-whiteprimer.Thisisflexible,stretchingandcontracting
withthecanvasonchangesintemperatureandhumidity.Itdriestoforma
durablebase,whichwillnotabsorbtoomuchoilfromthepaint.
ApplyingoilprimerLead-whiteprimerisquitestiff,andshouldbeletdownslightlywithturpentine
sothatitcanbebrushedouteasily.Applyanevencoatasthinlyaspossible,
brushingitinwell(1).Finishoffwithalongsmoothingstrokeinlinewiththe
weaveofthecloth(2).Youshouldleavethisfirstcoattodryfortwodaysbefore
applyingasecondcoat.
Theprimedcanvasshouldeitherbeusedwhiletouch-dry(withinaweekor
two)orbelefttocureforfourtosixmonthsbeforeuse.Ifpaintisapplied
betweenthesetimes,theprimersucksoilfromthepaint,leavingitunderbound
andwithinsufficientadhesiontothesupport.
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YellowingThelinseedoilinwhichleadwhiteisgroundturnstheprimingcoatyellowifthe
primedsupportisstoredawayfromthelightforanylengthoftime.The
whitenessisrestoreduponexposuretosunlight.
AlkydprimerThisisavalidalternativetooilprimer,asitisflexible,non-yellowingandfast-
drying;eachcoatcanbeoverpaintedafter24hours.Dilutealkydprimerwith
white(mineral)spirittotherequiredconsistency.
CheckingprimersCommerciallyproducedprimersmaybecomehardifkeptontheshelffortoolong,soitiswisetoshakeacanbeforebuyingittomakesurethatthecontentsarestillliquid.
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Applyingprimer:
•Applyitinseveralthincoats–athincoatispliablewhileathickcoatislikelytocrackandmayevenflakeoffthesupport.
•Covertheentiresurfaceevenly.Don’tgobackoverbrushstrokes.•Makesurethateachcoatistouch-drybeforeanysubsequentcoatisapplied,andalsobeforestartingtopaint.
(1)Applyingathin,evencoat
(2)Finishingoff
AcrylicoverglueNeveruseacrylicprimeroveranimal-gluesize,asitwillpreventthepaintfromadheringproperlytothesupport.
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PaintrollersItisagoodideatouseapaintrollertoapplyacrylicprimer.Arollerkeepsthepaintmovinganddeliversanevencoat;forsmallsupports,useasmallradiatorroller.
AcrylicprimerAcrylicprimerisflexible,durable,water-thinnable,fast-dryingandinexpensive.
Itcanbeusedtoprimecanvas,board,paperandothersurfaces,andcanbe
applieddirectlytothesupportwithouttheneedofanisolatinglayerofsize.It
driesinafewhours.
Acrylicprimeristheidealsurfaceforacrylicpaints,providingabright
undercoatwhichbringsoutthevividnessofthecolorsandgivesadded
luminositytothinwashes.Itcanalsobeusedwithoilpaintsonrigidsupports,
butthisisnotrecommendedforcanvaspainting,exceptinathinlayer:acrylicis
moreflexiblethanoil,andthedifferenttensionsmayeventuallyleadtocracking
ofthepaintsurface.
Acrylicprimerisoftenreferredtoasacrylicgesso,aconfusingtermasitisnot
agessoatall;traditionalgessoispreparedwithanimalglueandchalk,andisvery
absorbent.
ApplyingacrylicprimerWorkfromtheedgesandapplytheprimerquicklyinsections.Usealargebrush
orapaintroller,andkeeptheworkingedgemoving,asacrylicprimerdries
quickly.Leavetodryforafewhours.Thesecondcoatshouldbeappliedatright
anglestothefirst.
Whenprimingboard,youcanapplyasmanyasfivecoatsforgreater
whitenessandopacity.Forareallysmoothfinish,thinthelastcoatwithalittle
water.Foratexturedfinish,impressapieceofcanvas(oranytexturedfabric)
intothefinalcoatofprimerwhileitisstilldamp.Pullitaway,thenletthepanel
dry.
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UsingprimercreativelyThelovely,matt,airyqualityofFredCuming’spaintisdueinparttothegroundheworkson.Aftermanyyearsofpainting,Cumingstillfindsthebestprimerisagood-quality,matt,whiteundercoat.Whentheprimeristhoroughlydry,heappliesathinlayeroflinseedoiltothesurfaceandwipesitoffimmediately,leavingjustatraceofoil.Whenthisisdry–aftertwoweeks–theresultingsurfaceprovidesasoundkeyforthepaint,andpreventsitsinking.
FredCumingBathers–CapeFerrettOilonpanel60×50cm(24×20in)BrianSinfieldGallery,Burford
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WorkingsequenceWorkinsections;leaveprimertodrybetweencoats;applysubsequentcoatsatrightangles.
EmulsionpaintAneconomicalprimer,oftenusedbystudents,isordinarymatthouseholdpaint,whichprovidesasympathetic,semi-absorbentground.However,householdpaintshouldonlybeusedonrigidsupports,andnotonstretchedcanvas.Useonlygood-qualitypaint;cheapemulsionshavealimitedlifespan.
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TexturedfinishForatexturedfinish,layandthenpressapieceoftexturedmaterial,suchasanoldpieceofsacking,intothefinalprimercoat.SEEALSOCANVAS14BOARDSANDPANELS18SIZINGFOROILS22TONEDGROUNDS27OILPAINTS64FAT-OVER-LEAN166TEMPERA108ACRYLICPAINTS110
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MAKINGPRIMERSReady-madeprimersareadequateforgeneralneeds,butobviouslythey
cannotbetailoredtoindividualrequirements.Makingyourownprimeris
economicalandwillgiveyougreatercontroloveritsqualityandabsorbency.
Egg-oilemulsionThisgeneral-purpose,easilymadeprimerissuitableforcanvasandboard.Itis
readytopaintonaftertwodays’drying.
Breaktheeggintoajar.Usingtheeggshellasameasure,addthesamevolume
ofrefinedlinseedoilandtwicethevolumeofcoldwater.Screwthelidonthejar
andshakevigorouslyuntilanemulsionisformed.Grindalittleemulsionwith
titaniumwhitepigmentuntilitformsastiffwhitepaste;addtherestofthe
emulsiontobringthemixturetotheconsistencyofdoublecream.Thinthe
mixturetoamilkyconsistencywithlukewarmgluesizemixed1partto12parts
coldwater.Brushverythinlyontoasizedsupport.
Egg-oilingredients
•titaniumwhitepigment•oneegg•linseedoil•gluesize•water
TraditionalgessoBrilliantwhitegesso,isverysmoothandporous,andistheidealbasefor
paintingluminouscolorsanddetail.Gessoisbestappliedtoarigidsupport
preparedwithgluesize–itisnotflexibleenoughforuseoncanvas.Itismost
suitedtowater-basedpaints,suchastempera,acrylicsandChromacolors.
Heatthesize,mixed1partto8partscoldwater,gentlyinadoubleboiler.
Slowlyaddsomewarmsizetothewhitingandstiruntilitformsathickpaste.
Blendwithoutcreatingexcessbubbles.Graduallyaddtherestofthesizeuntila
smooth,creamymixtureisobtained.(Keepthepotofgessowarmandcovered,
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otherwiseitwillharden,thewaterwillevaporateandthegluewillbecometoo
strong.)Toincreasethebrilliance,addpowderedwhitepigment.Leaveforafew
minutesbeforeusing.
Gessoingredients
•1partGilder’swhiting•1partgluesize
ApplyinggessoApplygessocarefullyinthinlayersandworkquickly:ifyougobackoveranarea,
streakswilldevelop.Dampenthebrushwithsomewatertopreventairbubbles
formingonthesurface.Applythefirstcoatofhotgessoinshort,evenstrokes
(1),keepingtheworkingedgemoving–whenthegessobeginstocool,moveon
toanadjacentarea.Applyuptosixcoatsforadense,whitefinish;addeachcoat
atrightanglestothelast(2),usingshortback-and-forthstrokes.Eachcoat
shouldbecompletelydrybeforethenextoneisapplied.Leveloffinone
direction(3).Lightlysandbetweencoatswithfinesandpaper(4),dustingoffthe
surfacebeforeapplyingthenextcoat.
(1)Applyingthefirstcoat
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(2)Addingcoatsatrightangles
(3)Levellingoff
(4)Sandingbetweencoats
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SealinggessoOnanabsorbentgessosurface,oilpainttakesonamatt,airyqualitywhichispleasingbutmakesthepaintquitedifficulttohandle.Inaddition,gessosoaksupmuchoftheoilfromsubsequentpaintlayers,leavingthembrittleandpronetocracking.Toovercomethis,thedrygessosurfaceshouldbepartiallysealedwithaweaksolutionofgluesize(abouthalfthestrengthusedtomakethegesso).SEEALSOPRIMING24ACRYLICPRIMER25TEMPERA108ACRYLICPAINTS110CHROMACOLOR116COLORHARMONY225
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TONEDGROUNDSSomeartistsliketopaintonatonedorcoloredground,asawhitegroundcan
beinhibiting;bycoveringthecanvasorpaperwithawashofneutralcolor,you
immediatelycreateamoresympatheticsurfaceonwhichtowork.
“Reading”tonesandcolorsAwhitegroundcangiveafalse“reading”oftonesandcolors,especiallyinthe
earlystagesofapainting,whenthereisnothingtorelatethemto.Mostcolors
appeardarkeronawhitesurfacethanwhentheyaresurroundedbyothercolors,
andthiscreatesatendencytopaintintoolightakey.Ifyouworkonaneutral,
mid-tonedgroundyouwillfinditmucheasiertoassesscolorsandtones
correctly,andyoucanpainttowardslightordarkwithequalease.
Ifthecolorofthegroundisallowedtoshowthroughtheoverpaintingin
places,itactsasaharmonizingelement,tyingtogetherthecolorsthatarelaid
overit.
ChoosingagroundcolorThecolorchosenforatonedgroundwilldependonthesubject,butitis
normallyaneutraltonesomewherebetweenthelightestandthedarkestcolorsin
thepainting.Thecolorshouldbesubtleandunobtrusive,sothatitdoesnot
overwhelmthecolorsintheoverpainting.Dilutedearthcolors,suchasVenetian
red,rawsiennaorburntumber,workverywell,asdosoftgraysandgreens.
TransparentandopaquegroundsAtonedgroundcanbeeitheropaqueortransparent.Withatransparentground
(alsoknownasimprimatura),thepaintisheavilydilutedandappliedasathin
wash.Atransparentgroundallowslighttoreflectupthroughthesucceeding
colors,therebyretainingtheirluminosity,anditisusedwheretransparentor
semi-transparentcoloristobeapplied.Opaquetonedgroundsareusedwith
opaquepaintingmethods,wherethelight-reflectingqualitiesofawhiteground
arenotsoimportant.
Applyingtransparentgrounds
Dilutethecoloruntilitisthin,andthenapplyitwithalargedecorator’sbrush
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Dilutethecoloruntilitisthin,andthenapplyitwithalargedecorator’sbrush
oralint-freerag.Loose,vigorousstrokesgiveamorelivelyeffectthanaflat
stainofcolor.Afterafewminutes,youshouldrubthewashwithacleanrag,
leavingatransparentstain.
MakingopaquegroundsMixalittletubecolorintothewhiteprimingorgessobeforeapplyingit.
Alternatively,youcanmixthecolorwithwhitepaint,diluteitalittle,andthen
brushathinlayeroverthepriming.Nevermixoilpaintwithanacrylicprimer,
orviceversa.
DryingtimesAtonedgroundmustbedrybeforeyoucanpaintoverit.Anoilgroundtakesadayortwototouch-dry;anacrylicgroundisdryinminutes.Solongasitisappliedthinly,youcanuseacrylicpaintforthetonedgroundandworkoveritwithoils.
GroundcolorsDilutedearthcolors,suchasVenetianred,rawsiennaorburntumber,aresubtleandunobtrusive.
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JacquelineRizviTwoApplesWatercolorandbodycolorontonedpaper17.5×22.5cm(7×9in)
JacquelineRizvirarelyworksonwhitepaper.Therich,glowingeffectofthissimplestilllifeisenhancedbytheuseoftonedpaperasabasefordelicatewashesofwatercolorandbodycolor.
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WATERCOLORPAPERSAwell-knownprofessorofpaintingusedtosaythatnoartistreallysucceeds
untilheorshehasfoundhisorheridealpaper.Todaythereareplentyof
excellentwatercolorpapersonthemarkettochoosefrom,anditiswellworth
experimentinginordertofindtheonethatbestrespondstoyourworking
method.
PaperproductionTherearethreewaysofproducingwatercolorpaper:byhand;onamold
machine;andonafourdriniermachine.
HandmadepaperTheverybestpapersaremadeof100percentcotton,andareusuallymadeby
skilledcraftsmen.Handmadepapersarelivelytouse,durable,andhavea
pleasingirregulartexture.Theyareexpensive,butworththecost.
Mold-madepaperEuropeanmillsproducewatercolorpaperoncylinder-moldmachines.Thepaper
fibersareformedintosheetswitharandomdistribution,closetothatof
handmadepapers.Thepaperisdurable,extremelystable,andresistantto
distortionunderaheavywash.
Machine-madepaperAlthoughinexpensivetoproduceandtopurchase,machine-madepapersareless
resistanttodeterioration,buttheymaydistortwhenwet.Somepapersalsohave
amechanical,monotonoussurfacegrain.
ChoosingpaperWatercolorpaperisanexcellentsurfaceforacrylics,pencil,ink,gouacheand
pastel,aswellaswatercolor.Thecharacterofthepaper,anditssurfacetexture,
playavitalroleinthefinishedpicture.Veryoftenitisthechoiceofpaperthatis
toblameforapaintinggoingwrong,ratherthananyinadequacyonthepartof
theartist.
Somepapersaresuperiorinqualitytoothers,butitdoesnotnecessarilyfollow
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Somepapersaresuperiorinqualitytoothers,butitdoesnotnecessarilyfollow
thatanexpensivepaperwillgiveyoubetterresults.Theimportantthingisto
findapaperthatissympathetictowhatyouwanttodo.Forexample,itisno
goodusinganabsorbentragpaperifyourtechniqueinvolvesrepeatedscrubbing,
liftingoutandusingmaskingfluid;thesurfacewillsoonbecomewoollyand
bruised.
Popularpapersareavailableinlocalartshops.Specialistartshopsstockless
commonandhandmadeorforeignpapers;somearealsoavailablebymail-order
directfromthemillorthroughdistributors,whocansendsampleswatches,price
listsandorderforms.
Onceyouhavesettledonafavoritepaper,itpaystobuyinquantity.The
biggertheorder,themoreyousave.
TrybeforeyoubuyTrialanderrorcanbeacostlyaffair,giventhepriceoftheaveragesheetofwatercolorpaper.However,mostpapermanufacturersproduceswatchesorpochettes–bookletscontainingsmallsamplesoftheirranges.Theseprovideanexcellentandinexpensivemeansoftryingoutseveraltypesofpaper.
Papersizes
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Sizesofpaperswilldifferfromcountrytocountry,anditisstillcommonpracticeforartsupplierstodescribepaperinimperialsizes.Thefollowingtableisaguidetoimperialsizesandtheirmetricequivalents.
Medium22×171/2in(559×444mm)Royal24×19in(610×483mm)
DoubleCrown30×20in(762×508mm)
Imperial301/2×221/2in(775×572mm)DoubleElephant40×261/4in(1016×679mm)Antiquarian53×31in(1346×787mm)
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Smooth-texturepaper
Medium-texturepaper
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Rough-texturepaper
ExperimentingwithwatercolorpapersTryoutdifferenttexturesandmakesofwatercolorpaperuntilyoufindone
whichsuitsyourpaintingstyle.Asyoubecomemoreknowledgeable,youwill
alsobeabletochooseapapertosuityoursubject.
Intheseexamples,theartisthaschosenasmoothtextureforthenudestudy
(below),whichisperfectlyappropriateforthetoneandtextureoftheflesh.The
winter-eveningsnowscene(center)isideallysuitedforamedium-texturepaper
whichconveystheeffectofmistylightandcapturesthesubtlegrainofthesnow.
Arough-texturepaper(bottom)communicatesthesolidityofthebuildingand
thedampnessoftheweathertotheviewer.
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TrevorChamberlain
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RecliningNude;Snow,Late-eveningEffect;ShoweryEvening,IsleworthAllwatercoloronpaperVariousdimensionsTextureTherearethreedifferenttexturesofwatercolorpaper:(fromtoptobottom)hot-pressedorHP(smooth),Notorcold-pressed(mediumgrain)andrough.Eachmanufacturer’srangeislikelytohaveaslightlydifferentfeel.
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Hot-pressedpaper
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Hot-pressedpaperhasahard,smoothsurfacethatissuitablefordetailed,precisework.Mostartists,however,findthissurfacetoosmoothandslippery,andthepainttendstorunoutofcontrol.
Cold-pressedpaperThisisalsoreferredtoas“Not,”meaningnothot-pressed.Ithasasemi-roughsurfaceequallygoodforsmoothwashesandfinebrushdetail.Thisisthemostpopularandversatileofthethreesurfaces,andisidealforlessexperiencedpainters.Itrespondswelltowashes,andhasenoughtexturetogivealivelyfinish.
RoughpaperThishasamorepronouncedtooth(tinypeaksandhollows)toitssurface.Whenacolorwashislaidonit,thebrushdragsoverthesurfaceandthepaintsettlesinsomeofthehollows,leavingothersuntouched.Thisleavesasparkleofwhitetoilluminatethewash.
ChoosingwatercolorpapersChoiceofwatercolorpapersisverymuchamatterofpersonalpreference;one
artist’sfavoritemaybeanotherartist’spoison.Thechartbelowisintendedonly
asaguidetoaversatileselectionofwidelyavailablepapers.Theyhaveallbeen
triedandtestedbyprofessionalwatercolorartists;however,yourownassessment
maybequitedifferent.
Handmadepapers
EsportazionebyFabriano
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Surfaces:NotandroughWeights:200,315,600gsmContent:100%cottonrag,tub-sizedArobust,texturedsurfacethatstandsuptoerasureandscrubbingandcarrieswasheswithoutsinking.Fourdeckleedges.Watermarked.
RicharddeBasbyRicharddeBasSurfaces:HP,NotandroughWeight:480gsmContent:100%cottonrag,internallysizedAthick,robustpaperwithafibroustexture.Washesfuseintothepaperstructure.Fourdeckleedges.Watermarked.
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IndianbyKhadiSurfaces:HPandNotWeights:200,300gsmContent:100%cottonrag,internallysizedAstrongpaper,abletowithstandwearandtear.Liftingoutcoloriseasy,andmaskingfluidrubsoffwell.
Artists’PaperSurface:NotWeights:175,250gsmContent:100%cottonrag,tub-sized,loft-dried;bufferedwithcalciumcarbonateGentlyabsorbent,butrobustandfirm.Alsoavailableincream,oatmealandgray.Fourdeckleedges.
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Mold-madepapers
ArchesAquarellebyCansonSurfaces:HP,NotandroughWeights:185,300,640,850gsmContent:100%cottonrag,tub-sized,air-driedAwarmwhitepaperwitharobust,yetsoft,texture.Carrieswasheswithoutundueabsorption.Resistsscrubbingandscratching.Liftingoutisdifficult,andfiber-liftoccurswhenmaskingfluidisremoved.
LanaAquarelle
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byLanaSurfaces:HP,NotandroughWeights:185,300,600gsmContent:100%cottonrag,tub-sizedAgood,texturedsurface.Liftingoutandremovalofmaskingfluidareeasy.Allweightsstandupwelltowasheswithoutunduebuckling.
BockingfordbyInvereskSurface:NotWeights:190,300,425,535gsmContent:100%cottonrag,internallysized,bufferedwithcalciumcarbonateAversatile,economicalpaper,robustyetabsorbent.Liftingoutiseasy;maskingfluidcomesawaycleanly.300gsmalsointints.
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SaundersWaterfordbyStCuthbert’sMillSurfaces:HP,NotandroughWeights:190,300,356,640gsmContent:100%cottonrag,internallyandgelatinesizedAstable,firmpaper,whichisresistanttocockling,andwithasympatheticsurface.Scrubbing,liftingoutandmaskingareeasy.
WeightsofwatercolorpaperMetric Imperial
150gsm 72lb
180gsm 90lb
300gsm 140lb
410gsm 200lb
600gsm 300lb
850gsm 400lb
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AcidcontentPapersthatcontainanacidpresence,suchasnewsprintandbrownwrappingpaper,areprone,intime,toyellowinganddeterioration.PaperacidityismeasuredbythepHscale.Anacid-freepaperdoesnotcontainanychemicalswhichmightcausedegradationofthesheet,andwillnormallyhaveapHofaround7(neutral).Allgood-qualitywatercolorpapersareacid-free,topreventyellowingandembrittlementwithage.Somearealsobufferedwithcalciumcarbonate,toprotectagainstacidsintheatmosphere.
PapercontentApartfromwater,themainingredientinmakingpaperiscellulosefibers,
derivedfromeithercottonorwoodpulp.Cottonisusedforhigh-gradepapers,
woodpulpforothers.Somepaperscontainablendofcottonandothercellulose
fibers,offeringacompromisebetweencostandquality.
CottonragThebestpaperismadefrom100percentcotton.Althoughtheterm“ragpaper”
isstillused,therawmaterialnowadaysisnaturalcottonlinters.Ragpapersare
verystrong,yetpliable,andwithstanddemandingtechniques.
WoodpulpWoodpulpproducesamoreeconomical,butlessdurable,paper.Confusingly,
papersmadeof100percentwoodpulparesometimesadvertisedas“woodfree”;
thisisatechnicaltermmeaningwoodbrokendownbychemicalmeans,rather
thanmechanicalones–itdoesnotsignifythatthepaperhasnotbeenmade
fromwood.Mechanicalwoodpulpstillcontainslignin,whichreleasesacidsinto
thepaperoveraperiodoftime,causingittoyellowandembrittle.Thechemical
woodpulpusedinwoodfreepaperisprocessedtoremoveallthelignin.
WeightTheweight(thickness)ofwatercolorpapertraditionallyreferstotheweightofa
ream(500sheets)ofagivensize,mostoftenimperial(about22×30inor56×
76cm).Forinstance,a72lbpaperisalightpaper,500sheetsofwhichweigh
72lb.Themoreaccuratemetricequivalentofgramspersquaremetre(gsm)is
nowcommon.Lighterpapers(lessthan300gsm/140lb)tendtobuckleand
wrinklewhenwashesareapplied,andneedwettingandstretchingonaboard
beforeuse.Heaviergradesdon’tneedtobestretchedunlessyouintendtoflood
thepaperwithwashes.
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AbsorbencyandsizingAllwatercolorpaperisinternallysizedtovaryingdegrees,tocontrolits
absorbencyandproduceamorereceptiveworkingsurface.Heavysizing
producesahardsurfacewithlittleabsorptionandalongdryingtime;thisallows
youtopushthepaintaroundonthesurface.Colorsremainbrilliant,astheyare
notdulledbysinkingintothepaper.Lightlysizedpapersaresofterandmore
absorbent,withashorterdryingtime.Alterationsaremoredifficultbecausethe
paintsinksintothefibersofthepaper,butabsorbentpapersaresuitedtodirect,
expressivepaintingmethods.
InternalsizingInternal,or“engine”sizingmeansthatsizeisaddedtothepaperatthepulp
stage,andcontainedinthebodyofthepaper.Internalsizingrendersthepaper
robustandpreventscolorwashescross-bleedingbeneaththepapersurface,even
whenithasbeenabraded.
IncreasingsizingIfpaperistooabsorbent,paintsinksintoitandcolorsappeardull.Toremedythis,dissolveateaspoonofgelatingranulesin500ml(18floz)ofwaterandapplytothesurfacebeforepainting.
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ReducingsizingIfaheavilysizedpaperdoesnottakepaintwell,thenpassadampspongeoverthesurfaceseveraltimes.Leaveitfor30minutes,thendampenagainbeforepainting.Somehandmadepapersmayneedtobesoakedforuptotwohoursinwarmwater.
TryingforsizeTheamountandqualityofsizingvariesaccordingtothebrandofpaper.Aquicktestistolickacornerofthepaperwiththeendofyourtongue:ifitfeelsdryanditstickstoyourtongue,youwillknowthatitisabsorbentpaper.
SurfacesizingManywatercolorpapersarealsosurface-sized,whichisdonebybeingpassed
throughatubofgelatinsize(hencetheterm“tub-sized”).Surfacesizingnot
onlyreducestheabsorbencyofthepaperbutitalsoproducesamoreluminous
wash(onabsorbentpapers,colorstendtodryfarpalerthantheyappearasawet
wash).Italsoreducestheriskoffiberliftwhenyouareremovingmasking
materialandliftingoutwashesofcolor.
TintedpapersMostwatercolorpaperiseitherwhiteoroff-white,inordertoreflectthe
maximumamountoflightbackthroughthetransparentwashesofcolor.Some
manufacturers,however,specializeinarangeoftintedpapers,andtheseare
oftenusedwhenpaintingwithbodycolororgouache.
Youshouldalwayscheckthatthetintedpaperyoubuyissufficientlylightfast.
Good-qualitypaperswillnotfadeundernormalconditions,butcheaperpaper
maynotbeaspermanentasthecolorsthatarelaidonit,andintimethechange
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couldaffecttheoveralltoneofyourpainting.
Manyartistsprefertoapplytheirowntintbylayingaverythinwashonwhite
paper.
WatercolorsheetsWatercolorpaperismostcommonlysoldinsheetform.Inaddition,manymills
supplytheirpapersinrolls,whicharemoreeconomical,andpads.Spiral-bound
padsareparticularlyusefulforwhenyouareworkingoutdoors.Theyare
availableinawiderangeofsizes,althoughtheyusuallycontain300gsm(140lb)
Notpaper.
WatercolorblocksThesecomprisesheetsofwatercolorpaperwhichare“glued”togetherroundthe
edgeswithgum.Thisblockofpaperismountedonabackingboard.A
watercolorblockremovestheneedforstretchingpaper.
Whenthepaintingiscompleted,thetopsheetisremovedbyslidingapalette
knifebetweenthetopsheetandtheonebelow.Althoughmoreexpensivethan
loosesheets,watercolorblocksareconvenientandtime-savingforartists.
WatercolorboardsWatercolorboardisyetanotherwayofavoidingtheneedtostretchpaper.It
consistsofwatercolorpaperwhichismountedontoastrongbackingboardin
ordertoimproveitsperformancewithheavywashes.
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SpiralpadsWatercolorpapercanalsobepurchasedintheformofspiral-boundpads,whichareconvenientforoutdoorsketching.Theygenerallycontain300gsm(140lb)Notpaper.SEEALSOSTRETCHINGPAPER33WATERCOLORPAINTS87WATERCOLORTECHNIQUES180ART-MATERIALSSUPPLIERS392
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STRETCHINGPAPERWetpaintcausesthefibersinwatercolorpapertoswell,andthiscanleadto
buckling,or“cockling,”ofthesurface.Topreventthishappening,youshould
stretchpaperbeforestartingtoworkonit.
ChoosingthebestequipmentUseonlygummedbrown-papertapeforstretchingpaper–maskingtapeandself-adhesivetapewillnotadheretodamppaper.Acleanwoodendrawingboardistheidealsurfaceforstretchingpaper;tracesofpaintorinkmightstainthepaper.Plastic-coatedboardsarenotsuitable,becausegummedtapewillnotsticktothem.
ImmersiontimesThesedependontheweightanddegreeofsurfacesizingofthepaper.Thinpapersoakedfortoolongwillexpandgreatly,andmaytearasitcontracts;toobriefanimmersionmeansthepaperwillnotexpandenough,andwillbucklewhenwetpaintisapplied.Thecorrectsoakingtimeforeachpaperwillcomethroughtrialanderror,butingenerallightweightpapersandthosenotstronglysizedshouldbesoakedfor3–5minutes;heavilysizedpapersmayneed15–20minutes.(Ifafinelayerofbubblesappearswhenthepaperisimmersed,thisindicatesastronglysizedpaper.)
AchievingasmoothpaintingsurfaceThepaperiswettedandthensecurelytapedtoaboard.Ondrying,itwill
contractslightlyandbecometaut,givingasmoothsurfacethatislessproneto
cockling.Withheavierpapers(300gsmandover)thereislessneedfor
stretching,unlessheavy,saturatedwashesaretobeapplied.Lighterpapers
alwaysneedstretching.
MethodCutfourlengthsofgummedbrown-papertape50mm(2in)longerthanthe
paper.Dothisfirst,toavoidpanicatthecrucialmoment,whenwethands,
crumpledtapeandarapidlycurlingsheetofpapercouldcausechaos.
Immersethepaperincoldwaterforafewminutes(1),makingsureithas
absorbedwateronbothsides;heavierpapersmaytakeupto20minutes.Usea
containerlargeenoughtotakethesheetwithoutbeingcramped.Forlarge
sheets,useacleansinkorbath.
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Immerseonlyonesheetatatimeinfreshwater,aseachsheetwillleavea
residueofsizeinthewater.
Holdthepaperupbyonecornerandshakeitgentlytodrainthesurplus
water.Placethepaperontotheboard(2)andsmoothitoutwardsfromthe
center,usingyourhands,tomakesurethatitisperfectlyflat.
Takeadryspongearoundtheedgesofthepaperwherethegummedtapeisto
beplaced,toremoveanyexcesswater(3).Youshouldmoisteneachlengthof
gumstripwithadampspongeimmediatelybeforeuse.Beginningwiththelong
sides,stickthestripsaroundtheouteredgesofthepaper,halftheirwidthonthe
board,halfonthepaper(4).
Leavethepapertodryflat,allowingittodrynaturally,awayfromdirectheat.
Donotattempttousestretchedpaperuntilitisdry.Leavethegummedstripsin
placeuntilthepaintingiscompletedanddry.
CommercialpaperstretchersForthoseartistswhofindstretchingpaperatime-consumingchore,theonly
previousalternativetothishasbeentouseexpensiveheavyweightpapersor
boards.However,therearenowvariouseffectivedevicesavailable,whichare
designedbywatercolorpaintersandwhichwillstretchlightweightpapersdrum-
tightinminutes.Amongtheingeniousdesigns,oneusesatwo-piecewooden
frametoholdthepaperfirmlyinplaceasitdries;anotheremploysasystemof
plasticgripperrodswhicharepushedintogroovesintheedgesoftheboard,to
holdthepaper.
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(1)Immersingthepaper
(2)Smoothingthepaper
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(3)Removingexcesswater
(4)Stickingthegummedstrip
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SUPPORTSFORPASTELSSomepastelartistsliketoworkonprimedhardboard,muslin-coveredboard
orcanvas,butmostprefertopaintononeofthemanytintedpapersmade
speciallyforpastelwork.
EffectsThesubtletextureofpastelpapercatchesatthepastelparticlestojusttheright
degree.Whenthepastelstickispassedlightlyoverthesurface,thecolorofthe
papershowsthroughandgivesaninterestingbroken-coloreffect;whenthe
pastelispressedfirmlyintothetoothofthepaper,solidpatchesofcolorare
obtained.
TypesofpaperCansonMi-TeintesAmachine-madepaperproducedinFrance.Alightlysizedragpaperwitha
neutralpH,ithasafairlysoftsurface,suitableforpastel,charcoalandchalk.Itis
availableinawiderangeofcolors.
IngresAmold-madepaperproducedinItaly,Ingresisoneofthemostwidelyused
papersforpastelwork.Ithasahardsurfaceandalaidfinish,withaneutralpH.
Suitableforcharcoalandchalk,italsohasawideselectionofcolors.
VelourpaperAlsoknownasflockpaper,thishasasoftsurfacelikevelvetwhichproducesa
rich,mattfinishmorelikeapaintingthanadrawing.Itisbestnottoblend
pastelcolorstoovigorouslyonvelourpaper,asthismayspoilthenapofthe
surface.
Sand-grainpaperThishasapronouncedtoothwhichgripsthepastelparticlesandthereisenough
resistancetothedrawnlinetomakeitverypleasanttoworkon.Therough
surfaceissuitedtoaboldandvigorousapproach.Itis,however,anexpensive
surfaceforlarge-scalework,asitshavesoffthepastelfairlyrapidly.
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SansfixTheuniquetoothofthispaper,similartothatofaveryfinesandpaper,ismade
fromathinlayeroffinecorkparticles,whicheliminatestheneedforusing
fixative.SimilarinfeeltoMi-Teintespaper,ithasalightcardbacking,andis
acid-free.Itisideallysuitedtopastelwork.
CharcoalpaperThisinexpensivepaperisusefulforroughpastelsketches.However,itisrather
thinandfragile,andyoumayfinditsregular,linearsurfacetexturetoo
monotonous.
TintingpapersTheremaybetimeswhenyouwishtotintyourpaperbyhand.Forinstance,youmayfindthecolorsofpastelpaperstooflatandmechanical,andpreferthemorepainterlylookofahandtintedground.Oryoumaywanttoworkonwatercolorpaperbecauseyoulikeitstexture,butwhitepaperdoesn’tshowthevibrantcolorsof
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pasteltobestadvantage;itmakesthemlookdarkerthantheyactuallyare.
Usingateabag
MethodsfortintingpapersWatercolor,acrylicorgouachepaintscanbeappliedwithabrush,spongeorspraydiffusertoleaveapaletintofcolor.YoucanmodernizeanancientChinesemethodbyrubbingadampteabagacrossthesurfaceofthepaper;thiscreatesawarmundertone.Anothertechniqueistosavethebrokenendsofpastelsandcrushthemtoapowderwithaheavyobject.Dipadampragintothepowderandrubitoverthepaper.Whenthepaperisdry,tilttheboardandtapthesurpluspowderoff.
Usingcrushedpastels
ChoosingasurfaceApastelpaintingisverymuchamarriageofthemediumandthepaper.Thetwo
worksidebyside,creatinganexcitingfusionoftextureandcolor.When
choosingasurfaceforpastelpainting,therearethreefactorstobeconsidered.
Texture
Textureisavitalpartofpastelwork,andthechoiceofsurfacecanmakeormar
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Textureisavitalpartofpastelwork,andthechoiceofsurfacecanmakeormar
thefinishedpicture.Smoothpapersallowyoutoblendcolorssmoothlyand
evenlywhereasoft,delicateeffectisrequired,whereasrougherpapersbreakup
thecolorandprovideavigorandsparkle.
ColorPastelpaperisavailableinawiderangeofcolors.Inpastelpainting,areasofthe
paperareveryoftenleftuntouched,andcontributetothepicture.Forexample,
thepapercanbechosentoharmonizewiththesubject,oritcanprovidea
contrast.
ToneThetoneofthepaperhasconsiderableimportanceinapainting.“Tone”refers
totherelativelightnessordarknessofthepaper,regardlessofitscolor.In
general,alight-tonedpaperemphasizesthedarktonesandcolorsinapainting.
Fordramaticeffects,uselightpastelsonadarkpaper.
DetailonroughMi-Teintespaper
CaroleKatchenAfricanSmilePastelonMi-Teintespaper
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Detailonvelourpaper
AndrewHemingwayRedOilcan,Peaches,PlantPotsandEggsPastelonvelourpaper
DetailontonedIngrespaper
JamesCrittendenThroughtheOlivesIIPastelonIngrespaper
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Detailonwatercolorpaperwithcolored-acrylictintJudyMartinDownsViewPastelonwatercolorpaperUsingroughpaperIfyouworkinabold,vigorousstyle,withthicklayersofcolor,choosearough-texturedpapersuchassand-grain,orarough-texturedwatercolorpaper.Thehollowsinroughpaperarecapableofholdingenoughpigmentforyoutoapplyseverallayersofcolorwithoutthesurfacebecoming“greasy.”Theroughtextureofthepaperalsocontributestothevisualeffectofthepainting:thepigmentcatchesontheridgesofthegrainandskipsthegrooves,creatingasparkling,broken-coloreffect.
UsingsmoothpaperSmoothpapersarebestsuitedtofinedetailsandlinearworkbecausetheshallowgrainquicklyfillsupwithpastelparticles,andthesurfacebecomesgreasyandunworkableiftoomanylayersofpastelareapplied.
Usingmid-tonedpapersThesearegenerallythemostsympatheticforpasteldrawings.Theymakeiteasytojudgehowlightordarkaparticularcolorshouldbe,andprovideaharmoniousbackdroptomostcolors.
WorkingonpastelpapersChoosingandexploitingthequalitiesofaparticularpaperisoneofthepleasuresofworkingwithpastels.Theseexamplesshowhowdifferenttextures,tonesandcolorsinteractwiththepastelpigment,therebycreatingarangeofexpressiveeffects.
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SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28PASTELS48COLORHARMONY225
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Chapter2
DRAWINGMEDIA
Anythingthatmakesamarkcanbeusedasadrawingtool,butovertheyearstheversatilityofcertain
materials–especiallypencil,pastel,charcoalandink–hasmadethemenduringlypopularamongartists
ofallabilities.Noonedrawingmediumisintrinsicallysuperiortoanother.Oneartistmayenjoythe
broadhandlingthatispossiblewithcharcoalorsoftpastel,whileanothermaypreferthecontroland
precisionofaharderpoint,suchaspencil.Thebestcourseistoexperimentwithdifferentmaterialsand
techniquesuntilyoudiscoverwhichonesallowyoutoexpressyourartisticvisionmostfully.
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DRAWINGPAPERSNomatterwhatyourchosenmedium,thepaperyoudrawuponplaysan
importantroleinthesuccessofthefinishedwork.
CartridgepaperCartridgepaperisagoodgeneral-purposedrawingpaper.Poor-qualitypaperis
lightweight,withlittleornosizing,andtendstoyellowwithage;heavier
cartridgepaperismoreversatileandislikelytobeacid-free.
Thesurfaceofcartridgepapervariesbetweenbrands.Itisusuallyfairly
smooth,butwithafine-grainedtexture.Itscolorisvariable,too,rangingfroma
brightwhitetoamellowcream.
BristolpaperBristolpaper,orBristolboard,ismadefromtwoormorelayersofpaperbonded
togethertomakeathicksheet.Ithasasmoothsurfacewhichisidealforfineline
drawing,andisalsoperfectforpen-and-inkwork.
JapanesepapersSpecialistpapershopsofferarangeofJapanesehandmadericepaperswhichare
suitablefordrawing,watercolorandgouachetechniques.Thesepapersarevery
thinanddelicate,withsomeunusualsurfacepatterns.Japanesepapersarevery
absorbent;theytendtosoakupinkorpaint,creatinghazy,soft-edgedshapesof
adelicateandelegantnature.
IndianpapersHandmadeIndianpapersaremorerobustthanJapanesepapers,withasurface
similartoroughwatercolorpaper.Theyareinexpensiveandcomeinarangeof
tintsaswellaswhiteandcream.Theymakeanexcellentsupportforsoft
drawingmediasuchascharcoal,andforwashdrawings.
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MichaelHyamusesJapanesepaperformanyofhispreparatoryportraitstudies.Thethin,absorbenttexturehelpshimtoachievegreatsensitivityoflineandwashtone.
MichaelHyamStudyofBernadetteInkonJapanesepaper25×17.5cm(10×7in)
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SketchbooksSketchbookswithaspiralbindingcanbeheldinonehandwhiledrawing;somehavetear-off,perforatedsheets,whileotherscomeinbookformsoyoucanworkrightacrossthespread.Asmallsketchbook,about15×10cm(6×4in),fitsconvenientlyintoapocketandcanbetakenoutwheninspirationstrikes.Alargerbook,thoughbulkier,offersmorescopeforlarge-scalestudies,suchaslandscapes.
NaomiRussellSketchbookInkonpaper15×10cm(6×4in)
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MakingpaperbyhandHandmadepapersareproducedbypulpingcottonfibersandsizingagentsinavatofwater.Thepaper-makerplacesawoodenframe,ordeckle,overaflatscreenmadeofwiremesh;thisisloweredintothepulpandliftedouthorizontally.Waterdrainsoutthroughtheholesinthewirescreen,leavingthefibersinthepulpdepositedasaflatsheetonthemeshsurface.Thedeckleisthenremoved;fiberstrappedundertheframeproducethe“deckleedge,”afeatureofmosthandmadepaper.Eachwetsheetistransferredontoapieceofwoollenfelt,andwhenanumberofsheetshavebeensandwichedintoa“post”theyarepressedtoremoveexcesswater.Thesheetsarethenlaidoutonscreenstodry(somemakersusethetraditionalmethodofdryingoverropes).Thisisknownasloftdrying,andresultsinpaperwithbetterdimensionalstabilitythanmachine-madepapersbecausehumidityisreleasedataslowerrate.
TextureThetexture,or“tooth,”ofthepaperhasadirectinfluenceonthecharacterand
appearanceofthedrawnmarks.Anuncoated,unpressedpaper,suchasIngres,
hasplentyofnaturaltoothtobiteandholdpowderydrawingmediasuchas
charcoal,chalkandpastel.Roughtexturesarealsosuitedtoboldwork,asthey
emphasizethedrawnmarksandbecomepartofthedrawing.
Forfinepencilworkandpen-and-inkdrawing,asmoothsurfaceispreferred;
pennibscansnagonaroughsurfaceandtheinkwillspread,preventingclean
lines.
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ColorThechoiceofcolorandtonecanmakeapositivecontributiontothepicture
whenusingcoloreddrawingmaterialssuchaspastelandcoloredpencil.Toned
papersprovideagoodmiddlegroundfromwhichtoworkuptothelightsand
downtothedarks.
WeightHeavypapersmadeof100percentcottonarepreferredforpermanentwork,astheyaresturdyandcantakealotofworkinganderasingwithoutdamage.Theyarealsolesspronetowrinklingwhenusinginkandwatercolorwashes.Cheaperwoodpulpandlightweightpapers,someofwhicharenowmadefromeco-friendly,recycledpaper,arefineforsketchesandpracticework.
SupportsandmediaThesedrawingsondifferenttypesofpaperdemonstratetheimportanceofthesupport.
KayGallweyMrBillCharcoal,chalkandwashonpaper12.5×20cm(5×8in)
InKayGallwey’slivelysketch,beigeIngrespaperprovidesasoftmid-tonewhichshowsthroughthedrawnmarks,tyingthemtogether.
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NaomiRussellLittleRedRoosterOilpastelandgoldinkontissuepaper39×49cm(151/2×191/2in)NaomiRussellusedcoloredtissuepaper,crumpledandthensmoothedout,forthischarmingstudy.
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SarahDonaldsonStillLifewithPumpkinsWatercoloronIndianpaper40×28.5cm(16×111/2in)TheroughsurfaceofhandmadeIndianpaperimpartsanattractivetexturetowatercolorwashesinSarahDonaldson’sstilllife.SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28DRAWING&OBSERVATION138SKETCHING154
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PENCILSEquallycapableofproducingaquicksketchorafinelyworkeddrawing,the
pencilisthemostimmediate,versatileandsensitiveofthedrawingmedia.It
canbeused,ononehand,forgreatsubtletyanddelicacy,and,ontheother,for
strikingboldnessandvigour;youcanproduceasoft,velvetyqualityoracrisp
sharpness.Oneofthepencil’smostattractivecharacteristicsistheeasewith
whichlineandtonecanbecombinedinonedrawing.
HowpencilsaremadeIngraphite,or“lead”pencils,naturalgraphiteisreducedtoapowderand
blendedwithclayinexactproportions,thenkneadedintoastiffpaste.Tomake
theleads,thepasteiscompressedandextrudedintothinstrips,whicharedried
beforebeingfiredinakiln.Afterfiring,theleadsareimpregnatedwithwaxesto
ensurethattheydrawsmoothly.Theyarethenencasedinshaftsofcedarwood
whicharefinishedwithoneormorecoatsofpaint.
GraphitepencilsDrawingpencilscomeinarangeofgrades,from“H”forhardto“B”forsoft.
Thehardnessoftheleadisdeterminedbytherelativeproportionsofgraphite
andclayused:themoregraphite,thesofterthepencil.Typically,hardpencils
rangefrom9H(thehardest)toH,andsoftpencilsrangefrom9B(thesoftest)to
B.GradesHBandFaremidwaybetweenthetwo.
Averysoftleadwillproducerich,blackmarks,andisanexcellentchoicefor
rapidsketchesandexpressiveline-and-tonedrawings,especiallyontextured
paper.Hardleadsmakegray,ratherthanblackmarks.Theyaresuitablefor
preciselinesanddetailsbecausetheycanbesharpenedtoafinepoint.Although
asinglepencilofgradeHBor2Bgivesyouconsiderablescopeforexpression,
manyartistsuseseveralgradesofpencilinonepieceofwork,creatingarich
interplayoflineandtone.
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GraphitesticksThesearemadeofhigh-gradecompressedandbondedgraphiteformedintothick,chunkysticks.Theyglidesmoothlyacrossthesurfaceofthepaper,lendingthemselvestoboldandexpressivedrawing,andtolarge-scalework.Themarkscanbevariedbyusingthepoint,theflattenededgeofthepoint,orthelengthofthestick.
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LinearmarksTheweight,qualityandnuanceofapencillinecanbevariedandcontrolledbythegradeofpencilchosen,itssharpness,thedegreeofpressureapplied,andthetextureofthepapersurface.Asoftgraphiteleadgivesconsiderablecontroloverthetoneandthicknessofaline,whichmaybegradedtodescribethecontoursofaformandtheplayoflight.
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ShadingContinuousgradationsoftonecanbecreatedbyshadingwithsoftpencils.Theseareasarefirstdrawninbroadly,usingtheedgeofthelead,workingfromthelightesttothedarkesttonesorviceversa.Themarksarethencarefullyblendedtogetherusingapaperstump,ashere,thefingers,oraneraser.
ValerieWiffenPortraitI;PortraitIIGraphitepencilonpaper12.5×12.5cm(5×5in)
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ValerieWiffenModelandartistGraphitepencilonpaper21×14.5cm(81/2×53/4in)HatchingandcrosshatchingAreasoftonecanbebuiltupwithhatching–roughlyparallellinesdrawnclosetogether.Thesecanbestraightandmechanicalorfreeandsketchy.Alteringthedirectionofthelinesdescribesshapeandform.Incrosshatching,linesarecrisscrossedontopofoneanothertocreateafinemeshoftone.Thelinesmayruninanydirection:vertical,horizontalanddiagonal.Thedensityoftonecanbevaried,asisdemonstratedabove:thecloserthelines,theblackerthepencilused,andthemorepressureapplied,thedeeperthetone.Builduphatchedandcrosshatchedlinesgradually;toomuchdeepeningoftoneearlyoncanmakethefinisheddrawingdarkandheavy.
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PaulineJacksonSneakersGraphitepencilonpaper34×25cm(131/2×10in)DrawingwithaneraserEraserscanalsobeusedasdrawinginstruments.Inthislivelystudy,lineandareasoftonewerelaidonthepaperwithasoftpencil,thendrawnintoandmodifiedwithakneadedputtyeraser.Thisisaformof“negative”drawing,inwhichtheimageemergesgraduallyfromdarktolight.SEEALSOSUPPORTS13ACCESSORIES61
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COLOREDPENCILSColoredpencilsaremadefromamixtureofpigment,clayandfiller,bound
togetherwithgum.Thecoloredsticksaresoakedinwax,whichgivesthem
theirsmooth-drawingproperties,beforebeingpressedintorodsandencased
inwood.SinceDavidHockneysetaprecedentinthe1960swithhisseriesof
coloredpencildrawings,thismediumhasbecomeincreasinglypopularwith
fineartists.
ChoiceandvarietyOflate,therehasbeenanenormousincreaseinthevarietyofcoloredpencils
availableonthemarket.Notonlyhastherangeofcolorsbeenvastlyexpanded,
butthecolorsthemselvesarenowmuchmoreconsistentlylightfastthan
previously.Youcanalsoobtainwatercolorpencilswhichallowyoutodissolveor
partiallydissolvethecolorsonthepaperwithwater.
Clean,quickandportable,coloredpencilsareveryusefulsketchingand
drawingtools.Theyallowyoutoworkwiththeaccuracyofpencilwhile
involvingcolor;theyaresoftenoughtoallowdelicateshading,andtheycanbe
sharpenedtoapointforcontrolledlines.
BuyingcoloredpencilsColoredpencilsareavailableindividuallyorinsumptuous-lookingsetswith
dozensofcolors.Brandsvaryconsiderablyintherangeofavailabletonesandin
thequalityandproportionofpigments,binders,claysandwaxestheycontain.
Somebrandshavehard,waxy“leads”thatcanbesharpenedtoalong,finepoint;
othersaresoftandcrumbly,producingabroader,moregrainymark.
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FineorbroadMostpencilshaveacolorcore3.5mm(3/8in)indiameter,whichisparticularlysuitableforfinelydetaileddrawings.Somerangesalsocarrypencilswitha4mm(5/32in)diametercolorstrip,whichallowsforbroadstrokesandstronglines.Aswithordinaryleadpencils,theycanbeobtainedinroundorhexagonalwoodenshafts.
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BuythebestForfineartwork,lookforthebestqualitypencils.Theyshouldhavestrong,lightfastandrichcolorsthatcomeoutuniformlyandvividly,withnofeelingofgrittiness.
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OpticalcolormixingYoucanusehatchingandcrosshatchingtechniquestocreatecolorsandtones.Justlaylinesofdifferentcolorsside-by-side,oroverlaylinesatrightanglestooneanothertocreatetheillusionofathirdcolor.
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ToothedpaperColoredpencildrawingsarecharacterizedbyacertaindelicacy,softnessandclarity,duetotheeffectofthegrainofthepaper.Unlessyoupresshardwiththepencil,thepigmentparticlescatchonlyontheraisedtoothofthepaper,leavingtheindentsuntouched;thesetinyflecksofwhitepaperreflectlight,andthislendstranslucencytothecolors.
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MakingthepaperworkAswithwatercolors,thesecretistomakethewhiteofthepaperworkforyou.Ratherthanapplyingdenselayersofcolor–whichquicklymakesthesurfacegreasyandunworkable,preventinganyfurtherbuild-upofcolor–deepenthecolorbydegrees,allowingplentyofwhitepapertoshowthroughthelines.
LighthatchingColoredpencilsproduceatranslucenteffectthatallowsyoutolayercoloredmarkstocreatesubtletonesandhues.Here,thefigure’ssolidityisachievedthroughlightlyhatchedlines.Theilluminationissuggestedbyhighlights,usingthewhitepaper.
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SarahDonaldsonSeatedNudeColoredpencilonpaper42×30cm(163/4×12in)
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BuildingupcolorInmanyways,coloredpencilsworklikewatercolors.Whentheyareusedonwhitepaper,themarkstheymakearetransparentorsemi-transparent,whichmeansyoucanputdownonecolorontopofanother,buildinguphues,tonesandintensitiesuntilyouachievetheresultyouwant.
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MaintainingthebestpointUsingthenaturalbackwards-and-forwardsmotionofthearm,workspeedily,fractionallyrotatingtheshaftofthepencilinyourfingersfromtimetotime,tofindthebestshadingedgeandtomakethetipflatterorsharperasrequired.SEEALSOSUPPORTS13PENCILS40WATER-SOLUBLEPENCILS44MIXINGCOLORS220
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WATER-SOLUBLECOLOREDPENCILSTheseofferalltheadvantagesofcoloredpencils,butincludeawater-soluble
ingredientinthelead,sothatitispossibletothinouttheircolorintoa
transparentwash.
Usingwater-solublepencilsYoucanapplythecolordry,asyouwouldwithanordinarycoloredpencil,and
youcanalsouseawetwatercolorbrush,awetsponge,orevenawetfinger,to
loosenthepigmentparticlesandcreateasubtlewatercoloreffect.Whenthe
washeshavedried,youcanthenaddfurthercolorandlineardetail,usingthe
pencilsdry.Ifyoudampenthepaperfirst,themarksmadebythepencilwill
bleedslightlyandproducebroad,softlines.
Thisfacilityforproducingtightlycontrolledworkandloosewashesmakes
water-solublepencilsaflexiblemedium,andtheyareveryappropriatefor
renderingnaturalsubjects.Theyareoftenusedincombinationwithwatercolors,
felt-tippedpens,pencilorpenandink.
TechniquesApplythecolorswithlight,hatchedstrokes,thenuseasoftbrush,rinsed
regularlyincleanwater,togentlyblendthestrokesandproduceasmooth
texture.Thiscantakealittlepractice,astoomuchwaterwillfloodthepaint
surfaceandmakeitblotchy,whileinsufficientwaterwillpreventthecolorsfrom
blendingwell;theidealresultresemblesawatercolorwash.Heavypencilstrokes
willpersistandshowthroughthewash.
TexturesInterestingtexturescanbecreatedbybuildingupthepicturewithmultiplelayers
ofdrypigmentandwater-dissolvedcolor.Whenaddingdrycolorovera
dissolvedbase,however,thepapermustfirstbecompletelydry;ifitisstilldamp,
itwillmoistenthepencilpointandproduceablurredline,andthepapermay
eventear.
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Colorapplieddry
Dissolvedwithwetwatercolorbrush
Dissolvedwithwetsponge
Dissolvedwithwetfinger
Drypointonwetpaper
Pointdippedinwater,ondrypaper
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Combinedwithothermaterials
Coloredandwater-solublepencilsThesepencilsofferasurprisinglyvariedrangeoftechniquesandeffects.
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MichaelStiffDetail,Greek-ThomsonChurch,GlasgowColoredpencilandpastelonpaper25×20cm(10×8in)
MichaelStiff’sworkhasasimilarsenseofheightenedreality.Heblendspasteldustintoasmoothlayertoproducethebasictonalareas,overwhichheappliesfinelyhatchedstrokesofcoloredpencil.
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AnnaWoodTomatoesWater-solublepencilonpaper50×35cm(20×14in)
AnnaWooduseswater-solublecrayons–whicharethickerandjuicierthanpencils–whichsuitherspontaneouswayofworking.Suggestionsofform,textureandspaceemergefromtheaccidentalmarksleftasthecolorwashesspreadanddry.
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DavidSuffTheHistoryGarden(TwaCorbies)Coloredpencilonpaper90×90cm(36×36in)
TheastonishingdetailandbeautifultextureinDavidSuff’sdrawingarebuiltuppainstakinglywithtinystrokes,appliedlayeronlayer.SEEALSOCOLOREDPENCILS42WATERCOLORTECHNIQUES180
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CHARCOALCharcoalhasbeenusedfordrawingsinceprehistorictimes:usingsootand
sticksofcharredwoodfromthefireasdrawingtools,earlycavemencovered
thewallsoftheircaveswithimagesoftheanimalstheyhunted.Sincethen,
charcoalhasneverlostitspopularity.
Auser-friendlymediumCharcoalisanexcellentmediumforbeginners,asitencouragesthestudentto
treatsubjectsinbroadtermsandnotbecomelostindetail.Atthesametimeitis
aforgivingmedium,whichisveryeasytoeraseandcorrectbyrubbingmarksoff
withafingerorawadoftissue.
CharcoalsticksStickcharcoalismadefromvine,beechorwillowtwigscharredathigh
temperaturesinairtightkilns.Willowisthecommonesttype;vineandbeech
charcoalaremoreexpensive,butmakearichermark.Lengthsupto15cm(6in)
areavailableinboxes,andvaryinthicknessesanddegreesofhardness.Soft
charcoalismorepowderyandadhereslesseasilytothepaperthanhardcharcoal,
soitisbettersuitedtoblendingandsmudgingtechniquesandcreatingbroad
tonalareas.Thehardertypeofcharcoalismoreappropriatefordetailed,linear
work,asitdoesnotsmudgesoreadily.Theonlydrawbackwithstickcharcoalis
thatitisverybrittleandfragile,andtendstosnapwhenusedvigorously.
CompressedcharcoalThisismadeoutofpowdergroundfromcharcoal,mixedwithabinderand
pressedintoshort,thicksticks.Compressedcharcoalisstrongerthanstick
charcoalanddoesnotbreaksoeasily.Itproducesdense,velvetyblacks,butisless
easytodustoffthannaturalcharcoal.
CharcoalpencilsThesepencilsaremadefromthinsticksofcompressedcharcoalencasedin
wood.Theyarecleanertohandleandeasiertocontrolthanstickcharcoal,and
haveaslightlyhardertexture.Onlythepointcanbeused,sotheycannot
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produceabroadside-stroke,buttheymakefirmlinesandstrokes.Charcoal
pencilscomeinhard,mediumandsoftgrades;thetipcanbesharpened,like
graphitepencils.
VersatilityCharcoalisawonderfullyliberatingmedium,soimmediateandresponsiveinuse
thatitisalmostlikeanextensionoftheartist’sfingers.Simplybytwistingand
varyingthepressureonthestick,youcanmakefluidlinesthatvaryfromsoftand
tentativetoboldandvigorous.Richtonaleffects,rangingfromdeepblacksto
mistygrays,areachievedbysmudgingandblendingcharcoallineswiththe
fingersorwithapaperstump,andhighlightscanbepickedoutwithakneaded-
puttyeraser.
Vine,beechandwillowcharcoal
DetailedworkEasilysharpened,pencilsareperhapsthebestformofcharcoalfordoingdetaileddrawing.
WorkingatadistanceCharcoalworkswellforlarge-scaledrawingsexecutedattheeasel.Youneedtostandwellbackfromtheeasel,sothatyourdrawingarmisnotcrampedandyoucanviewthedrawingasawholethrougheachstageofprogress.
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AttachingcharcoaltoacaneWorkingatadistanceismadeeasierbysecuringthecharcoalsticktotheendofacane–amethodusedbyRenaissancepainterswhendrawingimagesforfrescoes.Cutapieceofcanetotherequiredlength.Atoneendofthecanemaketwo25mm(1in)cutsatrightangles.Pushthecharcoalfirmlyintotheend,leavingareasonablelengthprotruding,andthensecurewithtapewoundroundthecane.
TonaleffectsThemosteffectivemethodofachievingtheseisbysmudgingandblendingcharcoallineswithfingersorwithapaperstump.
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RosemaryYoungRecliningNudeCharcoalonpaper35×45cm(14×18in)Charcoalisapainterlymedium,allowingarichpatinaofmarkstobebuiltupwithlineandtone.Bothoftheseartists’drawingsevolvegradually,thefinalimagebeingenrichedbythepreviousalterations.RosemaryYoungworksataneasel,usingcharcoalattachedtoalengthofcanetoallowhergreatermobility.
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SarahCawkwellHairPieceCharcoalonpaper147.5×118.7cm(59×471/2in)
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HighlightsThesecanbepickedoutwithakneadedputtyeraser.
ExploitingthegrainofthepaperOneofthemostinterestingofcharcoal’scharacteristicsisthatitissympathetictothetextureandgrainofthepaper,allowingittoshowthroughandcontributetothesurfaceinterestofthedrawing.Thisisespeciallythecasewhenthecharcoalstickisusedonitssideandsweptlightlyoverthesurface.
FixingcharcoalThesoftnatureofcharcoalmakesitmessytohandle,andthestrokesmaybeaccidentallysmearedwiththeheelofthehand.Keepadampraghandy,andwipeyourfingertipsregularlytoavoidleavingprintsonthepaper.Itisadvisabletosprayfinishedcharcoaldrawingsfairlyliberallywithfixativetoprotectthemfromsmudging.
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SEEALSOACCESSORIES61
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PASTELSPastelsaremadefromfinelygroundpigmentsmixedwithabasesuchaschalk
orclayandboundtogetherwithgumtoformastiffpaste.Thisisthencutand
shapedintosticksandallowedtoharden.Therearefourtypesofpastel
available:softandhardpastels,pastelpencilsandoilpastels.Theyare
availableindifferentshapes–roundorsquare,thinorchunky.
TintsandshadesPastelsaremadeinawiderangeoftintsandshades,derivedfromaselectionof
full-strengthpigmentcolors.Thetintsareachievedbyaddingmorebaseand
whitepigmenttotheoriginalcolor,andbyrepeatingthisprocesstoproducea
seriesofincreasinglylightershades.
Thetonalrangeofeachpastelcolorisusuallyindicatedbyasystemof
numberingwhichcorrespondstothevariousstrengthsofeachcolor;for
example,insomerangesburntumberhasNo.1againstitslightestshade,and
No.8againstitsdarkest.Thissystemofnumbering,however,isnot
standardizedfromonemanufacturertoanother,soitisworthchecking
cataloguesandcolorcharts.
SoftpastelsSoftpastelsarethemostwidelyusedofthevariouspasteltypes,becausethey
producethewonderfulvelvetybloomwhichisoneofthemainattractionsof
pastelart.Theycontainproportionallymorepigmentandlessbinder,sothe
colorsarerichandvibrant.
Thesmooth,thickqualityofsoftpastelsproducesrich,painterlyeffects.They
areeasytoapply,requiringlittlepressuretomakeamark,andcanbesmudged
andblendedwithafinger,aragorapaperstump.
Theonlydrawbackofsoftpastelsistheirfragility.Becausetheycontainlittle
bindingagenttheyareapttocrumbleandbreakeasily,andtheyaremoreprone
tosmudgingthanothertypesofpastels.Alightspraywithfixativeaftereach
stageoftheworkwillhelptopreventsuchsmudging.
Hardpastels
Thesecontainlesspigmentandmorebinderthanthesofttypeofpastels,so
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Thesecontainlesspigmentandmorebinderthanthesofttypeofpastels,so
althoughthecolorsarenotasbrilliant,theydohaveafirmerconsistency.Hard
pastelscanbesharpenedtoapointwithabladeandusedtoproducecrisplines
anddetails.Theydonotcrumbleandbreakaseasilyassoftpastels,nordothey
clogthetoothofthepaper;theyareoftenusedinthepreliminarystagesofa
painting,tooutlinethecomposition,ortoadddetailsandaccentsinthelatter
stages,sometimesincombinationwithotherdrawingandpaintingmedia.
LetthebuyerbewareSincethedegreeofsoftnessvariesnoticeablyfromonebrandofsoftpasteltoanother,youshouldtryoutindividualsticksfromdifferentmanufacturersuntilyoufindtheonethatsuitsyoubest.Onlythenbuyafullrange.
Pastelpencils
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Thinpastelsticksareavailableencasedinwoodenshafts,likepencils.Pastelpencilsarecleantouse,donotbreakorcrumbleliketraditionalpastels,andgivegreatercontrolofhandling.Theyaresuitableforbothlinesketchesanddetailedorsmall-scalework,andcanbeusedinconjunctionwithhardandsoftpastels.
PermanenceReputablemanufacturersprovidethenamesoflightfastpigments,suchasburntumber,thatareusedinpastels.Pastelsincheaperrangesoftenaregivenromanticallydescriptivenameswhich,however,givenoindicationofthenatureorpermanenceofthepigment.
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Workingwiththeside
VersatilityPastelsarebothapaintingandadrawingmedium.Workingwiththesideofthecrayoncreatesbroad,painterlystrokesthatcanbeblendedandsmudgedorbuiltupinthicklyimpastedlayers,withthesolid,butteryappearanceofanoilpainting.Workingwiththetipofthecrayon,youcanmakethinlinesandcrispmarksthatcreateaverydifferentfeel.
Workingwiththetip
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BlendingwithafingertipBlendingOneoftheattractionsofapowderymediumsuchaspastelisthatitiseasilyblendedtocreatesoft,velvetytonesandsubtlegradationsfromdarktolight.Blendinghasmanyuses–softeningfinelinesanddetails,suggestingsmoothtextures,modellingformwithdegreesoflightandshade,lighteningtones,andtyingshapestogether.Tocreateanareaofblendedtone,eitherapplylightlyscribbledstrokeswiththepointofthestick,orusethesideofthesticktomakeabroadmark,butdonotpresstoohard–ifthemarkistooingraineditwillbedifficulttoblend.Thenlightlyrubthesurfacewiththetipofyourfingerorarag,tissueorpaperstump,toblendthemarkstogetherandcreateaneventone.Repeattheprocessifadarkertoneisrequired.
LinesoversoftblendingLineandtoneYoucanuseblendedtonesalone,ormixblendedandlineartechniquestoaddvarietyandtexture.Anotherapproachistocreateanareaofsoftblendingandthenoverlayitwithlinearstrokes.Here,theblendedtonesactsomewhatlikeanunderpainting,addingextradepthandsubtletytotheimage,whilethestrokestietheimagetogether.
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Scumbling
ScumblingScumblingmodifiesthecolorofatintedpaperoralayerofpastelbyapplyingathin,semi-opaquelayerofanothercoloroverit.Loose,circularstrokesareappliedwiththesideofthepastelsticktocreateathinveilofcolorwhichdoesnotentirelyobliteratetheoneunderneath.Scumblingnotonlycreatessubtlecoloreffects,butitalsogivesaveryattractivesurfacetexture.Useittogivedepthandluminositytoyourcolors,andtosoftenandunifydifferentareasofthedrawing.
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JamesCrittendenWindyDayPastelonpaper65×75cm(26×30in)
JackieSimmondsTheGlassTablePastelonpaper45×60cm(18×24in)Amongthemanywaysofapplyingpastel,the“painting”and“drawing”disciplinescanbeusedalongsideeachothertocreateabreathtakingrangeofeffects.Thesetwopicturesshowsomeofthevariedtexturesthatcanbeproduced,frombroken,grainystrokestodelicate“washes.”SEEALSOSUPPORTS34ACCESSORIES61
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OILPASTELSOilpastelsaremadebycombiningrawpigmentswithanimalfatandwax;this
makesthemsomewhatdifferentincharacterfromsoftpastels,whichare
boundwithgum.Whereassoftpastelsareknownfortheirvelvetytextureand
subtlecolors,oilpastelsmakethick,butterystrokes,andtheircolorsaremore
intense.Oilpastelsarealsostronger,harderandlesscrumblythansoft
pastels;sincetheytendnottosmudge,theyrequirelittleornofixative,but
theyaremoredifficulttoblend.
UsingoilpastelsWorkingwitharobustmediumsuchasoilpastelswillencourageaboldand
directapproachwhichisofenormousbenefitindevelopingconfidenceinyour
drawingandusingcolors.Infact,oilpastelsarenotideallysuitedtosmall-scale,
detailedwork;thesticksaretoochunkyforthis,andfineblendingisnot
possible.Itisfarbetterpracticetoexploitthetactilequalitiesofthemediumand
toworkonalargescale,usingvarioustexturalstrokesandbuildinguparich
patinaofwaxycolor.
Aswiththeothertypesofpastelsandcrayons,opticalcolormixturescanbe
createdbytechniquessuchashatching,crosshatchingorgentleshadingwith
superimposedcolors.
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DiluentsforoilpastelsTurpentineandwhite(mineral)spiritdissolveoilpastelandcanbeusedforblendingcolorsandobtainingpainterlysurfaceeffects.Yourinitialdrawingcanbemodifiedusingabrushwhichhasbeendippedinadiluentandworkedoverthesurface.
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Oilpastelsworkparticularlywellincombinationwithothermedia.Here,theartistemphasizedtheskyandthedramaticsweepoftheriverwithlinesandflecksofoilpastel,whichwerethenblendedwithturpentine.Thedetailsofthebuildingsintheforegroundwereaddedwithgraphitepencil,whichglidesoveranoilpastelground.
SimonJenningsUpstreamGreenwichOilpastelandgraphitepencilonpaper41×57.5cm(161/2×23in)
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Dryoilpastelonblendedpastel
BlendingandmixingBecauseoftheirwaxytexture,onlyaminimalamountofblendingispossible
withoilpastels.Thecolorscan,however,beappliedtothesupportandthen
spreadandblendedwithabrush,ragortissuewhichhasbeendippedinwhite
(mineral)spiritorturpentine.Asthepastelmixeswiththeturpentineitdissolves
andtakesonthequalityofthinnedoilpaint,andthecolorsbecomericherand
darker.Whentheyaredry,youcanworkoverthe“painted”areaswithlinear
strokesofdryoilpasteltoaddtexturalvariety.
Blendedwithawetfinger
FingerblendingThedrawnsurfacecanbesmoothedandblendedwithawetfinger.Becauseoil
andwaterareincompatible,adampenedfingerwillnotpickupthecolorfrom
thepaperbutwilljustsmoothandblendthesurfaceoftheoilpastel.
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Scratchedbackorsgraffito
SgraffitoAlayerofsolidcolorcanbebuiltup,andthewaxysurfacescratchedintowitha
sharptooltocreatelivelypatternsandtextures–atechniqueknownassgraffito.
Furtherinterestisaddedbyapplyingonecoloroveranotherandthenscratching
backthroughthetoplayertorevealthecolorbelow.
Waxresist
WaxresistOilpastelcanbeusedwithwatercolorpainttobuildupalivelysurfaceorto
suggestnaturaltextures.Thepaintadherestothepaperbutisresistedbythe
waxypastelmarks,andresultsinarandom,mottledeffect.Amorepronounced
patterncanbeachievedbyworkingonrough-surfacedpaper.
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Blendedoilpastel
SimonJenningsPortraitofaTulipOilpastelonpaper58.7×41cm(231/2×161/2in)Apainterlysurfacewasbuiltupintheimageabovebyusingoilpainting
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techniques,whichincludedblendingintothicklayersofcolor,scrapingbackwithaknife,blendingandsmudgingwithfingersandscratchinginlineswithapointedpaintbrushhandle.Theoil-paintshinethatresultedcanbeseeninthesurfacereflection.
SEEALSOMIXINGCOLORS220
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CONTÉCRAYONSThesecrayonswereinventedbytheFrenchmanNicolas-JacquesConté,who
wasalsoresponsibleforinventingthemodernleadpencilintheeighteenth
century.Madefrompigmentandgraphiteboundtogetherwithgumanda
littlegrease,contécrayonsaresimilartopastelsintheirconsistencyand
appearance,butareslightlyharderandoilier.Theyareavailableinpencil
form,andintheoriginalformofsquare-sectionsticksabout75mm(3in)long.
TypesandcolorsContécrayonsaresimilarineffecttocharcoal,butbecausetheyareharderthey
canbeusedforrenderingfinelinesaswellasbroadtonalareas.Althoughconté
crayonsarenowavailableinawiderangeofcolors,manyartistsstillfavorthe
restrainedharmonyofthetraditionalcombinationofblack,white,grayandearth
colors–sepia,sanguine(terracottared)andbistre(coolbrown).Thesecolors
impartauniquewarmthandsoftnesstoadrawing,andareparticularly
appropriatetoportraitsandnudefigurestudies.Thetraditionalcolorsalsolend
todrawingsanantiquelook,reminiscentofthechalkdrawingsofLeonardoda
Vinci,Michelangelo,RubensorClaude.
FineandbroadstrokesAswithpastels,themostpracticalmethodofusingcontécrayonsistosnapoff
smallpiecesabout25mm(1in)long.Thisway,youcanrapidlyblockintonal
areaswiththesideofthestickanduseasharpcornerattheendfordrawing
expressivelines.
BlendingcontéContéissoftenoughtoblendcolorsbyrubbingthemtogetherwithafinger,a
softragorapaperstump.However,becausetheyarelesspowderythanchalk
andcharcoal,contécolorscanbemixedbylayingonecoloroveranother,sothat
thecolorsbeneathshowthrough.
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ColoredcontéThereisnowawiderangeofcontécolorsavailable,inadditiontothetime-honoredones.
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Modern,pencil-formcolors
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Snapoffsmallpieces
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Blendingbylayingandrubbingcolors
ContéworkLikepastels,contécrayonsareusedtotheirbestadvantageontintedpaperwith
atexturedsurface,whichbringsoutthedistinctivequalitiesofthemarks.
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JohnRaynesuseswhitecontéskillfullytocapturecrisphighlightsonhismodel’swhiteshirt.
JohnRaynesPortraitofaGirlColoredandwhitecontécrayonontintedpaper51×34cm(201/2×131/2in)
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ThetwodrawingsbyVictorAmbrusshowthesurprisingrangeoftexturesthatcanbeachievedbyusingonlycoloredorblackcrayonsonacreamcoloredpaper.
VictorAmbrusDorothy’sDog,LallaBlackcontécrayon,onpaper76×56.5cm(30×221/4in)
VictorAmbrus
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MoragColoredcontécrayononpaper56.5×76cm(221/2×30in)SEEALSOSUPPORTS13PASTELS48ACCESSORIES61
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PENANDINKPenandinkisadelightfulandflexiblemediumwhichhasbeenpopularwith
artistssinceAncientEgyptiantimes.Themediumiscapableofanenormous
rangeoftechniquesandeffects,butthematerialsrequiredareverysimple.
Thechoiceavailableofdrawingpensandnibsislarge,butfallsintotwo
distinctcategories:dippensandreservoirpens.
DippensReed,quillandmetalpens(metalnibssetintoholders)areallclassifiedasdip
pens,astheyareloadedbybeingdippeddirectlyintotheink.Thenibretainsa
smallamountofink,whichisheldinplacebyitsownsurfacetension.Dippens
produceveryexpressivelineswhichswellandtaperaccordingtotheamountof
pressureappliedtothepen.
NibsThenibitselfisknownasthe“pen,”andthemainshaftisthe“penholder.”Agreatvarietyofnibshapesandsizesisreadilyavailable.Eachnibmakesadifferentrangeofmarks,andthemoreflexiblethenib,themorevariedthethicknessoflineitmakes.Sincetheyaresoinexpensive,itisworthtryingseveralbeforebuying.
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MetalpensDippenswithmetalnibshavelongbeenthetraditionaltoolofpen-and-inkartistsandillustrators.Inexpensiveandversatile,thesepensconsistofaholderandaninterchangeablesteelnib.
MappingpensMappingpenshaveaveryfine,straightpointfordetaileddrawings.Becausethemetalnibsareflexible,youcanvarythethicknessoflinetoaconsiderabledegree.
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Crow-quillpensCrow-quillpens(atypeofmappingpen)alsohaveadelicatepointforproducingdetailedwork,butcanbelessflexiblethanmappingpens.
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BambooandreedpensBambooandreedpensmayhavedeclinedinpopularitysincetheavailabilityofmoresophisticatedpens,butmanyartistsstillusethem.Theirblunt,coarseandslightlyirregularstrokesmakethemidealforboldlinedrawings,andtheirappealoftenliesinthesheerpleasurethatcanbederivedfromdrawingwithsucha“primitive”instrument.
Makingaquillpen
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Useastout,roundfeather,preferablygoose.Trimthebarbsback(1),tomakethefeathereasiertohold.Shapethetipofthequillwithasharpknife.Makeacurved,diagonalcut(2),thenremovethekeratinfillingfromthequill.Makeasinglecut,runningupfromthetip,tomakeachannelforink(3).
InkformetalpensMetalpenscanbeusedwithanytypeofink–waterprooforwater-soluble–becausethereisnomechanismtoclogup.However,thenibsshouldbecleanedregularlyunderrunningwatertopreventtheinkfromcaking.
QuillpensQuillpensaremadefromthewingfeathersofbirdssuchasgeese,turkeysorswans.Theyareoftenanidealchoiceifyouwanttomakefine,responsivelines.However,thenibisfragile,sotheyarebestsuitedtosmallsketchesanddetaileddrawings.
Technicalpens
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Originallydesignedforusebyprofessionalillustratorsanddesigners,technicalpensdeliverinkdownanarrowtubeinsteadofanib.Thisproducesaveryevenlineofaspecificandunvaryingwidth,regardlessofthedirectioninwhichthepenismoved.Thefine,fragilestrokesmadebytechnicalpensaremostappropriateforacontrolled,graphicstyleofdrawing.Likefountainpens,technicalpensareeasilyportableandcontaintheirownsupplyofink.But,unlikefountainpens,theinkflowisfineandeven,andlastsmuchlonger,soyounolongerhavetocarrybottlesofinkwhichcanbreak,leakorspill.Thenarrowtubularnibsfortechnicalpens,availableinanincreasingvarietyofpointsizes,areinterchangeablewithineachrange,andcanbequicklyswitched.
ReservoirpensReservoirpenscarryinkinaspecialholderorcartridgeandneedonlytobe
refilledfromtimetotime,butingeneraltheirnibsarelessflexiblethanthoseof
dippens.
NibunitsfortechnicalpensFormostdrawings,youwillneedonlyoneholderandseveralnibunitsinarangeofdifferentsizes.
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InkfortechnicalpensTechnicalpensshouldonlybeusedwithinksdesignedforthem.Theseareusuallylightfast,butarenotwaterproof.Theinksupplyisheldinareservoirandcanbetoppedupwithadropper,orfromapurpose-madefillerbottle.Thenibsshouldnotbeleftuncovered,astheinkwilldryinitschannel,andtheymustbecleanedregularlywithwarmwater.Ifthepensarenottobeusedforsometime,theyshouldbeemptiedandcleaned.
FountainpensFountainpensfeelmuchsmoothertodrawwiththandippens,andbecausetheyproduceasteadyflowofinktothenib,theydon’tneedtobedippedfrequently.Thismakesthemusefulforimpromptusketching.However,sincefountain-pennibshavelittleflexibility,itisnotveryeasytovarythethicknessofyourlines.Thenibrangeisalsoquitelimited.
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InkforfountainpensTopreventthemclogging,mostfountainpensrequirenon-waterproofink,drawnintothebarrelbysuctionthroughthenib.AnexceptiontothisruleisIndianinkpens,whicharemadespeciallyforusewiththistypeofinkandhaveachoiceoftwosketchingnibs,graded“ordinary”and“bold.”
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SketchingpensAlsoknownas“artpens,”thesecombinetheexpressivequalitiesofadippenwiththeconvenienceofareservoirpen.Inappearancetheyresembleanordinaryfountainpen,buttheyhaveflexiblenibsdesignedspeciallyfordrawing,whichdeliverinksmoothlytothepaperviaapre-filledinkcartridge.
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ColoredsketchingpencartridgesFilleradaptors“Artpens”alsohaveafilleradaptorwhichenablesyoutofillthemwitharangeofliquidcolors.
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DRAWINGINKSFormonochromedrawings,Indianinkisstillthefavoritechoiceofmany
artists,asitisbothpermanentandwaterproof.Sepiaandblue-blackinksalso
havetheirownappeal,andallcanbedilutedwithwatertoproducearangeof
light-to-darktonesinonedrawing.
WaterproofcoloredinksWaterproofcoloredinks,alsocalledartists’drawinginks,comeinarangeof
about20colors.Waterproofinksareessentialifyouintendtoapplyawashor
tintontopofalinedrawing,otherwisethelineworkwillrun.Theseinksare
denserthannon-waterproofvarieties,dryingtoaslightlyglossyfinishthatgives
theworkaprecise,paintedquality.Unfortunately,theshellacthatisaddedto
theinktomakeitwaterproofalsomakesitclogupeasily,sobesuretoclean
brushesandpensthoroughlyafteruse.Neverusewaterproofinkinfountain
pensortechnicalpens.
Non-waterproofcoloredinksThesecontainnoshellac,andtheyareprimarilyusedforlayingwashesover
waterproof-inkdrawings.Theyarefineforlinedrawings,too,aslongasyou
don’toverlaythemwithwashes.Non-waterproofinkssinkintothepapermore
thanwaterprooftypes,andtheydrytoamattfinish.
SolubleinksIfyouwanttheflexibilitytobeabletodissolveandblendlines,youshould
chooseasolubleinksuchasChineseink,whichisalsomoredelicatethanIndian
ink.
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DilutingcoloredinksColoredinksmaybedilutedwithdistilledwater,notonlytoimprovetheirflow,butalsotoproducearangeoflightertones.Theinkscanalsobemixedwitheachother,butitisadvisabletosticktotherangeofasinglemanufacturer,becausebrandsofinkvaryinconsistencyandinthesurfacefinishtheyproducewhendry.Pigmentininksettlesatthebottomofajarifleftunusedforsometime,sothejarshouldbeshakenbeforeuse.
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OrientalinksChineseandJapaneseinkscomeinsolid-stickformandareusuallysuppliedwithaninkstone.Theinkstickisrubbeddownonthestone,withalittlewaterbeingaddeduntilitisthedesiredconsistency.
RestoringflowIfinkevaporatesslightlywhileitisuncorkedduringaday’swork,thecolorbecomesdeeperandtheinkthicker.Addingalittledistilledwaterwillthinitandrestoreanevenflow.
PermanenceofinksOnlyblackandwhiteinksarepermanent.Coloredinksconsistofsolubledyesratherthanpigments,andarenotlightfast.Tominimizefading,alwaysprotectyourfinisheddrawingsfromprolongedexposuretolight.
LineworkPen-and-inkdrawingsareusuallycomposedoflines;hatching,crosshatching,
stippling,dotsanddashes,spatteringandscribblingarejustsomeofthe
techniquesthatcanbeemployedtoconveyformandvolume,texture,lightand
shade.
FirststrokesDonotbeginpen-and-inkworkuntilyouhavetrieddrawingandpracticing
movementandlinewithapenorabrush.Workonasmoothpaper,andlearnto
useaminimumofpressuretogetanevenflowofinkfromthenibontothe
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paper.Ifyouarepracticingwithadippen,learntojudgewhentheinkwillrun
out,sothatyouarenotinthemiddleofalongunbrokenlinewhenithappens.
SpontaneityItisagreatadvantagetomakeaverylightpreliminarydesignwithasoftpencil
ifyouwantanaccuratepen-and-inkdrawing,ratherthanaquicksketch.But
oncethetechniqueofpen-and-inkdrawingbecomesmorefamiliar,spontaneous
free-flowinglinesandobservationstranslatedinstantlyontopaperwilloften
makeafarmoreexcitinginkdrawingthanonewhichispremeditated.Anink
drawingmustbecompletelydrybeforepreliminarypencillinesareerasedorany
washesadded.Dryingtimeisatleast12hours,andevenlongerforathicklayer
ofink.
Pen-and-inkworkmustbepositivetolooksuccessful:onceaninkmarkhas
beenmadeonpaper,itisverydifficult(andsometimesimpossible)toerase,so
thereisnoroomforhesitation.Ideally,youneedtohavehadenoughdrawing
practicetoknowexactlywhatyouwanttoputdownbeforeyoustart.
LeslieHarris(1906–89)PreparatoryStudiesInkandwashonpaperVariousdimensions
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EdmundJ.Sullivan(1869–1933)BeardedManPenandinkonpaper15×12.5cm(6×5in)
TheillustratorEdmundJ.Sullivanwasregardedbyhiscontemporariesasoneofthefinestdraftsmenofhisday.Thissketchdisplaysgreatcontroloflineandtone,alliedtoaremarkablesensitivitytothesubject.Itisatriumphofpenmanship,alltoorarelyfoundtoday.
PendrawingUsingthetechniquesmentionedearlier,youcancreateareasoftone,volume,
textureandtheillusionoflightandshadewithjustpenandink.Increaseyour
optionsbyaddingwashesofinkorwatercolor–anexcitingfusionofdrawing
andpaintingwhichallowsyoutobuildupexperienceofbothdisciplines.
LineandwashLine-and-washdrawingsarehighlyexpressive,suggestingmorethanisactually
revealed.Thesecretistoworkrapidlyandintuitively,allowingthewashesto
flowoverthe“boundaries”ofthedrawnlinesandnotbeconstrictedbythem.
Thecombinationofcrisp,finelydrawnlinesandfluidwasheshasgreatvisual
appeal,capturingtheessenceofthesubjectwitheconomyandrestraint.Line
andwashalsohelpstoimproveyourdrawingskillsbecauseitforcesyoutobe
selectiveandtodevelopadirect,fluidapproachtoyourwork.
Line-and-washmethods
Thetraditionalmethodistostartwithapendrawing,leaveittodryandthenlay
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Thetraditionalmethodistostartwithapendrawing,leaveittodryandthenlay
inlight,fluidwashesofinkorwatercolorontop.Alternatively,washescanbe
appliedfirsttoestablishthemaintones,withtheinklinesdrawnontopwhen
thewasheshavedried.Themostintegratedmethodistodevelopbothlineand
tonetogether,sothattheyemergeasanorganicwhole.Youmightbeginwitha
skeletonoflines,addsomelighttones,thensomebolderlinesandstronger
tones,andsoonuntilthedrawingiscomplete.
HilScottSquattingNudePen,brushandinkonpaper43×33cm(17×13in)
Inthisvigorousline-and-washstudy,HilScottcombinescalligraphiclines,drawnwithareedpen,withfluidtonalwashesofChinesebrushandink.Withhersurenessoftouchsheisabletoconveyawealthofinformation–formandmodelling,gestureandmood–withbreathtakingsimplicityandconfidence.
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RichardBellCatSketchesSketchingpenandwater-solublepencilonpaperVariousdimensions
BrushdrawingBrushestendtobeoverlookedasinstrumentsfordrawing,astheyareusually
associatedwithpaintingtechniques.Yetmanygreatartistsofthepast–
Rembrandt,GoyaandClaudeamongthem–producedsomeoftheirfinest
drawingswithbrushandink.
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SoftbrushesThebrushisanincrediblyflexibledrawingtool.Asablebrushwithagoodpointcan,inasinglestroke,conveyline,rhythm,andeventheplayoflightonasubject.Itcanchangedirectioneasily,twistingandroundingcornerswhereapenorpencilmightfalter.Sableandothersoft-hairbrushesaresuitableforinkdrawing;experimentwithvarioustypesofbrushonbothsmoothandtexturedpapers,andcomparethedifferentmarkstheymake.
ChinesebrushesChinesebamboo-handlebrushes,whichwereoriginallydesignedasawritingtool,areversatile,inexpensiveandextremelyexpressive.Thebellyholdsalotofink,andcomestoafinepointfordrawingrhythmic,flowinglines.
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GordonHalesOntheEstuaryBrushandinkonwatercolorboard15×22cm(6×9in)
Speedandfastattackarebothvitalincapturingthetellinggesturesofamovingsubject.GordonHalesdistilledtheessentialsofthesceneabovewithhisconfidentbrushwork,usingdilutionsofinktoconveylightandmovement.RichardBellsketchedhissubjectwithanexpressivebamboopenoutline,filledinwithadenseblackmassofink.
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RichardBellCarrionCrowsPenandinkonpaperVariousdimensionsSEEALSODRAWINGPAPERS38WATERCOLORBRUSHES96WATERCOLORWASHES182
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MARKERSANDFIBER-TIPPENSThoughnormallyassociatedwiththegraphicdesigner’sstudio,penswithfelt,
fiberorplastictipsarenowwidelyusedbyfineartistsaswell.
VersatilityThelargerangeofmarkersandfiber-tippensavailablemakesthemextremely
usefulforrenderingbothfree,spontaneoussketchesandsophisticated,detailed
drawings.Coloredmarkersareespeciallyconvenientforoutdoorsketching,
becausethecolorsareconsistentandreadytouse,anddryalmostinstantly.
Markersareidealforon-the-spotsketching,givingarapidimpressionofform,colorandatmosphere.
Water,spiritsandalcoholSomemarkerscontainwater-basedinkandarewater-soluble;otherscontainspirit-oralcohol-basedinksandarewaterproofwhendry.Ifyouwanttooverlaycolors,choosesolvent-basedmarkers,whichareeasilydistinguishedfromwater-basedmarkersbytheirsmell(alcohol-basedinkhasless
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odorthanspirits).Onasketchpad,thecolorsmaybleedthroughontothenextpage,butyoucanbuymarkerpadsinwhichthepaperisformulatedtoresistcolorbleeding.
Solvent-basedwaterproofmarkers
Water-basedsolublemarkers
Ordinarypaper
Bleed-proofpaper
Colorpermanence
Markerscomeinmanycolors,withintensityandpermanencevaryingaccording
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Markerscomeinmanycolors,withintensityandpermanencevaryingaccording
tobrand.Sincemarkercolorsconsistofdyesandnotpigments,theytendtofade
intimeorwhenexposedtostrongsunlight.Thisdoesn’tmatterforrough
sketches,butforpermanentartwork,makesureyoubuyalightfastbrand.
GigolAtlerSketchbooksVariousmarkersonpaper15×10cm(6×4in)MarkertipsTheserangefromsoftfelttohardtungstencarbide.Softertipsmakesmootherlines;hardoneskeeptheirshapelonger.
Fiber-tipmarkersarefairlyfirmandsmooth-flowing,andcomewithtipsofallshapesandinmostsizes.
Plastic-tipmarkersarehardanddurable.Theirtipsmakethefinestlines.
Brushpenshaveresintips.Theyarequiteflexibleandidealforsketchesandcolorwashes.
Rollerpensareextremelytough,keepingtheirshapewell.Theyproduceasmooth,fineline.
Tipshapes
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Colored-markertipsvaryfrombroadwedgestofinepoints.
Wedge-shapetipscoversolidareaswell.Drawingwiththethinedgewillproducefairlyfinelines.
Bullet-shapetipsareappropriateforboldstrokesandsolidareas,aswellasdotssuitableforstippling.
Fine-pointtipsaresimilartotechnicalpens,inthattheyproduceeven,finelines.
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ACCESSORIESOneofthebestthingsaboutdrawingmediaisthatyouwillrequireveryfew
accessories.Thedrawingaidsdescribedhereareallinexpensiveandeasily
purchasedinspecialistartshops.
SharpeningpencilsPencilsharpenersareveryconvenient,butusingacraftknifeorscalpelwillproducealonger,taperingconethatexposesenoughleadfordrawingbroadlywiththeside.
SharpeningwithsandpaperSandpaperblocks,whichconsistofsmall,tear-offsheetsofsandpaperstapledtogether,areveryhandyforputtingfinepointsongraphitesticks,pastels,crayonsandlengthsofcharcoal.
Erasers
Plasticorputtyerasersarebest,asIndiarubbertendstosmearandcandamage
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Plasticorputtyerasersarebest,asIndiarubbertendstosmearandcandamage
thepapersurface.Puttyerasersareverymalleable;theycanbebrokenoffinto
smallerpiecesandrolledtoapointtoreachdetails.Youcanalsopresstheputty
eraserontothepaperandliftoffunwantedmarksbypullingitaway.Useiton
softgraphite,charcoalorpasteldrawings,bothtoeraseandtocreatehighlights.
PaperstumpsPaperstumps,alsocalledtorchons,areusedforblendingorshadingcharcoal,
pastelorsoft-graphitedrawings.Theyaremadeoftightlyrolledpaper,with
taperedendsforworkingonlargeareas,orasharppointforsmalldetails.
KnivesandsharpenersYouwillneedasharpcraftknifeorpenknifeforsharpeningpencilsandcutting
paper.Knivesorotherbladesarealsoveryusefulforsgraffitowork–scratching
linesintoanoilpasteldrawing,forexample,tocreateinterestingtextures.
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Blowingfixativethroughanatomizer
DrawingboardYouwillneedafirmsupportfordrawingonsheetsofloosepaper.Drawing
boardsareavailablefromartshops,butitisfarlesscostlytogetagoodpieceof
smoothboard,suchasMDF,fromalumberyard.Iftheboardfeelstoohard,
placeafewextrasheetsofpaperunderthetoponetocreateamoreyielding
surface.
FixativeThebestwaytopreservedrawingsistospraythemwithfixative,whichbinds
theparticlesofpigmenttothesurfaceofthepaper.Fixativeisavailablein
aerosol-sprayformormouth-typeatomizers.Aerosolspraysgiveanevencoat,
andarethemostconvenienttousewhencoveringalargearea.Anatomizerisa
metaldiffuserwithaplasticmouthpiece,whichisstoodinabottleoffixative.
Blowingthroughtheatomizerwilldistributeafinesprayoffixativeontothe
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drawing.Atomizersareidealforsprayingsmallareas,butittakespracticetoget
accustomedtousingthem,andtheyalsoneedregularcleaningtoprevent
clogging.
SEEALSODRAWINGPAPERS38PENCILS40CHARCOAL46PASTELS48OILPASTELS50
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Chapter3
PAINTINGMEDIA
Paintingisatactileandvisualexperience;inallgoodpicturesthereisafascinatingdialoguebetweenthe
subjectandthewaythepaintitselfisappliedandmanipulatedtoexpressthatsubject.Whetheryou
preferthedelicacyofwatercolors,therichnessofoils,theversatilityofacrylics,theintricacyoftempera
ortheimmediacyofgouache,theexperienceofworkingwitharangeofpaintingmediawillwidenthe
scopeofyourartisticexpression.Visitart-supplyshopstostayintouchwithwhatisnewonthemarket,
anddon’tbeafraidtoexperimentwithunfamiliarmaterialsandtechniques.
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OILPAINTSArtshopsstockanoverwhelmingrangeofpaints,brushes,mediums,
varnishesandassortedoil-paintingparaphernalia.Theequipmentfor
paintinginoilscanbecostlybut,ifyouchoosewiselyandaccordingtoyour
ownrequirements,itneednotbeso.Thebasicessentialsareabout10or12
tubesofpaint,afewbristlebrushes,abottleofthinnersorapreparedpainting
medium,apaletteandasurfaceonwhichtopaint.Thepaintingsurface,or
support,canrangefromasheetoftop-qualitylinencanvastoapieceof
hardboard.
OilpaintconstituentsOilpaintconsistsofdrypigmentsgroundinanaturaldryingoilsuchaslinseed,
orasemi-dryingoilsuchassafflowerorpoppy.Somebrandsofoilpaintare
maturedandthenremadewithmorepigmentinordertoachievetheright
consistency,butmostaregivenadditives,suchasplasticizers,driersandwax,to
improvetheirflexibilityandmakethemconsistentintextureanddryingspeed.
Stabilizersmayalsobeaddedtopreventtheoilandpigmentseparatinginthe
tubesduringstorage.Mostmanufacturersofferatleasttwogradesofpaint:
artists’,orfirstquality,andstudents’,orsketchingquality.
Artists’colorsArtist-qualityoilpaintsofferthewidestrangeofcolorsandthegreatestcolor
strength.Theycontainahighconcentrationofpigment,whichisveryfinely
groundwiththefinest-qualityoils.
Students’colorsStudents’colorsarecheaperthanartists’colors,becausetheyaremadeinlarger
quantitiesandthecolorrangeismorelimited.Themoreexpensivepigments,
suchascadmiumsandcobalts,arereplacedwithsomecheaper,butequally
permanent,alternatives,andthesecolornamesaresuffixedwiththeword“hue.”
Students’colorsmayhavelowerpigmentlevelsandcontainsmallamountsof
fillers,suchaschalk,whichwillslightlyweakenthecolorstrengthofthepaint.
Combiningpaints
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Students’colorsareperfectlyadequateforthebeginnertopractisewith,anditis
evenpossibletocutcostsbycombiningthetwotypes:forexample,usingartists’
paintsforthepure,intensecolorsandstudents’paintsfortheearthcolors,which
areoftenjustasgoodasintheartists’range.Someartistsusestudents’colorsfor
underpainting,beforeaddingartists’paintsforthefinallayers.
CaringforyourpaintsPaintstendtosolidifyinthetubeifleftuncapped.Replacethecaponceyouhaveusedthepaint,andmakesurethethreadsonthecapandneckremainclean.Stuckcapscanbeopenedwithpliers,orbyholdingthetubeunderhotrunningwater.Asalastmeasure,standthetubeupsidedowninturpentineorwhitespiritforafewminutes,sothatthecapandtopofthetubearecovered.Alwayssqueezeatubeofpaintfromthebottomupwards,thusensuringthatthereisaslittleairaspossibleinsidethetube.
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AvoidingwasteOilpaintsareexpensive.Apaletteknifeheldatanobliqueangleandscrapedalongafinishedpainttubewillhelptoremovethelastscrapofpaint.
Aselectionofartists’oilpaints
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Aselectionofstudents’oilpaints
SizeandpriceOilpainttubesrangefrom5ml(0.17USfloz)toagenerous200ml(6.66USfl
oz).Themostusefulsizeofallisprobably37ml(1.25USfloz),andalarger
tubeofwhite–say56ml(1.86USfloz)–worksoutmoreeconomical,since
whiteisusedmorethanmostothercolors.
Artist-qualitypaintsvaryinpriceaccordingtotheinitialcostofthepigment.
Insomebrands,theyareclassifiedaccordingto“series,”typicallyfrom1(the
cheapest)to7(themostcostly).Theearthcolorsaretheleastexpensive,while
thecadmiumcolorswillcostfourtimesmore.Somepigments,suchas
vermilion,areprohibitivelyexpensive,andmostmanufacturersnowreplacethem
withmodernsyntheticpigments.Student-qualitycolorsaresoldatauniform
price.
DryingtimesThespeedatwhichoilpaintdriesdependsonthecolor.Somepigmentsact
uponthedryingoilsinwhichtheyarebound,speedingupthedryingprocess;
othersslowitdown.Earthpigmentsdryrapidly,acquiringaskinovernight,
whereasalizarincrimsonmayneedupto10daystobecometouch-dry.
Toaccommodatetheseextremes,somepaintmanufacturersadddryingagents
totheslower-dryingpigments;othersgrindfast-dryingpigmentswithslower-
dryingoils,toobtainapaintrangewithmoreconsistentqualities.Othersaddno
dryingagents,allowingtheartisttodecidewhethertousefast-dryingmediums.
Tintingstrength
Thereisavariationinthetintingstrengthofdifferentpigments.Forexample,
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Thereisavariationinthetintingstrengthofdifferentpigments.Forexample,
Prussianblueandalizarincrimsonwillproducevividcolorswhenaddedineven
verysmallquantitiestowhite,whereasterreverteandrawumberbecomevery
palewhenmixedwithonlyalittlewhite.Whenmixingapaletintusingstrong
color,alwaysaddittothewhiteandinverysmallquantities–otherwise,you
maygetthroughagreatdealofpaintforlittleresult.
DifferencesManufacturersdonotformulatetheirpaintsinthesameways,soalthough
colorsindifferentbrandsmayhavethesamenames,theircontentsvarynotonly
intheappearanceofthecolorbutalsointheircost,consistency,handling
qualities,permanenceanddryingrates.
DryingspeedsofoilpaintThefollowingisaguidetoapproximatedryingspeedsofpigmentsboundinlinseedoil.Thedryingratesmayvarybetweenbrands,andcolorsboundwithsafflowerorpoppyoilarerelativelyslow-drying.Whencolorsaremixedtogether,theirdryingratesmaybealtered.
Fast-drying(approximatelytwodays)
Medium-drying(approximatelyfivedays)
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Slow-drying(fivetoeightdays)
PigmentstrengthNotethecontrastintintbetweenthetwopigmentsontheleftandthoseontheright(below),whentheyhaveallbeenmixedwiththesameamountofwhite.
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FlakewhiteAlsoknownasleadwhiteorsilverwhite,thisisacomparativelyquick-drying,durableandflexiblepaint,widelyusedinunderpainting.Itacceleratesthedryingofcolorsmixedwithit.Flakewhitelackstheopacityoftitaniumwhiteandthewhitenessofzincwhite.Itisharmfulifitisswallowed,asitcontainslead,sokeepitoutofthereachofchildren.
TitaniumwhiteAlsoknownaspermanentwhite,thisisthewhitestandmostopaquewhite,whichdriesveryslowlytoasoft,chalkyfilm.Itsstrongcoveringpowerisusefulformixingtints,andforhighlightsandfinalpainting.Itisclassedasnon-hazardous.
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ZincwhiteThishasapure,coldwhiteappearancewhichdoesnotdarkenwithtime.Itissemi-opaque,andissuitablefortintingandglazing,butnotforunderpainting.Zincwhitedriesveryslowlytoahard,brittlefilm.Itisclassedasnon-hazardous.
Whichwhite?Themostimportantpigmentintheoilpainter’spaletteiswhite,becauseitis
usedmorethananyothercolor.Itisthereforeessentialtousegood-quality
whites;evenifyouareusingstudent-qualitypaints,itisworthbuyingalarge
tubeofartist-qualitywhite,asithasbettercoveringpowerthanthestudent
grade.
Severalwhitesareavailable,eachwithdifferentproperties,althoughasa
generalruletitaniumwhiteisthemostreliableandversatile(seeabove).
Whitesgroundinpoppyorsaffloweroilshouldnotbeusedforprimingor
extensiveunderpainting.Theyareslow-drying,andcancausecrackingof
subsequentpaintlayersunlessallowedtodrythoroughly.Useflakewhite,which
isquickandthorough-drying,oroneofthealkydorunderpaintingwhites.
AlkydpaintsThesearemadefrompigmentsboundinanoil-modifiedsyntheticresin.They
handleinthesamewayastraditionaloilpaints,buthavetheadvantageofbeing
muchfaster-drying–innormaluse,thepaintsurfaceisgenerallydrywithinan
hour.Alkydsmaybemixedwithoilpaints,whichhastheeffectofspeedingup
theoils’dryingtimeandretardingthatofthealkyds,sothatallthecolorsdryat
arelativelyevenrate.Anysupportsthataresuitableforoilandacrylicpaintsmay
beusedforalkyds,onceprimedwithoiloracrylicprimer.
Water-friendlyoilpaints
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Inrecentyears,afewmanufacturershaveproducedrangesofoilpaintsinwhich
theoilbinderhasbeenmodifiedtomixwith,ratherthanrepel,water.Thisdoes
notprecludetheuseoftraditionaloil-basedmediumsanddiluents,butmeans
thatthinningpaintandcleaningbrushescanbedonewithwater.Theadvantage
isthatthiseliminatestheuseofsolvents,towhichmanypeopleareallergic,and
avoidsapossiblebuild-upofpotentiallydangerousvapors.
Aselectionofalkydandwater-friendlyoilpaintsSEEALSOMIXINGCOLORS67BASICPALETTE72UNDERPAINTING164PIGMENTS92HEALTH&SAFETY386
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MIXINGOILCOLORSOilpaintisexpensive,butdonotbemeanwithit.Alwayssqueezethepaint
outingenerousmounds,oryouwillbeconstantlyunscrewingtubecapsand
mixingupfreshbatchesofpaint,whichcanbecomeachore.Anypaintthatis
leftoverattheendofthesessioncanalwaysbereusedinonewayoranother.
KeepcolorscleanTrytoavoidusingmorethantwoorthreecolorsinanyonemixture.Anymore
thanthis,andthecolorsbecomelifelessandmuddy.Alwayshavealargejarof
turpentineandaragnearby,sothatwhenyouhavefinishedwithaparticular
coloryoucancleanthebrushorpaletteknifethoroughlyandnotcontaminate
thenextcolor.
MixingmethodsWhenmixingoilpaintsonthepalette,useeitherabrushorapaletteknife.A
knifeispreferableformixinglargequantitiesofpaint,anditwillcertainlysavea
lotofwearandtearonyourbrushes.Whenworkingfastandmixingsmall
quantitiesofcolor,however,abrushismoreconvenient.Old,wornbrushesare
usefulforthispurpose–nevermixpaintwithsablebrushes,asitquicklyruins
them.
AddingdiluentsMediumsanddiluentsshouldbeaddedtopaintgradually,andinsmallamounts.
Includinganexcessofthinningagentmayresultinanunderboundpaintfilm
thatispronetoflaking.
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MixingpaintFullymixingtwocolorsproducesasolidthirdcolor(top);partlymixingthemallowsthetwooriginalcolorstostillbepartofthemixture(bottom).
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ReusingoilcolorScrapepaintoffthepalettewithaknifeandstoreinanairtightcontainerforusenexttimeround.Even“palettemud”(thedullcolorleftwhenmanycolorshavebeenmixed)canbeuseful–thinitdownwithturpentineanduseitfortintingcanvasesandboards.Paintwhichhasbeenexposedonthepaletteforlongperiodswillhavebeguntooxidize,andisthereforenotstableenoughforuse.Ifthepaintfeelsgummyoritrequiresalotofthinnerstomakeitworkable,thenitshouldbediscarded.
Palette-knifemethod
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Apaletteknifeisconvenientformixinglargeamountsofpaintandavoidsdamagingyourbrushes.Useascoop-and-slideactiontomixthecolorsthoroughly.
BrushmethodWhenmixingpaintwithabrush,usegentlesweepingandrotarymotionsinordertominimizeexcessivewearandtearonthebristles.SEEALSODILUENTS75MEDIUMS76BRUSHES78ACCESSORIES86
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MAKINGOILPAINTSUntilthenineteenthcentury,oilpaintsweremadebyhandintheartist’sown
studio.However,sincethen,artists’colormenhaveperfectedthewayinwhich
oilpaintsaremanufacturedtosuchadegreethat,intermsofqualityand
handlingproperties,theyarenowconsideredfarsuperiortothoseofhand-
groundpaints.Buthomepreparationofoilcolorsisaquitestraightforward
process,anditallowstheartisttohavecompletecontrolovertheingredients
inthepaint.
HomepreparationItismuchcheapertobuytherawmaterialsthantheready-madetubecolors,and
thelargerart-supplystorescarryawiderangeofrawpigmentsfromwhichyou
canmixcolorstoyourspecificrequirements.Finally,thereisundoubtedlyalot
ofsatisfactionandpleasuretobegainedfromworkingwithcolorsthatyouhave
preparedyourself.
MethodSpoonahandfulofpowderedpigmentontoaglassslab,andmakeawellinit.
Pourinaspoonfulofoil,andmixtoastiffpastewithapaletteknife(1).Ensure
thatallthepigmentisthoroughlywetted,butdotrytousetheminimumofoil
toproducethestiffestworkablepaste.Toomuchoilmayresultinyellowingand
wrinklingofthepaintfilm.
MullingGrindthepigmentandoilmixtureontheslabwithaglassmuller,using
reasonablepressureandacontinuoussmooth,circularorfigure-of-eightmotion
(2).Yourweightshouldbewellbalancedoverthemuller.Theobjectiveisto
dispersethepigmentparticlesevenlythroughthebinderandtoachievea
smooth,glossypaint,freefromgrittiness.Bewarned–mullingpainttotheright
consistencycantakeuptoanhour,dependingonthepigment!Itisbesttomull
asmallamountofpigmentatatime,movingeachfreshlymulledbatchtothe
edgeoftheslab.
Theresultingpaintshouldbestiffenoughtobeworkablewhilecontainingthe
minimumofoil.Ifthepaintdoesn’t“peak”whenliftedwiththetipofapalette
knife,itprobablycontainstoomuchoil;addmorepigmentandmullagain.
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UsinglightweightpigmentsThosepigmentsthatarefluffyorflyaway,duetotheirlightweightandfine
particlesize(forinstance,alizarinandthequinacridones),needwettingbefore
theycanbegroundwithoil.Saturatethepigmentwithwhitespirituntilallthe
powderiswet,thenleavetodryoutalittleonabsorbentpaperbeforemixingto
apastewithoil.
(1)Mixthepigmentandoiltoastiffpastewithapaletteknife.
(2)Grindthepigmentandoilmixturewithasmoothfigure-of-eightmotion.
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(3)Packthefreshlymulledpaintinemptycollapsibletubes.Firstloosenthecapofthetubealittlesothataircanescape.Holdthetubeuprightandfillfromtheopenendwithapaletteknife.
SafetyprecautionsWhenhandlingdrypigments,wearadustmask,toavoidbreathinginthepigmentparticles.Donothandletoxicpigmentswithoutamaskandgloves.Disposablefacemasksarenotadequate;respiratorymasksdesignedforusewithtoxicdustsareavailablefrommajorart-supplystoresandsafetyequipmentcompanies.Donoteatordrinkwhenworkingwithdrypigments.Keepallmaterialsoutofreachofchildren.Labelalldrypigmentssothattheycanbeidentifiedincaseofaccident.
FillingthetubesThefreshlymulledhandmadepaintcanbestoredinemptycollapsibletubes
whichareobtainablefrommajorart-supplystores.Asaguide,roughly300g
(10.6oz)ofpaintshouldfilla150ml(5USfloz)tube.Loosenthecapofthe
tubealittlesothataircanescapeasyoufillit.Holdthetubeuprightandscoop
thepaintintotheopenend,usingapaletteknife(3).Fillthetubetowithin
about25mm(1in)oftheopenend,occasionallytappingthetubeonthetableto
settlethepigmentanddisperseanyairbubbles.
Pinchthetube30–40mm(11/4–1
1/2in)fromtheendtoexpelanyair.Wipe
thetubeclean,thenmakeadoublefoldattheendbyfoldingitoverthebladeof
acleanpaletteknife.
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ImprovingtextureSomepigments,suchasultramarine,viridianandzincwhite,makearatherstringypaint.Toimprovethetexture,use4partslinseedoilto1partpoppyoilasabinder.
AmountsofoilSomepigmentsrequirequitealotofoiltomakeasmoothpaste–alizarincrimson,forexample,needsfarmoreoilthanflakewhite.
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ShelflifeWithouttheadditionofanystabilizersandpreservatives,handmadepaintshouldalwaysbeusedwithinafewmonthsofmaking.SEEALSOBINDERS74MEDIUMS76HEALTH&SAFETY386
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OILSTICKSAfewmanufacturersarenowproducingoilpaintsinstickform,whichare
fundamentallydifferentfromoilpastelsorcrayons.Theyaremadeby
combiningartist-qualitypigmentswithhighlyrefineddryingoils,intowhich
areblendedspecialwaxeswhichenablethemtobemoldedintostickform.
UsingoilsticksThesestickscanbeconsideredaseitheradrawingorapaintingmedium.They
combinetherichnessofoilcolorwiththefreedomanddirectnessofpastelsor
charcoal.Thechunkysticksglideacrossthesupport,makingexpressive,flowing
lines.Somebrandsarethixotropic–theybecomemorecreamyintexturewhen
appliedwithslightpressure,andhardenagainonthesupport.Thelightfastness
ratingisthesameasfortubeoilcolors;therangeofcolorsissmaller,butthe
basicoilspaletteissufficient.
BlendingandbrushingDifferentcolorscanbeblendedtogetheronthesupport,usingabrushora
paintingknife.Alternatively,specialcolorlesssticksareavailable:theseaidthe
blendingprocessandincreasethetransparencyofthecolors.Thepaintcanalso
bebrushedoutonthesupport,usingthesamesolventsandmediumsemployed
withtubeoilcolors.Theendofthestickmaybedippedintothemediumor
solventbeforeworkingonthesupport,therebyimprovingtheflowofcolor.You
canevenapplythepaintinthicklyimpastedlayersandmodelitwitha
paintbrushorknife.Thepaintsremainworkableforseveralhours.
CompatibilityOilsticksarecompatiblewitharangeofpaintinganddrawingmedia,including
conventionaloil,alkydandacryliccolors,oilpastelsandpencil.Theycanbeused
onprimedcanvasorhardboard(Masonite),acid-freesizedpaper,fabrics,and
othersurfaces.
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First-timeuseBrand-newoilsticksmusthavethefilmremovedaftertheprotectivewrapperhasbeentakenoff.
ProtectiveskinAninvisible,dryfilmformsonthesurfaceofthestick,andhelpstokeepitcleanwhennotinuse.Thefilmisremovedfromthetipofthestickbyrubbingitwithacloth,andre-formsinadayortwoafterusetokeepthepaintfromdryingoutwhilebeingstored.
UsingdiluentsYoucanworkonasupportthathasbeengivenaliberalwashofturpentine,ordipthetipoftheoilstickintodiluentormedium,tocreateamoreliquidline.
OutdoorusesSticksareparticularlyusefulwhenyou’repaintingoutdoors,astheyremovetheneedtocarrysomeoftheaccessoriesassociatedwithtubeoilpaints.
Differentbrands
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Aswithtubeoilcolors,therearevariationsinthetexture,handlingpropertiesanddryingratesbetweenonebrandofpaintstickandanother,andthusitisadvisabletosampledifferentbrands.However,donotintermixbrandsinthesamepainting,asthechemicalsmaybeincompatible.
TypesofstickTheselectionofoilsticksshownhereincludessomeoftheiridescentcolorsavailable.
DryingtimesTheactualdryingtimedependsontemperatureandthetypeofsurfacebeing
painted,butonthewholeoilpaintinstickformdriesmorequicklythantubeoil
paints.Itisimportanttonote,however,thatpaintsticksshouldnotbeusedfor
underpaintingiftubepaintistobeappliedontop.Thereasonisthatalthough
paintsticksdryfasterthantubepaints,theydrytoamoreflexiblefilm,dueto
theirhighwaxcontent;iflessflexiblepaintisappliedontop.Thismaylead
eventuallytocrackingofthepaintsurface.
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Oil-stickversatilityThefivesquare-formatexamples(aboveleft)showsomebasicoil-sticktechniques.Thetwosketchbookpaintings(aboveright)usedoilsticksandoilpastels,brushedoutwithturpentine.Theframedpicture(top)wasworkeddirectlywithoilsticksandthenblendedandbrushedoutwithturpentine.SEEALSOSUPPORTS14BASICPALETTE72DILUENTS75MEDIUMS76KNIFEPAINTING174
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BASICPALETTESFOROILSThe12colorsfeaturedhereformthebackboneofmostprofessionalpainters’
palettes.Thispaletteisversatileenoughtocopewithawiderangeofsubjects,
andthecolorsarealllightfast.
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Starterpalette
Titaniumwhite
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Permanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Averybrightopaquewhite,withhightintingstrengthandslowdryingtime.Mixeswell,maintainsitsintensity.
FrenchultramarinePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withhightintingstrength,medium-to-slowdryingtime,andadeep,warmbluehue.Themostversatileoftheblues;mixwithburntumbertomakeinterestingdarkshades.
CobaltbluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withweaktintingstrengthandafastdryingtime.Itisgreenerandpalerthanultramarine.Usefulforskiesandformixinggreens;veryexpensive,butgoodforglazing.
YellowochrePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Afairlyopaquecolor,withweaktintingstrength,medium-to-slowdryingtime,andadarkyellowhuevergingonbrown.Indispensableforlandscapepaintingandfortoningdownmixtures.
RawsiennaPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withweaktintingstrengthandfast-to-mediumdryingtime.Awarmerhuethanyellowochre.Mixeswell,andisexcellentforglazing.
BurntsiennaPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI)Atransparentcolor,withstrongtintingstrength,fast-to-mediumdryingtime,andarich,reddish-brownhue.Itisusefulformodifyingskycolors,andisagoodglazingcolor.
PermanentrosePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Averytransparentcolor,withveryhightintingstrength,slowdryingtime,andabrightpink-redhuewithaviolettinge.Alightfastalternativetoalizarincrimson;thoughexpensive,alittlegoesalongway.
ViridianPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withgoodtintingstrength,slowdryingtime,andbright,deepgreenhuewithabluishtinge.Mixwithwhitetomakecoolgreens.
Cadmiumred
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Permanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolor,withgoodtintingstrength,slowdryingtime,andabright,warmredhue.Astrong,purepigment.
CadmiumyellowPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolor,withgoodtintingstrength,slowdryingtime,andawarmhuewithahintoforange.Mixwithcadmiumredtoformcadmiumorange.
LemonyellowPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withgoodtintingstrength,mediumdryingtime,andacool,paleyellowhue.Formsdelicate,coolgreenswhenmixedwithblues.
WinsorvioletPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withhightintingstrength,mediumdryingtime,andastrong,warmhue.Veryusefulformodifyingbluesinskies,andmakinggrayswithyellows,brownsandgreens.
TheASTM(AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials)codesforlightfastness:ASTMI:excellentlightfastnessASTMII:verygoodlightfastnessASTMIII:notsufficientlylightfast
Variations
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Pigmentsmayvarybothintheirhueandhandlingcharacteristics,accordingtothemanufacturer.Thisappliesparticularlytotheearthcolors–ochres,umbersandsiennas–whicharenaturalpigmentsandvaryinhueaccordingtosource.Someburntsiennas,forexample,areyellowish,whileothershaveareddishtint.
RoyFreerBluePathwaysOiloncanvas100×120cm(40×48in)
RoyFreer’sworkusesrich,saturatedhues.Heseeshissubjectsintermsofcolor,ratherthantone.Thispaintingemployshis“spectrumpalette,”whichconsistsoflemonyellow,cadmiumyellow,yellowochre,cadmiumorange,vermilion,rosemadder,cobaltblue,cobaltvioletandviridian.
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TerrevertePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withlowtintingstrength,medium-to-slowdryingtime,andapalegreenish-grayhue.Anexcellentgreenforlandscapes,itisbestappliedinthinglazes.
RawumberPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withgoodtintingstrength,fastdryingtime,andagreenish-brownhue.Rawumberisaveryusefulcolorforunderpainting,asitdriesrapidly.
PhthalocyaninebluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,withaveryhightintingstrength,medium-to-slowdryingtime,andaverybright,deepbluehue.MorepermanentandmoreintensethanPrussianblue.
AlizarincrimsonPermanenceveryweak(ASTMIII).Averytransparentcolor,withhightintingstrength,veryslowdryingtime,andacool,slightlybluish-redhue.Ittendstofadeinthinwashes,orwhenmixedwithwhite.
IvoryblackPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolor,withgoodtintingstrength,veryslowdryingtime,andaslightbrowntinge.Mixingivoryblackwithyellowmakesaversatilegreen.
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AuxiliarycolorsShouldyouwishtoaugmentyourbasicpalettewithadditionalcolorsforparticularsubjects,youmayfindsomeofthecolorsshownhereuseful.
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BINDERSFOROILSBinders,mediumsanddiluentsarethevariousfluidsthatareeithercombined
withthepigmentatthemanufacturingstageoraddedtothetubecolorto
facilitatetheapplicationofpainttothesupport.
BindercompositionPigmentsforoilpaintsaregroundintoadryingvegetableoil,whichisknownas
avehicleorbinder.Whenbound,thepigmentparticlesaresuspendedintheoil
andcanbeeasilybrushedontothepaintingsurface.Whentheoilhasdriedby
absorbingoxygen,itsealsthepigmenttothesurface.
LinseedoilThisoil,pressedfromtheseedsoftheflaxplant,isavailableinseveralforms,
andactsbothasabinderandasaningredientinoil-paintingmediums.Linseed
oildriesquicklyatfirst,butthecompletedryingprocesswilltakemanyyears.It
oxidizesintoatough,leatheryfilmwhichhardensandbecomesmore
transparentonageing.
PoppyandsaffloweroilsThesearesemi-dryingoilswhichareusedtoslowdownthenaturallyfastdrying
timesofsomepigments.Palerthanlinseedoil,theyarealsousedforgrinding
whiteandlightcolors,astheyarelesspronetoyellowing.
OilsforunderpaintingPaintsgroundwithpoppyorsaffloweroilshouldnotbeusedforunderpainting,becausetheyaresoslowtodryandarepronetocracking.Dryingpoppyoil,however,isfaster-dryingandissafetouseforthispurpose.
Cold-pressedlinseedoilThepurestformoflinseedoilisextractedcoldfromtheseedandhasagolden-yellowcolor.Itmaximizeswettinganddispersionofpigmentparticlesduringmanufacture,andislesslikelytoembrittlewithage.
RefinedlinseedoilAlkali-refinedlinseedoilwetspigmentlesseasilythancold-pressedoil.Refinedlinseedoilisperfectlyacceptableasabinder,however,andischeaperthancold-pressedoil.
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Sun-thickenedlinseedoilSun-thickenedoildriesquickly,butislessflexibleandmorepronetoyellowingthancold-pressedandrefinedoils.
SelectionofbindersAtypicalassortmentofbindersthatcanbeusedformostoil-paintingpurposes.Topshelf,fromlefttoright:cold-pressedlinseedoil;purifiedlinseedoil;sun-thickenedlinseedoil;assortedbrushes;turpentine.Bottomshelf,fromlefttoright:poppyoil;saffloweroil;rags;low-odorthinners;white(mineral)spirit.SEEALSOMAKINGOILPAINTS68UNDERPAINTING164VARNISHES350
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DILUENTSFOROILSDiluents,or“thinners,”areliquidsusedtothindownpaintstoaidtheir
applicationtothesupport.Theymaybeusedalone,ormixedwithoilsand
varnishestocreatemediumsforspecificpurposes.Theyallevaporatequickly
onexposuretoair,andtheydonotalterthecharacteristicsofthepaint.
RectifiedturpentineAlwaysusedouble-distilledorrectifiedturpentineforpaintingpurposes.
Ordinaryhouseholdturpentine,soldinhardwareshops,isnotsuitable,because
itleavesagummyresiduewhichyellowsbadlyandrendersthepaintstickyand
non-drying.Turpentineevaporatesfrompaintmixturesatarelativelyslowrate,
andgivesamoreviscousmixthanwhite(mineral)spirit.
White(mineral)spiritThisrefinedpetroleumspiritdriesmorequicklythaneitherformofturpentine.
Whitespiritisnowbecomingmorepopularthanturpentineasadiluent,asit
hasseveraladvantages:itislessharmful,itdoesnotdeteriorateinstorage,its
smellislesspronouncedthanthatofturpentine,anditismuchcheaper.Inthe
past,whitespirithadatendencytocauseawhitebloomonthesurfaceofoil
paintings,butwithimprovedformulationthisproblemhasnowbeeneradicated.
DisposingofsolventsItisillegaltodisposeofsolventsbypouringthemdownasink,toiletoroutsidedrain.Theyshouldbetakentoagaragefordisposalbyspecialistwaste-disposalcompanies.
StoringturpentineTurpentinethickensanddiscolorsonexposuretoairandlight,andshouldbestoredinclosedmetalcansordarkglassbottlesfilledtothetop.Avoidlong-termstorage.
OdorlessthinnersTheseareavailableasanalternativetoturpentine.Theyhavethesameevaporationrate,butdonotdeteriorateinstorageandhavelowflammability.
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KeithRobertsWindowsOiloncanvas150×120cm(60×48in)NewAcademyGallery,London
Thisartistintentionallykeepshispaintingsinastateoffluxuptothelastmoment.Here,theoveralltonalityisestablishedbyaloosebutvigorousunderpaintingofthinpaintdilutedwithturpentine.Inthefurtherlayers,whicharescrubbedonquickly,KeithRobertsmixesthepaintwithamediumofturpentine,linseedoilanddammarvarnish.
Usingdiluentssafely
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Turpentinehasacharacteristicstrongsmell,andisthemostharmfulofoil-colorsolvents.Ifitirritatesyourskinorgivesyouaheadache,usewhitespiritinstead.Evensmallquantitiesofsolventsandthinnerscanbehazardousifnotusedwithcare,becausetheirfumesarerapidlyabsorbedthroughthelungs.Manysolventscanalsobeabsorbedthroughtheskin.Whenusingsolvents,avoidinhalation,anduseinawell-ventilatedroom.Wearrubberglovesorabarriercream,anddonoteat,drinkorsmokeinthestudio.
RecyclingsolventsDirtysolventscanbefilteredandreused.Leavetheusedsolventtostandforafewhours,toallowthepigmenttosettle.Pourtheliquidintoacleanjarthroughacoffeefilterpaper,takingcarenottodisturbthesediment.Leavetostandagain,toallowthepigmentthatmayhavepassedthroughthefiltertosettle,thentransfertoacleanjar.Repeattheprocessifnecessary.SEEALSOWATER-FRIENDLYOILPAINTS66MEDIUMS76HEALTH&SAFETY386
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MEDIUMSFOROILSOilpaintusedstraightfromthetube,ordilutedwiththinners,producesthe
moststablepaintfilm.However,variousdryingoils,resins,waxesand
diluents,usedaloneorincombination,allowtheartisttoalterorenhancethe
characteristicsofthetubecolor.
PreparedpaintingmediumsInthepast,itwasgeneralpracticeforartiststomixtheirownmediumsfor
painting,particularlysincetheygroundandmixedtheirownpigmentsaswell.
Today,almosteverythingwebuycomespre-packagedforourconvenience,and
paintingmediumsarenoexception.
Mostmanufacturersofferseveraltypesofmedium,somebasedontraditional
recipes,otherstheresultofmodernlaboratoryresearch.Dependingonthe
ingredientsused,thesemediumsarevariouslyformulatedtoimprovetheflowof
thepaint,alteritsconsistency,andproduceeitheramattoraglossfinish.Some
areslow-drying,whereasotherscontainagentstospeedupthedryingrate.
Bearinmindthatpreparedpaintingmediumsarenotstandardized;different
brandsofglazemedium,forexample,mayvaryintheirformulation.Reputable
manufacturersincludetechnicalnotesonthecontentsandusesforspecific
paintingmediumsintheircatalogues.
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Manufacturedmediums
AlkydmediumsAlkydisatranslucent,syntheticresinwhichhasbeenoil-modifiedtomakeitsuitableasapaintmedium.Good-qualityalkydmediumsspeedthedryingprocessandformaflexible,virtuallynon-yellowingfilm.Theycomeinvariousconsistencies,fromaliquidgelwhichissuitableforglazingandsubtleblending,toastiffgelspecificallyforimpastoandtexturework.Alkydmediumsmaybethinnedwithturpentineorwhitespirit.
UsinglinseedoilItisnotadvisabletouselinseedoilundiluted,asthereisariskthatthepaintlayermaywrinkle.Inaddition,thepaintbecomesso“fat”thatitisdifficulttoapplyanddriesslowly.
Usingmediums
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Mediumsareadditivesandshouldbekepttoaminimumwithinyourtechnique,asanexcessmaybedetrimentaltothepaintfilm.Whenapplyingpaintinlayersandusingmediumsanddiluents,observethegoldenruleofoilpaintingandwork“fat-over-lean,”usinglessoilinthelowerlayersthantheupperones.
WilliamNicholson(1872–1949)WhiteTulips,1912Oiloncanvas60×53.7cm(24×211/2in)BrowseandDarbyGallery,London
Whereaspaintdilutedwithturpentinehasquiteadry,mattappearance,theadditionofapaintingmediumaddsarichnessandlustertothepaintsurface.Thisbeautifulstudyisreminiscentoftheseventeenth-centuryDutchschoolofstill-lifepaintinginitsuseofrich,creamypaint,softlyblendedformsandlustrousglazes.
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SEEALSODILUENTS75FAT-OVER-LEAN166GLAZING170IMPASTO172
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MAKINGMEDIUMSSomeartistsstillliketomixtheirownmediumsbecauseitisaneconomical
process.Mixingalsogivesthemmorecontrolovertheingredientsemployed,
whichareobtainablefrommostart-supplystores.
TurpentinemediumThemostcommonlyusedmediumisaslow-dryingmixtureofrefinedlinseedoil
andwhitespiritordistilledturpentine.Thetwoliquidsarepouredintoseparate
containerssothattheartistcanaddmoreoilaspaintlayersarebuiltup.The
normalproportionsare1partoiltoatleast2partsdiluent,withincreasing
amountsofoilbeingaddedinthefinallayers,toamaximumof50percentoil.
Glazemedium(resin-oilmedium)Thisgivesclarityandbrilliancetoglazes.Itusesstandoil,athick,viscousform
oflinseedoilwhichdriesslowly(fivedaysormoreinathinlayer),levelsoutwell
anddriestoadurable,elasticfilmthatyellowslessthanlinseedoil.
BeeswaxmediumThismakesoilpaintsgofurther,andprovidesathicktexturewhichissuitable
forimpasto.Usepurifiedbeeswaxwithanaturalcolor;refined,bleachedbeeswax
yellowswithage.
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MakingdammarvarnishThisvarnishimpartsarich,glassyeffecttoglazes.Becauseitisresoluble,donotuseitneat;cutwithstandoilandsolvent.Ready-prepareddammarvarnishisavailable,butyoucanmakeyourownwithsmalllumpsofdammarresin.Crushtheresin,placeinamuslinbagandsuspendfortwoorthreedaysinajarofturpentine(use1partbymeasureofcrushedresinto4partsofturpentine).Whentheresinhasdissolved,strainagainthroughacleanmuslinbag,anditisreadyforuse.
MethodforglazemediumMix1partstandoiland1partdammarvarnish,andthenadd5partsturpentine.Stirtheglazeeachtimeitisused.Ifamoreviscidmediumisrequired,uselessturpentine.
MethodforbeeswaxmediumMelt100g(31/2oz)beeswaxinadoubleboiler(ortwocansasshownbelow)overlowheat;donotoverheat.Removefromtheheat,add85ml(3USfloz)rectifiedturpentine,andstir.Leavetocoolandsolidify,thenstoreinasealedjar.
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Medium-makingmaterialsTheselectionofmaterialsthatareshownabovewillenableyoutomakethetwomediumsdescribed.Clockwisefromtopleft:cleancans;linseedoil;turpentine;beeswax;glazeoil;ready-madestandoil;home-madedammarvarnish.SEEALSOGLAZING170IMPASTO172
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BRUSHESFOROILSOilpaintingrequiresresponsivebrusheswhicharedurableenoughto
withstandbothrepeatedscrubbingagainstthecanvas,andtheeffectsof
solventsusedincleaning.Best-qualitybrushesarealwaysworththeextra
expense,astheyholdthepaintwellandproduceamoresatisfyingmarkthan
cheaperbrushes.Theyalsoretaintheirworkingedgefarlongerandquickly
springbacktotheiroriginalshapeafteruse.
BuyingbrushesWhenbuyingbrushes,alwayscheckthatthebrushhairisfirmlyattachedinside
theferrule.Ifthereistoobigagapbetweenthehairandtheinsideoftheferrule,
paintcangetlodgedinthespaceandmakecleaningthebrushmoredifficult.
Thereshouldbenolooseorsplayedhairs,andthebrushhandleshouldbe
balancedtofeelcomfortableinuse.
BristlebrushesHard-wearing,toughandspringy,bristlebrushesareparticularlysuitableforoil
painting,astheycancopewiththethick,heavytextureofthepaintandare
robustenoughtobeworkedagainstthetexturedsurfaceofcanvas.Eachstrand
ofahog-bristlebrushsplitsintoseveralmicroscopicpoints,called“flags,”atits
tip;thesehelpholdthepainttothebrush.Bristlebrushesareexcellentfor
ladlingonthepaintandmovingitaroundonthesurface,andforapplyingthick
dabsofcolorinwhichthebrushmarksremainvisible,addinginteresttothe
surfaceofthepainting.Whenproperlycaredfor,thesebrushescanactually
improvewithage,astheysoftenandbecomemoreresponsiveafteraperiodof
use.
HogbristleThemajorityofbrushesusedinoilpaintingaremadefromhogbristle.The
finestbristlecomesfromtheChunkingregionofChina,andishand-picked
fromanarrowstriponeithersideofthehog’sspine.
Sablebrushes
Sablebrushesaresoftandspringy,similartothoseusedinwatercolorpainting,
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Sablebrushesaresoftandspringy,similartothoseusedinwatercolorpainting,
butwithlongerhandles.Soft-hairbrushesarenotvitalinoilpainting,butare
usefulforpaintingfinedetailsinthefinallayersandforapplyingthinlydiluted
color.Sablebrushesareexpensive,however,andforoilpaintingsomeartistsfind
syntheticbrushesquiteacceptable.
TestingabristlebrushTotestanewbrush,pressanddrawitfirmlyagainstaflatsurface.Theferruleendofthebristlesshouldnotbendtooclosetotheedgeoftheferrule.
HouseholdbrushesGood-qualitydecorator’sbrushescanbeusedforseveraltasksotherthanapplyingpaint.Usewidebrushesforapplyinggluesizetostretchedcanvas,andnarroweronesforprimingthesupport.
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BrightsWithshorter,stifferbristlesthanthoseonflats,brightsaremostlyusedfortexturaleffects,suchasapplyingheavyimpastoorforscrapingoffwetpaint.
FitchbrushesOnlower-gradebristlebrushesthebrushheadisshapedbycuttingandtrimmingthebristleends,thuslosingtheflags,sothebrushhaslessshapeandholdslesscolor.Thesearecalled“fitch”brushes,andtheyareperfectlyadequateforblockinginlargeareasofcolorintheinitialstagesofapainting.
FlatsandfilbertsFlatsaregoodgeneral-purposebrushes,andareespeciallyusefulforwashesandpaintinginlargeareas.Thesofterfilbertshelpsoftenedges.Bothtypesalsoproduceveryfinelineswhenturnedontheiredges.
RoundsRoundsareextremelyversatile;theycanbeusedforsoftstrokesinbasicunderpainting.
Syntheticbrushes
Bothsoftandstiff-hairtypesofsyntheticbrushhavebeenconsiderablyimproved
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Bothsoftandstiff-hairtypesofsyntheticbrushhavebeenconsiderablyimproved
inrecentyears,andmakeaneconomicalalternativetotraditionalnatural-hair
brushes.Themostrecentdevelopmentinsynthetic-hairbrushesisthe
introductionofinterlockingfiberswhichmimicthemake-upofnaturalhog
bristles,givingthembetterpaint-holdingcapacitythanthenylonfilamentsthat
wereformerlyused.Syntheticbrushesareeasilycleanedandcanwithstand
repeatedscrubbingagainstthecanvas,butthecheaperonestendtolosetheir
shapemorequicklythannatural-hairbrushes.
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SEEALSOBRUSHSHAPES80WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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BRUSHSHAPESBrushesforoilpaintingcomeinawiderangeofsizesandshapes.Eachis
designedtomakeadifferentkindofmark,butsomearemoreversatilethan
others.Selectingabrushdependsontheeffectsyouwishtoachieve,andwith
experienceyouwilldiscoverwhichonesarebestsuitedtoyourownpainting
style.Roundsandflatsarethemostusefulandversatiletobeginwith;brights
andfilbertscanbeaddedlater.
RoundbrushesRoundbrusheshavealarge“belly”withgoodpaint-holdingcapacity,and
smooth,taperedends.Withthinlydilutedpaint,theymakesoftstrokesthatare
idealforblockinginthebasiccompositionintheinitialstageofapainting.
Whenloadedwiththickpaint,theymakebold,vigorousmarksandcoverlarge
areasofthesupport.Roundsableandsoft-hairbrushescometoafinepoint,
usefulfordelicatelinesanddetails,butfinepointsareimpossiblewithhog-hair
brushes.
FlatbrushesLongflatbrusheshavesquareendsandlongbristlesthatareflexibleandholda
lotofpaint.Usedflat,theymakelong,fluidstrokes,andareextremelyusefulfor
fillinginlargeareasandforblending.Usingtheedgeortipofthebrush,they
makefinelinesandsmalltouches.
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BrushsizesMosttypesofoil-paintingbrushcomeinarangeofsizes,from000(thesmallest)toaround16(thelargest).Brushsizesarenotstandardbetweenmanufacturersworldwide,andthereisnorelationshipbetweensizesinsableorsofthairandsizesinbristle.Thewidthofthehandleisproportionaltothesizeofthebrushhead,sothatthehandleofabiggerbrushisthicker.Thecharacteristichandleshape,withthewoodthickeningjustbelowtheferrule,isdesignedtokeepthewethairsofseparatebrushesfromtouchingwhenyouareholdingmorethanonebrush.
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Householdbrushes
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Decorator’sbrushesareinexpensive,hard-wearingandextremelyusefulforapplyingbroadwashesofcolorinthepreliminarystagesofalarge-scalepainting.Good-qualitybrushes,althoughmoreexpensive,willnotshedhairsasreadilyascheapones.Shavingbrushesareanalternativetousingsoftblendingbrushes.
BrightsShortflatbrushesareoftenreferredtoas“brights.”Theyarethesameshapeas
longflats,butwithshorter,stifferbristlesthatdigdeeperintothepaintand
leavestronglytextured,rectangularmarks.Theyareusefulforapplyingthick,
heavypainttoproduceimpastoeffects.Becauseoftheirshorterbristles,brights
areeasiertocontrol,makingthembetterthanlongflatsforpaintingdetails.
FilbertsFilbertsareacompromisebetweenflatandroundbrushes,beingshapedtoa
slightcurveatthetiptoproducesoft,taperedstrokes.Thecurvedtipallowsyou
tocontrolthebrushwell,andisusefulforfusingandsofteningedges.
FanblendersFanblendersareavailableinsable,synthetic,badgerhairandhogbristle.Where
asmooth,highlyfinishedresultisrequired,fanblendersareusedtofeatherwet
painttosoftenbrushstrokesandtoeffectsmoothgradationsoftone.Fan
blendersareparticularlyusefulforpaintingsoftedgesonclouds.
RiggersRiggers,namedaftertheiroriginaluseinexecutingthefinedetailofriggingon
marinepaintings,haveverylong,flexiblehairs.Thesecarryagoodamountof
paintintheirbelly,yetcometoaveryfinepointforpaintinglong,thinlines.
Theyareavailableinsable,oxorsynthetichair.
Bright
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Filbert
Rigger
Fanblender
Flatbrush
Roundbrush
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SelectingoilbrushesThenumberofbrushesyouuseandtheirsizeswilldependonthescaleandstyle
ofyourpaintings.Whereasoneartistmayuseadozenormorebrushes,another
maybeperfectlyhappywithjustafew.Asarule,havingagoodselectionof
brushesmakestheworkeasier,becauseyouspendlesstimecleaningthem
betweencolors.Ifyoucankeep,say,onebrushforlightcolorsandanotherfor
darkcolors,yourmixturesaremorelikelytostayfreshandunsullied.
StarterselectionIngeneral,itisbettertostartwithmedium-to-largebrushesastheycoverlarge
areasquickly,buttheirtipscanalsobeusedforsmalltouches.Requirements
differ,butausefulselectionofbrushestostartwithmightincludethefollowing
inhogbristle:aNo.10longflatforroughinginandapplyingtonedgrounds;
longflatsandroundsinNos6,4and2;andpossiblyaNo.4syntheticsoft-hair
brushforsmoothareasanddetails.Asyoubecomemoreexperienced,youmay
addfilbertsandbrightstothislistandincreasetherangeofsizesyouuse.
MakinganextendedpaintbrushWhenpaintingattheeasel,especiallywithalarge-scalework,itisimportantto
beabletostandwellbackfromthepicturesothatyoucanseethewholeaswell
asthedetails.
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Paintbrusheswithextra-longhandlesdon’tseemtoexist,butartistsarean
inventivelot,andyoucanmakeyourownwithafewsimpletools.Workingwith
along-handledbrushtakesalittlegettingusedtoatfirst,butitgivesgreater
freedomofmovementtoyourpaintingarmandencourageslivelybrushstrokes.
Inthemethodshownbelow,thebrushisjoinedtothehandleofanold,worn
brushwhichwouldotherwisebethrownaway.Thehandleofthebrushtobe
attachedshouldbeslightlysmallerincircumferencethanthatoftheoldbrush,
becauseitispushedintoaholedrilledintothewoodoftheoldbrushhandle.
TheartistJoanMiró(1893–1983)usinganextendedpaintbrush.
Makinganextendedbrush
1Useasharpcraftknifetocutthebristlesofftheoldbrush.
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2Gripthebrushinthejawsofametalvice.Usingahanddrill,slowlydrilldownthroughtheopeningoftheferruleandintothethickpartofthewoodenhandle.
3Dripsomewoodglueintotheholeandaroundtheendofthenewbrushhandle.Pushtheendofthenewbrushfirmlyintothehole.Leaveuntilthegluehasset.
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4Withapairofpliers,squeezeandcrimptheferruleoftheoldbrusharoundthenewbrushhandle.Tightlybindthejoinwithinsulatingtape.
MaintainingbrushesOil-paintingbrushesshouldbethoroughlycleanedaftereachsession.Thisis
especiallyimportantwhenusingsableorothersoft-hairbrushes.Neverleavea
brushsoakingwiththebristlestouchingthebottomofthecontainer.
CleaningbrushesTocleanabrush,firstwipeofftheresidueofpaintwitharagorpapertowel.
Rinseinturpentineorwhitespirit,andwipewitharag.Thencleanthebristles
withsomemildsoapandlukewarmrunningwater,rubbingthebrusharound
gentlyinthepalmofyourhandtoworkupalather.Itisessentialtoremoveall
thepaintthathasaccumulatedattheneckoftheferrule.Ifpainthardenshere,
thebristleswillsplayout.Rinsethebrushandrepeatthesoapinguntilnotrace
ofpigmentappearsinthelather.
Givethebrushafinalrinse,thenshakeitoutandgentlysmoothitintoshape
withyourfingers.Leaveittodrynaturally,withtheheadpointingupwards.
StoringbrushesAlwaysmakesurethatbrushesaredrybeforestoringtheminaclosedcontainer,
ortheymaydevelopmildew.Mothsareratherpartialtosable,sooncethe
brushesaredry,storetheminboxesandusemothballsforextraprotection.
AneconomicalbrushwasherWhencleaningbrushes,jarsofsolventquicklybecomedirtyandneedchanging.
Itisillegal,however,todisposeofsolventssuchasturpentineandwhitespiritby
pouringthemdownthesink,orevenanoutsidedrain.Inanycase,wastagecan
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beavoidedbyreusingthesolvents.
Youwillneedtwojarswithlids.Cleanthebrushesinsolventinthefirstjar,
andscrewonthelid.Bythenextdaymostofthepigmentinthesolventwill
havesettledtothebottomofthejar;youcanthencarefullydecanttheclear
solventintothesecondjar,readytobeusedagain.
ReshapingbrushesIfbrushesarebeginningtosplayoutafterprolongeduse,wrapthebristleswithtoilettissuewhiletheyarestillwet;asthepaperdriesitcontractsandpullsthebristlesbackintoshape.
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BrushwashersThesemetalcontainerscomeinvarioussizes,andhaveaspecialcoiledhandleforkeepingbrushessuspendedinthecleaningagentduringsoaking.Thispreventsthebristletipsbeingpressedagainstthebottomofthecontainer.
HealthandsafetyWearprotectivegloveswhencleaningpalettesandbrushes.Avoidprolongedskincontactwithpotentiallyhazardouspaints,suchasflakewhiteandthecadmiumcolors.
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BrushwipesAnoldtelephonedirectoryishandyforwipingexcesspaintoffyourbrushespriortocleaning.Simplywipethebrushacrossapage,thentearitoffandthrowitaway,leavingthenextpagereadyforuse.
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PALETTESPalettescomeinavarietyofshapes,sizesandmaterials,designedtosuitthe
artist’sindividualrequirements.Alargepaletteisbetterthanasmallone,
becauseyouneedplentyofspaceformixingvariationsofcolor.Apalette
measuringapproximately36×46cm(14×18in)isagoodsize,allowingthe
colorstobewellspacedaroundtheedgeandleavingplentyofroominthe
centerformixingcolors.
ChoosingWherepossible,itisextremelyhelpfultochooseapalettewhichapproximatesto
thecolorofthegroundyouareworkingon,sothatyougetanaccurateideaof
howthecolorswilllookonthepaintingitself.Forexample,chooseawooden
paletteifworkingonared/brownground,andawhiteoneifworkingonawhite
ground.
CleaningthepaletteIfresumingpaintingwithinadayortwo,coverthesqueezesofpaintwithplasticwraporfoiltokeepthemmoist,otherwisediscardthem.Attheendofeachsession,scrapeofftheexcesspaintontosomenewspaperwithaknife.Wipeanydiluentormediumleftinthedipperoverthepalettewitharaguntilclean.
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ManufacturedpalettesAboveisaselectionofcommerciallymadepalettesthataresuitableforusewithoilpaints.Clockwisefromleft:largesolid-woodkidney-shaped;twomediummelamineoblong;mediummelaminerecessed;twomelaminerecessed;smallceramicoblong;mediumsolid-woodoblong.
ImprovisedpalettesForstudiowork,manyartistsprefertouseahome-madetable-toppalette,whichcanberestedonanearbysurfaceandcanbeofanysizeorcolor.Anysmooth,non-porousmaterialissuitable,suchasasheetofwhitelaminateormelamineboard,aglassslabwithwhiteorneutral-coloredpaperunderneath,orasheetofhardboard(Masonite)sealedwithacoatofpaint.Oldcups,jarsandtinsareperfectlyadequateformixing,andcanbecoveredwithplasticfilmtostopthepaintdryingbetweensessions.
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Disposablepalette
PreparingwoodenpalettesBeforetheyareusedforthefirsttime,woodenpalettesshouldbetreatedby
rubbingwithlinseedoil.Thissealsthewoodandpreventsitfromsuckingoil
fromthepaint,thuscausingittodryouttooquicklyonthepalette.Italso
makesthesurfaceeasiertocleanafteruse.Rubagenerouscoatingoflinseedoil
intobothsidesofthepaletteandleaveitforseveraldaysuntiltheoilhas
hardenedandfullypenetratedthewoodgrain.
TypesofpalettePlywoodormelaminepalettesareeconomicallypriced,whilethosemadeof
mahoganyveneerlookwonderfulandfeelverycomfortable,buttheydocosta
lotmore.Beforeinvestinginanewpalette,tryseveralforcomfort;thebetter
onesarebalancedandwilltireyourarmless.
ThumbholepalettesThumbholepalettesaredesignedtobeheldinthehandwhileyouarepainting
attheeasel.Theyhaveathumbholeandindentationforthefingers,andthe
paletteissupportedontheforearm.Theyareavailableinarangeofsizes,either
rectangular(called“oblong”),ovalorkidney-shaped.
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RecessedpalettesRecessedpalettesareavailableinaluminium,plasticandchina,andareusedfor
mixingthindilutionsofpaint.
DisposablepalettesMadeofoil-proofpaper,disposablepalettesareusefulforoutdoorwork,and
removethenecessityforcleaningapaletteafterpainting.Theyaresoldinpads
withtear-offsheets;somehaveathumbhole.
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ACCESSORIESFOROILSPaintinginoilscanbequiteamessybusiness,sothemostessentialaccessories
arelargejarsortinstoholdsolventsforcleaningbrushes,andaplentiful
supplyofcottonragsandnewspaper.Thefollowingitemsarenotessential,
butsome,suchaspaletteknives,arecertainlyuseful.
PaletteknivesTheseareformixingcolorsonthepalette,scrapingpalettesclean,andfor
scrapingawaywetpaintwhenmakingalterationstoapicture.Paletteknives
haveastraight,flat,flexiblebladewitharoundedtip.Thelongedgesofapalette
knifeareidealforremovingwetpaint,andthetipisgoodforpickingupand
mixingdabsofpaintonthepalette.
PaintingknivesPaintingknivesareformixingandspreadingcolordirectlyonthesupport,and
comeinseveralsizes.Theyhavedelicate,flexiblebladeswhichcomeinavariety
ofshapesformakingdifferentkindsofmarks;thecrankedhandleskeepyour
handclearofthewetpaintsurfacewhileyouareworking.Theangularbladeis
idealforapplyingavarietyofmarks:usethetipofthebladeformakingfine
detailsandstippledmarks,theflatpartforbroadstrokes,andtheedgeofthe
bladeforlinearmarks.
DippersThesearesmallopenmetalcupsthatclipontotheedgeofathumbholepalette
toholdoilsandsolventsduringpainting.Youcanbuysingledippersordouble
dippers.Somehavescrewcapstopreventspillageorevaporationofsolvents.
However,inthestudioitmaybemoreconvenienttousesmalljarsorcups
restingonanearbysurface.
MahlstickAmahlstickisalonghandlewithapadatoneend,whichisrestedonthesupportforsteadyingthepaintingarmwhenexecutingdetailed,controlledwork.
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Home-mademahlstickTraditionally,mahlstickshadbamboohandlesandchamois-leatherpaddedtips,butnowadaystheyareusuallymadeofaluminiumwithrubbertips.Youcanimproviseyourown:tightlywrapcottonwoolintoaballaroundtheendofagardencane.Cutadiscofcloth,chamoisleatherorchamoissubstitute,largerthantheball,andsecureitroundthecanewithacordorelasticbands.
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UsingamahlstickIfyouareright-handed,holdtheendofthestickinyourlefthandandrestthepaddedendlightlyonadrysectionofthework,orontheedgeofthestretcher,sothatthestickcrossesthepaintingdiagonally.Youcanthensteadyyourpaintingarmonthecane.
AccessoriesClockwisefromtopright:paletteknives;paintingknives;mahlstickwithscrew-inextension;singledipper;doubledipper.
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WATERCOLORPAINTSPaintsforwatercolorconsistofveryfinelygroundpigmentsthatarebound
withgumarabicsolution.Thegumenablesthepainttobeheavilydiluted
withwatertomakethin,transparentwashesofcolor,withoutlosingadhesion
tothesupport.Glycerineisaddedtothemixturetoimprovesolubilityand
preventpaintcracking,alongwithawettingagent,suchasoxgall,toensure
anevenflowofpaintacrossthepaper.
ChoosingandbuyingpaintsItisnaturaltoassumethatthereislittledifferenceinformulationbetweenone
brandofwatercolorpaintandanother.Inreality,thetypesandproportionsof
ingredientsusedbymanufacturersdodiffer,sothereareoftenvariationsin
consistency,colorstrength,handlingqualities,andevenpermanencebetween
onepaintrangeandanother.
Itisworthtryingoutseveralbrandsofpaintinitially,asyoumayfindthatone
suitsyourpersonalstyleofworkingbetterthananother.Youdon’thavetostick
toonebrand,however;good-qualitywatercolorpaintsarecompatibleacrossthe
ranges,andyoumaydiscoverthatcertainindividualcolorsperformbetterinone
rangethananother.Viridianisagoodexample:insomebrandsithasatendency
tobegritty,whileinotherrangesitisperfectlysmoothandclear.
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UsingchartsWhenpurchasingpaints,don’tdependonmanufacturers’colorchartsasaguidetoacolor’sappearance.Mostofthemareprintedwithinksthatarenotaccuraterepresentationsofthecolors.Handmadetintchartsproducedwithactualpaintonswatchesofwatercolorpaperaremorereliable;anyreputableartsuppliershouldhaveonewhichyoucanreferto.
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Aselectionofpans,halfpansandtubes
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DifferencesbetweenbrandsColorsthataremixturesofpigments(sapgreenandPayne’sgray,forexample)showamarkedvariationinhuebetweenbrandsbecausetheyareformulateddifferently,sodonotexpectafamiliarcolornametobeexactlythesamecolorinadifferentbrand.
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TypesofpaintWatercolorsareavailableintwomainforms:assmall,compressedblocksofcolor,called“pans”or“halfpans”accordingtosize,andasmoistcolorintubes.Theformulationsoftubeandpancolorsareverysimilar,andwhichtypeyouchooseisamatterofpersonalpreference.Good-qualitywatercolorequipmentwillrepayyouwithmanyyearsofloyalservice.
PansandhalfpansPansandhalfpansslotneatlyintotailor-made,enamelled-metalboxeswith
recessestoholdtheminplaceandseparatethem,andalidthatdoublesasa
palettewhenopenedout.Youcaneitherbuyboxescontainingarangeof
preselectedcolorsor,preferably,fillanemptyboxwithyourownchoice.Coloris
releasedbystrokingwithawetbrush;thewetterthebrush,thelighterthetone
obtained.
Pansarelightandeasytousewhenpaintingoutofdoors.Thecolorsare
alwaysinthesamepositionintheboxwhenyouwantthem,andtheydon’tleak.
Theyarealsoeconomicaltouse,withminimalwastageofpaint.However,it
takesalittleefforttoliftenoughcolorontothebrush.Paintsalsobecomedirtied
whenyoudartfromonetotheotherwithoutrinsingoutyourbrushinbetween.
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PreventinglidsstickingAfterapaintingsession,removeanyexcessmoisturefromthepancolorswithadampsponge.
ImprovisedpansAlwaysreplacecapsoftubecolorsimmediately,otherwisethepaintwillhardeninthetube.Ifthisdoeshappen,however,cutopenthetubeanduseitasanimprovisedpan.Solongasthepaintisnotsooldthatthegumarabicbinderhasbecomeinsoluble,itshouldbepossibletoreconstitutethepaintwithwater.
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SalvagingtubesItispossibletobringdried-uptubepaintbacktoitsformerpaste-likeconsistency.Unrollthetube,thencuttheendoff,andaddafewdropsofwater.Nowletthehardenedpaintabsorbthemoisture,andreworkitbacktoapaste.
CareofpansNewpanstendtosticktotheinsideofthelidwhenyouclosethebox;whenyou
nextopenthelid,theymayscatteroutoforder.Itisgoodpracticetoremove
excessmoisturefrompanswithadampspongeafterapaintingsession.Leave
theboxopeninawarmroomforafewhourstoletthecolorsdryoffbefore
closingthelid,anddrythepaletteontheinsideofthelidbeforeclosingit,or
thepaintsabsorbthemoistureandbecomesticky.
Whenusingpancolorsforthefirsttime,wetthemwithadropofwaterand
leaveuntilthewaterhasbeenabsorbed.Thiswillensureeasierpaintrelease
whenthepansarestrokedwiththebrush.
Tubes
Tubesofcolorareavailableinsizesrangingfrom5to20ml(0.17to0.66USfl
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Tubesofcolorareavailableinsizesrangingfrom5to20ml(0.17to0.66USfl
oz),thestandardsizebeing15ml(0.5USfloz).Thesmallersizesaredesigned
tofitintotravellingwatercolorboxes,butthebiggertubesaremoreeconomical
forlarge-scalework.Tubescanbeboughteithersinglyorinpreselectedsets.
Choosingyourowntubesmeansyoucanobtainpreciselythecolorsyouneed.
Tubecolorsaremorecumbersomethanpanswhenpaintingoutofdoors,but
theyaremoresuitableforlarge-scaleworkinthestudio.Becausetubepaintis
morefluidthantheequivalentpanform,itisbetterformixinglargeamountsof
paint.Tubescanbemorewastefulthanpancolors,however,becauseitiseasyto
squeezeoutmorethanyouneed,andthepaintcanleakandsolidifyifthecapis
notreplacedproperly.Tubecolorisalsopronetosettling,asoldstockmay
hardenorseparateinthetube.
CareoftubesAlwayscleanthetubethreadbeforereplacingacap,oritmaystick–thegum
arabicinthepaintactsasaglue.Stuckcapscanbeopenedwithpliers,orby
holdingthetubeunderahottapsothatthecapexpandsandiseasiertoremove.
Donotthrowawaytubesofhardpaint,asitisoftenpossibletosalvagethe
contents.
GradesofpaintTherearetwogradesofwatercolorpaint:artists’(firstquality)andstudents’
(secondquality).Althoughstudent-gradeoilpaintscanberecommendedfor
thosebeginnerswishingtoexperimentwithoutbreakingthebank,student-grade
watercolorsareusuallyafalseeconomybecausetheylacksomeofthesubtlety
andtransparencyoffirst-qualitypaints.Artist-qualitypaintsaremoreexpensive,
buttheyareworthitand,besides,youdon’tneedahugecollectionofpaintsin
ordertoproduceagoodpainting.
Havingsaidthis,reputablepaintmanufacturersgotogreatlengthsto
maintainhighstandardsataneconomicprice,andsomeartistswillfind
students’colorsperfectlyacceptableforeverydayuse.Certainstudent-grade
colorsmayevenhaveparticularqualitieswhichyoupreferovertheartists’
equivalent.Forexample,ifyouwantabrightgreen,youmayfindamixtureof
student-gradecobaltblueandcadmiumyellowbetterthanthesubtlegreen
producedbythesamemixtureinartists’colors.
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Artists’paintsArtist-qualitypaintscontainahighproportionofgoodquality,veryfinely
ground,permanentpigments.Thecolorsaretransparentandluminous,theymix
well,andthereisawiderange.Paintsareoftenclassifiedby“series,”usually
from1to5,accordingtotheavailabilityandcostofthepigments.Generally,
series5pigmentsarethemostcostly,andseries1theleast.
Students’paintsStudent-qualitypaintsareusuallylabelledwithatradename,suchas“Cotman”
(Winsor&Newton)or“Georgian”(Daler-Rowney),andshouldnotbeconfused
withtheverycheappaintsimportedfromtheFarEast,whichshouldbeavoided.
Students’paintsaresoldatauniformprice,offeringthebeginneran
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Students’paintsaresoldatauniformprice,offeringthebeginneran
affordableselectionofcolors.Theydocontainlesspurepigmentandmorefillers
andextenders;manyofthemoreexpensivepigments,suchasthecadmiumsand
cobalts,arereplacedbycheaperalternatives.Suchsubstitutioniscommonly
indicatedbytheword“hue”afterthepigmentname.Theselectionofcolorsis
usuallysmallerthanthatofartists’ranges.
Studentsv.ArtistsMixingstudent-gradecobaltblueandcadmiumyellowmaygiveyouabrightercolorthanthatachievedbythesamemixtureinartists’colors.
PermanenceWatercolorisaspermanentasanyothermedium,providedthatpermanent
colorsareused.Youshouldalwayscheckthemanufacturer’spermanencyrating,
whichisprintedeitheronthetubelabelorintheircatalogue.Itisalsoimportant
touseacid-freepaper,andtoprotectwatercolorpaintingsfrombrightsunlight.
Aninterestingexperimentistopaintapatchofcolorontopaper,coverhalfwith
apieceofcardandplaceitinbright,indirectlightforseveralweeks.Whenyou
removethecard,youcanjudgethecolorloss.Mostgood-qualitypaintsshow
littleornofading.
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TestingcolorpermanenceThiscolorchartofstudent-qualitywatercolorswaslefttapedtoawindowwithhalfofitexposedtonorthernlightforfourmonths.Theeffectsoffadingcanbeclearlyseen.
TransparencyofcolorThreewaysofusingtheuniquetransparencyofpurewatercolor,whichgivesaluminousglowunmatchedbyothermedia.
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JacquelineRizviDanaeWatercoloronpaper27.5×21.2cm(11×81/2in)
JacquelineRizviuseswatercolormixedwithChinesewhiteandappliestranslucentlayersofcolorverygradually,usingfairlydrypaint.Thisdelicateandunusualtechniquemaintainsthetransparent,atmosphericqualityofwatercolorwhilegivingitamoresubstantialtexture.ThisstudyisworkedonbrownJapanesepaper,whichprovidesanunderlyingwarmtone.
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KenHowardSanMarco,MorningWatercoloronpaper27.5×22.5cm(11×9in)
KenHowardhascapturedthehazeofearly-morningsunlightonStMark’s,Venice,withthinveilsofshimmeringcolor,appliedoneovertheother.
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AlexMcKibbinEnvironsofPamajeraWatercoloronpaper55×75cm(22×30in)
AlexMcKibbin’saimisalwaystocapturethepulseandenergyofnature,andtothisendhemanipulateshisbrush,pigmentsandwaterwithgreatbravura,alternatingcrispstrokesanddrybrushwithsofterareas.Thewhitesurfaceofthepaperplaysanintegralpart,reflectinglightthroughthethinlayersofcolor.
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JohnLidzey
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WildFlowersbytheWindow42×27cm(161/2×101/2in)
SEEALSOPIGMENTANDCOLOR92BASICWATERCOLORPALETTES94
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PIGMENTANDCOLORAlthoughwatercolorisregardedasa“transparent”medium,thepigmentsfall
intothreegroups:transparent,opaqueandstaining.Thecharacteristicsof
eachgroupdependonthesubstancesfromwhichtheyarederived.
Additionally,somecolorsareintenseandhavegreatertintingstrengththan
others.
TransparentpigmentsHighlytransparentcolorspermitthewhitereflectivesurfaceofpapertoshine
through.Theyhaveanattractive,airyqualitywhichisperfectforcapturingthe
illusionofatmosphere,spaceandlight.Sometransparentcolorsarealsostrong
stainers,thoughthiswillnotconcernyouunlessyouwishtoliftoutcolors.
StrongtintsColorssuchasalizarincrimson,cadmiumred,phthalocyanineblueandburntsiennaareverystrong,andneedtobedilutedheavily.
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Low-strengthtintsPigmentswithalowtintingstrengthincluderawumber,yellowochre,ceruleanblueandrawsienna.
OpaquepigmentsInwatercolor,so-called“opaque”colorsareobviouslyfarmoretransparentthan
theyareinoils,particularlywhentheyarethinlydiluted.Manyopaquepigments
arebrilliant,whileothersarebeautifullysubtle.However,thesepigmentsimpart
adegreeofopacitytoallcolorstheyaremixedwith–ifusedcarelessly,they
createcloudycolorslackingbrillianceandluminosity.
StainingpigmentsSometransparentcolors,suchasalizarincrimson,arehighlystaining:they
penetratepaperfibersandcannotberemovedwithoutleavingatraceofcolor.
Someearthcolors,cadmiumsandmodernorganicpigmentsalsotendtostain;if
youintendto“liftout”orspongeoutareasofcolor,youshouldalwayschoose
non-stainingpigmentswherepossible.
TintingstrengthsThetintingstrengthofpigmentsvariesconsiderably.Someareverystrongand
overpowerinmixtures,soonlyasmallamountisneeded.Othersaresodelicate
thatyoumustusealargeamounttomakeanimpactonanothercolor.Knowing
howstrongorweakeachcoloriswillsaveyoualotoftimeandfrustrationwhen
mixingcolorstogether.
Transparentnon-staining
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Transparentstaining
Opaque
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Thelistshowsthecharacteristicsofsomepopularcolors.However,brandsofpaintvarywidelyintheirformulation;therefore,testthecolorsyourself.
ColormixingYoushouldalwaysmixmorepaintthanyouthinkyouwillneed;itissurprising
howquicklyitisusedup.Itisfrustratingtorunoutofcolorhalfwaythrougha
washandthenhavetotrytoremixtheexactcoloragain.
Oneofthekeystogoodcoloristorestrainyourselffrommixingpigmentstoo
much.Ifyouareblendingtwocolorstogether,forexample,themixtureshould
showthree:thetwooriginalpigmentsandthemixtureitself.Thisgivesalivelier
vibrationtothecolor.
Anotherwaytoensurethatyoudon’tovermixyourcolorsistoapplyeachone
separately,mixingdirectlyonthesupport.Colorsmaybeappliedinsuccessive
glazes(wet-on-dry),orallowedtoblendondampenedpaper(wet-in-wet).
TrialanderrorYoucannottellbylookingatpaintonapalettewhetheryouhaveachievedthe
rightcolorortone:thecolormustbeseenonpaper.Watercolorpaintalways
drieslighteronpaperthanitappearswhenwet,somixingisoftenamatterof
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trialanderror.Whenmixing,therefore,itisusefultohaveapieceofsparepaper
tohandfortestingthecolorsbeforeapplyingthemtoapainting.
UsingbodycolorTopurists,theuseofopaquepaintinawatercolorisnothingshortofheresy.A
watercolorissupposedtobetransparent,theywouldsay,andpalertonesare
achievedbyaddingmorewatertopaint,whilepurewhiteareasareachievedby
reservingareasofwhitepaper.However,mostwatercoloriststakeamore
pragmaticapproachanduseopaquepaintwhenitseemsappropriatefora
particularstageinapainting–whencreatinghighlights,forexample.
Transparentwatercolorscanberenderedopaqueorsemi-opaquebymixing
themwithChinesewhitetoproducewhatiscalledbodycolor.Chinesewhiteis
ablendofzinc-oxidepigmentandgumarabic;itisadense,coolwhitewhich
producespasteltintsinmixturesduetoitshightintingstrength.
MixingPigmentsshouldnotbemixedtoomuch.Stopmixingwhileyoucanstillseetheoriginalcolorsalongwiththemixture.Thelightlymixedexamples(below,2and3)canbeseentobemorelivelyandcolorfulthantheovermixedexample(1).
1Frenchultramarineandalizarincrimsonovermixedonthepalette.
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2Thesamecolors,thistimepartlymixedonthepalette.
3Thesamecolorspartlymixedonwetwatercolorpaper.
CobaltblueWetpaint(above)comparedwithadryexample(below).
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Semi-transparentcolorsOnewayofusingChinesewhiteistodiluteitandthenmixitdirectlywithtransparentcolors.Thisgivesasemi-transparent,slightlymilkyeffectthatisparticularlyeffectiveontonedpapers.
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BASICWATERCOLORPALETTESTheenormousrangeofpigmentsavailablemakesitdifficulttochoosecolors
inaconsideredway.Whocanresistthoseendlessrowsofgorgeouscolorsin
thelocalartstore?Setsofgood-qualitywatercolorsareavailableinboxes,but
theseareexpensiveandmaycontainfarmorecolorsthanyouneed.Awiser
courseistobuyanemptyboxandfillitwithcolorsofyourownchoice.
StarterpaletteConfidenceindrawingdependsoncarefulobservation.Carryapocket
sketchbookwithyouandtakeeveryopportunitytosketchpeople–incafés,on
publictransport,atthebeach.Bywatchingpeopleandsketchingthem
frequently,youwillgraduallybuildupastoreofvisualinformationabout
physicalshapes,bodylanguageandfacialexpressionsinavarietyofsituations.
Translatingthisinformationfromeyetohandtopaperbecomeseasierthemore
youpractise.
CadmiumyellowPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolorwithawarmandorange-yellowhue.Veryclearandbright.
Cadmiumred
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Permanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolorwithabrightvermiliontone.Veryclearandbright.
PermanentrosePermanencegood(ASTMII).Atransparentcolorwithacoolpinkish-redhue.Asofterandmorepermanentalternativetoalizarincrimson.
FrenchultramarinePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anexcellenttransparentcolorwithadeepblue,violet-tingedhue.Makesarangeofsubtlegreenswhenmixedwithyellows.
CobaltbluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithasoftbluehue.CoolerthanFrenchultramarine.
RawsiennaPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolor,excellentforlayeringwashes,withadeepgolden-yellowhue.Averylightfastanddurablecolor.
BurntsiennaPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithadeepred-brownhue.Mixeswellwithotherpigments,givingmutedandsubtlecolors.
BurntumberPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Amoretransparentcolorthanrawumber,withawarmbrownhue.Excellentinmixturesofpigments.
PreselectedboxesThistypicalshop-boughtwatercolorpanbox(below)containsthefollowingcolors:
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AuxiliarypaletteThesevencolorsthatareshownbelowonthispagehavebeenselectedasarangethatwillextendyourstarterpalette(seeprevious)forwatercolorpainting.Apartfromtheadditionalpossibilitiestheyprovideyouwithforfurthermixingandexperimentation,youwillalsofindthemveryusefulwhenyouarepaintingonlocationoutdoors,particularlyforlandscapes.
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CeruleanbluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Asemi-transparentcolorwithacoolandgreenish-bluehue.Idealforpaintingskies.
PhthalocyaninebluePermanencegood(ASTMII).Atransparentcolorwithadeep,intensebluehueandacold,sharptone.Astrongstainingcolor.
CobaltvioletPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithabright,red-violethue.Apurevioletthatcannotbemixedorimitated.
RawumberPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithagreenish-brownhue.Usefulinmixes.
YellowochrePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithasoftgolden-yellowhue.Hasacalmingeffectonothercolors.
ViridianPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithacoolbluish-greenhue.Makesagoodbasisforwarm,brightgreens.
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VenetianredPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Asemi-opaquecolorwithawarmterracotta-redhue.Veryusefulformixingfleshtones.
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WATERCOLORBRUSHESBrushesareaveryimportantelementinwatercolorpainting,soitisworth
buyingthebestqualityyoucanafford.Cheapbrushesareafalseeconomy,as
theydonotperformwellandquicklywearout.
AgoodbrushAgoodbrushshouldhaveagenerous“belly”capableofholdingplentyofcolor,
yetreleasingpaintslowlyandevenly.Thebrushshouldalsopointoredgewell–
whenloadedwithwater,itshouldreturntoitsoriginalshapeattheflickofthe
wrist.Thebestbrusheshaveaseamlessferrulemadeofcupro-platednickel,
whichisstrongandresistanttocorrosion.Lower-gradebrushesmayhavea
platedferrulewithawrapoverjoin;withrepeatedusethismaytarnishoropen
up.
SableSablehairisobtainedfromthetailofthesablemarten,arelativeofthemink.
Sablebrushesareundoubtedlythebestchoiceforwatercolorpainting.Theyare
expensive,sometimesalarminglyso,buttheygivethebestresultsand,ifcared
forwell,willlastalifetime.Sablehairtapersnaturallytoafinepoint,sothat
brushesmadefromithaveverydelicateandprecisetipswhichoffermaximum
controlwhenpaintingdetails.Good-qualitysablebrushesareresilientyet
responsive;theyholdtheirshapewellanddonotshedtheirhairs,andhavea
springandflexibilitywhichproducelivelyyetcontrolledbrushstrokes.
KolinskysableTheverybestsableisKolinskysable;itcomesfromtheKolinskyregionof
northernSiberia,wheretheharshnessoftheclimateproduceshairthatis
immenselystrong,yetitisbothsuppleandspringy.
RedsableandpuresableBrushesmarked“redsable”or“puresable”aremadefromselectednon-Kolinsky
hair.TheydonothavethespringandshapeofKolinsky,butareperfectly
adequateandmoremoderatelypriced.However,youshouldbewareofbuying
verycheapsablebrushesjustbecausetheycarrythename“sable”–good-quality
sableisspringyandstrong,whilebeingatthesametimefineandsoft.
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PortablebrushesSmallretractablebrushes,witha“travelling”setofpans,areidealformakingsketcheswhenpaintingoutofdoors.
SquirrelhairThisisdarkbrownincolor,andismuchsofterthansable.Althoughatfirst
sightitismuchcheaperthansable,squirrel-hairbrushesaregenerallyafalse
economy,astheydonotpointwellandhavelittleresilience.Squirrel-hair“mop”
brushes,however,retainalargeamountofcolor,allowingextensivewashestobe
laidquicklyandevenly.Thismakesthemaneconomicalalternativetolarge-size
sablewashbrushes.
OxhairThishaircomesfromtheearofabreedofcowandisstrongandspringy,but
quitecoarse.Itdoesnotpointverywellandisnotsuitableformakingfine-
pointedbrushes,butitisaverygoodhairforuseinsquare-cutbrushes.Ox-hair
brushesusuallyhavealonghairlength,whichincreasestheirflexibility.
Goathair
AtypeofhairoftenusedintraditionalOrientalwatercolorbrushes.Thehairis
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AtypeofhairoftenusedintraditionalOrientalwatercolorbrushes.Thehairis
softbutsturdy,andgoat-hairbrushesholdalotofwater.Thismakesthemideal
forlayingbroadwashesandforworkingwet-in-wet.
SyntheticfibersThesebrusheshavebeenintroducedinanattempttoachievetheperformanceof
naturalhairatacheaperprice.Sable-typesyntheticsareagolden-yellowcolor,
andaremadefrompolyesterfilamentswithtaperedendswhichimitatethereal
thing.Theycanbealittlestiffandunsympatheticincomparisontonaturalhair,
andhavelesscolor-holdingcapacity,butsyntheticsinsmallersizesareabetter
choiceforfineworkthan,say,squirrelhair.
CombinationbrushesSomemanufacturersofferbrusheswhichcombinesynthetichairwithrealsable,
toachievegoodcolor-holdingandpointingpropertiesatareasonablecost.
Guidetowatercolorbrushhair
KolinskysableThebest:veryexpensive,immenselystrong,yetsuppleandspringy.
RedorpuresableMoremoderatelypriced,springyandstrong,yetfineandsoft.
SquirrelhairSofterandcheaperthansable,thisdoesnotpointwellandhaslittleresilience.Alesscostlyalternativetolarge-sizesablewashbrushes.
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OxhairStrongandspringy,butquitecoarse,oxhairdoesnotpointverywell.Goodhairforsquare-cutbrushes.
GoathairSoftbutsturdy,goathairisidealforlayingbroadwashes.
SyntheticfibersSyntheticfiberscanbealittlestiffandunsympathetic,withlesscolor-holdingcapacitythananimalhair.
CombinationhairThebrushshownisacombinationofsquirrelandgoathair.Otherblendsofanimalhairsarealsoavailable,asareanimal-syntheticcombinations.
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Componentsandmaterialsusedinbrush-makingSEEALSODRAWINGINKS56BRUSHSHAPESANDSIZES98TEXTURESANDEFFECTS194
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BRUSHSHAPESANDSIZESArt-supplystoresandmanufacturers’cataloguesofferawiderangeof
variationsonwatercolorbrushes,butthosedetailedbelowwillprovideallyou
needforsuccessfulwatercolorpainting.
RoundbrushesTheroundisperhapsthemostusefulandmostcommonbrushshape.Abrush
ofthistypecanbeusedforbothfine,delicatestrokesandbroaderstrokesand
flatwashes.Apartfromthestandardlengthofbrushhead,roundsalsocomein
shortlengths(“spotter”brushes)andlonglengths(“rigger”brushes).
SpotterbrushesRetouchingorspotterbrusheshaveafinepoint,andtheveryshortheadgives
youextracontrol.Theyareusedmainlybyminiaturistsandbotanicalartists,for
precisedetails.
RiggerbrushesAlong-hairedroundbrushisknownasadesigner’spoint,writerorrigger(from
whenthebrushwasusedforpaintingthefinelydetailedriggingonsailing
ships).Thelongshapegivesanextra-finepointandgoodcolor-holding
properties,allowingfinelinesandtaperedstrokes.
MopsandwashbrushesThesearemadefromsynthetic,goatorsquirrelhair,andareusedforlayingin
largeareasofcolorquickly.Washbrushesaregenerallywideandflat,while
mopshavelargeroundheads.
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StarterselectionForagoodstarterset,chooseNos3,5and12roundbrushes.
CareofbrushesBrusheswilllastlongerandbefarmorepleasanttoworkwithifyoufollowafewsimplerules.
Whilepainting,donotleavebrushesrestingontheirbristlesinwaterforlongperiods,asthiscanruinthehairsandhandles.
Immediatelyafteruse,rinsebrushesincoldrunningwater,makingsurethatanypaintneartheferruleisfullyremoved.
Aftercleaning,shakeouttheexcesswaterandgentlyshapeupthehairsbetweenfingerandthumb.Alittlestarchsolutionorthinnedgumsolutionstrokedontothebristleswillhelpthemretaintheirshape;itiseasilyrinsedoutwithwaterwhenthebrushisusedagain.
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Leavebrushestodryeitherflatorup-endedinapotorjar.Whenstoringbrushesforanylengthoftime,makesuretheyareperfectlydrybeforeplacingtheminaboxthathasatight-fittinglid–mildewmaydevelopifwetbrushesarestoredinanairtightcontainer.
Mothsarepartialtoanimal-hairbristles,soprotectyourbrushesinthelongtermwithmothballsorasachetofcamphor.Horsechestnutsalsokeepmothsatbay.
FlatbrushesFlatwatercolorbrushesarealsoknownas“one-strokes.”Thesesquare-ended
brushes,setintoaflattenedferrule,aredesignedtogiveahighcolor-carrying
capacityandfreeflowofcolorforlayinginbroadwashes,whilethechiselend
createsfirm,clean,linearstrokes.Aswithroundbrushes,alonger-hairedflatis
available,madefromhard-wearingoxhair.
BrushsizesAllwatercolorbrushesaregradedaccordingtosize,rangingfromassmallas
00000toaslargeasaNo.24washbrush.Thesizeofaflatbrushisgenerally
givenbythewidthofthebrush,measuredinmillimetresorinches.Brushsizes
arebroadlysimilarbetweenonemanufacturerandanother,buttheydonot
appeartobestandard–thusaNo.6brushinonerangewillnotnecessarilybe
thesamesizeasaNo.6inanother.
Choosingbrushes
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Itisagoodideatoexperimentwithalltypesandsizesofbrushtodiscovertheir
potential.Eventually,asyoudevelopyourindividualapproachtowatercolor,you
willsettleonafewbrusheswhicharesuitedtoyourownwayofpainting,and
whichyoufindcomfortabletohold.Tostartwith,aselectionofthreesable
brushes(forinstance,aNo.3,aNo.5andaNo.12round)shouldbesufficient.
Asarule,choosethelargestsuitablebrushforanygivenapplication,asitis
moreversatileandholdsmorecolorthanasmallerversion.Afairlylarge,good-
qualitybrush,suchasaNo.12,willcoverlargeareas,yetcometoapointfine
enoughtopaintprecisedetails.
SableroundsThebrushesshownhererangefrom000upto12;evensmallerandlargerbrushesareavailable.
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Orientalbrushes
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Orientalbrushes,madefromgoat,wolforhoghairsetintohollowbamboohandles,areinexpensiveandversatile.Thethick,taperingheadcanmakebroadsweepsofcolor,andcanbedrawnuptoaveryfinepointforpaintingdelicatelines.Theheadsarecoatedinstarchsize;removethisbysoakingandteasingthehairsinajarofwaterforaminuteortwo.
SEEALSODRAWINGINKS56WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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PALETTESWatercolorpalettesareavailableinavarietyofshapesandsizes,buttheyall
featurerecessesorwellswhichallowyoutoaddtherequiredquantityofwater
tothepaint,andpreventseparatecolorsfromrunningtogether.
ChoosingapaletteManufacturedpalettesaremadeofwhiteceramic,enamelledmetalorplastic;
ceramicisperhapsthemostsympatheticsurfaceformixingcolors.Plastic
palettesarecheapandlightweight;althoughidealforoutdoorpainting,they
eventuallybecomestainedwithpaintresiduebecausetheyareslightlyabsorbent.
Whichkindofpaletteyoupreferwillbelargelydependentonpersonaltaste
andthescaleandstyleofyourwork.However,certaintypesofpalettearebest
suitedtoparticularpurposes.
IntegralpalettesEnamelled-metalpaintingboxes,designedtoholdpansortubesofpaint,are
particularlyusefulwhenworkingoutdoors,astheinsideoftheliddoublesasa
paletteandmixingareawhenopenedout.Someboxesalsohaveanintegral
hingedflapformixingandtinting,andathumbringinthebase.
Slanted-welltilesThesearelongceramicpalettesdividedintoseveralrecessesorwells,allowing
severalcolorstobelaidoutwithoutthemflowingintooneanother.Thewells
slantsothatthepaintcollectsatoneendreadyforuseandcanbedrawnoutfor
thinnerwashes.
Someslanted-welltileshavearowofsmallerandarowoflargerwells;paintis
squeezedintothesmallwellsandmovedtothelargerwells,tobedilutedwith
waterormixedwithothercolors.
TintingsaucersThesesmallroundceramicdishesareusedformixinglargerquantitiesofpaint.
Theyareavailabledividedintofourrecesses,formixingseparatecolors,or
undivided,formixingasinglecolor.
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PalettetraysWhenmixinglargequantitiesofliquidpaint,youwillneedapalettewithdeep
wells.Thesepalettesareusuallymadeofplasticormorestain-resistant,high-
impactpolystyrene.
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Palettesforwatercolor
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Shownhereandonthepreviouspageareaselectionofmanufacturedpalettessuitableforwatercolorpainting.Previouspage,fromtoptobottom:deep-wellpalettetray;largemixingpaletteswiththumbholeanddivisions(allplastic).Below,leftandright:slanted-welltile;enamelled-metalpaintingboxwithintegralpalette.Nextpage,fromlefttoright:quarteredtintingsaucer;roundcabinetsaucers(allceramic).Bottom,ceramicsegmented,whitechinaroundpalette.
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ImprovisedpalettesImprovisedpalettesarecheapandeasytoobtain,andartistsoftenpreferthembecausethereisnorestrictiononsize.Youcanuseavarietyofhouseholdcontainers,aslongastheyarewhiteandnon-porous.Dependingonhowlargeamixingareayouwant,awhitesaucer,plateorenamelledpieplatecanmakeaperfectlyadequatepalette.Horsd’oeuvresdishesareparticularlyuseful,astheyprovideseverallargemixingareas.Whenyouaremixinglargequantitiesofwash,useoldcups,bowlsoryoghurtpots.
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WATERCOLORACCESSORIESUsefulitemssuchasmediums,maskingfluid,scrapingtoolsandspongeswill
allbroadentherangeofpaintingtechniquesatyourdisposal.
WatercontainersDonotskimponwaterwhenpaintinginwatercolor–useaslargeacontaineras
youcanfind,otherwisethewaterquicklybecomesmurkyasyourinseyourbrush
betweenwashes,andthismayspoilthetransparencyofyourcolors.Someartists
prefertousetwowatercontainers,onetorinsebrushesandtheothertouseasa
dipperformixingcolors.
MaskingfluidThisisaquick-drying,liquidlatexwhichisusedtomaskoffselectedareasofa
paintingwhenapplyingcolorinbroadwashes.Therearetwotypesavailable:
tintedandcolorless.Thetintedversionispreferable,asitismoreversatileandis
easiertoworkwithonwhitepaper.
GumarabicApale-coloredsolutionofgumarabicinwaterwillincreaseboththeglossand
transparencyofwatercolorpaintswhenitismixedwiththem.Dilutedfurther,it
improvespaintflow.Toomuchgumarabicwillmakepaintslipperyandjelly-
like,butinmoderationitenlivensthetextureandenhancesthevividnessofthe
colors.
OxgallAstraw-coloredliquidmadefromthegallbladdersofcattle,thisisaddedto
waterinjarstoimprovetheflowandadhesionofwatercolorpaints,particularly
forwet-in-wettechniques.Ithasbeenlargelyreplacedbysyntheticproducts.
GelatinesizeThisliquid,soldinsmallbottles,maybeappliedtothesurfaceofawatercolor
paperwhichistooabsorbent.Applywithalargesoftbrush,andleavetodryfor
afewminutes.Thesizereducestheabsorbencyofpaper,makingiteasierto
applywashes.
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DistilledwaterSomewatercolorpaintersprefertousedistilledwaterformixingcolors,asitcontainsnoimpurities.
ImprovisedcontainersYoucanrecycleplasticbottlesintousefulcontainers–somebottleshaveconvenientguidelinesforcutting.Cuttotherequiredheightwithahacksaworcraftknife;theleftoverneckcanbeusedasafunnel.
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PaintingoutdoorsWhenpaintingoutdoors,youcanuseaplasticwatercontainer,whichislighterandlessliabletobreakthanglass.Youcanbuycollapsibleplasticcontainerswithahandle,orsimplycutthetopoffaplasticbottle(seeabove).Youmayalsohavetotransportwatertoyourlocation,andalargercontainertodecantfromwillbeuseful.
SelectionofaccessoriesShownbelowisatypicalassortmentofmaterialsusedtocreatewatercolortexturesandexpandtechniques.Topshelf,fromlefttoright:watercontainerformixingandwetting;gelatine;oxgall;maskingfluid;cottonbudsandcocktailsticks;naturalandsyntheticsponges.Bottomshelf,fromlefttoright:clipsforholdingpaper;gumarabic;glycerine;watercontainerforwashingbrushes;alcoholsandpaper;craftknivesandsharpenedpaintbrushesforliftingandscraping.
GlycerineYouwillfindglycerineusefulwhenworkingoutdoorsindryconditions.Afew
dropsaddedtowaterwillcounteractthedryingeffectsofwindandhotsunby
prolongingthetimethatittakesforwatercolorpainttodrynaturally.
Alcohol
Thishastheoppositeeffecttoglycerine,speedingupthedryingtimeof
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Thishastheoppositeeffecttoglycerine,speedingupthedryingtimeof
watercolorpaint.Itisextremelyusefulwhenworkingoutdoorsindampweather
conditions.
Scrapingandcolor-liftingtoolsYoucanuseasingle-edgedrazorblade,scalpel,cocktailstick,theendofa
paintbrushhandle,evenyourthumbnail,forscrapingoutunwantedareasofstill-
wetwatercolororforscratchinglinesintodrypainttocreatetexturedeffects.
Finesandpapercanbeusedtorubawaysomeofthecolor,creatingadrybrush-
likesparkle.Cottonbudscanbeemployedforliftingoutsmallareasofstill-wet
color.Blottingpaperisalsousefulforliftingoutcolorandformoppingupspills.
SpongesNaturalandsyntheticspongesareoftenusedfordabbingonareasofrough-
texturedpaint.Theyarealsousedforwettingpaperinpreparationforapplying
washes,andtoliftoutwetpaintormopuppaintthathasruntoomuch.Natural
spongesaremoreexpensivethansyntheticones,buttheyhaveapleasingsilky
textureandproduceinterestingrandompatterns.
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SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28FLATANDGRADEDWASHES184WET-IN-WET188CREATINGHIGHLIGHTS190TEXTURESANDEFFECTS194
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GOUACHETheterm“gouache”originatesfromtheRenaissance,whentheItalian
masterspainted“agouazzo”–withwater-baseddistemperorsizepaints.The
opacityofgouacheanditsmatt,chalkyappearancewhendrymakeitaquite
separateanddistinctmediumfrompure,transparentwatercolor,butthe
equipment,supportsandtechniquesthatareusedaresimilarforbothmedia.
PaintsThebest-qualitygouachepaintscontainaveryhighproportionofpigment;its
densitycreatesanopaqueeffect.Thecolorsarethereforepureandintense,and
createcleancolormixes.Becausethenaturalcoveringpowerofeachpigmentis
notincreasedartificially,itvariesaccordingtothepigment.Thelessexpensive
gouacherangescontainaninertwhitepigment,suchaschalkorblancfixe,to
impartsmoothnessandopacity.
AvailabilityofgouacheStandard-sizetubesareconvenientwhenpaintingoutdoors,butpotsofgouache
aremoreeconomicalforlarge-scalepaintings.
ChoosingpaintGouachepaintsaresoldintubes,potsandbottles,oftenlabelled“designers’
color.”Thisreferstothemedium’spopularitywithgraphicdesigners,who
requirebrightcolorswithamattfinish.Avastrangeofcolorsisavailable,but
thisincludessomebrilliantcolorswhicharefugitive;whilethisdoesnotmatter
todesigners,whoseworkisofatemporarynature,thesefugitivecolorsarenot
recommendedforfinepermanentpainting.
ColormigrationCertaindye-basedgouachecolors–thelakes,magentasandviolets–havea
tendencyto“migrate,”orbleedthroughwhenoverpaintedwithlightcolors.One
solutionistoapplybleed-proofwhitebetweenlayers,tohaltanyfurther
migration.Thisisaverydensedesigners’colorthatmaybeclassedasgouache.
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TestinggouacheIntermsofpermanence,coveringpowerandflow,gouachecolorswillvaryconsiderablyfromonemanufacturertoanother,anditisadvisabletotryoutsamplesfromdifferentrangesinordertodeterminewhicharebestsuitedtoyourownmethodofworking.
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PreventingcolormigrationColorsmaybemixedwithacrylicglazemedium,whichconvertsgouacheintopaintwithanacrylicfinishthatisbothflexibleandwater-resistant.Itallowswashestobesuperimposedwithoutdisturbingthosebelow.
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TheversatilityofgouacheDependingonyourtemperamentasanartist,youcanchooseeithertoexploitthebrillianceandopacityofgouacheortocreatesoft,subtleeffects.
RosemaryCarruthersWindowTable(TheMoorings)Gouacheonpaper21.2×23.7cm(81/2×91/2in)LlewellynAlexanderGallery,London
Incontrast,theinteriorstudyevokesaquiet,reflectivemood.Here,theartisthasusedoverlaidwashesofsemi-opaquecolor,softenedwithwhite.Themattandairyqualityofthepaintsurfacebeautifullyre-createsthesuffusedlightonthescene.
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PennyQuestedStillLifewithFlowersGouacheonJapanesepaper67.5×57.5cm(27×23in)
Althoughgouacheisusedinmuchthesamewayaswatercolor,thefeelofagouachepaintingismoresolidandrobust.Thisqualityisexploitedtothefullinthestilllifestudy(above),inwhichtheexuberanceoftheflowersismatchedbytheartist’sjoyousanduninhibiteduseofcolor.SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28PASTELPAPER34WATERCOLORPAINTS87WATERCOLORACCESSORIES102MEDIUMSFORACRYLICS118
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BASICGOUACHEPALETTEAswiththebasicwatercolorpalette,thisselectionofcolorswillenableyouto
discoverthebasiccharacteristicsofgouachepaints.Theselectionmaythenbe
augmentedbyfurthercolorsfromtherangeavailable,dependingonthe
subjectsyouwishtopaint.
Gouachemixedwithwater
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Gouachemixedwithpermanentwhite
StartingselectionAllmanufacturedgouachecolorsareopaqueandhaveahighdegreeofpermanence:astartingselectionisshownabove.Thecolorscanbeintermixedandthinnedwithwatertocreatetransparentcolorswhichlooksimilartotruewatercolorpaint,ormixedwithwhitepainttocreateopaquetints.
TheASTM(AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials)codesforlightfastness:ASTMI:excellentlightfastnessASTMII:verygoodlightfastnessASTMIII:notsufficientlylightfastStartingselection,fromtoptobottom:CadmiumyellowPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Lemonshadesthroughtowarmorange.Mixeswell,formingstronggreenswhenmixedwithviridian.
CadmiumredPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Warmorange-redtodeepred.Astrong,purepigment,whichisexcellentinmixes.
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FrenchultramarinePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Deepbluewithaslightlyviolettinge.Whenmixedwithyellows,itprovidesauseful,versatilerangeofgreens.
RawumberPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Brownwithaslightlygreenish-browntinge.Rawumberisgoodforneutralizingothercolors.
ViridianPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Cool,bluishgreen.Retainsitsbrilliance,eveninmixes.
YellowochrePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Soft,goldenyellow.Tonesdownbrightercolorsinmixes.
PermanentwhitePermanencegood(ASTMII).Coolwhitewithgoodcoveringpower.Includethiscolorinyourstarterpalette.
EdwardMcKnightKauffer(1890–1954)UntitledLithoPrint,191975×112cm(30×443/4in)MuseumofModernArt,NewYorkPostersweretraditionallypaintedonboardorstretchedpaperwithgouache,temperaorcheapimpermanent“postercolors.”
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Gouachecolorswerethefirstchoiceofgraphicdesignersandcommercialartistsformanyyears.Theirstrongcolorandvelvetysurfacephotographwell,enablingartworktobeconvertedaccuratelytoprint.
SupportsSincegouacheisopaque,thetranslucencyofwhitepaperisnotasvitalasitisin
watercolor,soitcanbeappliedtoawidevarietyofsupports.Lightweightpapers
shouldbeavoided;thepaintfilmofgouacheisthickerthanthatofwatercolor,
andisliabletocrackifusedonatoo-flimsysupport.Gouachecanalsobeused
onsurfacessuchascardboard,woodorprimedcanvas,solongastheyarefree
fromoil.Youcanalsoemploytonedandcoloredpapers,asusedforpastelwork.
BrushesWatercolorbrushesarenormallyusedforgouachepainting,thoughbristle
brushesareusefulformakingtexturalmarks.However,becausegouachedoes
nothandleinthesamewayaswatercolor,experimenttodeterminewhichtype
andsizeofbrushbestsuitsyourtechnique.
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GeraldineGirvan
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PlumsinaGreenDishGouacheonpaper40×30cm(16×12in)ChrisBeetlesGallery,LondonThisartistrevelsinthebrightcolorsandstrongpatternsthatarefoundinbothnaturalandman-madeobjects.Shefindsthatgouacheistheperfectmediumtogiveherthefluidityandrichnesssuitedtoherinterpretationofthesubject.
JohnMartinUntitledSketchGouacheontintedpaper10×15cm(4×6in)UsingtonedpaperThiscanbehighlyeffective;thesurfaceactsasamid-tonefromwhichtoworkuptothelightsanddowntothedarks,andalsohelpstounifytheelementsofthecomposition.Ifyouintendleavingsomeareasofthepaperuntouched,however,domakesurethatyouchooseagood-qualitypaperwhichwillnotfade.SEEALSOOILSSUPPORTS18WATERCOLORPAPERS28PASTELPAPER34PIGMENTANDCOLOR92WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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EGGTEMPERAEggtemperapainthasalong,venerablehistory,anditwasuniversallyusedby
artistsuntilthefifteenthcentury.Thenamethodofmixingoilsintotempera
pigments,inordertogivethemgreaterflexibility,eventuallyproducedapure
oilmediumwhichsupplantedtempera.
PaintsTemperaisawater-basedpaintwhichismadebymixingeggyolkwithpigments
anddistilledwater.Asthismixturedriesonthepaintingsurface,thewater
evaporates,leavingahard,thinlayerofcolorwhichisextremelydurable.
Preparedeggtemperacolorsareavailablefromafewmanufacturers,although
formulationsvary.Daler-Rowney,forexample,producearangeofeggtempera
paintsbasedonanineteenth-centuryrecipeforanemulsionmadefromeggyolk
andlinseedoil.Theoilmakesthepaintslower-drying,moreflexibleandeasier
tomanipulate,yetitremainswater-thinnable.However,becausethecolorrange
ofready-madepaintsisrelativelylimited,manyartistsworkingintemperaprefer
topreparetheirownpaints,usingthevastrangeofcolorpigmentsthatare
available.
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BasicpaletteManufacturedtemperacolorsareallrelativelytransparent,andallhaveahighdegreeofpermanence.Thecolorscannotbemixedonthesupport.Astartingselectionwouldbesimilartothatdescribedforgouache,butthetechniqueusedforbuildinguptoneswithsmallstrokesmeansthattheartistwilldevelopapersonalpalette,dependingonthesubjectschosen.
TheASTM(AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials)codesforlightfastness:ASTMI:excellentlightfastnessASTMII:verygoodlightfastnessASTMIII:notsufficientlylightfast
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DavidTindleStrawberryEggtemperaonboard58.5×81.3cm(233/8×321/2in)FischerFineArt,London
Asapainterinthequiet,Romantictradition,DavidTindleisconcernedwithsmall,intimate,domesticsubjects.Heusespureeggtemperaandadelicateandpainstakingapplicationoftinyhatchedmarksinordertoportraythedisembodyingeffectoflightfilteredthroughacurtainedwindow,reducingsolidobjectstoveilsofluminoustone.
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BrushesRoundsablesorsyntheticswithagoodpointarethebestbrushesfortemperapainting.Thelong-hairedvarieties,suchasriggersandletteringbrushes,arethemostsuitable;theyholdmorecolorandcanbeworkedforlongerthanshort-hairedbrushes.Astemperadriesquickly,brushesmustbewashedfrequentlyindistilledorboiledwater.
TechniquesTemperaisnotaspontaneousmedium,butissuitedtoartistswhoenjoyusinga
meticuloustechnique.Thepaintdrieswithinsecondsofapplication,socolors
cannotbeblendedonthesupportastheycanwithothermedia.Instead,tones
andcolorsarebuiltupwiththincolorappliedinglazes,orwithtiny,hatched
strokes.Anynumberofcoatscanbesuperimposedwithoutthefinishedpainting
losinganyofitsfreshness.Indeed,repeatedlayersoftranslucentcolorenhance,
ratherthandiminish,theluminousclarityoftempera.
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Different“temperas”Temperapaintsarenolongermadeexclusivelywithegg,andthustheterm
temperahasalsocometocoveremulsionsofvarioussorts.Somepaint
manufacturersontheEuropeancontinent,forexample,refertotheirgouache
paintsas“tempera,”soyoushouldcheckcarefullybeforebuying.
SurfacesTemperacanbeusedonawidevarietyofsupports,includingcanvaspanelsand
paper,butthetraditionalgroundisstillgesso-primedboard,wherethesmooth,
brilliant-whitesurfacereflectslightbackthroughthepaint,givingthecolors
theirextraordinaryluminosity.
UnderpaintingforoilsTemperaalsomakesawonderfulunderpaintingforoils.Whenappliedtoa
whiteground,thecolorgleamsthrougheachlayer,givingapaintingadeep,
luminousglow.
SEEALSOOILSSUPPORTS18UNDERPAINTING164WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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ACRYLICPAINTSUntiltheearlytwentiethcentury,artistshadbeenworkingwiththesame
paintingmaterialsforhundredsofyears.Modernoilandwatercolorpaintsare
essentiallythesameasthoseusedbytheoldmasters,andthosechangesand
developmentsthathaveoccurredhavebeenslowandevolutionary.Then,in
the1940sand1950s,acrylicpaintburstupontheartscene.Thisnewmedium,
whichwasbasedonasyntheticresin,hadalltheadvantagesofthetraditional
mediaandfewofthedrawbacks.
QualityInrecentyears,thequalityofacrylicpaintshasimprovedenormously.Thereis
nowahigherpigmentcontent,theresinbinderismoreflexible,andawide
rangeofmediumsisavailableformixingwiththepaint,extendingitsversatility
andexpressivequalities.Althoughsomedie-hardtraditionalistsstillregardthem
withdisdain,acrylicsarebecomingincreasinglypopularwithalllevelsof
painters.
CompositionThenameacrylicpaintisderivedfromacrylateresin,whichisthevehicleor
binderinwhichthepigmentsaresuspended.Itisthissyntheticbinder,
consistingofanemulsionofextremelyfineparticlesofresindispersedinwater,
whichlargelydeterminesthedifferencesincharacterandhandlingqualities
betweenoilpaintsandacrylicpaints.
Thebinderforoilpaintconsistsofavegetabledryingoil,suchaslinseedor
poppyoil,whichdriesbyabsorbingoxygenfromtheair.Thisprocessisknown
asoxidativedrying,andisaveryslowprocess.Acrylicpaints,incontrast,are
physicallydrying,whichmeansthattheydryrapidlythroughevaporationofthe
watercontainedinthebinder.Asthewaterevaporates,theacrylicresinparticles
fusetoformafairlycompactpaintfilminwhicheachminuteparticleofpigment
iscoatedinafilmofresin.Theresultisapermanentlyflexiblepaintfilmwhich
iswater-resistant,doesnotyellowandrevealsnosignsofageing.
Advantages
Themajoradvantagesofusingacrylicsaretheirpermanence,theirresistanceto
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Themajoradvantagesofusingacrylicsaretheirpermanence,theirresistanceto
theeffectsofageing,andtheirflexibility.Unlikeoils,acrylicsdonotyellow,
embrittle,wrinkleorcrack.Whereasoilpaintshardenastheydry,andthepaint
filmbecomesbrittleasitages,acrylicsdryandhardenquickly,butremain
flexibleanddurable.Oncedry,anacrylicpaintingoncanvascanberolledup,
storedandrestretchedyearslater,withnodangerofthepaintsurfacecracking.
Anotheradvantageofacrylicsisthatallcolorsdryatthesamerate–unlikeoil
paints.
Students’andartists’qualityAswithwatercolorsandoils,acrylicsareavailableinbothartists’andthecheaperstudents’qualities.Artist-qualityacryliccolorsvaryinpriceaccordingtotheinitialcostoftheirpigments,buttheyareconsiderablycheaperthanoilpaints.Student-qualityacrylicsareallthesameprice,butthecolorrangeissmaller.Expensivepigmentsareusuallyreplacedbyhighlylightfast,syntheticorganicpigments,andthepigmentnameissuffixedwith“hue.”
Artist-qualityacrylicpaints
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Student-qualityacrylicpaints
PermanenceAllacryliccolors,apartfromfluorescentcolors,arelabelledeitherextremelypermanentorpermanent,whichmeansthatnoneofthemwillyellow,fadeordarkenwithtime.
AcrylicsandwaterAcrylicsarewater-solublewhenwet,whichmeansnosolventsareneededfordilutingthepaintorforcleaningthebrushesandpalettes.Onceitisdry,however,anacrylicpaintingiscompletelywaterproof–thisisusefulwhenworkingoutdoors,whenthereisalwaystheriskofasuddenshower.
RapiddryingAcrylicsdryrapidlyand,becausetheydryinsoluble,successivelayerscanbeoverpaintedwithoutdangerofliftingthecolorbeneath.Thisisagreatadvantagewhenusingtechniquessuchasglazing,scumblinganddrybrush.
Versatility
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Acrylicisahighlyversatilepaint.Useitopaquelyordilutedwithwaterand/ormediumfortransparentwashes.Inadditiontothemoretraditionaltechniques,itisidealformixed-mediawork,collageandtexturaleffects,andcanbedilutedandusedwithanairbrush.
TerenceClarkeCastlemortonCommonAcryliconcanvas90×90cm(36×36in)
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TerenceClarkeexploitsthevibrancyandintensehuesofacrylicpaints.Thefast-dryingqualitiesofacrylicsallowhimtobuildupthebodyofpaintquickly,usingthinwashesandglazes.Evenwitharestrictedpaletteofonlyfivecolors,pluswhiteandpureblack,heisabletoachieveavibrant,stained-glasseffect.
Disadvantages“Theadvantageofacrylicpaintisthatitdriesquickly,butithasone
disadvantage–whichisthatitdriesquickly.”Thiswryjokeneatlysumsupthe
dilemmathatispresentedbyacrylicstoartists–theirfastdryingtimehas
advantagesoverslower-dryingoilpaints,buttherearealsoafewdrawbacks.For
example,brushesmustbekeptinwaterwhenyouarenotactuallypaintingwith
them,topreventpaintdryinghardonthebristles.Paintalsodriesoutquicklyon
thepaletteunlessitissprayedwithwateratregularintervals,oryouuseaspecial
palettedevelopedforusewithacrylics.
Therapiddryingtimealsomeansthatthepaintcannotbemanipulated
extensivelyonthesupportforarelativelylongperiod,asispossiblewithoils.
Thisisonlyadrawbackifyouliketoworkslowly,usingsmoothblending
techniques;mostartists,however,chooseacrylicsbecausetheyenjoybeingable
toapplylayersofcolorinrapidsuccession,withoutdisturbingtheunderlayers.
ColorsTherangeofacryliccolorsisslightlyrestrictedcomparedtothatofoilsor
watercolors,becausecertainpigments,suchasalizarincrimsonandviridian,do
notmixreadilywiththeresinbinder,andtendtocurdle.Insuchcases,an
alternativepigmentisused.Therangeofcolorsandcolornamesvarieswidely
fromonebrandtoanother.
TubecolorThethicknessoftubepaintvariesfrombrandtobrand,butingeneralithasa
soft,butteryconsistencywhichissimilartothatofoilpaints.Itretainsthemark
oftheknifeorbrush,andisexcellentforimpastotechniques.Mostcolorsare
availableintubesizesrangingfromapproximately22ml(0.75USfloz)to
approximately200ml(6.6USfloz).
JarcolorSmootherandmorefluidthantubecolor,jarcoloriseasilythinnedwithwater
and/ormedium.Thismakesitidealforwatercolortechniquesandforcovering
largeareasofflatcolor.Thecolorsdrytoasmooth,evenfilm,slightlymorematt
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thantubecolor.Thepaintcomesinwide-toptubsandjarsorplasticbottleswith
nozzlesrangingincapacityfrom59ml(2USfloz)upto946ml(31.5USfloz);
notethattitaniumwhiteandMarsblackarealsoavailablein3.79litre(1US
gallon)containers.
BuyingacrylicsintubesAllacryliccolorsareavailableintubes,butthelargestsizesarelimitedtotheblackandwhiteranges.
MixingbrandsSinceeachmanufacturerusesadifferentchemicalformulaformakingtheirpaints,itiswisetosticktotherangeofasinglebrandofacrylics.Ifnot,problems,suchascurdlingwhenmixing,insufficientadhesionandcolorchangesondrying,mayarise.Onlyacrylicpaintsbasedonthesamesortofbinderandofthesamequalityshouldbeusedincombination.
CareofpainttubesAttheendofapaintingsession,itisworthmakingtheefforttowipealltubecapsandscrewheadswithadampclothbeforereplacingthecaps.Encrustedpaintbuildsupandwillpreventthecapgoingonproperly,allowingairintothetube,andthepaintquicklydriesout.Driedpaintalsomakesitdifficulttoremovethecapnexttimeyoupaint.Iftubecapsstick,youcanusuallyloosenthembyrunningthemunderhotwater.Neverleavethelidsorcapsoffcontainers,asthepaintwilldryrock-hardwithinhours.
Removingacrylicpaint
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Becauseacrylicpaintiswater-based,itiseasytowipeupspillsandsplasheswhenwet.Oncedry,however,itisdifficulttoremove,especiallyfromfabrics.Itisthereforeadvisabletowearoldclotheswhenpainting,andtoprotectsurroundingfloorsandfurniture.Keepadampclothhandy,incaseofaccidents.
JaracryliccolorsTheirfluidconsistencymakesjaracrylicsidealforcreatinglarge-scalepaintings.Youcanbuyanextensiverangeofcolorsinallsizes.
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ColorchartsThemanufacturers’hand-paintedcolorchartsarethebestsourceofinformationontherangeandpermanenceofcommerciallymadecolors;thechartsmadewithprinters’inksarenotasaccurate.
AcrylicdryingtimesMostneatacrylicpaintappliedthinlywilldryinabout15minutes,whilethicklayersofimpastomaytakemorethanadaybeforeallthewaterhasevaporated.Inwarm,humidconditionsthepaintwilltakealittlelongertodry,andinhot,dryconditionsitwilldrymorerapidly.
ExtendingdryingtimeIftherapiddryingofacrylicsisaproblemforyou,thereareafewsolutions:addalittleretardingmediumtothepaint,tokeepitworkableforlonger;useaplant-sprayertosprayafinemistofwateroverthepaintingfromtimetotime;orsealabsorbentsurfaces,suchaspaperandrawcanvas,withmattmediumbeforepainting.
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TerenceClarkeTheBlueWallAcryliconcanvas90×90cm(36×36in)
Becausetheartist’sworkingmethodscallforquitelargequantitiesofpaint,hepreferstouseacrylicsthataresuppliedinjarsforeconomyandconvenience,aswellasfortheirfast-dryingandsmooth-flowingcharacteristics.
LiquidacrylicsLiquidacrylicsflowreadilyfromthebrushandaresimilartobrilliantdrawing
inks–butwhereasmanycoloredinksfadeonexposuretolight,mostliquid
acrylicsarepermanent.Theyaresuppliedinbottleswithdroppercaps,andare
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suitableforwashtechniquesandfinepenwork.Liquidacrylicsaremadewithan
alkali-baseresin,andtheycanberemovedusinganalkalicleaner.
MixingcolorsTrytolimitallmixturestojusttwoorthreecolors,toavoidmuddiedhues.
Avoidmixingthemtoothoroughly–assoonasthecolorlooksright,stop.
Whiletheresinbinderstillcontainswateritis“milky”incolor,soacryliccolors
appearslightlylighterandmoresubduedinshadewhentheyarewetthanthey
dowhendry.Asthepaintdriesthebinderwillbecometransparent,sothecolors
willdrywithaslightlydeepershadeandfullbrilliance.
SupportsAcrylicscanbeusedonawiderangeofsupports:paper,board,canvas,wood,
metal,andevenexteriorwalls.Thereisoneimportantthingtoremember,
however,whenyouarechoosingapaintingsurface:acrylicswillnotadhereto
anysurfacewhichcontainsoilorwax.Thisfactrulesoutallcanvasorboard
whichhasbeenpreparedforoilpaint,socheckwithyourretailerthatthecanvas
orboardyoubuyhasbeenpreparedwithacrylicprimerandnotoil-based
primer.
Liquidacrylicbottles
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SEEALSOOILPAINTS64PIGMENTS92MEDIUMS76BRUSHESANDKNIVES120PALETTES84SUPPORTS13MEDIUMSFORACRYLICS118MIXINGCOLORS220
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BASICACRYLICSPALETTETheselectionofapaletteofacryliccolorsislargelyamatterofpersonal
preference,butoftentheinitialtemptationistobuytoomanytubes.
However,itisbettertobeginwithalimitedrangeofcolors,addingtothese
graduallyasyourneedsarisefromexperience.Abroadspectrumofhuescan
bemixedfromthecolorsthatareshownbelow.
Starterpalette
TheASTM(AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials)codesforlightfastness:ASTMI-excellentlightfastnessASTMII-verygoodlightfastnessASTMIII-notsufficientlylightfast
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Cadmiumred
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Permanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Anopaquecolorwithaverypure,bright,warmredhueandstrongtintingstrength.
PermanentrosePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Averytransparentcolorwithabright,pinkish-red,violet-tingedhueandverystrongtintingstrength.Mixeswellwithbluestomakeclearpurples.
YellowochrePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Asemi-opaquecolorwithasoft,tanyellowhueandweaktintingstrength.Thisisanindispensablecolorforuseinlandscapesandportraits.
CadmiumyellowpalePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Afairlyopaquecolorwithastrong,sunnyyellowhueandstrongtintingstrength.Makesstronggreensandorangeswhenmixedwithblueandredcolorsrespectively.
PhthalocyaninebluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithacold,vividbluehue,agreenundertoneandverystrongtintingstrength.Averystrongcolor,forsparinguseinmixes.
UltramarinebluePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Atransparentcolorwithadeep,warmbluehueandstrongtintingstrength.Themostversatileoftheblues.
BurntumberPermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Afairlyopaquecolorwitharich,warmbrownhueandgoodtintingstrength.Mixeswelltoproducearangeofrichtones.
TitaniumwhitePermanenceexcellent(ASTMI).Averyopaquecolorwithabright,purewhitehueandstrongtintingstrength.Theonlyavailableacrylicwhite.
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SPECIALITYCOLORSAnever-increasingrangeofshimmeringandmetallicacryliccolorsisnow
availablefromsomecompanies,withdecorativetechniquesinmindaswellas
fine-artapplications.
ColorrangeThesepigments,knownvariouslyasiridescent,pearlescent,or“interference”
colors,areavailableinorange,red,blue,green,violetandgold,andareall
durable.Madefromtitanium-coatedmicaflakes,theyhaveaglitteryappearance
whichchangesaccordingtothewayinwhichthelightfallsonapainting,orthe
angleatwhichitisviewed.
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JacquieTurnerSanFranciscofromCoitTowerAcryliconpaper107.5×140cm(43×56in)
Inordertosuccessfullycapturethedazzleoflightreflectingofftheglassandmetalstructuresinthismoderncityscape,theartisthasusedarangeofpearlescentandmetallicacryliccolorsincombinationwiththeconventionaltubeandjarpaints.
IridescentcolorsTheiridescentsmaybeusedsingly,orcombinedwithregularacryliccolorstoproduceluminoussurfacequalities.Theyareusedtobesteffectonadarkbackground,especiallyblack.Alsoavailableareiridescentmediums,whichcanbemixedintoanyoftheordinarycolorstopearlizethem.Whenappliedtoawhitesurfaceoroverlightcolors,they‘refract’theircomplementarycolor:iridescentgreen,forexample,refractsred.
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FluorescentcolorsTheseabsorbultravioletlightandemitvisiblelightofalongerwavelength.Asaresult,theyappeartofluoresceorglow.Theeffect,however,fadesratherrapidlyasthedyesarenotstable.Fluorescentcolorsarenotrecommendedforpermanentpainting.
PVAcolorsPolyvinyl-acetatepaintsarealessexpensivealternativetoacrylicpaints,butthepigmentisboundbyavinylemulsion,sotheytendtobeinferiortorealacrylicsinqualityandlightfastness.Althoughtheyareidealforuseinschools,avoidPVAcolorsifyouareconcernedaboutthelongevityofyourwork.SEEALSOMEDIUMSFORACRYLICS118MIXINGCOLORS220
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CHROMACOLORChromacolorisarelativelynewtypeofwater-basedpaint–adevelopmentof
theanimationcellpaintwhichisusedforcoloringcartoonfilms.Basedona
superiortypeofacrylicresin,thepaintcanbeusedinthesamewayasacrylics
–andwatercolor,gouache,oilsandink–butwithcertainadditionalbenefits.
VersatilityChromacolorissimilartoacrylicpaintinthatitisfast-drying,thinswithwater,
andbecomeswaterproofonceitisdry.Thecolorsmaybeuseddirectlyfromthe
containerordilutedwithwater.Theymaybeappliedusinganytechniqueon
virtuallyanysupport,withabrush,dippen,paintingknifeorairbrush,andin
anythickness,fromaheavyimpastotothelightestwash.
UsingchromaChromaasacrylicTubecolorshaveasmooth,butterytexturewhichissimilartothatofacrylic
paints,andcanbeusedinthesameway.Theydo,however,dryalittlemore
slowlythanacrylics,whichcanbeanadvantage.Becauseoftheirhigherpigment
loading,thecolorstendtobestrongerandmorevivid,evenwhenthinlydiluted,
andthetonevaluesdonotchangeasthepaintdries.
ChromaasgouacheUsedstraightfromthetubeorpot,Chromaissimilartogouache,inthatitis
highlyopaqueanddriestoavelvety,mattfinish.Unlikegouachepaints,
however,wherenotallcolorsarelightfast,Chromacolorsdonotfade.Another
advantagethatChromahasovergouacheisthatitdriestoawaterproofstate,so
overpaintingcanbeachievedwithouttheriskofcolorpick-up.
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MediumsChromacolorsaresupportedbyarangeofmediums:agelthickenerforheavyimpastowork,aretardertoextenddryingtimes,andaglossmediumtogivethepaintaglossysheenandincreaseitstransparencywhenapplyingglazes.Agessoprimerandmattandglossvarnishesarealsoavailable.
SueWales
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IrisandFoxglovesChromacoloronpaper52.5×35cm(21×14in)
Originallyawatercolorist,SueWalesusesheavilydilutedChromacolorintheclassicwet-in-wettechnique.Theboldwashesareenhancedbythestrengthofthecolors,whichdrytothesameshadeaswhentheywereapplied.
ChromaasinkByaddingwatertopotortubecolors,Chromacanbeusedinthesamewayasa
coloredink;theeffectcanbeeitheropaqueortransparent,accordingtothe
degreeofdilutionandtheendresultrequired.
ChromaaswatercolorWhenitisdilutedevenfurtherthanforinkeffects,Chromacolorwillproduce
subtle,translucentwasheswhich,unliketraditionalwatercolorwashes,donot
fadeappreciablyondrying.Chromacolorsdryinsoluble,soitispossibleforthe
artisttolaywashoverwashwithoutanydangerofpreviousapplicationsbeing
disturbed.Oncedry,however,Chromacolorscannotbeliftedouttocreate
highlights,asisthecasewithwatercolorpaints.
Chromapotsandtube
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EdwinCrippsIrisesChromacoloroncanvas90×120cm(36×48in)
Incontrasttothewatercolormethod,thislargepaintingapproachesasimilarsubjectusingatechniqueassociatedwithoils.Theartistpaintedtheentirecanvasblackbeforeunderpaintingtheshapesinwhite;hethenbuiltuplayersofglazesandusedneatcolortoprovidethefinalsurface.Theresultglowsagainstthebackground,andstandsoutwithstartlingintensity.
PigmentsThelevelofpigmentloadingishigherthanistypicallyfoundinotherwater-
basedmedia,givingChromacolorsgreatertintingstrengthandopacity.
Currently,thereare80colorsintherange,allofwhicharenon-toxicand
completelylightfast.
Dilution
Chromaiscapableofmassivedilution:thecolorsretaintheirvibrancyand
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Chromaiscapableofmassivedilution:thecolorsretaintheirvibrancyand
strength,evenat1partpaintto500partswater.Thepaintsarehighly
concentrated,whichmakesthemveryeconomicaltouse.Onlyasmallamountof
colorisneededtoproducealargeamountofwash;whenusedasawatercolor,it
isnecessarytodiluteuptoseventimesmorethanwithtraditionalwatercolorsin
ordertoachieveawashofcomparablestrength.
PotsandtubesThepaintissuppliedintwoformulations:asathickliquidin50ml(1.66USfl
oz)pots,andasagelpastein50ml(1.66USfloz)tubes.Theliquidtypeisthe
betterforwashtechniques,asverysmallamountsofcolorcanbedispensedfrom
thenozzle.Tubecolorismoresuitableforthickapplicationsandheavy
impastos.
SEEALSOSUPPORTS13DRAWINGINKS56BRUSHESANDKNIVES120OILTECHNIQUES162WATERCOLORTECHNIQUES180ACRYLICTECHNIQUES202THELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214
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MEDIUMSFORACRYLICSAcrylicsdrytoaflat,eggshellfinish.However,somemediumscanbeaddedto
theacrylicpaint,inordertoproducearangeofconsistenciesandfinishesand
togivethecolorsbrillianceanddepth.Amediumwillhelpthinlydiluted
painttomaintainitsadhesionandimproveitsflowand“brushability.”Some
mediumscanbeusedtocontrolthepaint’sdryingrate.
MediumsandpaintTherearenospecialrulesgoverningtheuseofacrylicmediums,unlikeoils,
whereeachpaintlayermustbemoreflexiblethantheonebeneath.Acrylic
paintsandmediumsaremanufacturedwiththesameemulsionbase,sotheydry
atthesamerate,andthereisnodangerofthepaintcracking.
Addmediumstopaintalittleatatime,andmixwellwithapaletteknife.You
canfurtherdilutethepaintwithsomewater.Alwaysmixcolorsbeforeaddinga
medium.
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BarryAtherton
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ItalianateVaseAcrylicgesso,pastelandgoldandsilverleafonwoodpanel132.5×102.5cm(53×41in)NewAcademyGallery,LondonThisrich,decorativeimagewasproducedbyacomplextechnique.BarryAthertonpastedasheetofhandmadepaperontoawoodpanelwithacrylicadhesive.Hemixedpowderedpigmentintoacrylicgessotocolorit,andthenappliedthemixturetothesupportusingbrushesandknives.Goldandsilverleafwerelaidontopoftheslightlytextured,low-reliefsurface,andpastelwasadded.
MediumsasvarnishDon’tuseglossormattmediumsasavarnishtoprotectyourcompletedpaintings.Alayerofacrylicmediumpicksupasmuchdirtaspaint,butcannotberemovedforcleaning.Protectpaintingswitharemovablevarnishwhichcanbereplaced.
MediumsandbrushesAcrylicmediumswilldryrapidly,sokeepbrushesinacontainerofwaterwhentheyarenotinuse,ortheywillbecomehardandunusableinafewminutes.
OilmediumsandacrylicsTurpentine,whitespirit,linseedoil,andothermediumsandsolventsforoilpaintsshouldneverbeaddedtoacrylicpaint.
GlossmediumAcrylicglossmediummakespaintthinnerandmorefluid,anditenhancescolorluminosity.Italsomakespaintmoretransparent,allowingthinglazestobebuiltupandproducingcolorsofexceptionaldepthandbrilliance.Thesurfacedriestoasoftsheen.
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MattmediumThisisglossmediumwiththeadditionofamattingagentsuchaswaxemulsionorsilica.Usedinthesamewayasgloss,itdriestoamatt,non-reflectivefinish.Blendequalpartsofglossandmattmediumsforasemi-glosseffect.
GelmediumThispaste-likesubstancethickenspaintforprominent,texturedbrushstrokesandforimpastoeffects.Itisusedforcollagework,asitincreasestheadhesivequalitiesofpaint.
MixingtexturepasteTexturepastelightensthecolorofpaint,soallowforthiswhenmixingyourcolors.Useneattexturepasteonlyonrigidsurfacessuchaswoodorboard;onflexiblesurfaces,suchascanvas,useamixtureofequalpartsoftexturepasteandgelmedium.
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Ceramicshardspressedintotexturepaste
Amixtureofsandandacrylicpaint
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IridescenttintingmediumThisisaspecial-effectsmediumcontainingmica-coatedflakes.Whenmixedwithacryliccolors,itproducesaniridescentquality.
TexturepasteTexture,ormodelling,pasteisusedforbuildingupthickwedgesofpaintwitha
knife.Itcanbeapplieddirectlytoasupport,tobuildupareliefthatcanbe
sandedorcarvedwhendry.Somepastesimitatethetexturesofstucco,sandor
blendedfibers.Thepastecanbemixedwithcolor,orallowedtodrybeforebeing
paintedoverinthinglazes.Texturepasteisidealforcollagework,asquiteheavy
objectscanbeembeddedintoit,andalsoforimprinting,inwhichformsare
pressedintothepasteandthenremoved,leavinganindentedpattern.Agrittyor
granularsurfacecanbeproducedbymixinginertsubstances,suchassand,
sawdustorwoodshavings,withthetexturepaste.
Applythepasteinlayersnomorethan6mm(1/4in)thick,andalloweach
layertodrybeforeaddingthenextone.Ifthelayersaretoothick,theoutside
driesmorequicklythantheinside,resultinginacrackedsurface.
RetardingmediumThisreducesthedryingtimeofacrylicpaint,soyoucanmovepaintaroundona
surfaceandblendcolorsslowlyandsmoothly.Itisavailableinliquidandgel
forms;thelatterholdsmorewater,thuskeepingthepaintfilmopenforlonger.
Mixtheretarderintheratioof1partto6forearthcolors;1to3forother
colors.Toomuchretardermakespaintstickyandunpleasanttouse.Addavery
smallamountofwatertoincreasefluidity.
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FlowimproverFlowimprover,orwater-tensionbreaker,thinsacryliccolorswithoutreducing
thecolor’sstrengthoraffectingthefinishofdriedpaint.Itimprovesflow
properties,allowingflat,evenwashestobeappliedoverlargeareas.
JacquieTurnerTheOldJetty,SanSimeonAcryliconpaper75×105cm(30×42in)ForthiscoastalsceneJacquieTurnermixedalittlesandinwithtexturepasteandpainttoprovideanappropriatelygranularforeground.Thesparkleofthewavesisconveyedbysmalltouchesofsilvermetallicpaint.SEEALSOSUPPORTS13OILMEDIUMS76FAT-OVER-LEAN166SPECIALITYCOLORS115COLLAGE208IMPASTO208VARNISHES350
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BRUSHESANDKNIVESAllthebrushesusedforoilandwatercolorpainting–bothnaturalhairand
syntheticfiber–arealsosuitableforuseinacrylicpainting.Decorators’
brushesareinexpensive,comeinarangeofsizes,andareinvaluablefor
blockinginlargeareasofcolor.
SyntheticbristlebrushesSomemanufacturershavedevelopedsynthetic-bristlebrushesspecificallyfor
acrylicpainting(manyartistsalsofindthemidealforoils).Thesebrushesare
easytoclean,andarebuilttowithstandthetoughhandlingdemandedby
acrylics.
CareofbrushesBecauseacrylicpaintdriessofast,youmusttakeextracareofyourbrushes.Be
suretomoistenthemwithwaterbeforeloadingthemwithacrylicpaint,
otherwisethepaintwillsticktothedrybristlesandgraduallybuilduptoa
hardenedfilmthatwillruinthem.
Donotleaveyourbrushessoakinginajarofwaterforlongperiods;the
bristleswillbecomedistortedwhenrestingonthebottomofthejar,andthe
lacquerpaintonthehandlewilleventuallyflakeoff.Laythebrushesinashallow
trayofwater,withthebristlesrestinginthewaterandthehandlesproppedon
theedge,clearofthewater.
KnifepaintingThebutteryconsistencyofacrylicsmakesthemappropriateforknifepainting.
Again,thesamepaintingandpaletteknivesusedforoilsaresuitableforacrylics,
providedtheyaremadeofstainlesssteelandnotordinarysteel.Easy-to-clean
plasticknivesarealsoavailablewithacrylicsinmind.
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Laybrushesinashallowtrayofwater
CleaningsolidifiedpaintIfpainthassolidifiedonyourbrush,trysoakingitinmethylatedspiritsforatleast12hoursandthenworkingthepaintoutbetweenyourfingers.Thoroughlywashthebrushwithsoapwithsomewarmwater.
Usingoil-paintbrushesBrushespreviouslyusedwithoilpaintmustbecarefullycleaned,toremovealltracesofoilorturpentinefromthebristlesbeforebeingusedwithacrylics.
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SEEALSOOILSBRUSHES78OILSKNIVES86WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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PALETTESFORACRYLICSWoodenpalettes,suchasthoseusedforoils,arenotrecommendedforacrylic
painting,asthepaintgetsintotheporoussurfaceofthewoodandisdifficult
toremove.
Home-madepalettesUseaplasticpalette,ormakeoneyourselffromasheetofwhitemelamineor
perspex,anoffcutofhardboard(Masonite)coatedwithacrylicprimer,orasheet
ofglasswithwhitepaperunderneath.Manyartistspreferthesehome-made
palettesbecausethereisnorestrictiononsize.Paperplatesarealsoveryuseful,
astheycanbethrownawayafteruse.Whenyouaremixingveryfluidwashes,
usedisposableplasticcontainers,papercupsormetalbuntrays.
KeepingpalettesmoistAcrylicpaintsdryoutrapidlyonpalettes,sokeepthemmoistwhileinuseby
sprayingthemwithwateratintervals.Coveringthepalettewithplasticwrapwill
preventpaintsdryingoutduringatemporarybreakfrompainting.Itisalsoa
goodideatosqueezeoutonlysmallamountsofpaintatatime,toprevent
wastage.
Stay-wetpalettesSpecialpaletteshavebeendevelopedforusewithacrylicpaintwhichkeepcolors
moistandworkable,sothatyouarenotconstantlyremixingcolorsand
discardingdriedpaint.Theyworkontheprincipleofosmosis,andconsistofa
liddedplastictraywhichislinedwithasheetofabsorbentpaperandasheetof
membranepaper.Inuse,theabsorbentpaperissoakedwithwaterandthesheet
ofmembranepaperislaidontop.Thecolorsaresqueezedoutontothe
membranepaperandabsorbmoisturefromtheabsorbentpaperbelow,
preventingthemfromdryingout.
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Makingastay-wetpaletteThisimprovisedpaletteisquickandinexpensivetomake,andsolvestheproblemofpaintsdryingout.Linethebottomofashallowplastictrayoraluminiumbakingtraywiththreeorfourdampsheetsofblottingpaperorpapertowel.Coverthedamppadwithasheetofgreaseproofpaper,pattingitdownsothatithascontactwiththedampsurface.Usethegreaseproofpaperasyourpalette.Whenthedamppadbeginstodryout,removethegreaseproofpaperandre-wettheabsorbentpaper.Whenyoufinishwork,coverthepalettewithasheetofplasticwrap,andyouracrylicswillbereadyforusethenextday.
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TypesofpaletteTwocommercialstay-wetpalettes(leftandcenter)andanimprovisedpalette,madewithasheetofglassoverwhitepaper(right).SEEALSOOILSPALETTES84WATERCOLORPALETTES100
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Chapter4
WHERESHALLISTART?
Formanypeople,especiallyamateurs,howtostartapaintingandwhichsubjecttochoosearethemost
difficultdecisionstomake.Itisimportantthatyouchooseasubjectthatisenjoyableandinteresting,
andthatyouletyourownstyleandpersonalityshinethrough.Paintingisawonderfulwayforyoutobe
yourself,anditwillalsogiveyouanopportunitytoconveyfeelingandatmosphere.Donotbeafraidof
paintorcolor.Artists’paintsarequiteexpensivematerialsandyoumaywellbereluctanttosquander
them–butmanyapotentiallygoodamateurpaintinghasbeenspoiledthroughlackofboldnessinthe
applicationofpaint.Experimentwitharangeofmediaandsubjectstodiscoverwhatyoulike.
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STARTINGTOPAINTWhereshallIstart?Adifficultquestionbutaneasyanswer–youhavetaken
thefirststepbypickingupthisbookandleafingthroughthepages.Maybe
youarereturningtopaintingandhavenotpickedupapaintbrushsince
leavingschool,buthaveawarmmemoryofarewardingandengagingpursuit.
Ormaybeyouareanabsolutebeginnerwhoseexperienceoflandscape
paintingistoputblueatthetop,browninthemiddle,andgreenatthe
bottom.
BeginnerpaintersAsaninexperiencedpainter,youwillprobablybeamongthosepeoplewhofind
itdifficulttobeginapainting.However,thereareplentyofinstanceswherethe
seriousamateurorsemi-professionalartist,oreventhefull-timeprofessional,
willdrawablankorhaveconsiderabledifficultyingettinggoing.Indeed,getting
goingisoftenthehardestpartofall.Makingthosefirstmarksonablankcanvas
canbeadauntingprospect,evenforaprofessionalpainter.Ifyoufeeldaunted,
youwillnotbealone.
Manyartistshaveoftenremarkedonthefactthattherearenodefinitiverules
inpainting.Thisseemstobeparticularlytrueofgettingstarted.Thereareall
sortsofwaystobeginapainting,butthedesiretodosoisthemostimportant
requirement–onceyouhavemadeastart,youcanpicktherouteyouwanttogo
down.
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AblankcanvasManypeopleareinfluencedbyanobject,anidea,aphotograph,asituationorscene,orsomethingthatjustcatchestheireye.Evenadreamoranexperiencecaninspireapainting.
ShinethroughChooseasubjectthatisenjoyableandinteresting.Beopen-mindedinyourapproach.Letthepaintingsometimesleadyou–celebratetheaccidentalbrushstroke,thechanceblendingofcolors,themisplacedorquirkilydrawnobject.Paintingisnotphotography;ifyouwanttogetanexactcopyofasceneoranobject,pickupacamerainstead.
Professionaladvice
Amongthewordsthatkeptcroppingupduringinterviewswiththeprofessional
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Amongthewordsthatkeptcroppingupduringinterviewswiththeprofessional
artistswhocontributedtothisbookwereexpressionssuchas“choices,”
“freedom”and“satisfaction.”Thesekeywordspointtothefactthat,although
paintingisnotaneasyprocess,itisanenjoyableandrewardingone.Theyalso
implythatthereareanumberofstepsyoucantaketohelpyougetstarted–and
that,combinedwithperseverance,thesestepswillgraduallyleadtowardsa
pleasingfinishedpainting.Oppositeandonthefollowingpagesyouwillfinda
varietyofpracticalhintsandsuggestionsforchoosingsubjectsandhowtostarta
painting.
GettingstartedSo,inordertogetstarted,whatshouldyoudo?Fromtheoutset,youshould
alwaystrytoavoidsettingyourselfupfordisappointment.Chooseasubjectand
amediumthatyoufeelcomfortablewith,onethatyoufeelyoucanhandle.
Don’ttrytorunbeforeyoucanwalk–butbythesametokendon’tbetootimid
ortoo“tight”inyourapproach,orscaredtotryanunfamiliarmedium.
Beboldandconfidentinyourpainting,andrememberthatitisyourchoice.
Youhavedecidedtopaintandwhattopaint;youarenotinacompetition,and
youaren’tunderanypressureorunderanobligationtoanyoneotherthan
yourself.Youalonecanselectyourmediaandcreateyourownpersonalstyle.
FirststepsManypaintersliketostartbymakingpencilorcolorstudiesandsketches.Some
makemeticulousdrawingsandtransferthemtocanvas;someputinthesimplest
andmostbasicofdrawnlines;somemakeathinwashdrawingwithabrush;and
othersprefertojumprightinwithbrushandknifeandpureneatcolor.Shown
belowisaselectionofphotographsofthefirststepstakeninthecreationoffour
paintings.
CharcoaldrawingArtistKenHoward(seepage324)followsatraditionalapproachandmakesa
verysimpleyetmeasuredcharcoaldrawingofthesalientpointsbefore
proceedingwithabrushandlayinginthedarkareas(toprow).
BrushdrawingTimothyEaston(seepage258)likestomakeafairlydetailedneutral-colorbrush
drawingofthewholecompositionbeforehestartslayinginthecolors(second
row).ValerieWiffen(seepage318)startswithawater-solublecoloredpencil
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andquicklyproceedstosimplebrushwork,drawinginthinwashestolayinwhat
shecalls“sightlines”(thirdrow).
PencildrawingPencillinetendstobethefavoreddrawingmediumofmanywatercolorists–
oftendrawninlightly,andsometimeserasedsothatitisbarelynoticeable.Using
aphotographicreference,KayOhsten(seepage298)plotsalightyetaccurate
pencil-linesketchtoserveasthebasisforherlandscapepainting(bottomrow).
CharcoalThisisthepreferreddrawingmaterialforplottingapaintingoncanvas.Itssoft,
friableconsistencyenablesittoglideoverthetexturedsurfaceofcanvas,making
astrong,positivemarkthatrespondsinstantlytothepressureapplied,creating
thickorfinelines.Ithasthemeritofbeingfastandspontaneous,andiseasily
coveredbyopaquemediumssuchasoilandacrylicpaints.
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SEEALSOCHOOSINGYOURMEDIUM128GALLERYOFART357
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RESOURCESANDREFERENCES126KEEPINGASKETCHBOOK152
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RESOURCESANDREFERENCESArtistsareinvariablyavidcollectorsofwhattotheuninitiatedeyeisnothing
shortofjunk.Accumulatinganythingandeverythingofinterestisa
fascinatingandoftenamusingwaytobuildaninvaluableresourceofobjects
forthestill-lifetable.Bothprintedephemeraandreproductionscanalso
inspireideasforpaintingsandprovidevisualinformationthatmaybedifficult
toacquirefirst-hand.Theyalsoconstitutearichyetinexpensivesourceof
materialforcollages.
CopyingIntheworldofart,“copying”isatime-honoredwayoflearningtopaintand
draw.Traditionally,studentswereencouragedtomakestudiesofwhatwere
knownas“antiques”–plastercastsofstatuesfromantiquity,usuallyincluding
VenusdeMilo,Michelangelo’sDavidandfragmentsoftheParthenonfrieze.
EventuallystudentswouldprogresstocopyingOldMastersinmuseumsand
galleries.Inaddition,asoundknowledgeofhumananatomywasrequiredbefore
pupilswereallowedtosetfootintheliferoom.Inmanyways,studentssought
tobecomeaccomplishedartistsbylearningtoseethroughotherpeople’seyes.
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AnorganicthemeAsshown,thehumanformfeaturesprominentlyinthisselectionofobjects.Weseeanartist’sfull-figuremannequinandhand,aplastickitofthehumanbody,andanacupuncturist’smodel.Together,theyrepresentaconvenientsourceofreferenceforfiguredrawing,obtainableatlittlecost.Intheboxisamummifiedfrogfoundinacellarandapigeon’sskullretrievedfromthegarden.
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ObjetstrouvésCheaptoobtainandfuntocollect,otherpeople’sjunkmakesfascinatingsubjectsforstill-lifepaintings.
PersonalexplorationTodaythesetraditionalapproachestoteachinghavemostlybeensupersededbya
questforfreeexpressionandpersonalexploration.However,whileslavish
copyingisnotrecommended,itisalwaysofvaluetoseehowotherartistshave
tackledparticularthemes,andyoumaybeabletopickupusefultipsonmethods
andmaterialsalongtheway.Alivelyinterestintheworldaroundyouisessential
groundingforgoodobservationaldrawingandpainting.Trainingyourselftosee
withanartist’seyewillhelpyoutodevelopanawarenessofform,color,texture
andpattern,withoutputtingbrushtocanvas.
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Graphicephemera
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Dippingintoafileofmagazinecuttings,graphicephemeraandprintedreproductionscanoftenprovideideasandinformationforyourpaintings.
LookingfortheunexpectedAtrainedeyecanspotpotentialinunexceptionalmaterial.Inexpensivechinaandpotterycanmakeacolorfulthemeforastill-lifepainting,anddiscardedshardsthathavenointrinsicvaluetakeonanewandsurprisinglyrichqualitywhenviewedenmasse.
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SEEALSOCOLLAGE208COMPOSINGFROMIMAGINATION338
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CHOOSINGYOURMEDIUMTheseeminglyinfinitevarietyofstylesandpaintingtechniquesstemsnot
onlyfromtheimmensediversityofthehumanrace,butisalsostrongly
influencedbytheavailabilityofavastrangeofartmaterials.Withineach
medium,everycolorhasitsowncharacteristicstobediscoveredandexploited,
andwhendifferentbindersareusedthosecolorstakeonquitedifferent
personalities.Herearesometipsonhowtochooseapaintingmediumthat
willsuityouandthewayyouliketopaint.
YourpersonalityThefirstthingtoconsiderisyou.Thinkaboutwhatitwasthatfirstattracted
youtopainting.Wasitaparticularpainter’swork?Orwasitastrongdesireto
createimagesofthingsthatgiveyoupleasure?Choosingthemediumusedin
picturesyoulikenotonlyfuelsyourenthusiasmbutwillmakeitpossible
technicallytoachievetheresultyouareafter.
Yourtemperamentisalsoaconsideration.Ifyouareacareful,fastidious
personwhocannotbehurried,you’llprobablyfindpaintingarchitecturalstudies
inwatercolormoreappealingthan,say,abstractexpressionism,whereasabubbly
extrovertmayhaveanaffinityforthelatter.
SpaceandequipmentPersonalcircumstancesarealwaysadecidingfactorinthechoiceofmedium.
Havingaspareroomorawarmshedtoworkinwillprobablyavoidcomplaints
fromthefamilyaboutthesmellofoilpaintsorsolvents,butunlessthespaceis
roomyyouwon’tbeabletopaintlargecanvases.Bearinmindthatyouwillneed
well-organizedstoragespace,too.
Eventhoughitmayaccommodatelessequipment,someartistsstillpreferto
workinasmallstudioratherthanaspareroombecauseitallowsthemtodabble
inprivate,onlyemergingwhentheyfeelconfidentenoughtoshowtheirwork.
Otherstakepleasureinelaboratepreparationsbeforegettingdowntowork–
indeed,manyalovinglycraftedhomeeaselorpalettehasbeenproducedwithout
anysignofasinglepainting.
Perhapsyouarethetypeofartistwhoisattractedtoworkingoutdoors.
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Perhapsyouarethetypeofartistwhoisattractedtoworkingoutdoors.
Withoutdoubt,watercoloristhemosteasilyportablemedium–butwithalittle
planning,evenoilscanbetakenandusedonlocation.
ThecostofgettingstartedSurprisingly,costisrarelyamajorpriority.Evenartstudents,whohavelittle
disposableincome,willbuywhattheyneedfortheirpaintings.Butcostmaybe
thedecidingfactorbetweenonemediumandanother–andifyoucanget
startedforasmalloutlay,itmeansyouhavenothingtoloseandalltogain.
Milliliterformilliliter,acrylicsarethecheapest,butbecausewatercolorgoes
further,itdoesnotnecessarilycostmoreintheend.Whenstartingout,oil
paintingisthemostexpensive,becauseyouneedmoreaccessories.Whatever
mediumyouchoose,buyjustthequantitiesyouarelikelytouseinayearortwo.
Althoughmanycolorswilllastdecadesormore,ifyoudon’tkeepthecaps
scrupulouslycleanyou’llfindthatthepaintdriesout.Largervolumesarefor
prolificusers.
Oilpaints,brushesandframes
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Oilpaintsandbrushes
Watercolors
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Aselectionofpastels
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Acrylics
PaintinginvariousmediaInthisboldlandscapepainting,weseetheapplicationofanopaquebutterymedium,inthiscaseoils.Thepainthasdistinctphysicalpropertiesintheformofclearlydefinedknifemarksandbrush-strokes.Similarsurfacetexturescanbecreatedusingacrylicpaint.
AlanCottonCo.KerryCottagesatVentryHarbourOiloncanvas76×91.5cm(30×36in)
Differentqualities
Generally,therearetwoqualitiesavailablewithineachmedium:students’and
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Generally,therearetwoqualitiesavailablewithineachmedium:students’and
artists’.Alwaysbuythebest-qualitycolorsyoucanafford–theynotonlymake
paintingmoreenjoyable,quickerandeasier,butinsomecasestheyaretheonly
colorsthatwillactuallyworkwithcertaintechniques.
BeenthusiasticIfyou’vebeenencouragedtojoinanartclassoraccompanyafriendona
paintingtrip,itmaybebesttogowiththeflowandchoosethemediumthatthe
otherartistsareusing.Thiswillgetyoustartedandmakeiteasiertolearnfrom
yourcolleagues.Youcanalwaysbreakoutintoothermedialateron.
Mostimportant,don’tbedeterredbynegativethoughtsorcriticism.Forget
yourschooldays,whensomeoneelsewasalwaysbetterthanyou.Nowyouhave
theopportunitytoblossom,withamorematureapproachandanenthusiasm
thatmayproduceresultsyouneverthoughtpossible.
VersatilityAcrylicpaintisarelativenewcomerthatseemstobelovedanddespisedinequalmeasure.Nevertheless,itsversatilityasamediumhastobeacknowledged.Itcanbeappliedinthinveilsoffluidcolor,similarinappearancetowatercolor,orasthickimpastedbrushworkthatresemblesoilpaint.Butacrylicpaintbehavesquitedifferentlyfromthetwomoretraditionalpaintingmediums–especiallyinthatitdriesvery,veryquickly.
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WatercolorAsthemostpopularpaintingmedium,watercolor’sgreatappealisitsimmediacy
–asmallpaintbox,asheetofpaper,abrush,andyou’reaway.Yourequireonly
waterforpaintingandcleaningup,whichalsomakesthisfeelaneasymedium.
Compactandlightweight,watercolorsarehighlyportablesoyoucanpaintona
bus,orevenontopofamountain.Youneedlittlestoragespace;asingle
portfoliowillhousedozensofpaintings.
Watercolordoes,however,havesomehiddenpitfalls,anditisalotmore
difficultthanitlooks.Youhavetolearnnottofiddleandoverworkapainting,
andtodeveloptheknackofbuildingitupwithoutmistakes.Usingthebest
paintsmakesiteasier,andgood-qualitywatercolorpaperisvital,otherwiseyour
colorswillbeflatandlifeless.Cheap,thinpaperwillcockle.
Althoughmostwatercoloristsusebothtubesandpans,theytendtofavortube
colorsbecauseyoucanmixstrongercolorsmorequicklyandinlargerquantities.
However,pansareeasiertocarryaround.
AcrylicsThesecondmostpopularmediumisacrylicpaint,primarilybecauseitisso
extraordinarilyversatile.Ifyouwanttosticktojustonerangeofpaints,acrylics
areforyou.Theycanbeappliedstraightfromthetube,ordilutedwithwater.
Unlikeotherpaintingmedia,acrylicsaremadeindifferentconsistencies.
Generallytherearetwotypesavailable:tubecolorandpotpaint,alsoknownas
“concentrated.”Tubecolorhasasoftpaste-likeconsistency,similartooilpaint.
Bycomparison,acrylicpaintsoldinpotsismorefluid,butitisjustasgoodin
termsofcolorstrength.
Concentratedacrylicsshouldnotbeconfusedwiththelower-pricedcraft
colors,whicharelikelytobelesspermanentandhavelowerpigmentstrength
andfewerartists’colorsintherange.
Liquidacrylicsareavailable,too.Inactuality,theseareinksthataremost
oftenusedbyartistsformixed-mediatechniques,ratherthanasamediumon
theirown.
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DavidJacksonTowardsWastwaterWatercoloronpaper46×58.5cm(17×23in)
GouacheThistypeofpaintwasnotavailablecommerciallyuntilthe1930s.Inthe19th
centuryitwasknownas“bodycolor”andwasachievedbymixingChinese
Whitewatercolorpigmentintootherwatercolorstomakethemopaque.Body
colorwasusedtogiveextrasolidityandhighlightswhenpaintingwatercolors,or
tocreatepaintingsfromsolidcolor.
Todaythebest-qualitygouacheishighlypigmented,givingdense,matt,
opaquecolorsthatflowwellanddrywithoutstreaks.Gouacheispopularwith
designersandillustrators,asstrong,mattcolorsaremostsuitablefor
reproduction.WatercoloriststendtousePermanentWhitegouacheforstrong
highlights.Gouacheoncoloredpastelpaperisapopularcombinationamong
wildlifeartists.
Oils
Oilpaintis,withoutdoubt,theprofessional’smedium.Artgalleriespreferoilsto
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Oilpaintis,withoutdoubt,theprofessional’smedium.Artgalleriespreferoilsto
acrylics,andsodothegeneralpublic.Itspopularityamongpatronscanlargelybe
attributedtoits500-yearhistory,andthefactthatthemajorityoffamous
pictureshavebeenexecutedinoils.Withpainters,itsappealliesinitsmarvelous
butteryconsistency,itsevocativesmellanditsversatility.Oilsnotonlyproduce
betterglazesthananyotherpaintmedium,theyalsoretainbrushandknife
marksexceptionallywell.
Oilpaintisnotasdifficulttohandleasyoumightthink.However,youwill
havetobuyanumberofaccessories,andyouneedplentyofstoragespacefor
dryingandkeepingpictures.Ifyouarewell-organized,youcankeepcluttertoa
minimum,butalotofpaintersseemtogetmorepaintonthecarpetand
doorknobsthanonthecanvas.Awordofwarningforoilpainters:don’tignore
thetechnicalrules.Ifyoufailtofollowthecorrecttechniques,youcangobadly
wrong.
Water-mixableoilcolorsThemostexcitingdevelopmentsincetheemergenceofacrylicsinthe1960shas
beenwater-mixableoilcolors.Stringentregulationsconcerningtheuseof
solventshadledtoadeclineintheuseofoilsinartschools,andasmorepeople
tookuppaintingasaleisureactivity,theytoofoundoilslessappealingbecause
ofthestrongsmellofwhitespiritandturpentine.Water-mixableoilcolorswere
theanswer.Theyhaveallthecharacteristicsoftraditionaloils,butareboth
dilutedandcleanedupwithwater.
AlkydsThesefast-dryingoilcolorsaretouch-drywithin18–24hoursinsteadofthe
usual2–12days.Theyarealsomoretransparentthanconventionaloils,making
themgoodforglazing,andperfectforpaintingoutdoors.
OilsticksOilcolorcanbeblendedwithwaxestomakesolidpaintingsticks.Theyare
wonderfullyexpressive,butareusedupquicklyifyoupaintlargecanvases.The
best-qualityoilsticksaresuperiortooilpastels,whichhavelowerpigment
strengthandlowerpermanence.
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DavidMynettWetSandsPastelinsketchbook30.5×40.5cm(12×16in)
PastelsAlthoughpastelistermedasapaintingmedium,thetechniqueusedissimilarto
drawing.Pastelsareavailableinrangescomprisinghundredsofpurecolors.
Largecolorrangesarenecessarybecause,unlikepaints,pastelscannotbemixed
tocreatesecondaryandtertiarycolors.
Colorscanbeblended,however,eitherphysicallyonthepaperorbymeansof
hatching.Pastelsareopaqueandtheyworkbestoncoloredbackgrounds,which
tendtounifyapictureandsometimeshelptosuggestaparticularmood.
Adisadvantageofpastelpaintingsistheirdusty,fragilesurface,whichmakes
themdifficulttostoresafely.Thisfragilityisreducedbyapplyingfixative–but
donotapplyitheavily,orthecolorchangewillbetoogreat.
Thebestwayofstoringpastelpaintingsiswithinpicturemounts,whichare
anextracostbutpreventthefinishedpaintingsfromrubbingagainsteachother.
Softpastels
Thebestpastelsaresoftandcreamy,transferringjusttherightamountofcolor
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Thebestpastelsaresoftandcreamy,transferringjusttherightamountofcolor
tothepaper.Largerpastelsarepreferabletothesmall-diametersticks,because
theybreaklesseasilyandapplymorecolorwitheachstroke.
HardpastelsHardpastelsarealsoavailable,thoughinmorelimitedranges.Theyaregoodfor
finaldefinitionandforapplyinghighlights,andareparticularlysuitedtolinear
work.Thecolorsarelessbrilliantbuthaveafirmerconsistency.
Water-solublepencilsandcrayonsWater-solublepencilisyetanotherdrawingmediumthatbeginnerssometimes
findusefulinbridgingthegapbetweendrawingandpainting.However,the
resultsarenotthesameasthosethatmaybeachievedbyapplyingaconventional
watercolorwash,andthequalityofthepigmentsisnotashighasthosethatare
usedforthebestwatercolors.
Thickerwater-solublecrayonsarealsoavailable,whicharecapableof
producingbroadermarksanddenserhatching,makingthemmoreofapainter’s
medium.
SEEALSODRAWINGMEDIA37ORGANIZINGYOURSTUDIO132PAINTINGOUTDOORS134PAINTINGTECHNIQUES161OILPAINTS64WATERCOLORPAINTS87ACRYLICPAINTS110DRAWINGPAPERS38PASTELS48
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ORGANIZINGYOURSTUDIOEveryartistdreamsofhavingadedicatedstudioforhisorhersoleuse,but
thatisnotanessentialrequisiteforgoodpainting.Youcanworkalmostas
wellinasharedspace,solongasthereisroomforyoutoleaveyourpaintsand
materialssetoutreadyforyoutoresumeworkwhenthemoodstrikesyou.
Withalittleplanning,itiseasytoprovideapracticalsolutiontomeetyour
needs,butastudioshouldbestimulatingaswellasefficient–andforthat,you
needtostampyourownpersonalityontheplace.
ArtificiallightingGoodlightingisessentialtopreventeyestrainandtorendercolorsaccurately.
Whenlevelsofnaturallightarelow,youneedgoodartificiallighting,preferably
ceiling-mountedfluorescentlampsfittedwithblue-tinteddaylighttubes.To
provideanevenspreadoflightandavoidanyproblemswithshadows,installat
leasttwofluorescentfittings.Fortable-topwork,useanadjustablelamp,also
fittedwithadaylightbulb.
NaturallightingNaturallightfromalargenorth-facingwindowisideal(south-facinginthe
southernhemisphere),sinceitwillprovideeven,neutral-coloredillumination
thatremainsconstantthroughouttheday.
WorkstationsIfyoudon’tliketoworkflatonatable,supportyourpaintingsonatable-top
easel.Madefromwoodormetal,thistypeofeaselcanbeadjustedtodifferent
anglesandfoldedflatforstorage.Mostartistssetouttheirpaintingmaterialson
theworktable,butamobilestorageboxortrolleymaybemoreconvenient,since
youcanmoveitfromtabletostudioeasel.
StoringmaterialsandpaintingsIdeally,worksonpapershouldalwaysbelaidflatinaplanchestor,ifspaceis
limited,storedinastrongportfolio.Foraddedprotection,interleaveyourwork
withacid-freetissuepaper.Abankofshallowwall-hungshelvesisusefulfor
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storingreferencebooks,props,boxedmaterials,storagepotsforbrushes,even
wetcanvases.Storeyourstretchedcanvasesinapartitionedrackmountedon
castors.Ifthereisroom,youcanparktherackunderyourworktable.
Radialeasel
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Heavy-dutystudioeaselStudioeaselsIfyouplantoproducelargepaintings,youwillwanttobuyafloor-standingstudioeasel.Heavy-dutyeasels,usuallymadefromwood,haveastrongbaseframe.Lessexpensiveversions,inwoodoraluminium,havetripodlegs.Alleaselsareadjustableinheightandangle,sothatyouareabletositorstandwhileyoupaint.Ifyouworkfromawheelchair,tripoddesignsallowyoutogetclosertothepainting.Toavoidthrowingyourshadowacrossthework,setuptheeaselsothatthelightsourceistoonesideandoveryourshoulder.
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Planchest
Daylightbulb
All-purposestudioAwell-equippedstudiocanbeinstalledrelativelycheaplyinaspareroomorsmalloutbuilding.Yourfirstrequirementisadry,adequatelyheatedspacethatislightandairy.Sinceitispracticallyimpossibletopaintwithoutcreatingamess,itpaystomakesurfaceseasytoclean.Plainwhite-paintedwallswillmakethemostofavailablelight,andcanbewasheddownwhennecessary.Chooseasmoothfloorcoveringsuchassheetvinylortiles,orsealedstrip-woodflooring.Haveasinkinstalled,ormakesurethereisawatersupplycloseby.Getalargebinforwaste,andputflammableragsinametalbinwithatightlyfittinglid.
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1WorkinprogressTosupporthalf-finishedpaintings,fixawoodenstopbeadtothefrontofashallowshelf.
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2ShelvingUseadjustablewall-hungshelvingforgeneralstorage.
3WorksurfacesYouneedplentyofworksurfacesforlayingoutyourworkandmaterials,andfortaskssuchascuttingpapertosize.
4ArtificiallightInstalloverheadfluorescentlightsforoverallillumination,andadesklampwithadaylightbulbforclosework.
5DaylightIfyourstudiohasn’tgotanorth-facingwindow,fitafine-fabricrollerblindtodiffuseharshdaylight.
6CanvasstorageProvideapartitionedrackforstretchedcanvases.
7WastedisposalHavealargebinhandyforsafestudiowaste.
8SeatingIfyoudon’twanttostandatyoureasel,provideanadjustablestool.Youwillneedacomfortablechairwhenworkingatatable.
9MobilestorageUseamobiletrolleytoplaceyourpaintsandequipmentclosetohand.
10FlooringLayeasy-cleanfloorcovering,suchassheetvinylortiles,orinstallsealedstrip-woodflooring.
11PlanchestAplanchestprovideslong-termstorageforartworkandalsodoublesasavaluableworktop.
12PinboardUseasatemporaryexhibitionandviewingareaandalsofordisplayingreferencesandephemera.SEEALSOCANVAS14RESOURCESANDREFERENCES126
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PAINTINGOUTDOORSManyinexperiencedartistsarereluctanttoworkinpublic,butoncetheyhave
overcometheirinitialshyness,theydiscovertheexhilarationthatcomesfrom
paintingdirectlyfromnature.Thechallengesthatarepresentedbythe
weatherandfleetinglightmayforceyoutodeveloptheabilitytoworkquickly,
andyoumayhavetoputupwithalittlediscomfort–butit’sthesights,sounds
andsmellsofthelivinglandscapethatgiveoutdoorpaintingitssingular
vitality.
MakingastartManyartistsliketorecordtheirinitialimpressionsonlocation,thenfinishthe
paintingathome.Othersliketopaintentirelyinthestudio,usingpreparatory
sketchesandcolornotestakenonthespot.Althoughsomeprefertoworkfrom
photographicreferences,especiallyasanaidtocomposition,veryfewpainters
relyonphotographsforaccuratecolorrendering.
ChoosingyourmediumIt’salwaystemptingtocarrymoreequipmentthanyouneed–butonceyouhave
madeafewforaysintothecountrysidecarryingaloadedrucksack,youwillsoon
learntokeepyourkittothebareminimum.
Watercolorsandacrylicshaveobviousadvantages.Bothdryrelativelyquickly
andneedonlywaterasadiluent.Unlessyouwanttoworkonrelativelylarge
paintings,aportablewatercolorboxcontainingsmallpansismarginallymore
convenientthantubesofpaint.Someboxesalsoincludestorageforwater;ifnot,
carryaplasticwaterbottletosaveweight.Forexpediency,usesmalltubesof
acrylicpaint,andbuyastay-wetpalettetohelpkeepthepaintmoist.Coverthe
palettewithplasticwrapbeforecarryingithome.
Apochadecontainsalltheequipmentyouwillneedforoilpainting,including
apalette.Tosavecleaningyourpalette,coveritwithplasticwrapbeforeyou
startwork;youcanthenpeelitoffafterwardsandthrowitaway.Alternatively,
youcoulduseadisposablepaperpalette.
Personalconsiderations
Forlongsittings,youwillneedtoprotectyourselffromtheelements,whether
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Forlongsittings,youwillneedtoprotectyourselffromtheelements,whether
it’shotsunorwinds,coldandrain.Insummer,wearabroad-brimhatanda
long-sleevedshirt,orprotectyourskinwithhigh-factorsunscreencream.It’s
alsoagoodideatokeepinsectrepellentinyourbag.Asunshadewillhelpkeep
youcoolandprotectyourpaintingfromglare.Ifyouplantoworkoutsideforthe
wholeday,remembertotakeapicniclunchandplentytodrink.
Inwinter,wrapupwarmlyandwearstoutwaterprooffootwear.Tokeepyour
handswarmbutmaintainyoursenseoftouch,wearfingerlessgloves.
WorkingonlocationBeforeleavinghome,makesureyouhaveeverythingyouneedforaday’spainting.Havingfoundyourspotandsettleddowntopaint,thereisnothingworsethandiscoveringthatyouhaveforgottenanessentialitemofequipment.
Oilpainter’spochadebox
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Traditionalwatercolorboxdesignedtobeportable
Handywatercolorboxwithintegralwaterflask
ChoosinganeaselIfyouprefertoworkstandingup,useanadjustableeasel.Asketchingeaselis
easytocarry,butyoumayhavetostakethelegstothegroundonwindydays.A
boxeaselisasturdierportableplatform.Itcombinesatripodeaselwitha
carryingcaseforyourpaints,paletteandsmallcanvases.Thepull-outdraweris
convenientforsupportingyourpalette.
SketchbooksanddrawingboardsAhand-heldsketchbookwillnotneedanysupport,butyoucouldutilizeasmall
officeclipboardtocarryseparatesheetsofpaper.Buyalightweightfoldingtable
fromacamping-equipmentsupplierifyouprefertoworkflat.
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OptimumsizeDon’tbetooambitiouswhenpaintingoutdoors.Limitthesizeofyourworktoabout38×50cm(15×20in),otherwiseyourcanvasmaybeawkwardtocarryandcouldbecomeunstable,especiallyinbreezyconditions.
Double-pointedcanvaspinsWetcanvasesTotransportawetcanvas,insertadouble-pointedcanvaspinateachcorneranduseanotherstretchedcanvastoprotectthesurface.
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WorkingstandingupHoldinglargerdrawingboardsistiring.Attachacanvasorleatherstraptotwocornersofyourboard,andtaketheweightonyourshoulder.
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Aportablestudio
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Manyoutdoorpainterstransporttheirequipmentinlargesoftbagsorhaversacks(aboveleft),butacompartmentalizedtoolboxorartbox(aboveright),withlift-outorhingedtrays,isidealforcarryingallthoseloosematerialsthatareeasilymislaidoutdoors.Choosealightweightplasticbox,butmakesureithasstrongcarryinghandles.
Sketchingeasel
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Boxeasel
FoldingstoolAcompactfoldingstoolallowsyoutoworkinreasonablecomfort.Somebackpacksaremadetocarryafoldingcanvasstool.
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Chapter5
DRAWING&SKETCHING
Manualdexterityandtechnicalknow-howaremeaninglessifanartist’sworkisdeficientinthoughtand
feeling.Alongwiththelearninghand,onemustdevelopaseeingeye–andformostpeople,thisisthe
mostdifficultpart.Inthedesiretoproducea“finished”picture,theimpatientstudentoftenoverlooks
thetwothingsthatarefundamentaltoallart:drawingandobservation.Itisvitaltotrainyoureyesby
reallylookingattheworldaroundyou,andtokeepsketchinganddrawingallthetime.Whenyoudraw
whatyousee,youdevelopyourpowersofobservationandanalysis,andinturnyourskillasanartist.
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DRAWINGANDOBSERVATIONDrawingisaformoflanguage,andisalearnableskill.Justaswritingismade
upoflettersthatmakewordsthatmakesentences,sodrawingstartswith
pointsthatmakelinesthatmakeshapes.Addlightandshadetomakethree-
dimensionalshapes,andwestarttocompose–makingshapesfittogetherin
space.
AfirmfoundationTherearemanyreasonsforpractisingdrawing.Tobeginwith,itisasourceof
muchpleasureandsatisfaction;anditalsoheightensourawareness,helpingus
toseecolorsandshapesanew.Mostimportantly,drawingisanexcellent
foundationforlearningtopaint.Indeed,ifwerushheadlongintopainting
withoutfirstdevelopingdrawingskills,oureffortsaremorelikelytoendin
frustration.
EnjoyandimproveFearoffailureisthethingthatpreventsmanyfromlearningtodraw.Butifyou
canignorethatlittlecriticalvoiceinyourheadthatspoilsthefunofdrawing,
youwillbegintodrawwithease,spontaneityandfreedom.
AcceptinglimitationsThemainthingisnottoregardeachdrawingasafinishedthinginitself.Accept
thefactthat,tobeginwith,manyofyourdrawingswillbefailures,andjustenjoy
thesheerpleasureofthedrawingprocess.
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SarahDonaldsonLifeStudiesContéchalkonpaperVariousdimensions
LittleandoftenDrawingislikephysicalexercise;shortsessionsatregularintervalsareofmorebenefitthanaprolongedsessioneverynowandagain.Evenifyouonlyhavethetimetodrawfortenminutesaday,youwillbeamazedathowquicklyyourskillsandobservationimprove.
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TomCoatesFigureandPortraitStudies(details)Pencilandwashonpaper
CommunicationMakingadrawingisfirstaboutcommunicationwithyourself.Whenyoulookat
anobject,nomatterhowinteresting,youonlyseeittoacertaindegree,whereas
ifyoumakeadrawingfromthatobject–evenifyoucan’tdrawwell–youwill
gainamuchdeeperunderstandingofwhatyousee.Theeyefeedsthe
informationtothebrain,whichanalyzesitandfeedsittothehand,andthe
handmakesthemarkthatexpressesyouremotionalreactiontowhatyousee,
andultimatelycommunicatesittoothers.
RestartingInawryremarkaboutlifeingeneral,someoneonceobserved,“Everybodymakes
mistakes.That’swhytheyputthoselittleerasersontheendsofpencils.”When
itcomestolinedrawing,however,anerasercanbeadangerousthing.Ifyou
drawinpencil,itisalltooeasytoeraseaninaccurateline,onlytoredrawitin
exactlythesameposition;youmayspendsomuchtimecorrectingthatyoustop
lookingatyoursubjectandnevergetitright.
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MistakesWhenmistakesoccur,don’tbeafraidtoleavetheminanddrawmoreaccurate
linesalongside.Inotherwords,restatethelines.Drawingisavital,changing
process,avoyageofdiscovery.Feelingoutformsandcomposition,adjustingand
correcting,arevitalelementsinthisprocess.Onmanymasterdrawings,
correctionsandrestatementsaredeliberatelyleftevident,becausetheyaddtothe
vitalityofthedrawing;theseareknownas“pentimenti.”
RetainingcorrectionsThinkofeachdrawingasabattlefield,inwhichyouaregoingtosolveproblems
andlearnsomethingabouttheprocessofseeing.Infact,whenyouarelearning
todraw,yourdrawingshouldlooklikeabattlefield,withmistakesand
restatementsvisible.Ifyourworkistooperfect,withnocorrectionsshowing,
youhaven’tbeenquestioningwhatyouaredoing,andtheresultmaybelifeless.
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SarahCawkwell
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FigureCleaningCharcoalonpaper75×55cm(30×22in)
UsingapenItisverygooddisciplinetopractisedrawingwithapenaswellaswithapencil,sothatwhenyoumakeamarkyoudon’tsubconsciouslythinkthatyoucanrubitoutifit’snotright.Withapenyouareforcedtomakeacommittedstatement,andifitiswrongyouhavetomakeanotheronenexttoit–andyoustillhavethemarksthatwerewrongtocomparewith.Infact,youaremorelikelytogetitrightfirsttime,becauseyoutendtolookproperlyandquestionwhatyouaredoingbeforeyoumakeamark.
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RichardBellEuropeanLynx(fromasketchbookpage)Penandinkonpaper
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FIGUREDRAWINGRepresentingthehumanfigureisoneofthemostchallengingofartistic
disciplines,aswellasthemostfascinating.Inadditiontoindividualstudies,
figuresmayformthecentralelementinanarrativepicture,orperhapsthe
focalpointinalandscapeorinterior.
SketchingfiguresConfidenceindrawingdependsoncarefulobservation.Carryapocket
sketchbookwithyouandtakeeveryopportunitytosketchpeople–incafés,on
publictransport,atthebeach.Bywatchingpeopleandsketchingthem
frequently,youwillgraduallybuildupastoreofvisualinformationabout
physicalshapes,bodylanguageandfacialexpressionsinavarietyofsituations.
Translatingthisinformationfromeyetohandtopaperbecomeseasierthemore
youpractise.
UsingyourmediumAllkindsoftechniquescanbeappliedtodrawingorpaintinganysubject,butitisoftenhelpfultoletyourmediumsuggestanapproach.Usingapencilmayleadyounaturallytosmall-scaledrawingsthatdependonapreciseoutlineofthefigureandsensitivedetailingofsmallershapes.
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VictorAmbrus
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LuisaGraphitepencilonpaper48.5×33cm(191/2×131/4in)
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TomCoates
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ModelAdjustingHerDressWatercoloronpaper50×30cm(20×12in)BroadandflowinglinesCharcoalorpastelencourageabroadsweepthatcapturestheoverallbalanceandweightofthebodyandimpliesmovement.Withwatercolorsandalarge,softbrush,youcanflowthepaintaroundbodyshapesandthedrapesandfoldsofclothing.
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ACTION&POSEA“lifelike”figurelooksasifitcouldmove.Capturingtheenergyandthe
dynamicsinherentinthehumanformislargelyaquestionoftherightchoice
ofposeandthevitalityofthedrawnandpaintedmarks.
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Dynamicdrawing
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Whendrawingfromlife,beboldandworkwiththerhythmofthefigure’smovements.Usingboldlinesandsmudgedtones,RosemaryYoungcapturestheessentialgestureoftheposewithoutfreezingit.
RosemaryYoungThreeStandingNudesCharcoalonpaperVariousdimensions
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TomCoates
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RestPeriodPastelonpaper100×75cm(40×30in)
GestureItisimportanttonoticetheinternalrhythmsofthefigure,whetherinmotionor
inrepose,andhowtheoutershapesrespondtomovement.Ifyoucancapture
theessentialgestureoftheposebydefiningthetellinganglesanddirectionsof
thebody,theenergyofthewholefigureisnaturallyimplied.
KeepyourdistanceItisimportantnottostandtooclosetothemodel.Setupyoureaselatadistanceofabout2m(61/2ft),positionedsothatyoucanseethewholefigurewithoutmovingyourheadtoomuch.
RelaxedposeTomCoatestooktheopportunitytodrawhismodelwhileshetookabreakduringlifeclass.Herunselfconsciousgesturehasaneasynaturalnessandasenseofimpliedmovementoftenlackinginaformalpose.
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ExpressivemarksTheotherimportantaspectofpictorialmovementistheenergyandimpactof
themarksyoumake.Asinglemarkoutliningalegwillmakeitlookstatic,buta
seriesofloose,fluidlineswillgenerateenergy.Letyourhandfollowthecontours
ofthefigureinstinctively,sothatthepressureofpencil,chalkorbrushechoesits
flowanddirection.Youwillnotachievea“finished”imageinthisway,butyou
willlearnalotabouthowthehumanfigureworks.
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Animation
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Avaluableexerciseinobservingandrecordingthemovingfigureistohaveyourmodelrepeatasimplesequenceofmovements–inthiscasegettingintoandoutofbed.Muchofyourtimeisspentlookingintentlyatthesubjectinsteadofthepaper,drawingalmostbytouch.Thiscanleadtosomeinterestingeffects.Alternatively,putyourdrawingequipmenttoonesideandjustwatchthemodelinaction,tryingtoanalyzehermovementssothatyoucansetthemdownlaterfrommemory.
MovementinspaceUsingacameraandready-madephotographicreferencesmayhelpyouto
discoverhowpeoplemovethroughspaceandperformavarietyoftasks,but
nothingcanbeatdirectobservationtocapturethedynamicsofthehumanbody.
Thelife-drawingclassistraditionallyanexerciseinstudyingtheposedmodel,
butdon’tbeafraidtoaskyoursubjecttomovesothatyoucancapturethe
humanfigureinaction.Withthistypeofexercise,itisdifficulttomake
anatomicallycorrectdrawings–justgetyourmarksdownquicklytorecordthose
attitudeswhichcaptureenergy,animationand,aboveall,life.
HumanmaleinmotionThisframefromthepioneeringdocumentationofanimalsinmotionbyEadweardMuybridge(1830–1904)isoneofmanyhundredsofhigh-speedphotographswhichhelpedfurtherthecourseofartandscienceinthelatenineteenthcentury.
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RunningmanThissequenceofsketchesisbasedonMuybridge’sphotographicrecords.Priortophotography,agreatmanyartistsmadeincorrectassumptionsaboutthewayhumansandanimalsmovethroughspace.
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DancingfiguresThesesketchesweremadefromfiguredrawingsseenonprehistoricAfricanpottery.Withtheirsimplicityandelegance,thesedelightfullyeconomicbrushdrawingscaptureperfectlythehumanforminmotion.
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Swimmers
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Aquickoil-pastelsketch,drawnlooselyincolorandthenblendedwiththefingers,successfullyfreezesamomentofsummertimepleasure.
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THELIFECLASSAnexcellentwaytodevelopdrawingskillsandboostyourconfidenceistojoin
alife-drawingclass.Thisprovidesapracticalandaffordableopportunityfor
theamateurartisttodrawprofessionalnudemodelswiththebenefitofatutor
onhand.Alifeclassalsogivesyouthechancetoworkwithagroupoffellow
artistswithwhomyoucancomparedrawingtechniquesandideas.
StartingpointsThedrawingsshownhereandoppositedemonstratefirstsketchesandconstructionwork–asortofwarm-upsessionatthebeginningofaclass.Theartisthasspentsometimemovingaroundthemodel,gettingafeelforshapeandproportion.Thetutorchangedtheposeevery10minutesorso.
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DrawingincolorInalifeclass,oilpastelisanidealmediumforbridgingthegapbetweenpaintinganddrawing.Thesimplicityofthemedium–noneedforsolventsordiluents–allowstheartisttoexecutetoneandcolorstudiesinarelativelyshorttime.
DavidDayNudeTorsoOilpastelonpaper30×25cm(12×10in)
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JacquelineDay
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LifeDrawing,SketchesPencil,charcoal,penandinkonpaper50×37.5cm(20×15in)
ExperimentationThedrawingsonthispageandthepageoppositeemployavarietyofmedia–softpencil,charcoal,penandink,penandbrush,andoilpastel.Differentmediamakefordifferenteffectsandlineweights,andsomearefastertousethanothers–animportantfactorwhentacklingthequickpose.Thelifeclassisanidealopportunitytoexperimentwithmediaandperhapsdiscoverthosethatbestsuityourstyleofdrawing.
LightandshadowThehumanbodyhasabulkandmassthatcanbedifficulttoconveysolelyinline.Drawingwithabrushforcestheartisttodrawwithboldstrokesandthemediumlendsitselftoconveyingsubtleform.Below,theartisthassuccessfullycapturedthethree-dimensionalpresenceofthemodelbyobservinglightandshadow.
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DavidDayBrushDrawingIndianinkonpaper50×35cm(20×14in)
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Fastmedia
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Thisisthetermusedtodescribethosemediasuchaspencilandcharcoalthatcanbeworkedfreely,andthatenableyoutoadaptthedrawingbysmudgingtheimageandobliteratingareasoftoneastheworkprogresses.Thisvigorousdrawing,executedinsoftcharcoal,exhibitsamultitudeoftextureandtone.Workingquickly,theartisthasrenderedasolid,believablehumanfigure,usingtheedgeofacharcoalsticktodescribemassandform.
DavidDayLifeDrawing,MaleFigureCharcoalontintedpaper52.5×42.5cm(21×17in)
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Attentiontodetail
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Whenyouarecomfortablewithyourchosenmediumandhavebeguntogetafeelforproportionandmass,makesomeobservationaldrawingsofvariousdetails.Featuressuchasnoses,eyes,mouths,hairandearsarefuntodraw,andmakingindividualstudiesoftheseisgoodpracticeforwhenyouwanttoincludethemaspartofafull-figurelifedrawing.
ValerieWiffenFacialFeaturesVariousdrawingmediaonpaperSheetsize37.5×30cm(15×12in)
CostumelifeWhiletheprofessionalmodeltakesarest,thelife-classtutormaysuggestyou
spendtimedrawingaclothedmodel,settingupanappropriateposeusinga
studentvolunteer.Hereyouwillbeconfrontedwithadditionalproblems–
drawingcreasesandfoldsandrenderingthetexturesofvariousfabrics–while
tryingtorememberwhatyouhavelearnedabouttheunderlyinghumanform.
Costumelifeisthetermusedtodescribethestudyofclothedmodels.
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DavidDayFigureDrawingsPencilandcoloredpencil20×27.5cm(8×11in)
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AlbertJacksonFigureDrawingPen,inkandwash40×30cm(16×12in)FoundmodelWhileonholiday,taketheopportunitytomakestudiesoffriendsandfamilyrelaxingoutdoors.Underthesecircumstances,theymakeideal,unselfconsciousmodelswhoarepreparedtoremainmotionlessforlongperiods.
FoundmodelsandselfportraitsYoucancontinuethedisciplineoffiguredrawingoutsidethelifeclassby
drawingfamilyandfriends,sketchingpeopleinthestreet,andmakingstudiesof
yourownbodyandclothes.Theseareopportunitiesforexperimentingwith
unfamiliarmediaandfordabblingwithnoveltechniquesbeforetryingthemout
inpublicunderthewatchfuleyesofatutororfellowstudents.
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GigolAtlerFeetandShoesPencilonpaper51×37.5cm(201/2×15in)
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DrawyourselfThroughoutthehistoryofartthereisaverystrongtraditionofselfportraiture.Asanexperimentindrawingthehumanform–clothedorunclothed–tryusingyourownbodyandclothingasmodelsorreferencesforotherworksofart.Heretheartisthaschosenhisfeetandshoesassubjectsforquick,simplestudies.
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USINGDRAWINGAIDSThroughouthistory,artistshavecalledonavarietyofdevicestoassistthemin
theirendeavorstogetarecognizableimagedownonpaper.Theyhaveused
mannequins,models,transfers,complexmachineryandallmannerof
prescribedsystemsofmeasurementtorenderthereal,three-dimensional
worldonthetwo-dimensionalplaneofpaperorcanvas.
Puristsmaydisagreewithusingartificialdrawingaidsbut,whilethereisno
substitutefordirectobservationandconstantpracticeatrecordingimagesfrom
life,manyprofessionalartistscontinuetousecameras,photocopiers,gridsand
framingdevicesasaidstogooddrawing.Thetipsandtechniquesshownhere
couldhelpyoutoseeobjectswithgreaterclarityandtocomposeyourpictures
moreharmoniously.
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Layfigures
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Alsoknownasmannequins,layfiguresarejointedwoodenmodelswhichareavailablefromart-supplyshops.Theyareusefulinhelpingtosetupaposeorworkoutproportions.
ForeshorteningThisisawayofadjustingtheproportionsofafiguretogivetheillusionofdepth.Layfiguresarehandyforexperimentingwithforeshortening.
ConcentratetheeyeManyartistsuseaframetohelpconcentratetheeyewhileworkingonadrawing.Youcancutasimpleframefromcardorpaper–alwaysmaketheframedarkerthantheimageorsceneyouareobserving.Alternatively,improviseaframetoisolateyoursubjectfromthebackground,usingyourhandstoformabasicsquareorrectangle.
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DrawingmachinesRenaissanceartistsusedavarietyofdrawingmachinesandcameraobscurastohelpthemwiththeirworkinthedaysbeforephotography.Withthissimpledevicetheartistcouldtracetheobjectontoglassasiflookingthroughawindow.
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LayhandsLife-sizemodelsofhandscanbeboughtfrommostartshops.Theycanbeadjustedtotakeupsimpleposesandgripavarietyofobjects.Alayhandisanexcellentdrawingaidas,unlikealivemodel,itnevertiresandremainsperfectlystill.
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FacialproportionsThebottomoftheeyesocketsarelocatedapproximatelyhalfwaydownthehead.Theeyebrowsandtopsoftheearsusuallyalign.
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HumanproportionsTheaverageadultbodycanbedividedintoeightheadlengths,plusthedistancefromthemiddleoftheankletothesoleofthefoot.
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AlignmentWhendrawingahumanfacefromanunusualangle,makesuretorealigntheeyeswiththeplaneofthetiltedhead.
WorkingfromphotographsManyprofessionalartistsandillustratorsbuildupreferencelibrariesoffoundphotographicimagestocapturefleetingimagesandhelpthemwithposesthatwouldbedifficultforalivemodel.
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KEEPINGASKETCHBOOKAnartist’ssketchbookcantakeonmanyguises.Itmaybeameansof
recordingfleetingimpressions,colornotesandcompositionsforturninginto
paintings,oraportablescrapbookinwhichtocollectinterestingpiecesof
printedephemeraandpictorialreferences.Itmaybeanotebookfor
observationsandideasthat,oneday,mayprovidethatessentialsparkof
inspiration.And,ifnothingelse,asketchbookgivesyousomewhereto
developandpractiseyourdrawingandpaintingskills.
SketchingincolorWater-solublepaintsandpencilshaveobviousadvantages,particularlywhenyou
aresketchingoutdoors.Illustratedherearesomepagesfromasketchbookin
whichtheartistwasabletomakesimplecolorstudiesofchangingweatherand
varyinglightconditionsfromasingleviewpoint.Colorsketchingprovidesthe
idealopportunityforexperimentingwithstyleandtechnique.
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SimonJennings
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SeaandSkyStudiesMixedmediaonpaper15×21cm(6×81/4in)
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SKETCHINGDespitetheubiquitouscamera,mostcontemporaryartistsstillprefertocarry
asketchbookandpencilwiththem.Becauseasketchistheimmediateresult
ofobservation,capturingapersonalimpressioninafewessentialstrokes,itis
anabsolutelyvitaladjunctto,andpreparationfor,moreconsideredstudio
work.
KeepingasketchbookAsketchbookisanartist’smostvaluablepieceof“equipment.”Itistheperfect
placeinwhichtoimproveyourdrawingskillsandpowersofobservation,andto
developnewideas.Itisalsoaplacetonoteandrecordanythingofinterest,and
assuchbecomesavaluablestorehouseofvisualreferences.
Asketchbookalsohelpstobuildupyourconfidence;rapidandfrequent
sketchingaidsyoutoexpressmoreintuitivelywhatyoufeelandsee.Witha
sketchbookandpencil,youcancatchlifeonthewing.
TheartisticprocessThemostinterestingaspectsoftheworkofanyartistareoftentobefoundnot
intheirfinishedpaintings,butintheirsketchbookdrawings.Artiststalkto
themselvesinthecandoroftheirsketches,leavingimmediateimpressionsas
theyjotdowntheirreactionstotheworldaroundthem.
Fortheonlooker,thereisafascinationinlookingatthesesketches,becauseit
helpsustounderstandhowthatmysteriouscreature,theartist,actuallycomesby
andshapeshisorherinspiration.Thereisalso,perhaps,afascinationwiththe
unfinishedratherthanthecomplete,whichappealstotheromanticinallofus.
AnythinggoesAchancearrangementofobjectsonthebreakfasttable,atransitoryeffectoflight;anythingcanbenoteddownrapidlyandlaterusedasthebasisforacomposition–orsimplyforthesheerjoyofobservingandrecordingsomethingwhichispleasurabletotheeye.
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RichardBell,DavidDay,SimonJennings,AnnaWoodSketchbooksVariousdrawingmediaonpaper
Thesecollagesofartists’sketchbooksshowthesheervarietyofstyles,occasionsandintentionstobefound.Eachoneisdifferent,andeachisadocumentofoneparticularartisticmoment.
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Sketchingoutdoors
Someartiststurntheirsketchbooksintofinishedworksofart,recordinginline,
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Someartiststurntheirsketchbooksintofinishedworksofart,recordinginline,
toneandcolortheinfinitequalitiesoflandscapeandnature.Alternatively,they
mightusesketchesandcolornotesasthefoundationfordevelopingmore
ambitiouslandscapesbackinthestudiowheretheyhaveaccesstoagreaterrange
ofequipment.
Whateveryourapproach,itmakessensetocarryavarietyofeasily
transportabledrawingmediawhenworkingoutdoors.Theavailabilityofawide
rangeofwater-solublecoloredcrayonsandpencilsmakesitpossibletocreate
quickcolorstudieswithouthavingtoresorttothetraditionalpaintbox,diluents
andbrushes.
Inaddition,youmightwanttopackacoupleofsoftgraphitepencilsandsome
fiber-tippens,orperhapsyoupreferasmallbrushandabottleofink.For
highlighting,someartistscarryaroundwiththemacorrection-fluidpen–the
typeusedforobliteratingtypingerrors.
Whateveryoudecide,everythingshouldfitintoasmallpencilcasewhichyou
cangetinyourpocketorbag.
AlbertJacksonIrishLandscapeWater-solublecrayonsSketchbookpage25×17.5cm(10×7in)
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SketchingwithinkPenandink,atraditionalmediumforsketchingoutdoors,canbeusedtomakearichvarietyofmarksandtextures.Whenusingwater-solubleinks,youcancreateareasofsofttonewithamoistpaintbrushastheworkprogresses.
AlbertJacksonWinterTreesPenandink20.5×29.5cm(81/4×113/4in)
ColorsketchingRoughlysketchyoursubjectinpencil,thendrawintoyoursketchwithwater-solublepencilsorcrayons,blendingthecolorwithamoistfinger,orcreatebroaderwasheswithawetbrush.Conventionalcoloredpencilsareusefulforapplyinghighlights,detailsandlineartextures.
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AndréThompsonCassisPlageGraphiteandcoloredpencilsSketchbookpage41.25×29.5cm(161/2×113/4in)
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SimonJenningsGreenwichParkWater-solublepencils,fiber-tippenandwhitebodycolorSketchbookpage20.5×14.5cm(81/4×53/4in)
MixingmediaTherearenorulestosayyoucannotmixmedia.Workingwithavarietyof
materialsallowsyoutobuildupyourdrawingwithlayersoftexturesandwashes.
Thesketchbelowwasmadeusingsepiainkbeforecoloredwasheswereapplied
withabrush.Youcangetevenmoreinterestingline-and-washeffectswhen
workingwithcoloredinks.
Thebottomsketchesillustratetheadvantagesofwaxresist.Theflowerswere
drawnwithcandlewax,thenawashofblackinkwasappliedfreelytothe
background–inkwillnotsticktopaperthathasbeenwaxed.Additionaldetails
weresketchedinwithoilpastelsandapalepinkwashwasapplied.
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NicolaHosieLiliesMixedmediaSketchbookpages20.5×14.5cm(81/4×53/4in)
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NicolaHosie
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JugofTulipsAcryliconpaper50×75cm(20×30in)
PreparatorysketchesPreparatorysketcheshelpartiststofamiliarizethemselveswithasubjectbeforecommittingtothefinalactincoloronpaperorcanvas.Theyareakintosamplersthatenableartiststotunetheireyestoshapeandproportionandtoassesscolorandtonalvalues.
Here,NicolaHosiemadeasimplepencilsketchonpapertoascertainthearrangementofstems,bloomsandleavesforastill-lifewithjug.Thisistheonlydrawingthatshemadeinrelationtothesubsequentpicture,whichispainted“allaprima”inacrylicsonwhitecoarse-grainedpaper.Thepaperwasprimedwithared-oxidetonepriortostartingthebrushwork.Thewholepaintingtookabouteighthourstocompletetothisstage.
NicolaHosie
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PreparatorySketchPencilonpaper20.5×29.5cm(81/4×113/4in)
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Chapter6
PAINTINGTECHNIQUES
Inthefollowingpagesyouwilllearnaboutthewiderangeoftechniquesthatartistsusetoproducetheir
paintings.However,asyouwillsee,manyofthemarenotpurists,andtheywilladaptandcombine
techniquesinordertocreatetheeffectstheyarelookingfor.Whichevermediumyouchoosetoworkin–
oils,watercolors,gouacheoracrylics–youcanenjoyexperimentingwithcolors,texturesandspecial
effectsandlearnhowtoproducetheseyourself.
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OILTECHNIQUESWhenoilpaintwasfirstdevelopedintheearlyRenaissance,itwashailedas“a
mostbeautifulinvention.”Sincethen,ithasbeenthepreferredmediumofthe
majorityofartists.Thesmooth,butteryconsistencyofoils,coupledwiththeir
slowdryingtime,meanstheycanbemanipulatedfreelyandextensivelyonthe
supporttoproduceaninfinitevarietyoftexturesandeffects,fromthin,
transparentwashestothick,texturedimpastos.
KenHowardSarahAllongéeOiloncanvas60×120cm(24×48in)
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UNDERPAINTINGThetraditionalwayofstartinganoilpaintingistousethinpainttoroughly
blockinthemainshapesandtones,beforeaddingthemaindetailsandsurface
color.Thisunderpaintingprovidesafoundationfromwhichthepaintingcan
thenbedeveloped,asthecompositionandtherelationshipsofthecolorsand
toneshavebeenmadeclearrightfromthestart.
AdvantagesofunderpaintingTherearethreeprincipaladvantagestomakinganunderpainting.First,itcan
subduetheharshwhiteofaprimedsupport(whenatonedgroundhasnotbeen
laid),makingiteasierforyoutoaccuratelygaugetherelativetonesofthe
succeedingcolors.
Second,usingunderpaintingaspartofthecompositionalprocessenablesyou
tocheckthatthepictureworksasintended,beforeitistoolatetomakechanges
totheoverallconstruction.Becausethepaintusedforunderpaintingissothin,
anyalterationsthatareneededcanbeeasilyeffectedbywipingthepaintwitha
ragwhichhasbeensoakedinturpentine;thiswillnotbepossibleinthe
subsequentstages,asyouruntheriskofoverworkingthepainting.
Third,becausethedecisionsaboutcompositionandtonalmodellinghave
beendealtwithatapreliminarystage,youarefreetoconcentratepurelyonthe
detailsofcolorandtextureinthelaterstagesofthepainting.
Fat-over-leanAlwayskeepinmindtheprincipleofworkingfat-over-lean:tocreateastable
paintfilm,theunderpaintingshouldbethinandfast-drying,andthesucceeding
layersshouldbeslower-dryingandmoreoil-rich.
Flakewhiteanddilutedearthcolorsareallsuitableforunderpainting,asthey
arerapiddriersandformahardfilmwithjusttherightdegreeofflexibility.
Theyalsohaveacatalyticeffectwhentheyaremixedwithotherfast-drying
colors.Alkydandtemperapaintsarealsosuitableforunderpaintingbecausethey
dryrapidly.
Acrylicpaints
Thesearealsosuitable,astheyarefast-drying,buttheymustbedilutedwitha
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Thesearealsosuitable,astheyarefast-drying,buttheymustbedilutedwitha
littlewater(notmedium)andappliedthinly.Thepresenceofwaterrendersthe
surfaceofthepaintalittlemoreporouswhendry,ensuringproperadhesion
betweentheacrylicandoillayers.
Ifacrylicpaintisappliedatallthickly,itmaycausesomecrackingoftheoil
layers,becauseacrylicsaresoflexiblewhendry.Inaddition,athickacryliclayer
hasinsufficienttoothtoadherewell.Thisappliesparticularlywhenyouare
paintingonaflexiblesupportsuchascanvas,butlesssoonpanelsandboards,
wherethereisfarlessmovementofthepaintfilm.Neverapplyacrylicsonan
oil-basedground.
TomCoatesCharlotteinArabicCostumeOiloncanvas125×90cm(50×36in)
Inthisunfinishedpainting,theartisthasusedthetraditionalmethodofmonochromeunderpaintinginneutralgraysandbrowns.Thesecolorsformasolidbasefromwhichtomodelthefigure.
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MichelangeloBuonarroti(1475–1574)Madonna,ChildandStJohnwithAngels,c.1506Oilonwood105.4×76.8cm(421/8×303/4in)NationalGallery,London
Theeffectofusingcomplementaryorcontrastingunderpaintingcolorscanbeseenhere;thecoolgreensenhancethewarmthofthesubsequentskintones.
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AlanHydes
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TheMostReverendandRtHonDrDavidHopeKCVOOiloncanvas55×40cm(22×16in)
Whenhewaspaintingthisportrait,theartistexploredhissitter’sfacialstructure,emphasizingtheeyesandtheshapeofthenose.Thissequenceshowshowhebuiltuphispaintingfromhisoriginaldrawing(topleft)throughtheunderpaintingtothefinishedportrait(bottom).
ColorsforunderpaintingFlakewhiteanddilutedearthcolorsaresuitableforunderpainting,astheywilldryrapidlyandformahardfilm.
ColorstoavoidThecolorslistedbelowshouldnotbeusedatfullstrengthinunderpainting,becausetheynaturallycontainalotofoil.Theymay,however,beusedforthepurposewhenmixedwithlessoil-richcolors.Alizarincrimson;aureolin;cadmiumcolors;cobaltblue;ivoryblack;lampblack;phthalocyaninecolors;quinacridonecolors;viridian.SEEALSOSUPPORTS13OILPAINTS64DILUENTS75FAT-OVER-LEAN166GLAZING170ACRYLICPAINTS110VARNISHES350
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FAT-OVER-LEANCorrectpreparationofthepaintingsurfaceisimportant,andtheprincipleof
paintingfat-over-leanisalsosoundtechniquewhenpaintinginlayers.The
mostimportantthing,however,isnottobecomehideboundby“correctness”
buttoenjoytheactofpainting.
Workingfat-over-leanTheterm“fat-over-lean”issynonymouswith“flexible-over-inflexible.”“Fat”
describespaintwhichcontainsahighpercentageofoil,andisthereforeflexible;
“lean”painthaslittleornoextraoiladded,andisthinnedwithturpsorwhite
spirit,makingitcomparativelylessflexible.
Toensureasoundstructuretoapaintingwhichisbuiltupinlayers,you
shouldapplythefat-over-leanprinciple,inwhicheachsuccessivelayerofpaintis
mademoreflexiblebyincreasingthepercentageofoilinthepaint–thesame
principle,infact,usedinhouse-painting,wherepaintfortheundercoatcontains
lessoiltopigmentthanthefinalcoat.
Thereasonforthishastodowiththewayinwhichthepaintfilmdries.The
oilbinderinthepaintdriesnotbyevaporation,butbyabsorbingoxygenfrom
theair.Duringthefirststageofdrying,itincreasesinweightandexpands.It
willthenbegintoloseweight,contractslightlyandharden.Iflean(lessflexible)
paintisappliedoveroily(flexible)paint,somecrackingmayoccurbecausethere
ismoremovementinthelowerlayersthanintheupperlayers.
Whenpaintinginlayers,beginwithanunderpaintingwhichisthinner,leaner
andfaster-dryingthansubsequentlayers.Forexample,startwithpaintthinned
withdiluentormixedwithafast-dryingalkydmedium.Thenextlayermay
consistofeitherneat,undilutedtubepaint,orpaintmixedwithdiluentanda
littleoil.Anysuccessivelayersmaycontaineitherthesameorincreasing
amountsofoil,buttheyshouldnotcontainlessoil.
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MovementandsinkingInthisdetailofthepaintingbelow,itcanbeseenthatcontrastingdryingratesandflexibilityinthevariouspaintlayershavecausedmovementandsinkingofthesurface.ThisiscausedbyTurner’ssometimepracticeofusingstraightoilpaintinthelowerlayers,butsubsequentlymixinghiscolorswithwaxes,resinsandbitumensintheupperlayers.
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J.M.W.Turner(1775–1851)TheOpeningoftheWalhalla,1842–3Oilonmahoganyboard112.7×200cm(45×80in)TateGallery,London
RemovingexcessoilIfyouwishtouseanoilypigmentinanunderlayer,thiscanleadtoproblems,assubsequentlayersmustnotcontainanylessoil.Onewaytoresolvethisistoleachoutsomeoftheoil;here,alizarincrimsonissqueezedontoanabsorbentpapertowelandleftforashorttime.Itcanthenbescrapedontoapaletteandconfidentlyusedforunderpainting.
SinkingofpaintfilmPatchesofdull,mattpaintacrossthecanvasindicatesinkingofthepaintfilm.
Sunkenpatchescanoccuronpaintingswhichareworkedonoveraperiodof
time,andarecausedbytheoverlaidlayersofcolordryingoutatdifferentrates.
Asitdries,alayerofoilpaintgoesthroughasponge-likestage,whenit
becomesveryabsorbent.Thisstartsafterafewdays,andmaylastforaroundsix
months.Duringthistime,iffurtherlayersareaddedtheymaysinkbecausethe
absorbentunderlayersuckstheoilfromthefreshlayers,leavingthemstarvedand
dry-looking.However,thiscanbeavoidedbyworkingonthepainting
consistently,sothatthepaintfilmsaredryingtogether.Ifyouleaveapainting
formorethanaweekandthenresumeworkonit,sinkingismorelikelyto
occur.
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RevivingsunkenpaintpatchesSunkenpatchescanbebroughtbacktolifeby“oilingout,”andthiswillalso
preventsubsequentlayersbeingweakened.Mixasolutionof80percentstandoil
and20percentwhitespiritandrubthissparinglyovertheaffectedarea,usinga
soft,lint-freecloth.Leavetodryforafewdaysbeforeapplyingfurtherlayersof
paint.Ifsmallpatchesremain,repeattheprocessuntilallthesunkenareashave
disappeared.
GeorgeRowlettTheGreatRapefieldOiloncanvas45×60cm(18×24in)
Someofthepaintonthislandscapeisasthickas38mm(11/2in),yetnocrackingorsinkingofthepaintfilmhasoccurred.Thisisbecausetheartistusespureoilpaint,withouttheadditionofanymediums,diluentsorbinders;heappliesarelativelythinunderlayer,andthenbuildsuptheverythicktexture.Hedoesnotmix
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colors,sothepotentialproblemsofmixingoil-richandoil-leanpaintsareavoided.
Oil-richcolorsSomeoil-richcolors,forexamplealizarincrimson,haveatendencytowrinklewhenappliedinthicklayers,becausetheydryslowly.Ifathicklayerisrequired,itshouldconsistofseveralthinapplications.
AlternativemethodIftimeisshort,brushalittleretouchingvarnishoverthesunkenpatches.Thisreducestheabsorbencyofthepaintalreadyonthecanvas,whileprovidinga“key”forthenextlayer.Applyasmallamountofthevarnishwithasoftbrushandleavetodryfor10minutesbeforecontinuingtopaint.Thedrawbackisthatretouchingvarnishisasolubleresin,whichcanresultintheoil-colorfilmbeingsusceptibletosolventsusedinsubsequentpainting,varnishingorcleaning.Apaintlayerwhichistouch-dryontopbutwetunderneathshouldnotbeoverpaintedwithretouchingvarnish,asthismaycausecracking.
AdditionaldryingoilMixingadditionaldryingoil(forexamplelinseedorpoppyoil)withtubeoilpaintscanalsocausewrinklingofthepaintfilm,buttheinclusionofadiluentshouldpreventthis.SEEALSOPRIMING24OILPAINTS64BINDERS74MEDIUMS76UNDERPAINTING164KNIFEPAINTING174
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ALLAPRIMAItalianfor“atthefirst,”allaprimadescribesapaintingwhichiscompletedina
singlesession.Inalla-primapaintingthereisoftennopreliminary
underdrawingorunderpainting;theideaistocapturetheessenceofthe
subjectinabold,intuitiveway,usingvigorous,expressivebrushstrokesand
minimalcolormixingonthepaletteorsupport.
SpeedandspontaneityThisdirectpaintingmethodrequiresconfidence,butitisveryliberating–the
artistworksrapidly,usingthebrushfreelytoexpressanemotionalresponseto
thesubject.
Theabilitytoapplypaintquicklyandconfidentlyisthekeytothealla-prima
approach.Itis,ofcourse,possibletoscrapeawayandreworkunsuccessfulareas
ofapainting,butthedangeristhatsomeofthefreshnessandspontaneitywill
belost.Itisthereforeimportanttostartoutwithaclearideaofwhatyouwant
toconveyinyourpainting,andtodispensewithinessentialelementswhichdo
notcontributetothatidea.Forthesamereason,youshouldsticktoalimited
rangeofcolorssoastoavoidcomplicatedcolormixing,whichmightinhibitthe
spontaneityofyourbrushwork.
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AnnabelGaultFlaxFieldOilonpaper19×25cm(75/8×10in)RedfernGallery,London
Intriguedbythedramaofthedark,broodinglandscapeandtheluminouseveningsky,AnnabelGaultworkedquicklytodistiltheessenceofthescene,usingfingers,theedgeofherhandandbrushestomanipulatethepaint.
ForerunnersAllaprimafirstcameintofavorwiththeImpressionistsandtheirforerunners,Constable(1776–1837)andCorot(1796–1875).Workingdirectlyfromnature,theseartistsintroducedalivelinessandfreedomofbrushworkthatwasinstrumentalincapturingtheeffectsoflightandmovementinthelandscape.
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DryingAlthoughmanyalla-primapaintingsareworkedrapidlywiththickpaint,theyaretechnicallysound.Thisisbecausecolorsareappliedinonesession,whilethesurfaceisstillwet.Thereiseffectivelyonlyonepaintlayer,sothereisnoproblemwithdifferentdryingspeedsbetweenlayers,whichcanleadtocrackingofthepaintsurface.
ArthurMadersonAFairDealOiloncanvas60×70cm(24×28in)
Smallstudiespaintedonthespothaveadirectnessandvigourdifficulttoachieveinthestudio.Thelivelybrushworkheremakesanobviouscontributiontothecharacterofthepainting,andisalsohighlydescriptive;wegainadefiniteimpressionofthepersonalitiesofthesethreemenengrossedinmakingadeal.
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KenHowardRacingDinghiesOilonwood15×22.5cm(6×9in)
Theartisthadfinishedalongday’spaintingwhenthesedinghiessailedintoharbour.Inspired,hequicklyunpackedhispaintsandcompletedthispaintingintenminutes.Hewasabletodothisbecausehehadbeenpaintingalldayandwas“warmedup”;itwouldhavebeendifficulttoachievethesameenergyandverveatthebeginningoftheday.SEEALSOFAT-OVER-LEAN166
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GLAZINGGlazingisoneofthetraditionaltechniquesthatisassociatedwithoil
painting.TheRenaissancepainters,inparticular,usedglazingasamethodof
colormixing.Ratherthanstirringtheircolorstogetheronthepalette,they
appliedeachcolorseparately,insuccessiveglazesofthin,transparentpaint.
Eachglazemodifiedthecolorbeneath,ratherlikesheetsofcoloredglass,
resultinginhuesofwonderfulrichnessandluminosity.
OpticalmixingWithaslow-dryingmediumsuchasoils,glazingcanbealaboriousprocess,
becauseeachcolormustbecompletelydrybeforethenextisapplied,otherwise
theysimplymixtogetherandbecomemuddied.Nevertheless,glazedcolorshave
aresonancewhichisunobtainablebyphysicallymixingthemonthepalette,
becausetransparentcolorstransmitandreflectlight.Glazingisamethodof
opticalmixing,inwhichthecolorsblendintheviewer’seye.Eachsuccessive
glazemodifiestheunderlyingcolor,butdoesnotcompletelyobscureit;this
incompletefusionofthecolors,combinedwiththeeffectsofreflectedlight,is
whatgivesaglazedpassageitsluminousquality.
GlazingandopaquepaintGlazescanalsobeusedinconjunctionwithopaquelayersofpaint,solongasthe
latteraredrytothetouch–forexample,colorswhicharetoocoolcanbe
correctedbytheapplicationofaglazeofwarmcolor,andviceversa.Similarly,a
thinglazethatisappliedoverafinishedpicturewillsoftenanyharshcontrasts
andwillbringharmonytothecolors,withoutobscuringtheformsbeneath.
GlazingmediumsPaintforglazingshouldbethinnedwithaglazingmedium,toincreaseitsflow
andtransparency.Fast-dryingsyntheticglazemediumsspeedupthedrying
process.Linseedoilisnotsuitableasaglazingmedium:becauseahigh
proportionofoilisneededtomakethepainttransparent,itwillsimplyrun
downthesupport.Turpentinemakesthecolorgoflatanddull,andacracked
surfaceistheresultifitisappliedoverpaintcontainingahighproportionofoil.
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GlazingoverotherpaintsSavetimebyglazingwithoilsoveranunderpaintingdoneineggtempera,alkydsoracrylics,allofwhichdryinminutesratherthandays.Acrylicsmustbeappliedthinly,otherwisetheoil-paintlayermaylackadhesionandthereisadangerofcracking.Althoughoilpaintcanbeappliedoveracrylic,thereverseisnotpossible.
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Comparativeeffects
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Inglazing,athirdcolorisproducedbylayingathinwashofcoloroveranother,dry,color.Glazedcolorsappearricherandmoreluminousthancolorsmixedonthepalette.Hereatransparentglazeofcobaltblueappliedovercadmiumyellowlightproducesalivelycolor(top).However,thesamecombinationoftwocolorsmixedonthepaletteproducesaflattereffect(above).
ApplyingaglazeForbestresults,chooseatransparentcolor,suchascobaltblueorrawsienna,
andavoidopaquecolorssuchasthecadmiums.Theunderpaintingmustbe
touch-drybeforeaglazecanbeappliedoverit.Mixthepaintwithglazemedium
totheconsistencyofthincream;donotover-thintomakethepainttransparent.
Applytheglazeandleaveforafewminutes.Iftheglazeistoostrong,takea
clean,dryfanblender(oranoldshavingbrush)anddabtheglazewithshort
strokes,holdingthebrushvertically.Thisprocessremovessomeofthepaint,
leavingasoft,lustrousfilmthroughwhichtheunderpaintingisvisible.Aspaint
buildsuponthebristles,dabthemregularlyonapieceofragtokeepthemclean
anddry.
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JohnMonksPortraitofaRoomOiloncanvas225×300cm(110×120in)
Inthisinterior,theboxandchairwerepaintedwithapaletteknifebeforeearth-colorglazeswereoverlaid.Theartistpaintedthelandscapethroughthewindowsandthenusedasoftbrushtoapplyglazesontop.Thewindowframeswerepainteddirectlyovertheglazing,tocreatedepth.SEEALSODILUENTS75MEDIUMS76THELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214
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ALKYDPAINTS66TEMPERA108ACRYLICPAINTS110
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IMPASTOIncontrasttoglazing–themethodicalbuilding-upofthinlayersofpaint–
impastoinvolvesapplyingthepaintthicklyandliberally,sothatitretainsthe
marksandridgesleftbythebrush.Mostartistsenjoytheexpressiveand
texturalqualitieswhichimpastogivestoapainting,andthebuttery
consistencyofoilpaintlendsitselfwelltothistechnique.
TechniquesImpastocanbeappliedwithabrushorapaintingknife.Thepaintmaybeused
straightfromthetube,ordilutedwithalittlemediumsothatitismalleable,yet
thickenoughtostandproudofthesupport.
Whenthicklayersofpaintarelefttodryslowly,crackingorwrinklingofthe
paintfilmmayoccur.Thiscanbeavoidedbyusingafast-dryingalkydmedium
oroneofthemediumsspecificallydesignedforusewithimpastowork.These
thickenthepaintwithoutalteringitscolor,speedthedryingprocess,andmake
thepaintgoagreatdealfurther,intothebargain.
Excessivelyoilypaintsmakeitdifficulttoachievehighlytextured,impasto
brushstrokes.Squeezesuchapaintontoabsorbentpaperandleaveitforafew
minutes–nottoolong,oritwillbecomeunderbound.Thepaperabsorbsexcess
oil,andthepainthasastifferconsistency.
PlanningAheavilyimpastedpaintingshouldlookfreeandintuitive,butwillneedcareful
planning.Justascolorlosesitsvitalitywhentoothoroughlymixedonthe
palette,directlyappliedpaintquicklylosesitsfreshnesswhenthepigmentis
pushedaroundonthecanvasfortoolong,orcarelesslyapplied.Oilpainthasa
wonderfultactilequality,andthetemptationistobuilditupinjuicydollops.
Thedangeristhateachnewbrushstrokepicksupcolorfromtheonebelow,and
theresultismuddycolorandanunpleasant,churned-upsurface.Youcanrescue
anoilpaintingbytonkingit(seebelow),orbyscrapingthewetpaintoffwitha
paintingknifeandstartingagain.However,itisbesttoavoidtheprobleminthe
firstplacebystartingwithathinunderpaintingandgraduallybuildingupthicker
layers.
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BrushesFlatbristleorsyntheticbrushesarebestforimpastowork,astheyholdalotof
paint.Loadthebrushwithplentyofcoloranddabitontothecanvas,working
thebrushinalldirectionstocreateaveryobvious,almostsculpturaltexture.Be
sureyourbrushcarriesplentyofpaint,applyitwithaclearsenseofpurpose,and
thenletitstay.
StraightfromthetubeOilpaintmaybeusedstraightfromthetube,ordilutedwithalittlemediumtomakeitmalleableenoughtostandproudofthesupport.
Extratexture
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Trymixingsandandsawdustwithoilpainttocreateahighlytexturedsurface.Youcanalsomakeexpressivemarksbyscratchingintothewetpaintwithapaintingknife,theendofabrushhandle,oranysharptool.
GlazingoverimpastoOnceanimpastedlayeriscompletelydry,youcanglazeoverit,ifdesired,withathinfilmofpaintmixedwithaglazemedium.Theglazemustcontainmoreoilthantheunderlayers,topreventcracking.
TonkingIfanoilpaintingbecomescloggedwithtoomuchpaint,theexcesscanberemovedwhenstillwetbytonking.Placeasheetofabsorbentpaper,suchasnewspaperortoilettissue,overtheoverloadedareaandgentlysmoothwiththebackofthehand.Peelthepaperaway,liftingexcesspaintwithit.
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ImpastoThepaintingsonthispageshowjustthreeofthemanytexturesandeffectspossiblewithimpasto.
ArthurMadersonEveningLightonRiverOiloncanvas85×85cm(34×34in)
ArthurMaderson’spaintingiscomposedentirelyofimpastedbrushmarks,whichhavebeendabbedandstippledtocreateashimmeringmosaicofcolor.Theuseofcomplementarycolorsenhancesthevibrancy.
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IanHoustonSymiOiloncanvas40×60cm(16×24in)KentmereHouseGallery,York
InIanHouston’scoastallandscape,smalltouchesofimpastoprovideacontrastwiththeareasofsmoothpaint.Theraisedtouchesappeartocomeforward,therebyincreasingthedepthinthepicture.
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GeorgeRowlett
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HeadofHannahDunnOiloncanvas40×23.7cm(16×91/2in)
GeorgeRowlettusesanextremelyheavyimpastotoachieveathree-dimensional,sculpturalqualityinhispainting.Notethebraidontheright,whichendsupoffthesupport.SEEALSOSUPPORTS14MEDIUMS76BRUSHES78FAT-OVER-LEAN166ALLAPRIMA168KNIFEPAINTING174
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KNIFEPAINTINGPaintingknivesmaybeusedinsteadof,oraswellas,brushes,toapplythick
impastosofoilpaint.Paintingknivesshouldnot,however,beconfusedwith
paletteknives,whichhavestifferbladesandaremostlyusedformixingpaint
onthepalette.Apaintingknifehasashorterbladeandacrankedhandle,to
preventtheknucklesaccidentallybrushingagainstthecanvaswhenapplying
paint.Thebladeismadeofforgedsteel,givingitspringandflexibility,and
allowingsensitivecontrol.
ManyusesAlthoughapaintingknifeisbynomeansanessentialpieceofequipment,many
artistsenjoythetactilesensationofapplyingthick,juicyoilpainttothecanvas
withaknife,movingitaroundandpartiallyscrapingitoffwiththeedgeofthe
blade,orscratchingintothewetpaint,tosuggestdetailsandtexture.
Paintingwithaknifeisinitiallytrickierthanpaintingwithabrush,soitis
wisetopractiseuntilyougetthefeelofit.Byholdingtheknifeatdifferent
angles,varyingthepressureonthebladeandusingdifferentpartsoftheblade,
youcanachievearangeofstrokesandeffects.Forexample,paintingwiththe
flatbaseoftheblade,spreadingthepaintverythickly,producesasmoothsurface
thatreflectsthemaximumamountoflight.
Holdingtheknifeataslightangletothecanvasandapplyingfirmpressure
willgiveathinnercovering,whichallowsthetextureofthecanvastoshow
throughthepaint.Usingabriskpattingmotionwiththetipofthebladecreates
arough,stippledtexture.Youcanalsousethetipofthebladetoscratchthrough
alayerofwetpaintandtorevealthecolorbeneath,atechniqueknownas
sgraffito.
TechniquesPickupthepaintontheundersideoftheknife.Tomakebold,broadstrokes,
griptheknifehandleasyouwouldatrowel,andusethefullwidthoftheblade
tosqueezethepaintontothesurface.Donotmovetheknifebackandforth;
instead,setitdownfirmlyonthecanvasandspreadthepaintwithasingle,
decisivemovement,liftingthebladecleanlyawaywhenthestrokeiscompleted.
Tolayinsmallerpatchesofcolor,gripthehandleandpushtheindexfinger
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Tolayinsmallerpatchesofcolor,gripthehandleandpushtheindexfinger
againstthesteelshaft;thiswillgivegreatercontrolwhenworkingoversmaller
andmoredelicateareas.
ScrapingbackPaintingknivescanbeusedtopushthepaintintotheweaveofthecanvasandbuildupaseriesoftranslucentstains.Alternatively,scrapesomeofthepaintoffthecanvaswhileitisstillwet,leavingbehindathinlayerofcolor,a“ghostimage,”onthesupport.Furtherlayersmaybeaddedandthenscrapedback,topartiallyrevealthecolorsbeneath.Thefinishedeffectisdelicateandsubtle,withminimalbrushmarks.
ApplyingpaintBegenerouswiththepaint,applyingenoughtofillthegrainofthecanvas.Takecarenottobuildituptoothickly,oritmaycrackintime.
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Layinginsmallerpatchesofcolor
Layinginbold,broadstrokes
Usetheflatbaseofthebladetoproduceasmoothsurface(top).Holdtheknifeataslightangletogiveathinnercoveringandallowthetextureofthecanvastoshowthrough(secondrow).Makeabriskpattingmotionwiththetipofthebladetocreatearough,stippledtexture(thirdrow).Scratchthroughalayerofwetpaintwiththetipofthebladetorevealthecolorbeneath(bottom).
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KnivesforpaintingPaintingandpaletteknivesandevenascrapercanbeused.
JohnDenahyBoshamOiloncanvas
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31.2×37.5cm(121/2×15in)JohnDenahyusesknives,brushesandscraperstoapplypaint,overlayingtransparentglazeswithbroken,opaquepassages.Inthispainting,thethinlinesofthemastsweremadebyloadingtheedgeofaknifewithpaintandpressingitontothesurface.
KnifepaintingPaintingknivesareusuallyassociatedwiththickimpasto,buttheyarecapableofdetailedanddelicateeffects.
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SophieKnight
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SpiltMilkOiloncanvas150×105cm(60×42in)SophieKnightcombinestexturesandtechniques.Forthetabletopandbackgroundsheusedwet-in-wetwashes;incontrast,thecakesandspiltmilkconsistofthickpaint,sculptedandsmoothedwithaknife.
ToryLawrenceFourSheepOiloncanvas35×75cm(18×30in)MontpelierStudio,LondonKnifestrokesarealwayspartofToryLawrence’spaintingprocess.Theridgedandsmearedfeaturesthatcreatealivelytexturewerebuiltupwithknivesandbrushes,whilelinearmarkswerescratchedintothepaintwiththetipoftheknife.SEEALSOACCESSORIES86
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SCUMBLING,DRYBRUSH&BLENDINGWhileoilpaintsarewellsuitedtothickapplicationsandstrongbrushwork,
theyareequallycapableofproducingsubtletexturesandsoftlyblended
passagesinwhichthereisagradualtransitionfromlighttoshadoworfrom
onecolortoanother:forexample,thegradationofablueskyfromstrong
coloratthezenithtopaleonthehorizon,orthesubtleeffectsoflightand
shadeinaportrait.
ScumbleAthinfilmofdry,semi-opaquecoloronadryunderlayer.
ScumblingScumblingisanexcellentwayofmodifyingcolorwhileretainingthelivelinessof
thepaintsurface.Athinfilmofdry,semi-opaquecolorislooselybrushedovera
dryunderlayer,creatingadelicate“veil”ofcolor.Becausethetechniqueinvolves
unequalapplicationsofpaint,theunderlayerisonlypartiallyobscured,andit
shimmersupthroughthescumble.Forexample,whitescumbledoverablack
underlayercreatesanopticalblue;crimsonscumbledoverthisproducesan
opticalviolet.
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ResonanteffectScumblingoveracolorwithitscomplementarycolor.
ModifyingcolorAwarmorhotcolorcanbemodifiedbyscumblingwithacoolorcoldcolor.
ModifyingcolorTryscumblingoveracolorwithitscomplementary(opposite)color.Thetwo
mixopticallyandthusappearmoreresonantthananareaofflatcolor.Similarly,
acolorwhichistoo“hot”canbemodifiedwithacoolscumble,andviceversa.A
scumbleshouldbelighterthanitsbackgroundcolor;addatouchoftitanium
whitetothepigment,tolightenitandmakeitsemi-opaque.
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TechniquesUseabristleorsyntheticbrushforscumbling.Indeed,anold,wornbrushis
preferable,becausethescrubbingactionmaydamagethehairsofyourbest
brushesifyouusethetechniquefrequently.Loadthebrushwithdilutedpaint
andwipeitonaragtoremoveanyexcess.Lightlyscrubonthesupportwith
free,vigorousstrokes,toproduceaverythinfilmofcolor.Thepaintcanbe
workedwithacircularmotion,withback-and-forthstrokes,orinvarious
directions.Youcanalsoscumblewithaclean,lint-freerag.
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BrushesforscumblingUseold,wornbrushes,asthescrubbingactionmaydamagethehairsofyourbestbrushes.
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FredCumingStudioInterior,EarlyMorningOilonhardboard90×85cm(36×34in)BrianSinfieldGallery,BurfordTheartistworkedoverthewholecanvaswiththinveilsofstiff,chalkypaint,scumbledanddraggedoverdriedunderlayers.Theinteractionbetweenthetwolayersproducesasoft,pearlyeffectwhichisparticularlyevocative.Eachcolormodifiestheprecedingoneandcreatessubtleharmoniesoftoneandcolor.
DrybrushThisismostsuccessfulwhenthereisalreadysomeexistingtexture,eitherthatof
thecanvasorthatprovidedbypreviousbrushstrokes,whichhelpstobreakup
thepaint.Withdrybrush,asmallamountofneatcolorispickeduponabrush
andskimmedlightlyoveradrypaintingsurface.Thepaintcatchesontheraised
“tooth”ofthecanvasandleavestinyspecklesoftheground,ortheunderlying
color,showingthrough.Thebrushstrokesshouldalwaysbemadequicklyand
confidently,asoverworkingdestroystheeffect.
Theragged,brokenqualityofadrybrushstrokeisextremelyexpressive,and
thistechniqueisparticularlysuitableforwhenyouwanttosuggestanddepict
naturaltexturesandeffectsinyourpainting,suchasweatheredwoodandrock,
longgrass,orthesparkleoflightonwater.
BlendingThesoft,pliantconsistencyofoils,andtheirprolongeddryingtime,enablethe
artisttobrushandrebrushtheareawheretwocolorsortonesmeet,sothatthey
mergetogetherimperceptibly.
Dependingonthesubjectandthestyleofthepainter,blendingcanbe
achievedsimplybydraggingonecolorovertheedgeofthenextsothattheyare
roughlyknittedtogetherbutthemarksofthebrushareevident.Alternatively,it
caninvolvemethodicallystrokingwithasoft-hairbrushorfanblender,tocreate
asmooth,highlyfinishedjoininwhichthemarksofthebrushareinvisible.
DrybrushTwocontrastingusesshowthetechnique’sversatility.
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ArthurMadersonPointingOiloncanvas37.5×27.5cm(15×11in)InArthurMaderson’spainting,dry,chalkypaint,depositedonthecrestsofthecanvasweave,createsbrokenstrokessuggestingmovementandlightonwater.
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AnnabelGaultTreesOilonpaper26×35cm(103/8×14in)RedfernGallery,LondonAnnabelGaultusesrapidcalligraphicdrybrushstrokestocapturethegesturesofwindswepttrees.Theeconomyoflineisreminiscentoforientalbrushwork.
BlendingBoththesepaintingsapplydifferentwet-in-wetblendingtechniques,inordertoachievedistinctiveresults.
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DerekMynott(1926–94)TowardsLotsRoad,1990Oiloncanvas55×47.5cm(22×19in)DerekMynott’smeticulousanddistinctbrushstrokesblendthewetpainttoallowtinygradationsoftoneandhue,creatinganimpressionofsoft,hazylight.
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RichardSmithPensiveOiloncanvas30×40cm(12×16in)BrianSinfieldGallery,BurfordInhisstrikingfigurestudy,RichardSmithgentlyblendedpaintappliedwet-in-wet;thissubtleuseoftoneandcolorcapturestheyouthfulsheenofthemodel’sskinandhair.
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TwostylesofblendingWithroughblending(top),thecolorsareroughlyknittedtogether,andthebrushmarksareevident.Incontrast,smoothblending(above)producesahighlyfinishedjoininwhichthemarksofthebrushareinvisible.SEEALSOBRUSHES78GLAZING170THELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214MIXINGCOLORS220
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WATERCOLORTECHNIQUESThismediumhasadelicacyandtransparencythatmakesitperfectfor
capturingthesubtlenuancesoflightandcolorinnature.Becausethepaintis
transparent,thewhitereflectivesurfaceofthepapershinesthroughthe
colors,andgivesthemtheiruniqueluminosity.Thefluidnatureofwatercolor
makesitlesspredictablethanotherpaintingmedia,butthisismorethan
compensatedforbytherangeofexcitingandbeautifuleffectsitcancreate–
sometimesmorebyaccidentthandesign.Theelementofchanceandriskcan
makewatercolorafrustratingmedium,aswellasanexcitingandchallenging
one.However,armedwiththerightequipmentandabasicunderstandingof
howpigments,waterandpaperinteract,youcanstayonestepaheadofthe
game.
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J.M.W.Turner(1775–1851)VeniceSuburb,Moonlight,1821Watercoloronpaper22×31.9cm(83/4×123/4in)TateGallery,London
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WASHTECHNIQUESWashesaretheveryfoundationofwatercolorpainting.Oneoftheunique
qualitiesofthemediumisthewayinwhichatmosphereandlightcanbe
conveyedbyafewbrushstrokessweptoversparklingwhitepaper.
ChoosingpaperTheappearanceofawashdependsonseveralfactors:thetypeofpigmentused
andthelevelofdilution;thetypeofpaper;andwhetherthesurfaceiswetordry
whenthewashisapplied.Forexample,whenwashesareappliedtoan
absorbent,low-sizedpaper,theydrywithasoft,diffusedquality.Onhard-sized
paper,wetwashesspreadmorequicklyandwithlesscontrol,butthiscancreate
excitingeffects.Whenawashislaidondampenedpaper,thepaintgoesonvery
evenly,becausethefirstapplicationofwaterenablesthepigmenttospreadout
onthepaperanddissolvewithoutleavingahardedge.Workingondrypaper
givesamuchsharper,crispereffect,andsomepaintersfinditamorecontrollable
method.
Low-sizedpaperforsoftanddiffusedwashes
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Hard-sizedpaperforquick-spreadingwashesSizedpaperTheeffectofpaintingwashesonlow-sizedpaperandhard-sizedpaper.
Medium-sizedwetpaperforsofterwashes
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Medium-sizeddrypaperforsharper,crisperwashesDampanddrypaperWasheslaidondamppaperanddrypaper,bothmedium-sized.
Layingwashes
Thesetipswillhelpyoutomakesuccessfulwashes.
•Mixmorecolorthanyouthinkwillbeneededtocoveranarea–youcannotstopinthemiddleoflayingawashtomixafreshsupply.
•Awatercolorwashdriesmuchlighterthanitlookswhenwet,soallowforthiswhenmixingpaint.•Tiltingtheboardataslightanglewillallowawashtoflowsmoothlydownwardwithoutdripping.•Usealargeroundorflatbrush.Thefewerandbroaderthestrokes,thelessriskofstreaksdeveloping.
•Alwayskeepthebrushwellloaded,butnotoverloaded.Streakingiscausedwhenabrushistoodry,butifyourbrushisoverloaded,washescanrunoutofcontrol.
•Don’tpresstoohard.Sweepthebrushlightly,quicklyanddecisivelyacrossthepaper,usingthetip,nottheheel.
•Neverworkbackintoapreviouslylaidwashtosmoothitout–itwillonlymakemattersworse.
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Wash-layingequipmentAswellasnaturalsponges,synthetic-spongerollersandspongebrushes(above)canbeusedtolayasmoothwash.Foradense,thickcovering,makesurethespongeisfilledwithplentyofpaint.Forpalertonesorvariegatedeffects,squeezeoutsomeofthepaint.
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RobertTilling
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Rocks,LowTideWatercoloronpaper50×65cm(20×26in)Tillingusesthewet-in-wetmethodtoexploretheinteractionsofsky,seaandland.Hemixeslargequantitiesofpaintinoldteacupsandappliesitwithlargebrushes,tiltinghisboardatanacuteanglesothatthecolorsflowdownthepaper,thenreversingtheangletocontroltheflow.Whenthepaperhasdried,hepaintsthedarkshapesofrocksandheadlandwet-on-dryformorecrispdefinition.
AchievingsmoothwashesLayingalarge,overallwashfreeofstreaksorrunsrequirespractice.Where
heavywashesaretobeapplied,thepapermustbestretchedandtapedfirmlytoa
board,topreventcocklingorwrinkling.Opinionsvaryastowhetherlargeareas
ofwashshouldbelaidondryordamppaper.Someartistsfindthatauniform
toneiseasiertoachieveondrypaper,whileothersfindthatthepaintstreaks.
Somefeelthatwashesflowmoreeasilyondamppaper,andstillothersfindthat
slightcockling,evenofstretchedpaper,canproducestreaksandmarksasthe
paintcollectsinthedips.Resultsvary,too,accordingtothetypeofpaperused;
theonlyansweristoexperimentforyourself.
SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28STRETCHINGPAPER33WATERCOLORBRUSHES96WATERCOLORACCESSORIES102FLATANDGRADEDWASHES184WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189
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FLAT&GRADEDWASHESTherearetwobasictypesofwash:aflatwashisevenlytonedandisoftenused
tocoverthewholeareaofthepaperwithaunifyingbackgroundcolor.A
gradedwashmovesgraduallyfromlighttodark,fromdarktolight,orfrom
onecolortoanother.Gradedwashesaremostoftenusedinpaintingskies,
wherethecolorfadesgraduallytowardsthehorizon.
FlatwashesWatercoloristsnormallyemployflatwashesasintegralpartsofapainting,
frequentlyoverlayingonewashwithanother.However,aflatwashisalsoused
merelytotintwhitepaperasabackgroundforbodycolororgouache.
1Dampenthepapersurfacewithasponge.
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2Drawasinglestrokeacrossthetop.
3Paintasecondstrokebeneaththefirst.
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4Evenupanypaintthatgathersalongthebase.
LayingabasicwashHeretheflat-washmethodisusedtocreateanoverallskyeffectusingdilutedindigoblue.
1Mixupplentyofcolorinasaucerorjar.Placetheboardataslightangle,thendampenthepapersurfacewithwater,usingamopbrushorasponge.
2Loadthebrushwithpaintanddrawasingle,steadystrokeacrossthetopofthearea.Duetotheangleoftheboard,anarrowbeadofpaintwillformalongthebottomedgeofthebrushstroke;thiswillbeincorporatedintothenextstroke.
3Paintasecondstrokebeneaththefirst,slightlyoverlappingitandpickingupthebeadofpaint.Continuedownthepaperwithoverlappingstrokes,eachtimepickinguptheexcesspaintfromthepreviousstroke.Keepthebrushwellloadedwithpaint.
4Useamoist,cleanbrushtoevenupthepaintthatgathersalongthebaseofthewash.Leavetodryinthesametiltedposition,otherwisethepaintwillflowbackanddry,leavinganuglytidemark.
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GradedwashesThemethodofapplyingagradedwashisthesameasforaflatwash,exceptthat
witheachsuccessivebrushstrokethebrushcarriesmorewaterandlesspigment
(orviceversaifyouareworkingfromlighttodark).
Ittakesalittlepracticetoachieveasmoothtransitionintone,withnosudden
jumps.Thesecretistoapplyasufficientweightofpaintsothattheexcessflows
verygentlydownthesurfaceofthepaper,tobemergedwiththenext
brushstroke.
Wash-layingtechniqueInthesequencebelow,thegraded-washtechniqueisusedtocreateanotherskyscene.Cobaltblueisdilutedwithwaterineachsubsequentbrushstroke.
1Dampenthepaperasforlayingaflatwash,andlayalineofcoloratfullstrengthacrossthetopoftheareatobepainted.Allowthecolortospreadandevenout.
2Quicklyaddalittlemorewatertothepaintonyourpaletteandlayasecondbandofcolor,slightlyoverlappingthefirst.
3Continuedownthepaper,addingmorewatertothepaintwitheachsucceedingstrokeandendingwithastrokeofpurewater.Aswithflatwashes,thebrushusedtomopuppaintalongthebaseofthewashmustbecleanandmoist.Leavetodryinthesametiltedpositionasforflatwashes.
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1Layalineofcoloratfullstrengthacrossthetop.
2Addmorewaterandlayasecondbandofcolor.
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3Continuedownthepaper,addingwatertothepaintwitheachstroke.
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VariegatedwashesThetechniqueshownaboveenablesyoutolaytwoormorecolorsinawash.Mixyourchosencolorsbeforehand,andthenapplythefirstlineofcoloralongthetopofthepaper.Alwayswashingthebrushbetweencolors,applyanothercolor,partlyonblankpaperandpartlytouchingthefirst.Repeatthiswithanyothercolors.
VarietyandcontrastAflowerpainting,atable-topstilllifeandalandscapedemonstratesomeofthevarietyoftechniqueandcontrastofstylewhichcanbeachievedwithwatercolor.
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JohnBlockleyShopFlowersWatercoloronpaper43.2×43.2cm(17×17in)Theflowerpaintingbelieswatercolor’sreputationforbeingamediumforlittleoldladies.Blockleyattackshissubjectswithgusto,usingbroadhouseholdpaintbrushestoapplyverticalstreaksofcolorintheforeground.
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SophieKnightStill-lifeReflectionsWatercolorandacryliconpaper35×55cm(14×22in)Watercoloriscombinedwithacrylicpainttogiveitbodywhileretainingitstranslucence.Mostofthepaintisappliedwet-in-wet,sothattheshapesandcolorsaresuggestedratherthanliterallydescribed.
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RoyHammondLondonSunsetWatercoloronpaper16.2×23.7cm(61/2×91/2in)ChrisBeetlesGallery,LondonTheeveningskyhasbeenbeautifullydescribedbymeansofgradedwashesofpale,pearlycolor.Thedarktonesofthebuildings,paintedwithoverlaidwashes,accentuatetheluminosityofthesky.
DifferentapproachesExperimentwithwatercolorandgettoknowitscharacteristics.Withexperience,youwilldevelopapaintingstyleasuniqueandindividualtoyouasyourhandwritingstyle.
ItisinterestingtocomparethetwoverydifferentapproachestoasimilarthemeadoptedherebyPennyAnsticeandRonJesty.Workingondamppaper,Ansticeapplieswetpoolsofcolorandallowsthemtofloodtogether,relishingtheelementofchancethatmakeswet-in-wetsuchanexcitingtechnique.
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Incontrast,Jestyusesacarefulandmethodicalapproach,buildingupformandtonewithsuperimposedwashesappliedwet-on-dry.Heleavesthepaintingtodrybetweenstagessothatthecolorsaren’tmuddiedbutremaincrispandclear.
PennyAnsticeNectarinesWatercoloronpaper30×45cm(12×18in)
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RonaldJestyThreeFigsWatercoloronpaper15×20.6cm(6×81/4in)SEEALSOWASHTECHNIQUES182WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189SKIES286
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WET-IN-WETWet-in-wetisoneofthemostexpressiveandbeautifultechniquesin
watercolorpainting.Whencolorsareappliedtoeitheradampsheetofpaper
oranareaofstill-wetpaint,theyrunoutoverthewetsurface,givingasoft,
hazyedgetothepaintedshape.Thistechniqueisparticularlyeffectivein
paintingskiesandwater,producinggentlegradationsoftonewhichevokethe
ever-changingqualityoflight.
ChoosingpaperItisessentialtochoosetherighttypeofpaperforwet-in-wet.Avoidpapers
whicharetoosmoothorwhichareheavilysized,asthepainttendstositonthe
surface.AgentlyabsorbentNot(cold-pressed)surfaceisideal,allowingwashes
tofuseintothepaperstructure.Thepapershouldalsoberobustenoughtobear
uptofrequentapplicationsofwaterwithoutcockling.Lighterpapersmustbe
stretchedandtapedtotheboard.Withheavier-gradepapersof410gsm(200lb)
orover,youmaygetawaywithoutstretching,butwhereheavyapplicationsof
washaretobeused,itisbesttoerronthesideofcaution.
ControllingAlthoughwet-in-wetpaintingproducesspontaneouseffects,ittakespractice
andexperiencetobeabletojudgehowwetthepaperandthestrengthofthe
washesneedtobe,inordertocontrolthespreadandflowofthepaint.Usea
softspongeorlargebrushtodampenthepaperwithcleanwater.Thesurface
shouldbeevenlydampoverall;useatissuetoblotupanypoolsofwater,then
takeyourcourageinbothhands–andyourbrushinone–andapplythecolors.
Workquicklyandconfidently,allowingthecolorstodiffuseandgowherethey
will.Somedegreeofcontrolcanbegainedbytiltingtheboardinanydirection,
butonlyslightly–thisiswheretheinterestandcreativetensioncomein.Ifa
washrunsoutofcontrolorgoeswhereitshouldn’t,liftoutsomeofthecolor
withasoft,drybrush,orgentlyblotitwithatissue.
DilutionandcolorMakesureyoudon’tover-dilutepaint,asthiscanmakethefinishedpicture
appearpaleandwan.Becauseyouhavewettedthepaper,itispossibletouserich
paint–butnotsothickthatitdoesn’tspread.Thepaintwillkeepitsrichhueas
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itsoftensonthedamppaper.Thecolorwillappeardarkerwhenwetandwilldry
toalightershade,particularlywhereanabsorbentpaperisused,somake
allowancesforthiswhenapplyingpaint.
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Wet-in-weteffectsPaintapplieddirectlyontowetpaper(top).Paintappliedintowetpaint(center).Controlledsingle-colorpaintrunonwetpaper(bottom).
TiltingtheboardTheboardshouldbetiltedatanangleofroughly30degreessothatthecolorscanflowgentlydownthepaper.Iftheboardislaidflat,washescannotspreadanddiffuseeasily,andthereisadangerofcolorscreepingbackintopreviouslylaidcolors,creatingunwantedmarksandblotches.SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28STRETCHINGPAPER33WASHTECHNIQUES182
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WET-ON-DRYInthisclassictechnique,tonesandcolorsareappliedinaseriesofpure,
transparentlayers,oneovertheother,eachwashbeingallowedtodrybefore
thenextisadded.
SuperimposedcolorThedrysurfaceofthepaper“holds”thepaint,sothatbrushstrokeswillnot
distortorrunoutofcontrol.Lighttravelsthrougheachtransparentwashtothe
whitepaperbeneath,andreflectsbackthroughthecolors.Superimposedwashes
ofthin,palecolorresultinmoreresonantareasofcolorthancanbeachievedby
asingle,flatwashofdensecolor.
ChoosingpaperThemostsuitablepaperforthistechniqueisonewhichissurface-sized,
presentingasmooth,hardsurfacethatholdsthepaintwell.Workingwet-on-dry
requiresalittlepatience,aseachlayermustdrybeforethenextisapplied;
otherwisethecolorswillmixandbecomemuddied,andcrispnessanddefinition
arelost.Tospeeduptheprocess,youcanuseahairdryeronacool-to-warm
setting–letthewashsinkinalittlefirst,otherwiseitwillgetblownaroundon
thepaperandloseitsshape.
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PatrickProcktorPortraitofEmilAsanoWatercoloronpaper63.5×47cm(251/2×183/4in)RedfernGallery,London
Thesuccessofthispaintingreliesonthesimplicityofthedesignandthecontrolled,almostrestrained,useoftwobasicwatercolortechniques.Aseriesofflatwashesindicatesthewallsandfurnishings,capturingtheorientalsimplicityoftheinterior.Thepatternoftheblouseemploysthewet-in-wettechnique,successfully
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conveyingthesoftnessandfluidcolorofthemodel’scostume,whichisalsoreflectedinthetabletop.Note,too,thesoftnessofthehairlineagainstthebackground,againachievedbyworkingwet-in-wet.
KeepingcolorsfreshIfyouapplytoomanylayersofpaint,theattractivedelicacyandfreshnessofthemediummaybelost.Itisbesttoapplyafewlayersconfidentlyratherthanriskmuddyingthepaintingbycontinuallyaddingmore,soitisadvisablealwaystotestcolorsbylayeringthemonscrappaperbeforecommittingthemtothesurface.Anothercommoncauseofmuddycolorsisdirtywater,soalwaysrinseyourbrushthoroughlybetweencolorsandensurethatyouregularlyrefillyourwaterjarwithcleanwater.
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CREATINGHIGHLIGHTSManyinexperiencedwatercoloristsmakethemistakeoftryingtocoverevery
partofthepaperwithpaint:infact,withwatercolorthisisneithernecessary
nordesirable.Thelight-reflectingsurfaceofwatercolorpaperprovidesa
uniquelybrilliantwhitewhichcanbeusedtogreateffect,addingsparkleto
yourcolorsandallowingthepaintingto“breathe.”Describedbelowaresome
ofthetechniquesthatmaybeusedtomanipulatethepainttocreatewhite
highlightsinawatercolorwash.
ReservingwhiteareasThesimplestwaytocreatewhitehighlightsinawatercolorpaintingistopaint
aroundthem,therebypreservingthewhiteofthepaper,withitsbrilliantlight-
reflectingproperties.Reservinghighlightsinthiswayrequirescarefulplanning,
becauseitisnotalwayspossibletoretrievethepristinewhiteofthepaperoncea
colorhasbeeninadvertentlyapplied.
Whenyoupaintaroundanareatobereservedforahighlight,thepaintwill
drywithacrisphardedge.Forasofteredge,workondamppaperorblend
colorededgesintothewhiteareawithasoft,dampbrushwhilethepaintisstill
wet.
LiftingoutAnothermethodofcreatinghighlightsisbygentlyremovingcolorfrompaper
whileitisstillwet,usingasoftbrush,aspongeorsometissue.Thislifting-out
techniqueisoftenusedtocreatesoft,diffusedhighlights,suchasthewhitetops
ofcumulusclouds.Itcanalsobeusedtosoftenedgesandtorevealonecolor
beneathanother.
Paintcanbeliftedoutwhenitisdrybygentlecoaxingwithadampsponge,
brushoracottonbud.Theresultswillvaryaccordingtothecolortobelifted
(strongstainerssuchasalizarincrimsonandphthalocyaninegreenmayleavea
faintresidue)andthetypeofpaperused(paintismoredifficulttoremovefrom
soft-sizedpapers).Insomecases,pigmentmaybeloosenedmoreeasilyusinghot
water,whichpartiallydissolvesthegelatinesizeusedonthesurfaceofthepaper.
Usingbodycolor
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Someofthegreatestwatercolorists,fromDürertoTurnertoSargent,used
touchesofbodycolorforcreatingthehighlightsintheirpaintings,withsome
breathtakingresults.Aslongastheopaquepartsofyourpaintingareas
sensitivelyandthoughtfullyhandledasthetransparentareas,theywillintegrate
naturallyintothewholescheme.
CreatingasoftedgeUsedamppaperorblendintothewhiteareawithasoft,dampbrush.
LiftingoutwetpaintUseasoftbrush,aspongeortissueforcreatingsofthighlights.
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LiftingoutdrypaintUseadampsponge,brushorcottonbud.
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UsingbodycolorSmallamountsofbodycolorcanprovidethefinishingtouches.
WilliamDealtryNorthYorkshireStreamWatercoloronpaper16.2×22.5cm(61/2×9in)BrianSinfieldGallery,BurfordInthisfreshpainting,broadwasheshavebeenrapidlymanipulatedwithaflatbrush,simplifyingthescenealmosttoabstraction,yetkeepingitsessentialcharacter.Theunpaintedareasservetogiveanimpressionofmovementandchanginglight.
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TrevorChamberlainBowlsMatch,SidmouthWatercoloronpaper22.5×30cm(9×12in)Chamberlain’spaintingofaquintessentialcountrysceneexudesanairofcalmandtranquillity.Theeffectofthesunlightglancingofftheplayers’whiteshirtsisskilfullywroughtbymeansofalittlejudiciousliftingoutofcolortocreatesuffusedhighlights.
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HerculesB.Brabazon(1821–1906)Cadiz,1874Watercolorandbodycolorontintedpaper26.2×35cm(1O1/2×14in)ChrisBeetlesGallery,LondonAlthoughhedidnotreceivepublicrecognitionuntilhewas71,Brabazon’sbravuratechniqueandboldlyconceivedcompositionsplacedhimamongthemostprogressiveartistsofhisday.Thispaintingistypicalofhisabilitytoparedowntotheessentialsofhissubject.Itispaintedwithtransparentcolorontintedpaper,withrich,creamyaccentsprovidedbywhitebodycoloroverlaidwithwatercolor.
MaskingoutBecauseofthetransparentnatureofwatercolors,lightcolorsandtonescannot
bepaintedoverdarkones,astheycaninoilsoracrylics.Lightorwhiteareas
mustbeplannedinitiallyandpaintedaround.Thisisnotdifficultforbroadareas
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andsimpleshapes,butpreservingsmallshapes,suchashighlightsonwater,can
beanuisance,asthemethodinhibitstheflowofthewash.
Onesolutionistosealofftheseareasfirstwithmaskingfluid,thusfreeing
yourselffromtheworryofaccidentallypaintingoverareasthatyouwishtokeep
white.
UsingmaskingfluidMaskingfluidisaliquid,rubberysolutionwhichisappliedtopaperwitha
brush.Itdriesquicklytoformawater-resistantfilmwhichprotectsthepaper
underneathit.Whenboththemaskingfluidandthesurroundingpaintaredry,
thefluidcanberemovedbyrubbingwithacleanfingertiporwithaneraser.
Maskingfluidcanalsobeusedinthelaterstagesofapainting,inorderto
preserveareasofanyspecifictoneorcolorinasurroundingwash(alwaysmake
suretheareatobepreservediscompletelydrybeforeapplyingthefluid).
Ideally,maskingfluidshouldberemovedfromapaintingwithin24hoursof
application,otherwiseitwillbedifficulttoruboffandmayleaveaslightresidue.
Ifyouintendtousemaskingfluid,thenchooseapaperwithaNot(cold-
pressed)surface,fromwhichitiseasilyremoved;itisnotsuitableforrough
papers,asitsinksintoindentsandcannotbepeeledoffcompletely.
Blades,sandpapersandsharpenedbrushhandlesmakeusefulhighlightingtools.
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ScratchingoutFinelinearhighlights,suchaslightcatchingthebladesofgrass,canbescratched
outofapaintedsurfacewhenitisdry,usingasharp,pointedtool,forinstancea
scalpelorcraftknife,orevenarazorblade.Avoiddiggingthebladeintothe
paper,andworkgentlybydegrees.
DiffusedhighlightsAmorediffusedhighlight,suchasthepatternoffrothywateronoceanwavesor
waterfalls,canbemadebyscrapingthesurfacegentlywiththesideoftheblade
orwithapieceoffinesandpaper.Thisremovescolorfromtheraisedtoothof
thepaperonly,leavingcolorintheindentsandcreatingamottled,broken-color
effect.
Moredelicate,mutedhighlightscanbescratchedoutofpaintthatisnotquite
dry,usingthetipofapaintbrushhandle,orevenyourfingernail–Turnerissaid
tohavegrownonefingernaillong,especiallyforscratchingouthighlightsfrom
hiswatercolors.
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ScratchedhighlightsandmarksTheexamplesaboveshowfourwaysofcreatinghighlights:(fromtoptobottom)scratchingwithabladepoint;scratchingwithabladeedge;scrapingwithabluntpaintbrushhandle;scrapingwithasharpenedbrushhandle.
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Highlightscreatedwithsandpaper
CleaningbrushesMaskingfluidistoughonbrushes;evenwithcarefulcleaning,driedfluidcanbuilduponbrushhairsoveraperiodoftime.Alwaysusecheapsyntheticbrushestoapplyfluid–notyourbestsable!Thebestmethodofcleaningsyntheticbrushesistorinsetheminlighterfuelandleavethemtodry.
UsingmaskingfluidShakethebottlebeforeusingtoensurethecorrectconsistency.Too-thinfluidwillnotresistpaint.Onceopened,abottleofmaskingfluidhasashelflifeofaroundoneyear.Afterthis,itwillnotworkwell.Excessiveheatcanmakeitunworkable.Whenpaintinginhotclimates,storemaskingfluidsomewherecool,andworkintheshadewhenapplyingittopaper.
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ErasingmaskingfluidUseapencileraserorafingertip.
ShirleyTrevenaWhiteLiliesonaPatternedScreenWatercolorandgouacheonpaper45.5×35cm(181/4×141/4in)Ontheorientalscreen,thepatternswerepaintedwithmaskingfluidbeforethedarkwasheswereapplied.Themaskwasthenremovedandthemother-of-pearlcolorspaintedin.
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Masking-fluideffects
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Maskingfluidisaninvaluableaccessorytowatercolorpainting.Useitwhereyouwantlightareasorhighlightstoappearinyourpicture.Applypaintoverthemaskingfluidandthenremoveittorevealthewhiteofthepaperorthepreviouslylaidcolor.SEEALSOWATERCOLORPAPERS28PIGMENTANDCOLOR92BODYCOLOR93WATERCOLORACCESSORIES102WATERCOLORBRUSHES96
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TEXTURESANDEFFECTSOneofthemainattractionsofwatercolorisitsfreshnessandimmediacy–its
powertosuggestwithoutoverstatement.Theexperiencedartistknowsthat,
veryoften,magicalthingshappenquiteunexpectedlywhenwaterandpigment
interactonpaper;thepaintactuallydoestheworkforyou,producing
atmosphericeffectsorpatternsthatresemblenaturaltextures.A“bloom”
appearsinawash,resemblingastormcloud;awashdrieswithaslightlygrainy
qualitythataddsinteresttoaforeground;oraswiftlyexecutedbrushstroke
catchesontheridgesofthepaperandleavesabroken,speckledmark
suggestiveoflightonwater.
SubtletyandrestraintBecausetheseeffectsoccurnaturally,theydothejobwithoutappearinglabored.
Ofcourse,itispossiblefortheartisttotakeaninterventionistapproachand
deliberatelymanipulatethepaintorevenaddthingstoit,inordertoimitate
certaintexturesandsurfaceeffects.Someofthesetechniquesaredescribed
below,butitisveryimportanttorealizethat,iftheyareoverdone,texturing
techniquescaneasilyappearfacile.Youshouldonlyusethemwithsubtletyand
restraint,sothattheyareincorporatednaturallywithinthepaintingasawhole.
GranulationThisisaphenomenonwhichoftenoccursseeminglybyaccident,yetcanimpart
abeautiful,subtletexturetoawash.Certainwatercolorpigmentsshowa
tendencytogranulate:thepigmentparticlesoftheearthcolors,forexample,are
fairlycoarse.Asthewashdries,tinygranulesofpigmentfloatinthewaterand
settleinthehollowsofpaper,producingamottledeffect.
Onlyexperienceandtestingwillenableyoutotellhowmuchgranulationmay
takeplace.Somecolorsgranulateonlywhentheyarelaidoverapreviouswash;
andgranulationmaynothappenatall,ormaybehardlynoticeable,ifpaintis
heavilydiluted.
Flocculation
Asimilargrainyeffectcanbeproducedbypigments,suchasFrenchultramarine,
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Asimilargrainyeffectcanbeproducedbypigments,suchasFrenchultramarine,
whichflocculate:thepigmentparticlesareattractedtoeachotherratherthan
dispersingevenly.Thiscausesaslightspecklingwhichlendsawonderful
atmosphericqualitytoskiesandlandscapesinparticular.
Simplybyexperimentingwithwatercolorpaints,andbyknowingwhichcolors
havethissettlingtendency,itispossibleforyoutosuggestallsortsofdifferent
texturesinyourpaintings,suchasweatherbeatenrocks,newlyfallensnow,or
sand,quiteeffortlessly.
PigmentgranulationSomepigmentsshowatendencytogranulateorflocculate,producingsubtlytexturedwashes,whileothersproduceflat,evenwashes.Anunderstandingofhowdifferentpigmentsbehavewillopenupexcitingpossibilitiesforcreatingparticulareffects.
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Experimentwithvariouscolorsandmakestofindoutwhichpigmentstendtogranulateorflocculate.
GranulationofpigmentsCertainwatercolorpigmentsseparateout,givingagranulareffectwhichcanbesubtlydescriptiveandexpressive.
Ineachofthethreepaintingsonthispage,theartistshavemadequitedeliberateuseofgranulation.ItenlivensthebackgroundwashinPatrickProcktor’sportrait,whileTrevorChamberlainandRobertTillinghaveusedittosuggestsubtle,atmosphericeffectsintheskyandlandscape.
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TrevorChamberlainRainatBudleighSaltertonWatercoloronpaper17.5×25cm(7×10in)
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RobertTilling
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EveningLightWatercoloronpaper65×50cm(26×20in)
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PatrickProcktor
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VascoWatercoloronpaper50.8×35.5cm(203/8×141/4in)RedfernGallery,London
BloomsBlooms,orbackruns,willsometimesoccurwhenawetwashisfloodedinto
another,drierwash;asthesecondwashspreads,itdislodgessomeofthe
pigmentparticlesbeneath.Theseparticlescollectattheedgeofthewashasit
dries,therebycreatingapale,flower-likeshapewithadark,crinklededge.
Althoughbloomsareusuallyaccidental–andoftenunwanted–theycanbe
usedtocreatesometexturesandeffectsthataredifficulttoobtainusingnormal
paintingmethods.Forexample,aseriesofsmallbloomscreatesamottled
patternsuggestiveofweathered,lichen-coveredstone;inlandscapes,bloomscan
representamorphousshapessuchasdistanthills,trees,cloudsorripplesonthe
surfaceofastreamandaddtextureanddefinitiontotheformsofleavesand
flowers.
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DrybrushThedrybrushtechniqueisinvaluableinwatercolorpainting,becauseitcan
suggestcomplextexturesanddetailsbyaneconomyofmeans.Drybrushisused
mostofteninlandscapepainting,tosuggestarangeofnaturaleffectssuchas
sunlightonwater,thetextureofrocksandtreebark,orthemovementofclouds
andtrees.
Moistenyourbrushwithaverylittlewater,andthentakeupasmallamount
ofpaintonthetip.Removeanyexcessmoisturebyflickingthebrushacrossa
papertissueoradryragbeforelightlyandquicklyskimmingthebrushoverdry
paper.
CreatingbloomsIttakesalittlepracticetocreatedeliberateblooms.Applythefirstwashandallowittodryalittle.Whenthesecondwashisapplied,thefirstshouldbedampratherthanwet;ifitistoowet,thewasheswillmergetogetherwithoutabloom.
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MakingsmallbloomsSmall,circularbloomsareformedbydroppingpaintfromtheendofabrushintoadampwash.Youcanalsocreatepalebloomsinadarkerwashbydroppingclearwaterintoit.
DrybrushtechniqueThisismosteffectiveonroughtexturedpaper,wherethepigmentcatchesontheraisedtoothofthepaperandmissesthehollows,leavingtinydotsofwhitewhichcausethewashtosparklewithlight.
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JohnLidzey
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InteriorwithHatWatercoloronpaper45×30cm(18×12in)UnpredictableeffectsTheexperiencedwatercoloristhasexperimentedwitharangeoftechniques,andknowshowtoexploittheelementof“happyaccident”inthepaint.
Themercurial,unpredictablenatureofwatercolorisoneofitschiefjoys.Inthestill-lifepaintingsonthispage,bothartistshaveusedthedescriptivepotentialofbackrunstosuggesttexturesandenrichthepicturesurface.
ShirleyTrevenaFourFlowerpotsWatercoloronpaper27.5×21.5cm(11×85/8in)BrushmarksandeffectsBrushmarksandeffectsplayavitalandexpressivepartinwatercolorpainting.
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JohnBlockley
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TableFlowersWatercoloronpaper47×38cm(181/2×15in)JohnBlockley’spaintingmethodinvolvesacontinualanddaringprocess.Hemakessomeareaswetterthanothers,thendriesonlysomepartswithahairdryer.Hethenplungesthepaintingintoabathofwater;thedrypaintremainsintact,butthewetpaintfloatsoff,leavingareasofwhitepaperlightlystainedwithcolor.
HansSchwarzGlazzCampbell,afterTrainingWatercoloronpaper80×55cm(32×22in)HansSchwarzhasusedaboldanddirectapproach,thebrushmarksfollowingandsculptingtheformsofthefaceandfiguretocreatealively,energeticportrait.
UsingsaltUnpredictableeffectscanbeobtainedbyscatteringgrainsofcoarserocksaltinto
wetpaint.Thesaltcrystalssoakupthepaintaroundthem;whenthepictureis
dryandthesaltisbrushedoff,apatternofpale,crystallineshapesisrevealed.
Thesedelicateshapesareveryeffectiveinproducingtheillusionoffallingsnow
inawinterlandscape,orforaddingahintoftexturetostonewallsandrock
forms.
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Althoughitmayseemaneasytechnique,timingtheapplicationofsalt
requirespractice.Thewashshouldideallybesomewherebetweenwetanddamp,
neithertoowetnortoodry.Applyingsalttoawetwashwillcreatelarge,soft
shapes;applyingittoabarelydampwashwillproducesmaller,moregranulated
shapes.Applythesaltsparinglytoahorizontalsurface,letitdry,andthenbrush
thesaltoff.
UsingaspongePaintingwithaspongecancreatetexturesandeffectswhichareoftenimpossible
torenderwithabrush.Forexample,amottledpatternsuggestingclumpsof
foliageorthesurfaceofweatheredstonemaybeproducedbydabbingwitha
spongedippedinsomepaint.Useanaturalsponge,whichissofterandmore
absorbentthanasyntheticspongeandhasanirregular,moreinterestingtexture.
WaxresistAbrokentexturecanbecreatedbyrubbingordrawingwithawhitewaxcandle
oracoloredwaxcrayonandthenoverpaintingwithwatercolor.Waxadheres
unevenlytopaper,catchingontheraisedtoothandleavingthehollows
untouched.Whenawashofcolorisapplied,thewaxrepelsthepaint,causingit
tocoagulateindroplets.Thebroken,batik-likeeffectcreatedbywaxresistcan
beusedtosuggesttexturesandsurfaceeffects,suchasrocks,treebark,sand,or
lightonwaterorgrass.
ThistechniqueworksbestonaNotorroughsurface.Skimacandleorwax
crayonacrossthepapersothatittouchesthehighpointsbutnottheindents,
thenapplyyourwatercolorsinthenormalway.Whenthepaintingiscompletely
dry,thewaxcanberemovedbycoveringitwithabsorbentpaperandpressing
withacoolironuntilthepaperhasabsorbedallthemeltedwax.
UsingturpentineInavariationontheresisttechnique,turpentineorwhitespiritcanbesparingly
appliedtowell-sizedpaper,allowedtodryslightlyandthenpaintedover.The
paintandthesolventwillseparate,creatinganinterestingmarbledeffect.
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UsingsaltAssaltcrystalssoakuppaint,apatternofshapesemerges.
UsingaspongeApplypaintlightlywithanaturalspongefortexturaleffects.
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UsingacandlePaintoverrubbed-ordrawn-onwaxtocreatenatural-lookingtextures.
UsingturpentineAnotherversionoftheresistmethodinvolvesapplyingturpentine.
Turpentine,saltandwaxcanbeusedtocreateunpredictabletextures.SEEALSOPIGMENTANDCOLOR92ACCESSORIES102WASHTECHNIQUES182
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CREATINGHIGHLIGHTS190WATERCOLORPAPERS28WATERCOLORBRUSHES96WATERCOLORACCESSORIES102
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GOUACHETECHNIQUESGouacheissomewhatunderratedasapaintingmedium,consideringhow
versatileitis.Likewatercolor,itcanbethinnedwithwatertoafluid
consistency,butitsrelativeopacitygivesitamoreruggedquality,idealfor
bold,energeticpaintingsandrapidlandscapesketches.Whenwet,gouache
canbescrubbed,scratchedandscumbled,andinterestingthingshappenas
colorsruntogetherandformintricatemarbledandcurdledpatterns.
WashesandtonesGouacheisequallysuitableforamoredelicate,lyricalstyleofpainting,inwhich
washesofthin,semi-transparentcolorarebuiltupinlayerswhichdrywitha
soft,matt,velvetyappearance.
Withgouachecolors,tonesmaybelightenedeitherbyaddingwhiteorby
thinningthepaintwithwater,dependingontheeffectyouwishtoachieve.
Thinningwithwatergivesgouacheasemi-opaque,milkyquality,whileadding
whitegivesadense,opaquecovering.
Paintingdark-over-lightGouacheistechnicallyanopaquepaint,soyoucan,intheory,applylightcolors
overdark.Inpractice,though,itisbesttosticktothedark-over-lightmethod,
asgouacheisnotasopaqueasoilsoracrylics–infactsomecolorsareonlysemi-
opaque.Gouachewillcompletelycoveracolorifusedverythickanddry,but
thisisnotadvisable,asitmayleadtosubsequentcrackingofthepaintsurface.
SolubilityBecausegouachecolorscontainrelativelylittlebinder,theyremainsolublewhen
dry,soanapplicationofwetcolormaypickupsomecolorfromthelayerbelow.
Thiscanbepreventedbyallowingonelayertodrycompletelybeforeapplying
thenext.Applythepaintwithalighttouch,andavoidoverbrushingyourcolors.
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UsingwhiteTherearetwowhitesavailable:permanentwhite(sometimescalledtitaniumwhite)andzincwhite.Permanentwhitehasthegreatercoveringpower;zincwhiteiscoolandsubtle.
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VersatilegouacheThesesketchbookexamplesillustratetheversatilityofgouachepaintandshowtherelativeopacityofthisunderratedmedium.
Addedwhite
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Thinnedandwater
LighteningtonesTheexamplesabovedemonstratehowgouachecolorscanbemodifiedbyaddingeitherwaterorwhitepaint.
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MakingandusinggouacheimpastoTheimpastotechniqueisusuallyassociatedwithoiloracrylicpainting,buttheadditionofimpastogelturnsgouacheorwatercolorpaintintoathick,malleablepaste.Youshouldmixthegelapproximatelyhalf-and-halfwiththepaint,andapplytothesupportwithaknifeorabrushtomaketexturedeffects.
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JaneCamp
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LastChukkaGouacheonpaper35×25cm(14×10in)WestcottGallery,DorkingThisisamarvelousexampleofthefluidandvigoroususeofgouachetoconveymovementandenergy.Thebeautyofthemediumisitsinherentabilitytocreateappropriatetexturalmarks,almostofitsownfreewill.
SallyKeirRedPoppiesGouacheonpaper24×26.5cm(93/8×103/8in)Althoughlackingtheluminouseffectofpurewatercolor,gouachehasabrilliant,light-reflectingqualitythatisideallysuitedtoflowerstudies.Thispaintinghasalltheclarityanddetailofbotanicalillustration,butthevibrantintensityofgouachecolorskeepsthesubjectaliveinawaythatmanydetailedflowerpaintingsfailtodo.SEEALSOWASHTECHNIQUES182TEXTURESANDEFFECTS194GOUACHE104
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ACRYLICTECHNIQUESAcrylicsseemtodivideartistsintotwocamps.Thosewhodislikeacrylicstend
tocomparethemunfavorablywithtraditionalpaintingmedia.However,those
whouseacrylicsrecognizethattheyareauniquemediumintheirownright.
Theremarkablethingabouttheserelativelynewpaintsistheirextraordinary
versatility.Althoughoil,watercolorandgouachetechniquescanbeused
successfullywithacrylics,themediumneverthelessretainsitsowndistinct
characterandcreativepossibilities.
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LeonardRosomanJamesKnoxandLucyAbel-SmithAcryliconcanvas75×125cm(30×50in)TheFineArtSociety,London
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WASHTECHNIQUESWhenacrylicpaintsaredilutedwithenoughwaterand/ormedium,they
behaveinawaythatissimilartotraditionalwatercolorsandoils,producing
delicatewashesandglazesthroughwhichthewhitesurfaceofthepaperor
canvasshines,therebyenhancingtheluminosityofthecolors.
WatercoloreffectsThemaindifferencebetweenacrylicsandwatercolorsisthatacryliccolorstend
todrywithasmootherandslightlymoremattfinishthanwatercolors.However,
oncethecolorisdry,acrylicpaintisinsolubleandpermanent.Thismeansthat
successivewashesoftransparentcolorcanbebuiltuptoachievethedepthof
tonerequired,withoutdisturbingtheunderlyingcolors.
Anotheradvantageofacrylicsisthatthereisawiderchoiceofsupportson
whichtowork.Allthetraditionalwatercolorpapersaresuitable,andacrylic
washescanalsobeuseddirectlyontounprimedcanvas,aswellasgessoboards
andothersurfacesprimedforacrylics.
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NickAndrewCrownAcryliconpaper46.2×46.2cm(181/2×181/2in)OnLineGallery,Southampton
NickAndrew’smethodofcreatingacrylicwashesistobeginwithverywetwatercolorpaper,andsubsequentlytosprayafinemistofwaterontotheareaswhereheisworking,tokeepthemdamp.Thisextremelyliquidtechniqueallowshimtoachievesubtleblendsanddiffusionsofcolor.
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AcrylicwashesTheexamplesaboveshowhowunderlyingwasheswillmaintaintheirstrengthoftonethroughsubsequentlayers.
ControllingwashesOneproblemwithusingwatercoloriscontrollingawashsothatthecolorisevenlydistributed.Withacrylics,thisproblemcanbesolvedbyaddingeitherflowimproveroralittlemattorglossmediumtoawash.Thisthickensthepaintjustenoughtohelpitrollsmoothlyontopaperorcanvas.Brushstrokesholdtheirshapebetterwhenappliedwithmediumandwaterratherthanwateralone,andareeasiertocontrol.Aswithwatercolors,fluidwashesshouldbeappliedswiftlyandconfidently,andleftalone.
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KeithNewPathAcrosstheCommonAcrylicandpastelonpaper83.9×58.9cm(331/2×231/2in)
LlewellynAlexanderGallery,LondonSpatteringisanimportantpartofKeithNew’spaintings.Hesometimesmasksoffpartsofthesurfacetousedifferentspatteringmethods.Inthiscalm,monumentalpainting,spatterwasappliedontopofscratchedandsandpaperedacrylicwashesoverlaidwithpastel.Somefurtherpastelworkwasthenapplied,tounifythevariouspartsoftheimage.
Spattering
Spattering,orflickingpaintontoasupport,isaneffectivemeansofsuggesting
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Spattering,orflickingpaintontoasupport,isaneffectivemeansofsuggesting
texturessuchassandandpebbles,orseafoam.Itcanalsobeusedtoenlivenand
addinteresttoalargeareaofflatcolor.
Therearetwomethodsofspattering.Oneistodipanoldtoothbrushinto
fairlythickpaintand,holdingithorizontallyabovethepaintingsurface,quickly
drawathumbnailthroughthebristles.Thisreleasesashoweroffinedroplets
ontothepainting.
Thesecondmethodistoloadapaintbrushandthentapthebrushsharply
acrossyouroutstretchedfingeroracrossthehandleofanotherbrush.Thiswill
produceaslightlydenserspatter,withlargerdropletsofpaint.
Foreithermethod,laythepaintingflatonatableoronthefloor,otherwise
spatteredpaintmayrundownthesurface.Usescrappapertomaskoffareasthat
arenottobespattered.
ExperimentingwithspatteringSpatteringisarandomandfairlyunpredictabletechnique,soexperimentonscrappaperbeforeusingitonapainting.Varythedistancebetweenthebrushandthepaintingsurfacetoincreaseordecreasethedensityofthedots.Tryspatteringontoadampsurface,sothatthedotsbecomesoftenedanddiffused,orspatterwithtwoormorecolors,oneaftertheother.
UsingatoothbrushThismethodgivesafairamountofcontroloverhowmuchisspattered.
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UsingtwobrushesAlargerareacanbespatteredusingthistechnique.
UsingtransparentcolorsForbestresults,restrictyourmixturestotransparentcolors.Glazingwithopaquecolorsislesssuccessful,asthecolorsappearsomewhatmuddy.
UnifyingwithglazesIfcolorsandtonesappeardisjointed,afinalglazewithasoft,transparentcolor,suchasrawsienna,willhelptopullthepicturetogethersotheelementsharmonize.
ModifyingwithglazesUnsatisfactorycolorareascanbecorrectedwithathintoneofadifferentcolor.Forexample,ahotredcanbetoneddownwithaglazeofitscomplementarycolor,green(andviceversa).Ifthebackgroundofalandscapeappearstoadvanceinthepicture,aglazeofcoolblueorblue-graywillmakeitrecede.
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Rawcanvasstainedwiththinnedpaint
AcrylicsforstainingFluidacrylicsareparticularlysuitableforstainingtechniques.Youwillfindithelpfultoaddflowimprover(water-tensionbreaker)tothepaintusedforstaining.Thisimprovestheflowofthepaint,makingiteasiertoapplyinflat,evenwashesoverlargeareas.Italsohelpstomaintainthebrillianceofthecolor,whichisoftendiminishedwhendilutedinthinwashes.
GlazingTheprincipleofglazinginacrylicsisthesameasforoilpainting–successive
thin,transparentwashescreateareasofglowing,translucentcolor.Butacrylicis
evenbettersuitedtothetechnique,sinceyoudon’thavetowaitlongforeach
layertodry.Becausedrycolorsareinsoluble,itispossibletobuildupmany
transparentlayersinordertocreatecolorswiththebrillianceandclarityof
stainedglass,withnodangerofpickingupthecolorbeneath.
GlazingtechniquesPaintforglazingcansimplybedilutedwithwater,butitdriestoadull,matt
finish,andcolorslosesomeoftheirintensity.Addingglossmediumgivesmuch
betterresults:itincreasesthetransparencyofthepaintwhileretainingits
bindingqualities,enrichesthecolorsandmakesthepaintflowmoreevenly.
Placethesupporthorizontallysothatthecolordoesnotrunoutofcontrol,
applytheglazewithasoft-hairedbrushandallowtodry.
Sinceaglazeistransparent,theeffectsaremostnoticeablewhenadarkcolor
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Sinceaglazeistransparent,theeffectsaremostnoticeablewhenadarkcolor
islaidoveralightone,althoughyoucansubtlymodifyadarkercolorbyglazing
light-over-dark.
StainingInthistechnique,raw,unprimedcanvasisstainedwithacryliccolorswhichare
thinnedwithwaterandmediumtoacreamyconsistency.Whiletheacidsinoil
paintwillattackanddestroyrawcanvasintime,acrylicsarenon-corrosive,so
sizingandprimingarenotnecessary.
Laythecanvashorizontally,andbrushorpourthecolorontothesurface.
Colorsmaybemanipulatedbytiltingthecanvasorusingsponges,squeegees,
brushesorimprovisedtools.Asunprimedcanvasisporous,thethinnedcolor
willpenetratethroughtotheback,andthepaintbecomesanintegralpartofthe
canvas.
GigolAtlerSuffolkLandscapeAcryliconpaper38.5×52cm(15×201/2in)
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Inthisdynamicpainting,theartistusedacrylicstocombinethetransparencyofwatercolorwiththeopacityofoilpaint.Heappliedacadmiumredwashoverawhitegroundtoprovideanoverallluminescence,andthenbuiltuptheskyandlandwithaseriesoftransparentglazes.
GlazingandstainingUsingacrylicsinwashesallowsyoutobuildupadelicatepaintsurfacewithlayered,transparentglazes,ortoachieverich,stainedcolorsoncanvas.
BarclaySheaks
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TheFrenchMarket,NewOrleansAcryliconhardboard60×75cm(24×30in)
BarclaySheaksusedthebrownofsandedandcleanedhardboardasanundercolor,andmixedpaintandneatacrylicglossmediumforvibrant,luminousglazes.
BrianYaleJapanAcryliconcanvas115×100cm(46×40in)
Severallayersofverythin,water-dilutedpaintwereusedbyBrianYaletostainrawcanvas,providingasoft,mattsurfaceforstencillingthickerpaint.
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PaulAppsZebrasAcryliconboard42.5×60cm(17×24in)
ThetactilequalityofPaulApps’spaintingwasachievedusingtexturegel,overlaidwithglazes.Thethinnedcolorsettledinthecrevices,accentuatingthecraggytextureofthethickpaint.SEEALSOSUPPORTS14WATERCOLORTECHNIQUES180PAINTS110MEDIUMS118OPTICALMIXING220COLORHARMONY225
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TEXTURALEFFECTSExploittheversatilityofacrylicsbybuildinguprichandvariedtextural
surfaces,usingimpasto,collageandmixed-mediatechniques.
CollageAcrylicgloss,mattandgelmediumsallhaveexcellentadhesivepropertiesand
drytransparently,sotheyareidealforbindingcollagematerialstoasurface.
Objectssuchascoloredpapers,tissue,metalfoil,magazinecut-outs,fabrics,
leaves,pebblesandweatheredwood,togiveafewexamples,canbepressedinto
thick,wetacrylicpaintoralayerofmodellingpaste.
ImpastoForimpasto,useacrylicpaintstraightfromthetubeordilutedwithalittle
water,mattorglossmedium,oracombinationofanyofthese.Thepaintshould
bemalleable,yetthickenoughtoretainmarksandridgesleftbythebrushor
paintingknife.Paintcanbefurtherstiffenedbymixingwithgelmediumor
texturepaste.
MixedmediaBecauseitissoversatileandfast-drying,acryliclendsitselfexceptionallywellto
mixed-mediawork.Artistsoftencombineacrylicswithwatercolor,gouacheand
ink,andwithdrawingmediasuchaspastel,pencilandcharcoal,asameansof
extendingtheirrangeofexpression.
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UsingfoundobjectsLearntocultivateagracklementalitywhenconsideringmakingcollages.Almostanythingcanbeused!
JillConfavreuxTailEndsofSummerAcrylicandcollageoncanvas75×100cm(30×40in)
Collageexploitsthecontrastsofshape,colorandsurfacetexturebetweendifferentmaterials.JillConfavreuxstucktissueandwatercolorpapertothinacrylicwashes,andthenembeddedleafskeletons,tosuggestpeacocktailsandleaves.Thiswasglazedwithgoldacrylicpaint,ontowhichcrumpledplasticwrapwasdropped.Whenthefilmwaspeeledawayfromthedrypaint,thefinaltextureunifiedthepainting.
EmbeddingheavyobjectsLayyourpictureflatuntiltheacrylicmediumisdry;ifyouworkvertically,thewetpastemayslump,takingtheobjectswithit.
Developingcollage
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Collagecompositioncanbedevelopedwithpreciseshapes,freeshapes,orsculptedshapeswithfoldedandcrumpledforms.Objectscanbepaintedbeforebeingfixedtothesupport,orthecompletedworkmaybeenrichedwithacryliccolorsand/orothermedia.
ProtectingcollagesApplyacoatofmattorglosspicturevarnishtoacompletedcollage,orframeitunderglass.
DebraManifoldStillLifewithMat’sHatAcrylicandoilpastelonboard35×37.5cm(14×15in)
Themixed-mediacombinationofacrylicsandpastelsispopular.DebraManifoldmakesaboldacrylicunderpainting,beforeworkingoilpastelsontop.Furtheracrylicwashesproduceawax-resisteffect.
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DonaldMcIntyreCottagebytheSeaAcryliconboard50×75cm(20×30in)
Thelively,impastedsurfaceofthispaintingcomesfromtheartist’suseofpaintstraightfromthetube.Evenwhenappliedinverythicklayers,acrylicpaintremainsflexibleandwillnotcrack.
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Chapter7
COLOR&COMPOSITION
Whyisitthatsomepaintingsdrawustothemlikeamagnet,whileothersfailtocaptureourinterest?
Often,theimmediacyofapicture’simpactisduetoastrongexpressivedesignandknowledgeableuseof
color.“Art”isnotmerelyaboutrepresentingtheoutwardappearanceofagivensubject;itisjustasmuch
aboutselectingitsessence,accentuatingandholdingitfortheviewer’scontemplation.Artframesour
viewofasceneandfreezesthemomentinanorderedbeautyoflineandshape,formandspace,andcolor
andtone.
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PERMANENCEOFPIGMENTSThepermanence,orlightfastness,ofapigmentreferstoitsresistanceto
gradualfadingonexposuretolight.Thisdependsmainlyonthechemical
natureofthepigment;however,somecolorswhicharelightfastwhenusedat
fullstrengthloseadegreeoflightfastnesswhenstronglydilutedormixedin
tintswithwhite.
RangeTherangeofpermanentcolorsisextremelywide,soitispossibletoentirely
avoidtheuseoffugitivecolors,whichfadeonexposuretobrightlight,oronly
moderatelypermanentcolors.Earthcolorsarethemostpermanent.
Afewcolorsactuallyfluctuate,fadingonexposuretolightbutrecoveringin
thedark–PrussianblueandAntwerpbluearetwoexamples.
LightfastnessstandardsTheASTM(AmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials)systemhasrecently
beenestablishedfortheacceleratedtestingofartists’colors,relatingto20years
ofgalleryexposure.Thistestrepresentsthemostabsoluteclassificationinusefor
artists’materials.TheASTMcodesforthepermanenceofpigmentsareshown
below,andareusedthroughoutthisbook.
Manufacturers’codesReputablepigmentmanufacturerscodetheircolorsaccordingtotheir
permanence,thecodeappearingeitherontheirtubeorjarlabels,orintheir
cataloguesandleaflets.Somealsogiveinformationontoxicity,whetherthe
colorsaretransparentoropaque,andwhethertheyaresusceptibleto
atmosphericpollutants.Thecodesforpermanence(shownbelow)arethemost
commonlyused.
Notallmanufacturersusethesamelightfastnessstandard.Some,forexample,
useBritishStandard1006,alsoknownastheBlueWoolScale.Lightfastness
ratings,therefore,varybetweenonebrandofpaintandanother.
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PigmentqualityAllmanufacturersidentifytheircolorsfortheirlightfastnessandpermanenceandwilldisplaytheASTM,staroralphabeticalrating.
ASTMcodesforlightfastness:ASTMI:excellentlightfastnessASTMII:verygoodlightfastnessASTMIII:notsufficientlylightfastCommoncodesforpermanence****orAAExtremelypermanentcolors***orADurablecolors,generallysoldaspermanent**orBModeratelydurablecolors*orCFugitivecolors
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TypicalpermanentcolorsLefttoright:rawumber,rawsienna,yellowochre.
TypicalfluctuatingcolorsLefttoright:Prussianblue,Antwerpblue.
TypicalfugitivecolorsLefttoright:naphtholcrimson,rubyred,reddishviolet.
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ChoosingpigmentsGood-qualitymaterials,combinedwithsoundtechnicalpracticeinthepreparationofsupportsandapplicationofmedia,willhelpyourworktosurvivetherigorsoftreatmentandtime.Whichpigmentsyouchooseisthereforeanextremelyimportantpartoftheprocess–itisalwaysworthusingonlythebest(usuallyidentifiedincataloguesandonpackagingas“Artists’quality”).Althoughthesepigmentsmaybeexpensive,theextracostiswellworththeinvestment.
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PigmentationandpaintThissceneshowstheendofonephaseinthemanufactureofpaint;thepigmenthasbeenselected,ground,mixedwiththebinderandmilledforsmoothnessandconsistency,withrigorousqualitychecksateverystage.Thepaintisthenpackedintothevariouscontainersused–pansandtubesforwatercolor,tubesandjarsforacrylics,andtubesforgouacheandoilpaints–anddispatchedtodistributorsandart-supplystores.
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FormsofpigmentAllcoloredpaintinganddrawingmediaincludepigmentsofvaryingquality;theselectionaboveshowsonlyafewofthehundredsofcolorsandtonesavailable.SEEALSOOILPAINTS64WATERCOLORPAINTS87PIGMENTS92READINGAPAINTTUBE387
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THELANGUAGEOFCOLORKnowinghowtomixandusecolorsiscrucialtothesuccessofanypainting.
Yet,becausecolorisessentiallyanabstractconcept,manyartistsfindita
difficultandbewilderingarea.Thislackofconfidenceislargelytheresultof
ignoranceofthebasicprinciplesofcolor.Here,asalways,therearecertain
rulesandguidelinestofollow.
ThecolorwheelOneofthemostimportanttoolsfortheartististhecolorwheel.Thisisa
simplifiedversionofthespectrum,bentintoacircle.Itisanarrangementofthe
primarycolors(red,yellowandblue)andthesecondarycolors(orange,greenand
violet),fromwhichallothers,includingthegrays,brownsandneutralcolors,are
mixed.
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NamesandcolorsAllartists’pigmentcolors,whateverexoticnamesmanufacturersmaygivethem,areonlypermutationsofthosethatareshownonthecolorwheel.
PrimarycolorsTheprimarycolorsareequidistantonthecolorwheel.Aprimarycolorisone
thatcannotbemadebythemixingofanyothercolors.Intheory,theprimary
colorscanbemixedinvaryingproportionstoproduceeveryothercolorknown,
butinpracticethingsarenotthatsimple,becausepurered,yellowandbluedo
notexistinpigmentcolors.
Secondarycolors
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Asecondarycolorisobtainedbymixingequalquantitiesofanytwoprimary
colors.Thus,blueandyellowmakegreen,redandyellowmakeorange,andred
andbluemakeviolet.
TertiarycolorsAtertiarycolorismadebymixinganequalquantityofaprimarycolorwiththe
secondarynexttoitonthecolorwheel.Forexample,ifyoucombineredwithits
neighbortotheright–orange–yougetred-orange;ifyoucombineredwithits
neighbortotheleft–violet–yougetred-violet.
Byadjustingtheproportionsoftheprimaryandsecondarycolors,youcan
createawiderangeofsubtlecolors.Furtherintermediatecolorscanbemadeby
repeatedlymixingeachneighboringpairuntilyouhaveanalmostcontinuous
transitionofcolor.
Colorrelationships
Therearetwobasicwaysinwhichcolorsreactwitheachother:theycontrastor
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Therearetwobasicwaysinwhichcolorsreactwitheachother:theycontrastor
harmonize.Itispossibletoexploretherelationshipsofcolorsaccordingtotheir
positionsonthecolorwheel(opposite).Goingroundthewheel,youcanseethat
thosecolorsthatharmonizeareclosetoeachother,andthosethatcontrastare
wellapart.
RelatedcolorsColorsthatareadjacenttooneanotheronthecolorwheelformarelated,
harmonioussequence.Theclosestrelationshipsarebetweenshadesofonecolor,
orbetweenaprimarycolorandthesecondarywhichcontainsthatprimary,such
asblueandblue-greenorblue-violet.
ComplementarycolorsThecolorsoppositeoneanotheronthecolorwheelarecontrastingpartners,
calledcomplementarycolors.Therearethreemainpairs,eachconsistingofone
primarycolorandthesecondarycomposedoftheothertwoprimaries:thusredis
thecomplementaryofgreen,blueoforange,andyellowofviolet.These
relationshipsextendtopairsofsecondarycolors,sothatred-orangeis
complementarytoblue-green,blue-violettoyellow-orange,andsoon.
Iftwocomplementarycolorsofthesametoneandintensityarejuxtaposed,
theyintensifyeachother.Theeyejumpsrapidlyfromonecolortotheother,
causinganopticalvibrationthatmakesthecolorsshimmer.
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PeterGrahamJapaneseGirlwithFlowersOiloncanvas60×75cm(24×30in)ComplementariesTheapparentriotofcolorthatiscontainedinthisstilllifeis,infact,skilfullycontrolledbyallowingtwosetsofcomplementarycolors–redandgreen,andorangeandblue–topredominate.Thewhiteareasactasafoilforthevibranthues.
DefiningtermsThetermsusedtodescribethepropertiesofcolors,suchas“hue”and“tone,”areoftenusedinaccurately,oraremisleading.
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HueHueisanotherwordforcolor,andreferstothegeneralizedcolorofanobject.Itisusedwhendescribingcloseorsimilarcolors:cadmiumred,alizarincrimsonandvermilion,allreds,arecloseinhue.
IntensityIntensity(alsoreferredtoaschromaorsaturation)referstohowbrightorstrongacoloris.Vivid,purecolorsarestronginintensity;pale,grayedcolorsareweak.Avibrant,intensecolor,forexamplecadmiumred,willbecomelessintenseaswhiteisaddedanditbecomespink.Theintensityofacolorcanalsobereducedbymixingitwithitscomplementary,whichwillmakeitbecomegrayed.
ToneTone,orvalue,referstotherelativelightnessordarknessofacolor.Somecolorsarebynaturelighterintonethanothers:forexample,comparelemonyellowwithburntumber.
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TintsandshadesWhenwhiteisaddedtoacolorinordertolightenit,theresultantmixisreferredtoasatintofthatcolor.Shadesaredarkertonesofacolor,whichareachievedbyaddingblack.
WarmandcoolcolorsColorsareeitherwarmorcool.Broadly,thewarmcolorsarethosethatfall
withintheyellow-orange-redsectionsofthecolorwheel,whereasthecoolcolors
rangethroughthepurple-blue-greensegments.Becausewarmcolorsappearto
comeforwardinthepicturespaceandcoolcolorsseemtorecede,opposing
warmandcoolcolorshelpstocreatespaceandforminacomposition.
DepthandspaceBecausetheeyeperceivescoolcolorsasbeingfurtherawaythanwarmones,contrastsofwarmandcoolareusedtocreateanillusionofrecedingspaceinlandscapes.ThereisanimpressionofspaceinTerryMcKivragan’spainting.Theforegroundcontainswarmearthcolors,whichcomeforward;movingbacktothehorizon,thecolorsbecomeprogressivelycoolerandthetonelighter.
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TerryMcKivraganNorfolkBroadsAcryliconboard52.5×67.5cm(21×27in)
TheeffectoflightEachcolorhasitsowndegreeofwarmthorcoolness:forinstance,lemonyellowisacoolyellow,whilecadmiumyellowiswarm.Thecoloroftheprevailinglightalsodeterminesthewarmthofacolor.Here,forexample,lateafternoonlighttingeseverycolorwithitswarmth(exceptintheshadowareas,whicharecorrespondinglycool).
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ArthurMadersonWinterSunlight,NormandyOiloncanvas70×85cm(28×34in)
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AnthonyFryAsharaf,CochinOiloncanvas30×32.5cm(12×13in)BrowseandDarby,LondonColoranddesignTheapparentlycasualdesignofthispaintingbeliesitsstrongorganization.Usingnear-flatareasofvibrantcolor,creativeofspaceandlight,AnthonyFryarrivesatakindofpureharmony,thekindthatMatissecalled“spiritualspace.”
Tonalkey
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Thetonesandcolorsinapaintingcanbecomparedtomusicalnotes.Toomanydifferenttonesproducevisualdissonance,whereasacontrolledrangeoftones,keyedeithertothelightorthedarkendofthescale,producesharmonyandunderlinestheemotionalmessage.TrevorChamberlain’spaintingisanexampleofhowalimitedrangeoftones,massedintoawell-structuredarrangement,canlendstrengthandunitytoabusysubject.
TrevorChamberlainTehranBazaarOilonboard17.5×25cm(7×10in)ToneandmoodKenHowardisverymuchatonalpainter,andthisearlyworkderivesitscharmfromitsquietstatementandharmonioustonalityofcolor.Likethegreatstill-lifepaintersbeforehim,fromChardintoMondrian,hemanagestobestow,evenonasimplearrangementofeverydayobjects,asenseofsignificanceanddignity.
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KenHoward
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StillLifeOiloncanvas60×50cm(24×20in)SEEALSOMIXINGCOLORS220COLOREXPRESSION224COLORHARMONY225COLORCONTRAST226COMPOSITION228
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TONALVALUESTheword“tone”tendstothrowpaintersofalllevelsofexperienceinto
confusion.However,toneisanessentialpartofallpaintinganddrawing,
especiallyinachievingtheeffectsoflightonasubject.Tonalvaluesarevitalif
youwishtomodelform,composeapicturewell,andexpressmoodand
atmosphere.
UnderstandingtoneTonedescribestherelativelightnessordarknessofanareaofcolor.Somecolors
aremorelight-reflectivethanothersandtheyappeartobelighterintone:for
instance,ceruleanblueandPrussianbluearethesamecolor,orhue,butthe
formerhasalighttone,whilethelatterhasadarkone.
DefininghuesandintensitiesTonecanbeeasilyunderstoodwhenitdealsonlywithblack,grayandwhite.
However,itishardtodefinetonallythehuesandintensitiesofsomecolors.For
example,anobjectmayhaveanintense,warmcolor,butthatverywarmthand
intensitymaymakeyouthinkthatthetoneislighterordarkerthanisactually
thecase.
Tonesandcolorsaremodifiedbyadjoiningcolors,andacolorthatappears
darkwhenaloneonawhitecanvasmaywellseemtohavealightertonewhen
surroundedbyothercolors,andviceversa.
ToneanddesignTheframeworkoflightanddarkareasthatmakesupanypicture–thebroad
tonalpattern–isoftenwhatfirstattractstheviewer’sattentionandprovidesan
immediateintroductiontothemoodandcontentofthatpicture.
Ifthetonalpatternofapaintingisstrong,itencouragesacloserandmore
focusedexamination.Trylookingatawallofpicturesinagalleryoran
exhibition;thepictureswithawell-designedtonalpatternaretheonesthatwill
makethemostimpactonthecasualviewer.
Counterchange
Counterchangeistheplacingoflightshapesagainstdark,andviceversa.It
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Counterchangeistheplacingoflightshapesagainstdark,andviceversa.It
createslively,interestingpictures,asthereversalsoflightanddarkprovide
intriguingcontrasts.Counterchangealsogivesmovementandrhythmtoa
picture,leadingtheviewerfromlighttodarkandbackagain.ThegreatDutch
painters,suchasRembrandtandVermeer,weremastersofthistechnique,and
theyusedittogreateffect,particularlyininteriorscenes.
ComparativetonesAllbluesarebasicallythesamecolor,butceruleanblueislightintone,whilePrussianblueisdarker.
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TheeffectoflightThetoneofacolorchangeswiththeeffectoflight,andanycolorwillexhibitarangeoftones–themoreasurfacefacesawayfromthelight,thedarkeritbecomes.
JanVermeer(1632–75)AYoungWomanStandingataVirginalOiloncanvas51.5×43.3cm(201/2×173/4in)NationalGallery,London
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MIXINGCOLORSLearningtomixcolorsisthefirststeptowardsachievingasuccessfulpainting.
Initiallyitiscertaintoinvolvesometrialanderror,buttherearesomegeneral
guidelinesthatwillhelpyoutoachievesuccess.
TheoryandpracticeThecolorwheelisoflimitedusetotheartistwhenitcomestomixingactual
paint,becausepigments,unlikelight,arenotpure.Inaddition,pigments
invariablyhaveaslightbiastowardsanothercolor.
Blueandyellowmakegreen?Intheory,blueandyellowmakegreen;butinpractice,mixinganyoldyellow
andbluecouldendupwithmud.Ultramarineblue,forexample,hasareddish
undertone,whilelemonyellowhasagreenishone.Thesered-and-green
undertonesarecomplementarycolors;whentwocomplementariesaremixed
theymakegray–whichiswhytheresultisamuddygreen.
Tomixacleangreenfromblueandyellow,itisimportanttochoosetheright
blueandtherightyellowfortheparticularshadeyouwant.
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Acleangreenandamuddygreen
Palettefor“clean”colorsThesecolors,shownbelow,givethewidestrangeformixingpure,cleancolors.Lemonyellow(green-shadeyellow)Cadmiumyellow(red-shadeyellow)Cadmiumred(yellow-shadered)Permanentrose(blue-shadered)Phthaloblue(green-shadeblue)Frenchultramarine(red-shadeblue)Viridian(blue-shadegreen)Phthalogreen(yellow-shadegreen)
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MixingcomplementariesWhentwocomplementarycolorsarejuxtaposed,theyintensifyeachother.
However,whentheyaremixedtogethertheyneutralizeeachotherandform
neutralgraysandbrowns.Dependingonthecolorsusedandtheproportionsof
each,itispossibletocreateawiderangeofcolorfulneutrals.
Takecomplementaryredandgreen,forexample.Bymixingtheseinvarying
quantitiesyouachievemuted,earthycolors.Addingwhitetothemixturecreates
aseriesofdelicatelycoloredgrays,whichprovideamarvelousfoilforbrighter,
morevibrantcolors.Thegraysproducedinthiswayaremorelivelythanthe
steelygraysmadebymixingblackandwhite.
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ArthurMadersonFromtheBathroomOiloncanvas65×80cm(26×32in)OpticalmixingFollowingtheImpressionisttradition,Madersoncreatesashimmeringillusionoflightwithmyriadflecksanddabsofjuxtaposedcolor.Thecolorsmixopticallywhenviewedatadistance,andappearmorevibrantthaniftheyhadbeenmixedtogether.
ModifyingcolorsIfacolorappearstoostrident,itcanbetoneddown,eitherwithacomplementarycolororwithanearthcolor.
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Tonedownredandgreenwithrawumber
Aredthatistoohotcanbecooledwithalittlegreen–andviceversa
AddingblacktoacolortendstodullitMakinggraysComplementarymixingproducesneutralgrays,morecolorfulthanthosewhichcomeready-mixedastubecolors.
Mixvioletandyellowtogethertoformwarmgray
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Mixredandgreentogethertomakeearthybrown
Addwhitetored-greenmixturestoproducedelicategrays
PalettelayoutGetintothehabitoflayingoutcolorsonthepaletteinthesamesystematic
ordereachtimeyoupaint.Youwillthusknowwhereeachcoloriswithout
havingtosearchforit,soyoucanconcentrateonobservingyoursubject.
Someartistsarrangecolorsintheorderofthespectrum,withred,orange,
yellow,green,blueandvioletrunningacrossthepalette,andwhiteandearth
colorsdowntheside.Othersarrangetheircolorsfromlighttodark,oralign
warmcolors(reds,orangesandyellows)ononesideandcoolcolors(blues,
greensandviolets)ontheother.Whichevermethodyouchoose,stickwithit.
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KeepingcolorscleanMakeseveraldabsofeachcoloronyourpaletteratherthanonelargeone.Thismakesiteasiertokeepcolors,particularlythelightones,cleanandclear.
Spectrumorder
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Lighttodark
Warmandcool
PreferredlayoutsTheexamplesaboveshowsomeofthemethodsemployedbyprofessionalsforlayingoutcolorontheirpalettes.
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Brokencolorsblendatadistance
Basecolormodifiedwithatransparentglaze
BrokencolorTheImpressionistsusedabroken-coloreffect,inwhichcolorsweremadeupof
smallflecksanddashesofpaint.Becauseeachcolorremainsunmixedonthe
picturesurface,lesslightisabsorbedthanifthesamecolorsweretobemixedon
thepalette.Whenviewedfromanadequatedistance,thecolorsblend,andhave
avibrant,luminousquality.
GlazingGlazingisanotherwayofproducingopticalmixes.Forexample,ifyouapplya
blueglazeoverayellowground,thegreenproducedismuchmorelivelythan
oneproducedbymixingblueandyellowpigments.Lightentersthetransparent
filmandisrefractedfrombelow,toproducearich,glowingeffect.
Colorinteraction
Colorsandtonesshouldneverberegardedinisolation,butintermsofhowthey
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Colorsandtonesshouldneverberegardedinisolation,butintermsofhowthey
relatetothosearoundthem.Allcolorsandtonesareinfluencedbyneighboring
ones;whentwocolorsareviewedsidebyside,thecontrastbetweenthemis
enhanced.Eachtouchofcoloraddedtoapaintingalterstherelationshipofthe
colorsalreadythere:abrightcolorappearsricherwhenitisplacednexttoa
neutralormutedcolor;similarly,adarktoneappearsevendarkerwhenitis
placednexttoalightone.
HarmoniouspaintingInexperiencedpainterswilloftenworkononesmallareaofapaintinguntilitis
“finished,”andthenmoveontothenextarea.Thisgenerallyleadstoa
disharmoniousandconfusedpainting,becauseeachcolorisunrelated.
Itisbettertoworkonallareasofthecompositionatonce.Workfrom
landscapetoskyandbackagain,orfromfiguretogroundandbackagain.Keep
youreyesmovingaroundthesubject,assessingandcomparingonecoloragainst
another,onetoneagainstitsneighbor,andmakeadjustmentsasyougo.Inthis
wayyourpaintingwillgrowanddevelop,emergingfinallyasahomogeneous
massofcolorandtone.Paintingisacontinuousprocessofbalancing,judging,
alteringandrefining–whichiswhatmakesitsoabsorbing.
Brightcolorsseemrichernexttoneutralcolors
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Darktonesintensifynexttolightones
TomCoatesStudyofaBabyOilonpanel35×25cm(14×10in)Inthisunfinishedpainting,thesubjectandbackgroundareprogressingatmoreorlessthesamepace.Theartistmodifiesthecolorsandformsofbothpartsofthework,keepingtheimagefluidandmovingtowardsanintegratedstatement.
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LeslieWorthWindsurferonBoldermereWatercoloronbrownpaper22.5×28.7cm(9×111/2in)BrightandneutralcolorsThoughatinyshape,thewindsurfboardisverymuchthefocalpointofthispicture.Surroundedbydarktonesandneutralcolors,thesharpaccentofthewhitesailsingsoutwithapiercingnote.SEEALSOOILPALETTES84GLAZING170WASHTECHNIQUES182TONALVALUES219COLORHARMONY225OILPAINTS64WATERCOLORPAINTS87ACRYLICPAINTS110THELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214BROKENCOLOR256
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COLOREXPRESSIONOneofthemostimportantaspectsofcoloristhatitisemotive–itstimulates
alloursenses,notjustoureyes.Colorcanbeusedtosuggestandtoaccentuate
themoodofapainting,aswellastocreateanemotionalresponseinthemind
oftheviewer.Itcanbeuseddirectlyanddramaticallytoprovokeastrong
response,orinamoresubtleway.
UsingcolortosuggestmoodColorscantriggeraflowofimages,soundsandemotions.Bluemakesusthink
ofskyandsea,mountainsandstreams.Dependingonthecontextinwhichitis
usedinanimage,itcandenotefreshnessandlightness,ormelancholyand
alienation.Yellow,however,conjuresupimagesofsunshineandsummerflowers
–butitcanalsobeastrong,harsh,acidiccolor.
Warm(redandyellow)colorsdenotevitality,life,vigourandstrength,and
demandastrongemotionalreactionfromtheviewer.Cool(blueandgreen)
colorsimpartmorepassive,restfulemotions.
Thetoneofthecolor,anditsintensity,alsoplayapart.Redisavital,dynamic
color(anyfullysaturatedredobjectinapaintingwillimmediatelyattract
attention,regardlessofitssize).Itcanbecomedesaturatedbybeingmixedwith
whiteuntilitisasoft,romanticpink.Thepale,desaturatedbluethatis
associatedwithcoolnessandtranquillitycanbesovibrantinitspurestatethatit
hasasstronganeffectasred.
Fullysaturatedred
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Mixedwithwhiteanddesaturated
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SimieMaryles
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SunsetinSummer,BackshoreAcrylicandpastelonboard55×45cm(22×18in)Lizardi/HarpGallery,PasadenaSkycolorsAvarietyofcolorsareusedtocreatemoodandexpressaninterestingsky.Here,theartistweavessmallpatchesofblue,violet,orangeandcreamywhite,tocreateanimpressionofvibratinglight.Thedrypaintislooselydraggedandscumbled,givingmovementtotheclouds.Thesamecolorsarerepeatedthroughoutthepicture,envelopingthesceneinahomogeneouslight.SEEALSOTHELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214TONALVALUES219COLORCONTRAST226
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COLORHARMONYHarmonyispossiblythemostsubtleandevocativeofallthereactionsbetween
colors,anditcanbeusedwithgreateffecttocreatemoodinyourpainting.
Whilecontrastisdramaticandemphasizesthesubject,harmonyisgentleand
easyontheeye.
HowcolorsharmonizeThereisharmonybetweenthosehueswhichlieonthesamesectionofthe
spectrumorcolorwheel–betweenyellowandgreen,forexample.Colorswith
thesamecharacteristicswillbeinharmonywhentheyareplacedtogether.
Orange-brownandyellowveryoftenhavethesamewarmquality,and
harmonizewell.Thiscombinationisfrequentlyfoundinnature–thecolorsin
autumnalscenes,forinstance–asistheyellow-greenharmonyofspring
landscapes.
DominanthueAlthoughharmoniousschemesareoftenthemostpleasingandeasytohandle,
theveryunificationthatmakesthemharmoniousmaymakethemmonotonous.
Enoughvarietyoftoneandintensitypreventsmonotonyandplacesemphasison
onedominantline.Thislinecandominatethroughtonalcontrast,intensity,or
thespaceitoccupiesinthepicture.
ComplementaryaccentsAharmoniousschemecanalsobeenlivenedbytheintroductionof
complementaryaccents.Suchaccents,ifbrilliant,havepowerevenwhenusedin
smallamounts.Asmalltouchofredinagreenlandscape,forinstance,canadd
zesttoanimage.
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GrenvilleCottinghamEarlyMorninginSimiWatercoloronpaper37.5×27.5cm(15×11in)
Diffusedlightwilldesaturatecolors,weakeningtheirstrengthandbrilliancesothattheyseemmoreinaccord.ThisharmonizingeffectisevidentinbothKeithRoper’sandGrenvilleCottingham’sverydifferentlandscapes,inwhichcolorsarekeyedtoaunifiedleveloftoneandintensity,underliningtheessentialtranquillityofeachscene.
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KeithRoperWiltshireGouacheandpastelonpaper30×37.5cm(12×15in)KentmereHouseGallery,York
HarmonyandlightAtcertaintimesofdayandincertainweathers,colorswhichnormallycontrastwillappeartobeinharmony.
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COLORCONTRASTWhencolorsofoppositecharacteristicsmeet,theycreateimpact.The
Renaissancepaintersusedlight-darkcontrast,whereastheImpressionists
exploitedcontrastsofwarmandcoolcolor,andofcomplementarycolors;
Turnerusedintensitycontrast,playingpuretintsagainstneutrals.
ComplementarycontrastWhencomplementarycolorsarejuxtaposed,theyenhanceeachother,producing
averyvibrantvisualsensation;eachcolorseemsbrighteragainstitsneighbor
thanitwouldalone.
Togiveoneexample,bluesandgreenscontrastwiththeircomplementaries–
orangeandred.Thesuccessofthiscontrastdependsverymuchonthe
proportionsused:forexample,equalamountsofthecolorscancreateajarring,
unpleasanteffect,butasmallamountofredinapredominantlygreenareacan
beveryexciting.
Themostintensesensationofcolorcontrastcomesfromcomplementary
colorswhichareequallymatchedintoneandintensity.If,however,thereisa
notabletonaldifferencebetweenthecolors,thecontrastislessdramaticor
dynamic.
SplitcomplementariesAbsolutecomplementariesdonothavetobeused,andnear,or“split,”
complementariesareoftenmorepleasingtotheeyethantrueones.Split
complementariesarethosewhichareseparatedbythetruecomplementary;for
example,violetisthetruecomplementaryofyellow,whileblue-violetandred-
violetareitssplitcomplementaries.
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Thecomplementary(violet)andsplitcomplementariesofyellow
Redflecksonanareaofgreen,itscomplementarycolor
Juxtaposedcomplementarycolors
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SophieKnightChinaBowlwithFruitWatercoloronpaper55×75cm(22×30in)Thisstilllifedemonstratesaneffectiveuseofcomplementarycolors.Noticehowtheartistintroducesthecomplementary,blue,tomaketheorangesappearbrighterandmoreluminous.
CompositionandcontrastTherulesofcompositionapplywhendealingwithcolorcontrast.Itisimportant
thattheareaofgreatestcontrastinthepicturedrawstheeyetoit,somakesure
thatstrongcontrastoccursatthefocalpointofthepicture,otherwiseitwillbea
distractinginfluence.Employingequalareasofstrong,contrastingcolorsresults
inaconfusingimage.Youcanachieveabalancebyvaryingtheproportionsof
thecontrastingcolors.
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IntensitycontrastSaturatedcolorsappearmorebrilliantwhentheyareplacedalongsideneutral
colors.Apaintingdominatedbyneutraltonesmaybeenhancedbyplacingareas
ofpurecolornearthecenterofinterest,tocapturetheeyeandholdthe
attention.Inthesameway,acolorfulsubjectisenhancedbyrestfulneutral
passages.
TonalcontrastTonalcontrastshaveconsiderablevisualimpact;theattentionoftheviewermay
beattractedbythestrongcontrastsoftonebeforetheemotionalexpressionof
thecoloritselfisfelt.
TemperaturecontrastAllcolorshavefamiliarassociationsforus.Redsandyellows,forinstance,
conjureupsunlightandfire,andweconnectbluesandgreenswithsnow,iceand
water.
Contrastsofwarmandcoolcolorhaveseveralapplicationsinpainting.A
colorthatispredominantlywarmusuallyexpressesjoy,energyandforcefulness;
cool,subduedcolorsareusedtoexpressmoodsrangingfromcalmand
tranquillitytosadnessanddespair.
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IntensifyingcolorsNeutralcolorsmakesaturatedcolorsappearmorebrilliant.
FormandspaceContrastsofwarmandcoolcolorcanbeusedtodescribeformandtocreatetheillusionofspaceanddepth.Below,thelimitedpaletteofwarmandcoolcolorsgivessculpturalmodellingtothefigure.Notethewarmtonesonthemodel’sshoulders,calvesandbuttocks;bycontrast,bluish-violettonesareusedtodescribetheindentedplaneofthesmalloftheback.
DesmondHaughtonSueOiloncanvas45×117.5cm(18×47in)
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RembrandtvanRijn(1606–69)Self-PortraitAged34Oiloncanvas102×80cm(403/4×32in)NationalGallery,LondonChiaroscuroRembrandtwasamasterofchiaroscuro–thecontrastoflightagainstdark–notonlyasacompositionaldevice,butalsotoheightentensionanddrama.SEEALSOTHELANGUAGEOFCOLOR214TONALVALUES219
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COMPOSITIONBeforeembarkinguponanypaintingoradrawing,itisimportanttostepback
andtoevaluateyoursubject,notonlyasaseriesofobjectsthatareoccupying
three-dimensionalspace,butalsoasaflatpattern–ajigsawofinterlocking
shapes,colorsandtones–thataddsuptoabalanceddesign.
VisualbalanceOneofthemostimportantgoalsincomposingapictureisachievingvisual
balance.Inotherwords,thevariouselementsthatmakeuptheimage–lines,
shapes,colors,tonesandtextures–mustbearrangedwithcare.
Artistsandcriticshaveputforwardmanytheoriesaboutthisbalance.The
ancientGreekphilosopherPlatoexpressedsuccinctlywhatgoodcompositionis
allabout.Hestatedthat“compositionconsistsofobservinganddepicting
diversitywithinunity”;inotherwords,apictureshouldalwayscontainenough
varietytokeeptheviewerinterested,butthisvarietymustberestrainedand
organizedtoavoidconfusionanddisunity.
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ChristaGaa(1938–92)StillLifewithInkwellWatercoloronpaper20×27.5cm(8×11in)NewGraftonGallery,LondonUnityanddiversityUnityisachievedbyintroducingelementsthatrelatetoandechoeachother,suchasthebottlesandbowlsinthisstilllife.Thesevisuallinksareeffective,becausetheeyefindsrelatedformsmoresatisfyingthanunrelatedones.However,noticehowChristaGaahasalsointroduceddiversity–withoutdistractingfromtheoverallunityofthecomposition–bychoosingobjectsthatdifferinsizeandshape,andbyvaryingthespacesbetweenthem.
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RoyFreer
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SkyBlueOiloncanvas120×100cm(48×40in)AsymmetryFormalsymmetrylendsbalancetoanimage,butlacksexcitement.Anasymmetricalarrangement,ontheotherhand,maintainsvisualequilibriumwhilesettingupdynamictensionsandrhythms.Asymmetricalcompositioncanbelikenedtoanold-fashionedscale,inwhichasmallbutheavymetalweightononesidecanbalanceamuchlargerpileofobjectsontheother.Inthispainting,forinstance,thereisacounterpoisebetweenactiveandpassivespace–thebusyclutterofobjectsservesasastrongattraction,butisheldincheckbythelarge,simplystatedforeground.
ElsieDinsmorePopkinNudewithStripedSkirtPastelonpaper25×25cm(10×10in)PositiveandnegativeshapesThepositiveshapesofobjectsinapictureareimportant,asarethenegativeshapescreatedbyspacesaroundandbetweenthoseobjects.Thispictureworksontwolevels:asarepresentationofthesubject,andasatwo-dimensionaldesignofinterlockingshapes.
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JohnMartinVineyardWorkersWatercolorandgouacheonpastelpaper20×15cm(8×6in)RhythmRhythminapaintingordrawingplaysthesameroleasinmusic;itdrawsthedifferentelementstogetherandimpartstothecompositionadistinctivemood.Thesebendingfiguresaregroupedintoabeautifullycontrolledcentraldesign,inwhichshapes,patterns,linesandcolorsrepeatandechoeachother.Thissetsuparhythmwhichunifiesthepicture.SEEALSOTONALVALUES219COLORHARMONY225
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CREATINGAFOCALPOINTArepresentationalpictureshouldhaveonemainsubject–afocalpointto
whichtheviewer’seyeisinevitablydrawn.Thus,whenplanningyour
composition,yourfirstquestionshouldalwaysbe,“WhatdoIwantto
emphasize,andhowshouldIemphasizeit?”
LeadingtheeyeWhenwelookatapictureofanykind,weinstinctivelylookforavisualpathway
toguideusthroughthecompositionandmakesenseofit.Iftheelementsinthe
picturearenotconnectedinapleasingandrhythmicalway,wesoonloseinterest
becausethepicturehasafragmented,incompletefeeling.
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Compositionalshapes
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Thesesketchesshowseveraldifferentwaystobreakupthepicturespaceinapleasingwayandhelpyoutoorganizetheelementssothattheviewer’sattentionfallswhereyouwantit.
AnnabelGaultEastonBroadtowardsSouthwoldOiloncanvas15.3×19.8cm(61/8×73/4in)RedfernGallery,LondonCreatinglead-insThedramaofthissceneisaccentuatedbytheforcefuldirectionallinesofthesanddunes.Theeyeispropelledbackinspacetothefocalpointformedwherethesilverlightonthewatermeetsthedarktoneofthecoastline.
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ValerieBatchelorCotswoldVillageWatercoloronpaper27.5×35cm(11×14in)CounterchangeTheplacingoflightshapesagainstdark,anddarkshapesagainstlight,isanothermeansofcreatingvisualpathwaysthroughapicture;theeyeisattractedbythesestrongcontrastsandwilljumpfromonetothenext.Remember,however,thatthegreatestcontrastshouldbereservedforthecenterofinterest,sokeeptonalcontrastselsewhereinthepaintingrelativelysubdued.
TheruleofthirdsTogivethefocalpointmaximumvisualimpact,takecaretoplaceitcarefullywithintheconfinesofthepicturespace.Atraditionalwaytoproduceabalanced,satisfyingcompositionistousethe“intersectionofthethirds.”Thisformulaisbasedonmathematicalprinciplesofharmonyandproportion,andhasbeenusedbyartistsforcenturies.
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UsingtheruleMentallydividethepictureareaintothirds,horizontallyandvertically,andthenlocatethecenterofinterest,andanysecondaryelements,atornearthepointswherethelinesintersect.Thissimpleprincipleproduceswell-balanced,comfortablecompositionsthatareeasyontheeye.
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MichaelHyamStudyofJoachimPencilandwatcrcoloronpaper22.5×12.5cm(9×5in)CreatingemphasisStressingoneelementispartlyamatterofsubordinatingtheothers,forexamplebykeepingthebackgroundlessdetailedanddistinctthantheforeground.Thelyricalbeautyofthisportraitstudyderivesfromthe“lost-and-found”qualityofthedrawnandpaintedmarks.Thesitter’sfaceisthefocusofattention,anditisherethatMichaelHyamconcentratesmoredetailandcolor.Theloosertreatmentoftheotherelementsemphasizesthemodellingofthefeaturesbycontrast.
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TrevorChamberlainRailwayViaduct,WelwynWatercoloronpaper25×17.5cm(10×7in)FocusingattentionThereareseveraldeviceswhichtheartistcanusetobringattentiontothecenterofinterest,suchasplacingmoredetailinthatarea,ormoreintensecolors,contrastingshapes,ortonalcontrast.Whenahumanfigureisincludedinacomposition,theeyeisinevitablydrawntoit–evenwhen,ashere,thefigureisdwarfedbyitssurroundings.Noticehowthefocalpoint–adarktoneagainstlight–isframedbythearchoftheviaduct,givingitfurtheremphasis.
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SallyStrandGirlwithMotherBendingPastelonpaper35×27.5cm(14×11in)CroppingimagesSallyStrand’sfigurecompositionsarealwaysnaturalandunposed,conveyingtheeffectofasnapshot.Deliberatelycroppingthefiguresattheedgesoftheframebringstheviewerincloseformoreintimatecontactwiththesubject.
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AlisonMuskerVicolodelleRiformeWatercoloronpaper35×16.8cm(14×63/4in)Atallnarrowformatlikethisiscertainlyunusual,buthereitisappropriatetoitssubject,underliningthehauntingqualityconveyedbythispared-downimage.
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LucyWillisInterior,ZabidWatercoloronpaper42.5×62.5cm(17×25in)ChrisBeetlesGallery,LondonMaintainingtensionLucyWillis’spicturesseldomsettlefortheobvious.Thefigureontherightiswalkingoutofthepainting,apparentlyfloutingtheconventionthattheviewershouldbeledintothepicture.Yetwhyistheeyeheldsofirmlywithinthepicturespace?First,theverticallineofthedoorservesasabraketotheoutgoingfigure;thenthatfigureiscounterpointedbythesmallfigureinthecorner,creatingaspatial“push-pull”sensationwhichkeepstheeyemovingaroundtheimage.SEEALSOCOLORCONTRAST226
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BREAKINGTHERULESCompositionisanimportantaspectofpainting.However,anover-reliance
onmathematicalandgeometricformulasmayresultinimageswhich,though
competent,aresafeandpredictable.AsCézanneoncesaid,“WhenIstart
thinking,everything’slost.”
InstinctandintuitionItistheunexpectedandthepersonalthatmakeanimagememorable,andoften
itisbettertoletyourcreativeinstinctsdictatewhentofollowtherules–and
whentodeliberatelyfloutthem.The“rules”thatgovernpaintinganddrawing
shouldbetakenonlyasguidelinesforproducinganacceptableimage.Although
theyareusefulforthenewpainter,withexperienceyouwillfindthatgood
compositionislargelyamatterofobservation,instinctandintuition.
FormatsAsageneralrule,ahorizontalformatisthemostappropriateshapeforthebroad
sweepofalandscape,whileanuprightformatistheusualchoiceforportraits
(hencetheterms“landscapeformat”and“portraitformat”).Butamorearresting
imagemayoftenbeproducedbyreversingtheseprinciples.
SquareformatThisformatisusedlessfrequentlythanlandscapesorportraits,yetithasastabilitywhichisattractivetotheeye.Infact,itisnomoredifficultcomposingasquare-formatpicturethanarectangularone,evenwhenthesubjectisalandscape,anditiswellworthexperimentingwithdifferentformats.
BreakingawayOneofthemainreasonswhytherectangularformatdominatesallothersistheRenaissanceconventionthat“apictureisawindowopenedontheworldandthenpaintedbyanartist.”Thecontemporaryartist,lesshideboundbyconvention,realizesthattherectangularformatisjustoneofmanyshapesyoucanuseforapicture.
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JohnMartinStillLifewithWateringCanOiloncanvas30×30cm(12×12in)
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AnthonyGreen
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TheThirtiethWeddingAnniversaryOilonboard157.5×148.8cm(63×591/2in)PiccadillyGallery,LondonSEEALSOCOMPOSITION228
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Chapter8
WHATSHALLIPAINT?
Themajorityofartists,whentheyarechoosingsubjectstopaint,turntotheclassicthemes–stilllife,
landscape,interiors,wildlife,portraitureandfigurepainting.Thereare,ofcourse,manyvariationson
thesethemes.Stilllifealonecanencompassanythingfromasingleobjecttoacomplexgroupoffruitand
flowers.Townscapes,seascapes,skystudiesandgardensaremerelydifferentformsoflandscape
painting.Andwhenartistsconstructpicturespurelyfromimagination,anyoralloftheclassicthemes
couldbecombinedinasinglepicture.Thissectionofthebookcombinesmajorpaintingprojectswith
helpfulexercisestodevelopyourskills.
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PAINTINGTHREEDIMENSIONSRepresentationalpaintingsareactuallyillusions–two-dimensional
interpretationsofathree-dimensionalworld.Youareabouttotakeupthe
challengeofcreatingthoseillusions.Sowhatisitthatmakesapaintedimage
believable?Tobegintoanswerthisquestion,wehavechosenalemonasa
simplesubjecttoillustratesomebasicprinciples.
ShapeOneofthewayswerecognizeanyobjectisbyitsshape–thatis,byitsprofileas
itappearsagainstabackground.Whetheritisinterpretedasasimpleoutlineor
asasilhouette,shapehelpsustodistinguishoneobjectfromanother.
Contourlines
Form
However,anoutlineprovidesverylimitedinformationaboutanobject.For
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However,anoutlineprovidesverylimitedinformationaboutanobject.For
greaterrealism,youwillneedtoexplorewaysofconveyingthree-dimensional
formorsolidity.Onesimplemethodistodrawcontourlinesrepresentingthe
surfaceoftheobject.Thismayhelpyoutounderstandtheformoftheobject,
eventhoughitisasomewhat“mechanical”interpretation.
ToneTocreateamorerealisticimage,trymakinglinearmarksintheformofhatching
andcrosshatchingtocreateatonalimage–onethatinterpretsthesubjectin
termsoflightanddark.Facetedshapeshaveclearlydefinedplanes,butrounded
formsrequireagradualgradationfromlighttodark.Toevaluatetonalvalues,
studyyoursubjectthroughhalf-closedeyes.Thisallowsyoutodistinguishthe
lightestanddarkestareasfromthehalftones.
Overheadlight
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Lowangleoflight
LightandshadeLightfallinguponanobjectcastsarelativelydarkareaofshadowonthe
oppositeside.Includingshadowsinyourpaintingwillhelptocreateanillusion
ofweight,becausetheobjectwillappeartoberestingfirmlyonasurfacerather
thanfloatinginspace.Shadowsarestrongestimmediatelyadjacenttotheobject,
gettinglighterastheystretchaway.
Alowangleoflightwillcastalongshadow,whereasanoverheadlightwill
castashortone.Illuminatinganobjectevenlytendstoflattenitsappearance,
whereaslightfromonlyonedirectionexaggeratesthetonalcontrast.
HighlightsHighlightsarehigh-keyareasoftone,whicharecreatedbylightreflectingback
fromasurface.Usedinconjunctionwithshadows,highlightsservetoenhance
theillusionofthree-dimensionalform.Youcancreatehighlightsbyapplying
opaquepaintoverlaidcolor,ormaskingoutareasofwhitepaperbeforeyou
applyawash.
ReflectedlightandcolorLightreflectedfromatabletopwillbrightenareasofdeepshadow.Similarly,
thecolorofthesubjectitselfmaybereflectedinthesurfaceofthetable.Adding
thesetouchestoyourpaintingmakesforgreaterrealism.
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LocalcolorWeknowthatalemonisyellow–thisisits“localcolor.”However,whenpaintinganobject,itisnecessarytolookbeyondlocalcolor.Thecolorthatweactuallyseedependsonwhetherasurfaceisindirectlight,reflectedlight,orshadow.Inthisstudy(below),theartisthasusedcadmiumyellow,modifiedwithwashesofyellowochre,andamixtureofcobaltblueandburntumberfortheareasinshadow.
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SEEALSOCROSSHATCHING41MASKINGFLUID102,192DRAWINGPAPERS38WARMANDCOOLCOLORS216WASHES182WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189
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EXPERIMENTINGWITHPAINTBeforeyoutackleanythingtoodemanding,experimentwithyourpreferred
mediumtoseejusthowversatileitcanbe.Tryawiderangeoftechniques,
fromsimplefluidwashestothickimpasto,todiscoverdifferentwaysof
interpretingtheobjectyouarepainting.Water-solubleandquick-drying
acrylicpaintisidealforexperimentation,butbesuretowashyourbrushes
frequentlyandonlysqueezeoutasmuchpaintasyouthinkyouwilluseina
singlesession.
SubjectandequipmentChooseasimpleobjectwithasurfacepatternortexturethatiseasytointerpret
andhelpsyoutoseethevolumeandshapeofthesubject.Thepaletteusedhere
wasopaquechromiumoxide(green),lightyellowochre,titaniumwhite,anda
littleburntumberfortheareasinshadow.Glazemedium,gelmediumand
texturepastewereusedtocreatethepainteffects.Aswellasasmallcranked
paintingknife,theartistusedaNo.10roundandNos2and3synthetic-hair
brights(flatshort-bristlebrushes).
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DrybrushingTrymakingasimplebrushdrawing,usingasmallamountofundilutedpaintandashort-bristlebrush.Thebrushstrokeswillsoonrundry,givingafreshsketch-likeappearancetothework.
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UsingdilutedpaintHerethepaintisdilutedwithwaterandappliedaswashes,wet-in-wet.Drawthejuginpencil,thenbrushcleanwaterwithinthepenciloutline.Startingatthetop,applyalight-coloredwashtothewettedarea.Builduptheformwithsuccessivelystrongerwashes,startingfromthedarkerareas–thecolortendstoflowandbleednaturally,creatingrewardingaccidentaleffects.Removeexcesscolorwhileitisstillwet,usingacleandampbrush.Createhighlightswithwhitebodycolor.
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PaintingstraightfromthetubeMixundilutedpainttomatchthelightestbackgroundcolorandbrushitoverthepencildrawing.Givethepaintingform,usingthepaintatfullstrengthordilutedwithalittlewatertomodeltheshape.Blendthetones,andaddhighlightstogiveareflectivequalitytothesurface.
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AddingglazemediumGlazemediumallowsacrylicstobeusedinasimilarwaytooils.Whenaddedinsmallamountstoundilutedacrylicpaint,glossyopaquecolorsareproduced.Addingalargeramountofglazemediumcreatesthintransparentwasheswhich,whentheyareusedtooverlayothercolors,areknownasglazes.Here,thepaintwasappliedwithbristlebrushes,whichwererinsedinwaterbeforeeachchangeofcolor.
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UsinggelmediumGelmedium,whichisthickerthanglazemedium,driestoatransparentgloss.Itcreatesafull-bodiedpaintwitharichdepthofcolorthatcanbeworkedlikeoilpaint.Builduptheformofthejugwithopaquepaintandthinglazes.Asacrylicsdryrelativelyquickly,youcansoonoverpaintthesurfacetomodifythecolororform.Brushmarksleftintheextra-thickpaintwilladdcharactertothefinishedpainting.
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MixingwithtexturepasteCreateadistinctlytexturedpaintingbymixingacrylicpaintswithtexturepaste.Useasmallcrankedpaintingknifetoapplythepaint,allowingyourstrokestofollowthecurvedformofthejugtoemphasizeitsbulbousshape.Withacrylicpaint,youcanworkfromdarktolightorviceversawhenbuildinguptheform.Althoughrelativelydifficulttocontrol,thickpaintappliedwithaknifeimpartsasenseoffreedomandspontaneitytothepainting.
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AsimplepaletteUsingjustfourcolors,acrylicpaintoffersyouawiderangeofpossibilities,fromtranslucentwashestostrongopaques.SEEALSOACRYLICPAINT110GLAZING170KNIFEPAINTING120,174MEDIUMS76,118PAINTBRUSHES78,120WASHES182WET-IN-WET188
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INTERPRETINGCOLORANDPATTERNEvenasimplepaintingencompassesavarietyofskills.Inadditionto
observingandcommunicatingindividualcolorsandform,astill-lifepainter
hastocomposeandarrangeelementswithinagivenarea,andalsostrivefor
balancedcolor.Thispictureofaflowerconcentratesoncolorandshape
createdwithpaintonpaper.Brushesareeventuallyputasideastheartist
employsacollagetechniqueasasimpleandeffectivemeansoffocusingonthe
colorsandshapesevidentinthisstill-lifesubject.
MaterialsUsequick-drying,water-solublecolors.Heretheartistusedgouache,butacrylic
paints,watercolorsandevenpostercolorsorinkswillserveequallywell.
Anypaperwilldo.Leftoverscrapsfromsketchbooksandpreviousprojectsare
ideal,andusingpaperswithdifferentsurfacetextureswillservetoenrichthe
finishedwork.
Youdon’tneedscissorsunlessyouwantverypreciseshapes.Forthiscollage,
theshapesweretornfromthepaper.Youwillneedpasteandabrush.
ObservingcolorsCreateyourpaletteofcollagematerialswithpaintonpaper.Interpretthecolorsoftheobjectinfrontofyouascloselyaspossible.
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FormingshapesStartbytearingthebasicshapesoftheflowerfromtheappropriatelycoloredpapersamples.Simplymodifytheshapeandscaleasyougo.
FixingpositionDry-laythearrangementontothebackground.Then,whenyouarehappywiththecomposition,pastethevariouselementsinposition.
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ArrangingthecollageArrangethetorn-papershapestoapproximatetheformoftheflower.Changetheshapesandadddifferentcolors,graduallybuildingupthepictureratherlikeamosaic.
ChoosingyoursubjectItisimportanttoselectaflowerthatiswell-definedinformandcolor,andwillthuslenditselftosimpleinterpretationusingthecollagetechnique.Inthiscase,theartisthasoptedforaseasonalfloweranddecidedtofocusonasinglebloomoffsetbyahintoffoliage.Theirisisanelegantspringflowerwithdistinctiveshapesandcolors.
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EllaJennings
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BlueIrisPaintedandtintedpapercollage76×51cm(30×20in)AsingleflowerMakingsimplecollagesofsingleobjectswillhelpyoutoseecolorandpattern.Thisboldinterpretationofanirisismadeusinggouachetocolorthepaper,whichisthentornandarrangedonatintedcartridgepaperbackground.Itisanadvantagetoworkatafairlylargescalewhenmakingtorn-papercollages.SEEALSOCOLLAGE208GOUACHE104PAINTINGAVASEOFFLOWERS254PAPERS21,28SHAPEANDFORM236WASHES182,204
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INTERPRETINGSURFACETEXTURESEachcomponentinastilllifehasanintrinsicvisualquality–hard,brittle,
soft,flexible,warm,coldandsoon.Inaddition,thesurfaceofmostmaterials
willgraduallydevelopitsownparticularcharacterorpatinaasaresultof
ageingandexposure.
CapturingtexturesHere,weseeanumberofwaystocapturetheessentialnatureofinanimate
objects,usingavarietyofmedia.Bymakinganumberofstudiesofdifferent
materials,youcanbuilduparepertoireoftechniquesthatwillhelpyouwith
yourstill-lifepainting.
HouseholdwaresandfoundobjectsEverydayobjectscanbeusedtoprovideyourstill-lifetablewithavarietyofinterestingandchallengingsurfacetextures.
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WoodandceramicinpastelHere,softpastelshavebeenusedtodepictcontrastingmaterials–woodenspoonsandafired-claypot.Drawthestilllifeinsoftpencil,thenrenderthesmoothsurfaceofthespoonswithsuitablepastelcolors,blendedonthepaperwitharolledpaperstump.Drawthewoodgrainwithpastels,usinganerasertoliftoffsomeofthecolor.Renderthesurfacetextureofthepotwithshortdiagonalstrokes,usingcolorsinvarioustonestocreatethecylindricalshape.Letthepastelstrokesoverlapandblendtogether.
Woodinpencilandwatercolor
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WatercolorFirstdrawtheboxinsoftgraphitepencil.Usingyellowochre,rawsiennaandburntsienna,mixwashesthatresemblethetonesofthewood.Fortheshadows,mixburntumberandcobaltblue.Wetthedrawnareaandlayawashofthelightesttone.Whenalmostdry,paintthefacesoftheboxwithdarkerwashes.Addstreakstorepresentgrain,andapplyawashfortheshadows.
ColoredpencilUsingwater-solublepencils,drawthelightwoodtones,followingthedirectionofthegrain.Buildupthecolorbycrosshatchingwheredarkertonesarerequired.Usingawetbrush,blendthepencillinestomakeacolorwash.Whendry,darkenandmodifythetonesandcreatethegrainpatternofthewood.Useaputtyeraserto
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introducehighlightsandcleanupedges.
Claypotsinpastelandacrylic
PastelHavingmadeasimpleunderdrawing,youcandepictthecoloringandweatheredtextureofsomeoldclayflowerpotsbyusingoverlappingstrokesofcolor.Trynottooverworkthecolors,oryouwillrisklosingtheirfreshness.
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AcrylicpaintLiquidacrylicpaintcanbeusedstraightfromthepotorthinnedwithwater.Applythecolorfreelywithaflatbristlebrush,usingasmallroundbrushfordetail.Oncethesurfaceisdry,overpaintwithopaquepaintortransparentwashestomodelthepotsandintroducethepaletonesofmildew-stainingovertheterracotta.
Drinkingglassinwatercolorandpastel
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PastelItisdifficulttobeprecisewhenworkingwithpastels,souseaputtyerasertodefinethereflectionsandthehighlightsintheglass.Apaperstumpisusefulforblendingcolorsandfordrawinginfinedetail–rubthetipofthestumpontothepastel,andthentransferthecolortothework.
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WatercolorMixwatercolorwashestorepresentthesilver-graytonesseeninglass.Studytheshapesofthereflectionsandblocktheminwithwashes,wet-on-dry.Leaveareasofwhitepapertorepresentthehighlights.Carefullyoutlinethedarkeredges,suchastherim,usingthetipofabrush.
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FoldedfabricinoilpastelOilpastelshaveapaint-likequality,idealforrenderingthefoldsandtextureoffabric.Drawtheclothonacoarse-texturedpaperandapplycolortodelineatethesquares,allowingsomeofthepaper’stexturetoshowthrough.Describethevarioustonesbyoverlayingwithmorepastel,orscrapeitbackwithascalpel.Usethepointedbladetodrawthewarpandweftofthefabric.
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RustycaninwatercolorThewornsurfaceandrustpatchesonthisoldscrew-topcanhavebeenpaintedinwatercolor.Warmandcoolgraysmixedfromrawumberandcobaltblueareusedforthemetalsurfaces,withwashesofyellowochre,greenandrawumberfortheoldlabelsandtape.Makealinedrawingofthecontainer,thenapplyalight-graywashforthemetal.Adoptasimilartreatmentforthelabelandtape.Graduallyadddeepertoneswithdabsofcolor,wet-in-wet,tobuilduptheformandcharacterofthesurfaces.
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RustyironinacrylicApplyacrylicswithapaintingknifetodepictabarnacle-coveredsurface.Thickenthepaintwithtexturepaste,thenstippleitontothepaper.Mixthecolorsonapalette,orapplydabsofpainttothework,blendingthemonthesurface.Specksofunmixedcoloraddbrilliancetothework.
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Forthesecondstudy,thesamecolorswereused–burntumber,yellowochre,cadmiumredmedium,processyellowandtitaniumwhite–butthepaintwasappliedwithabrush.Makesomeshortbrushstrokes,usingdifferentcolorstocreatetheformandtextureofrustymetal.Tomodifythebasecolorandadddetail,usewater-thinnedglazes.
Enamelledcoffeepotinacrylicandpastel
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AcrylicThechallengeherewastosimulatethefaded,semi-mattsurfaceofoldcoloredenamel.Thisstudywasmadewithliquidacrylicpaint–alizarincrimson,cadmiumyellow,titaniumwhiteandrawumber.Toachieveagradationofcolorandtone,blendthecolorsonthepaperwhilethepaintiswet.Addtouchesofthinnedcolortocreatehighlightsandareasofchippedenamel.
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PastelAsimilarstudywasmadewithsoftpastel.Useasoft-texturedvelourpapertoblendthepastelsintoasmoothgradationoftoneandcolor.Thepastelsarelaidthinly,allowingthewhitebackgroundto“grin”throughandcreatefresh,luminouscolors.Firstdrawtheoutlineinsoftgraphitepencilorink.Whenapplyingthecolor,workfromlighttodark,usingastumptoblendthepastelandabristlebrushtoeraseunwantedcolor.Addthehighlightslast.
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Aluminiumcoffeepotinacrylic
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Bywayofanexperiment,trycopyingthesurfaceofanaluminiumcoffeepotwithsilverandpewteracrylicpaints.Mixthemetallicpaintswithtitaniumwhitetoproducethelightertones,creatinganinfiniterangeofsoftgrays.Painttheglasstopwithwatercolor.SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110RESOURCESANDREFERENCES126COLOREDPENCILS42PAINTBRUSHES78,96,120PAINTINGKNIVES120PASTELS48MEDIUMS76,118OILPASTELS50WATERCOLORPAINTS87WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189
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FISHONAPLATEYoucantaketheideaofpaintingasingleobjectastepfurtherbylookingat
theobjectincontext.Thisrequiresyoutoobserveavarietyoftextures,and
introducesyoutobasiccomposition.Fishonaplatemakeasimpleyet
fascinatingstill-lifesubject.Thebrittleglazedceramicoftheplateandthe
naturalcoloringanddelicatescalepatternsoftherecentlycaughtmackerel
provideanopportunitytoexplorewaysofusingpainttoexpresstheir
contrastingqualities.
UnderdrawingStarttheworkbymakingalightpencildrawingofyourcomposition.Drawthe
ellipticalshapeoftheplateinfull,butellipsescanbetrickytodrawaccurately,so
don’tbeafraidtouseanerasertomakecorrectionsasnecessary.Nextaddthe
fish,notingtheiroverallshapeandproportion.Youcanerasethelinesofthe
platethatwouldbehiddenbythefishonceyouaresatisfiedwithyourdrawing.
DrawinginpencilYoucankeeptheunderdrawingrelativelysimple.
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ThelightingAwindowtotherightofthestill-lifetableprovidesthemainlightsource.Fishskinchangescolordramaticallyaccordingtothedirectionoflight,soyoumayneedtotrydifferentarrangementstodiscoverthemostattractiveviewpointwhenyouaresettingupacompositionofthiskind.
ThematerialsWatercolorpaintistheperfectmediumforcapturingthediffusedcoloringofthesubject.Thisstudywaspaintedon250gsm(120lb)roughwatercolorpaper,tapedbutnotstretchedontoadrawingboard.Inaddition,youwillneedasoftgraphitepencil,roundsablepaintbrushes,aneraserformakingcorrections,andmaskingfluidtocreatethehighlights.
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ThepropsApairofattractivelymarkedfisharrangedonasimpleplatemakesanidealvehiclefordevelopingvisualawarenessandlearningtousewatercolor(thechosenmediumforthisstudy).Lookcarefullyattheharshreflectionsfromthehardglazedchina,comparingthemwiththemoresubtleglisteningskinofthefish,withitsrainbowreflectionsandstripedmarkings.
MaskingoutthehighlightsIdentifythehighlightsontheplateandfish,andpaintthemontothedrawingwithmaskingfluid.
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PaintingtheshadowsMixtonalwashesfortheshadowsandformodellingtheform.
PaintingtheplateMixasuitablecolorandcarefullypaintintherimoftheplate,takingnoteofthewayreflectedlightgivesitsolidityandform.
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LightandshadowNotehowlightilluminatesyourstilllife,creatinghighlightsononesideandthrowingshadowsontheother.
MaskingouthighlightsUsethewhiteofthepapertorepresentyourstrongesthighlights.Paintthe
shapeofeachhighlightwithmaskingfluidwhich,whenremovedatalaterstage,
revealstheunpaintedsurfaceofthepaper.Inthisstudy,thehighlightsoccuron
variouspartsofthefishandalsoaroundtherimoftheplate.Maskingfluiddries
fast,soworkquicklyandwashoutyourbrushinsoapywaterbeforethefluid
clogsthebristles.
Startthepaintingitselfbywettingtheareasofcastshadowaroundtheplate,
usingcleanwater.Withbrushstrokesfollowingtheshapesmadebytheshadows,
applyalightwashoverthewettedarea.Letthesurfacedryalittle,thenadd
darkerwashestodeepenandstrengthenthetones.Also,addpalecolorwashes
tomodelthehollowshapeoftheplateandtointroducesomeshadowsbeneath
thefish.
MixingandlayingwashesNowbegintobuilduptheformofthefishwithoverlappingwashesof
translucentcolor.Notethesubtlecolorchangesacrosstheskinandmixsuitable
washes,testingthemonascrapofpapertocheckthestrengthofcolorandtone.
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Whendry,watercolorsappearlighterthanwhentheyarefirstapplied,sotake
thisintoconsiderationwhenmixingyourcolors.Laythewashesfreelyandlet
someblendtogether,wet-in-wet.Ifyouneedtomodifythecoloring,leavethe
washtodry,thenapplyanothercoloroverthetop.Alternatively,liftoffthe
paintwhileitisstillwetbyblottingwithasoftpapertissue.
UsingglazestogiveshapetothefishApplytranslucentwashestodescribethefirm,roundedbodiesofthefish.
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PickingoutthedetailsUseafineroundpaintbrushtodrawthestripedmarkings,andtotouchinthedarkcenteroftheeyes.
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RevealingthehighlightsOncethepaintisdry,useyourfingertiporanerasertorubawaythemaskingfluid,revealingthewhitepaperbeneath.
Nowbegintoadddetailtothepainting,emphasizingtheformandcharacterof
thesubject.Useafinebrushtodefinetheshapeofthefish,andtopickout
featuressuchastheeyesandgills.
Letthepaintingdry,andthenrubawaythemaskingfluidappliedatthe
beginning.Applylightwashestomodifytheshapeandcolorofthehighlights,
butleavethewhitepapertodepicthigh-keyreflections.
Atthispoint,youshouldstepbackandtakeagoodlookatyourpaintingto
ensureyouaremaintaininganoverallbalanceoftoneandcolor.Thenmakethe
necessarymodificationswithsmalltouchesofpaintandcoloredglazes,untilyou
feelyouhavecapturedtheessenceofthestilllife.
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DavidDayFishonaPlateWatercoloronpaper25.5×38cm(10×15in)Thissimplestudydemonstrateshowyoucanmakeasuccessfulstill-lifepaintingofcommonplaceobjects,providedtheyarechosenwithcareandarrangedtomakeabalancedcomposition.Makesimilarstudiesusingavarietyofmedia.
1SurfacetexturesEachfishhasitsownindividualmarkings.Paintthemwithafineroundbrush.
2ColoredglazesDelicatecolorscanbeachievedwithoverlappingglazesofwatercolor.
3MaskedhighlightsMaskoffthewhitepapertocreatehigh-keyaccents.
4ModellingDescribetheshapeandformofobjectswithcarefullyappliedwashes.
5FinestdetailAddthefinestdetailtoapaintingbydrawingwithapointedbrush.
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SEEALSODRAWINGCIRCLESINPERSPECTIVE303MASKINGFLUID192WASHTECHNIQUES182WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189
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PAINTINGABOWLOFFRUITTheenormousrangeofpigmentsavailablemakesitdifficulttochoosecolors
inaconsideredway.Whocanresistthoseendlessrowsofgorgeouscolorsin
thelocalartstore?Setsofgood-qualitywatercolorsareavailableinboxes,but
theseareexpensiveandmaycontainfarmorecolorsthanyouneed.Awiser
courseistobuyanemptyboxandfillitwithcolorsofyourownchoice.
BeawareofshapesIndividually,mostfruitsaresimilarinoutline,butpilethemoneuponanother
andyoubecomeawareofthemoreinteresting“negative”shapesthatarecreated
bythespacesbetweenandaroundthefruits.Acarefulassessmentofcolorsand
tonesisessentialtomakethebestoftheseshapesandcreateastrong
composition.
Water-mixableoilpaintsThefeaturedpaintingwasmadewithwater-mixableoilpaints.Theybehave
muchlikeconventionaloilcolorsandproducesimilarresults,buttheyare
thinnedwithwaterinsteadofasolventsuchasturpentine.
MediumsArangeofmediumsisavailableforalteringthecharacteristicsandworking
propertiesofthepaint.Forthispainting,theartistusedwaterasthediluent,
plusawater-mixablepaintingmediumwhenapplyingcertaincolors.
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Strongcolors,uninhibitedbrushworkandboldoutlinescharacterizeJennieDunn’spaintings.Thissimplestilllifereliesonthecarefulorchestrationofshape,toneandcolorforitsimpact.
BrushesWhenpaintingwithwater-mixableoils,itisadvisabletousespecialsyntheticbrushes.ForthispaintingtheartistusedNos2,4and18flats,andNos2,4and20rounds.Topreservetheirshape,alwayswashoutyourbrushesinwarmsoapywaterandwrapthebristlesinapapertowel.
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PreparatorydrawingsNoteveryartistbotherstomakepreparatorysketches,butdrawingwillgiveyoutheopportunitytotryoutvariousarrangementsofcolorandtone.Itiseasiertoevaluatethecompositionifyourpreparatorydrawingsaremadeonpaperthathasthesameproportionsasyourcanvas.Cutortearthepapertomatchthecanvasifneedbe.
Colorsused:AlizarincrimsonCadmiumorangeCadmiumreddeepCadmiumyellowlightCadmiumyellowmediumCeruleanDioxazinepurple
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FrenchultramarineLemonyellowNaplesyellowSapgreenTitaniumwhiteViridianYellowochre
ComplementarycolorsWhenselectingthefruitforthispainting,theartistintentionallychosecolorsthatwerecomplementary.Whencomplementarycolorsarejuxtaposed,theyintensifytheeye’sperceptionofcolor,creatingamoredynamicandvibrantpicture.
Coloredgrounds
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Coatingaprimedcanvasorboardwithaneutralorcoloredwashprovidesasurfaceuponwhichtheartistcanmoreaccuratelyevaluatearangeofcolorsandtones.Inthiscasethegroundcolorisintendedtoformanintegralpartofthefinishedpainting.Awarmpink,mixedwithjustatouchofultramarine,glowsthroughtoenliventhecoolblues,greensandyellows,andformsaperfectmidtoneforwarmredsandoranges.
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Applyingacoloredground
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Scrubgroundcolorontothecanvas,usingawideflatpaintbrushandaballofdamppapertowel.Providedyouthinthepaintwithverylittlewater,thegroundwillbedryenoughtoworkonwithinafewminutes.
UnderdrawingUsingadarkermixofthegroundcolor,drawthemainelementsofthe
compositioninlineonly.Don’tbeafraidofmakingmistakes–whileitiswet,
water-mixableoilpaintcanbewipedoffthesurfaceveryeasily.
ModifyingthecompositionWhilemakingtheunderdrawing,theartistdecidedtosimplifythepicturebyleavingouttheextraneouspictureframeandfruitshehadincludedinherpreliminarydrawings.
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DarkertonesStartbyblockinginthedarkestshapesinordertosuggesttheplumsand“black”grapes.Notehowthefruitsinshadowhaveadifferenttonalvaluefromthosethatcatchthelight.
LightertonesIntroducethebananasandapricots.Forthe“white”grapes,mixacoolbasecolorfromcadmiumyellowmediumandcerulean,addingultramarineandsapgreentothegrapesintheshade.
BlockinginthetonesDuringtheearlystagesofthepainting,JennieDunnislessconcernedwithform
thanwithbalancingthetones.Atthisstage,sheleavesnarrowgapsbetween
areasofcolor,allowingthemid-tonegroundtoshowthrough.
Introducingstrongcolors
Whenpaintingasubjectthathasstrongcoloring,yourperceptioncanbecome
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Whenpaintingasubjectthathasstrongcoloring,yourperceptioncanbecome
confused,makingitquitedifficulttodifferentiatetonalvalues.Narrowyoureyes
whenlookingatthestilllife,andyou’llseethedark,lightandmidtonesmore
clearly.
BlockinginthestrongercolorsIntroducethestrongcolorsbypaintingtheoverallshapesoftheorange-coloredsatsumasandtheredandyellowpatchesonthenectarinesandthepeach.
BringingthepaintingtolifeWiththeunderpaintingcomplete,theartistreturnstothefocalpointofthe
picture–thebowloffruit.Withsomedeftstrokesofpaint,thepictureisrapidly
broughttolife.Thefruitsbegintotakeonweightandsolidity,andtheirsurfaces
glistenwithreflectedlight.
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PaintingthefruitbowlOutlinethebowlwithdeepultramarine,thenlightlybrushpaleNaplesyellowalongthesidesofthebowl.Herethepinkgroundchangesthecolortoawarmgray.Definetheinneredgeofthebowlanddeepshadowswithsapgreenandpurple.
Paintingthebackground
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Usingyourlargestflatbrush,roughlyblockinthewhitetablecloth,scrubbingpaintontothecanvassothatthewarmgroundshowsthroughthebrushstrokes.Beforeyoustarttodetailthefocalpointofthepicture,paintinthebackgroundshapesandtones.Thesewillhelpyoutoevaluateaccuratelythecolorsthatwillbeappliednext.
DefiningshapesTodefinetheshapesandunifythepainting,JennieDunnpaintsdistinctoutlines,usingcolorsthatcomplementthecolorsofthefruit–softpurplearoundthebananas,anddarkgreenforthewarm-colorednectarines,apricotsandsatsumas.
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MultipleshadowsThecombinationofnaturalandartificiallightthrowsmultipleshadowsalongsidethefruitbowl.Withtheirsweepingbandsofcoolpinkblendedwithsapgreen,ultramarineandviridian,theseshadowsareanimportantfeatureofthepainting.
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JennieDunnFruitBowlWater-mixableoiloncanvas51×61cm(20×24in)1BananasPaintthedistinctiveplanesseparately,usingvarioustonesofyellowmixedwithsapgreen.
2SatsumasWithacombinationofcadmiumredandyellow,keeptheorangecolorrelativelylow-keytoensurethatfruitsatthebackofthebowlappeartorecede.Applypale-yellowhighlightsanddark-greenleaveswithalargepaintbrush.
3Apricots
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Bringthesimplestoffruitstolifewithvigorousbrushstrokes.Thebasecoloriscadmiumyellowwarmedwithcadmiumorange.
4NectarinesDry-brushhighlightsoveramixtureofcrimsonandcadmiumred.
5WhitegrapesPaintsomesolid-lookinggrapeswithcomplementarypinkandyellow-greenhighlights,graduallyblendingintotheblue-greenshadows.
6PeachHavingpaintedtheyellowpatches,stipplealizarincrimsonandcadmiumredontothecanvastodepictthevelvetyskinofapeach.
7PlumsWithboldbrushstrokes,youcandescribetheformandrichcoloringofthedarkestfruitsinthebowl.Usepaleblueandpinkforthehighlights,andthendefinethedarkerareaswithadeeppurple.
8BlackgrapesScumblingpinkandblue-grayontothecanvaswillcreateatexturethatresemblesanaturalbloomontheskinsoftheblackgrapes.Youcanapplysomehighlightswithapaintingknife,andthenenliventhespacesbetweenwithviridian.
9AppleAsmallpatchofpale-greenappleistheperfectcomplementarytothedark,richcolorsofthefruitsthatsurrounditinthebowl.SEEALSOCOMPLEMENTARYCOLORS215DRYBRUSHING178,196MEDIUMS76MIXINGCOLORS220PAINTINGKNIVES120,174PAINTINGTHREEDIMENSIONS236SCUMBLING176WATER-MIXABLEOILPAINTS66
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PAINTINGAVASEOFFLOWERSThereislittledoubtthatmakingpreparatorystudieswillallowyoutotryout
differentcompositionsandabsorbvaluableinformationaboutasubjectbefore
youembarkonapainting,butanartistmustalsobeabletomakesensitiveand
flexibleresponsestoresultsastheworkprogresses.Thiswillrequirethe
abilitytorecognizeagoodthingwhenithappensandalsothecourageto
changecourse,perhapseventoabandonyouroriginalconcept.
AflexibleapproachShirleyTrevenahasmasteredthisflexibleandspontaneousapproachtopainting,
takingpleasureineveryfortuitouseffectandtextureanunpredictablemedium
likewatercolorcanoffer.Don’tapproachthisexercisewiththeideathatyouare
goingtomakeanaccuratebotanicalstudy.Instead,enjoyyourselfasyoutrywith
colorandtexturetoconveyanimpression–youremotionalresponsetoavaseof
flowers.
ChoosingthesubjectToavoidconflictwithinthepainting,itisagoodideatoselectjustonetypeof
flower,andrelyonthecontrastbetweentheblooms,leavesandstemsforvisual
interest.Youwillhaveyourownideasforsuitablesubjects,butanarrangement
oflilies,irisesortulipsofferssuchdramaticpossibilitiesthattheseflowers
invariablymakerewardingsubjectsforpainting.Thevaseorcontaineryou
choosewillmakeadifferencetothepicture.Thesimplebrassvasedepictedisa
perfectfoilforthedisplayofwhitelilies,butothertypesofflowermightlook
betterinaglassvaseoraceramicjug.Youdon’thavetoputflowersinwater.
Wrappingpaperpresentsexcitingopportunitiesforcolorandpattern,too.
PreparatoryworkWhenfollowingamore“organic”approachtopainting,thereisnopointin
makingadetailedunderdrawing.However,thatdoesnotprecludeyoufrom
drawingtheregularoutlineofadishorjugifithelpsyougetstarted.Similarly,
thereisnothingtopreventyoupractisingthetechniquesbeforeyouembarkona
finishedpainting.Thecolorsketchopposite,forexample,wasmadetotryouta
rangeofcolorstheartistwasconsideringforthemainwork.
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FlexibleapproachtocompositionTodevelopaloose,intuitivestyle,youshouldtrynottoberestrictedbytheshapeandsizeofyourpaper.And,astheworkprogresses,bepreparedtodevelopthecompositioninwaysthatmightbesuggestedbythepaintingitself,suchasastrongdirectionalfloworabalanceofforms.ForShirleyTrevena,thevaseofflowersmerelyservesasthestartingpointforhercomposition.
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LiliesTheeyeisdrawntothesculpturalbloomsofthelily,butforanartist,theshapesformedbytheleavesandstemcanbeasimportantastheflowers.
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ColorsForthispainting,ShirleyTrevenausedthefollowingartist-qualitytubecolorsmixedonwhiteplates:
AlizarincrimsonBurntsiennaCadmiumlemonCaputmortuumvioletFrenchultramarineGreengoldOlivegreenPayne’sgray
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PaintingalilyflowerTopaintalily,startwithawashofalizarincrimsondownthecenterofeach
petal,anddrawthecentralstripesbydraggingasharpenedstickthroughthewet
paint.Partiallydrythepaintwithahairdryer,thenbrushcleanwateroverthe
petalstoencouragethecolortobleed,creatingapale-pinkhalo.Touchoffa
dropofdarkvioletintotherootofeachpetal,andallowthecolortorun.
Paintthestamenswithmaskingfluid,thendrythepaintingoncemore.
Definetheedgesofthepetalswithadarkblue-graywash.Beboldwithyour
brushstrokes,butkeephalfaneyeonwhereyoumightbeplacingthenext
bloom.Createdelicategradationsinthisbackgroundcolorbydroppinganother
colorintothewetpaint.Youcaninterpretshapesquitefreelybecauseamere
suggestionissufficienttoconveythecharacterofthelily.
Speckledcenters
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Youcansuggestthespecklingonthepetalsbyspatteringsomedark-redpaint
acrosstheflower.Thereisnoneedforaccuracyhere–justtapaloadedbrush
acrossyourfingertosplashpaintontothecenterofthebloom.
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ColorsketchLikethefinishedpainting,thispracticeworkwasmadeonstretched300gsm(140lb)cold-pressedpaper.Itwasmadeusinginexpensivebrushesbutgood-qualityartists’watercolors.
StemsandleavesNowpaintthestemsandthebaseofeachleafwithabrush,andthendragthe
sharpenedstickthroughthewashtodrawoutthepointedleafanditsveins.Blot
thepaintwithanabsorbentpapertowelifyouwanttoremovesomecolor,or,
alternatively,youcantouchdarkgreenintotheyellowleavestocreatebroken-
colorwashes.
BackgroundwashesDryoffeachsectionofthepaintingasyougo,anddefinetheshapeswithadark
backgroundwash.Donoteventrytodisguisethejoins;justdelightinthe
opportunitytocreateinterestingtexturesinyourwork.Youcanbeasboldasyou
likewiththecolor–ifyoufindthatitisnottoyourliking,youcanliftsomeof
thecoloroffthesurfacewithanabsorbentpapertoweloradampbrush.
Startingpoints
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Youwanttogetofftoagoodstart,soselectsomethingthatgrabsyourattention.Fromthebeginning,theboldandcolorfulshapeoftheopenflowerwasseenasthefocalpointforthispainting.
ThefinishedpaintingAtraditionalwatercoloristwouldconstructapaintingsystematicallybyapplying
thepalerwashesfirst,andthenoverlayingthemwithprogressivelydarkerglazes
ofcolor.Itisalsousualtoworkacrosstheentirepainting,ratherthan
concentrateonsmallareasatatime.Withthispainting,theartistdeliberately
turnsthatapproachonitshead,inordertocreatearichtapestryofbothcolors
andtextureswhichislargelytheresultofchance.
Althoughshepaintsawidevarietyofsubjects,rangingfromstilllifeto
figures,ShirleyTrevenaisperhapsbestknownforherexuberantflower
paintings.Inthepaintingopposite,theliliesareburstingoutoftheimage,
creatingathrustofenergythatiscounterbalancedbythedarkweightofthevase.
Floutingconvention,theartistmakesthestemsvisible.
Don’tbemeanwithyourpaintRichtexturaleffectsareonlypossibleifyouapplyplentyofpaint.Forthisreason,itpaystousetubecolorsandmixyourwashesonwhiteplatesorsaucers.Apaintboxofpancolorsisuseful,butonlyduringthelaterstagesofapaintingwhenyoumightwanttoaddsmallcolorfultouchesormodifyanareaofcolorwithaglaze.
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SpecialeffectsInadditiontoconventionalbrushwork,ShirleyTrevenaachievesfree-flowinglineswithasharpenedstick.
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ShirleyTrevena
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TallVaseofLiliesWatercoloronpaper58×46cm(23×18in)
1BrokencolorIfyoutouchaloadedbrushintoawashthatisstillwet,thecolorsmerge,creatingsoft,irregularmargins.Toleavedeliberatejunctionsbetweencolors,letonewashdrybeforeoverlayingitwithanotherwash.
2BackrunsTocreatethedelicatemottlededgeofabackrun,droppaintorcleanwaterfromthetipofabrushontoawashthathasbeenallowedtodryoutalittle.
3MaskingoffItisdifficulttoreservesmallareasofwhitepaperwhenyouarepaintingabackgroundwash.Maskdetailslikestamenswithmaskingfluid,thenpaintoverthemandrubofftherubberyfluidwhenthepainthasdried.
4SpatteringFlickingpaintfromabrushcreatestheillusionofspecklingonflowerpetals.Heretheartistappliedadditionaldots,usingasharpenedstick.
5DrawnlinesLeafveiningandotherlinearmarksaremadebydrawingasharpenedstickthroughwetpaint.Youcancreatesimilareffectsbydippingthestickintoanothercolorbeforedrawingthelines.
6LiftingcolorToremovecolor,scrubthesurfaceofthepaperwithafairlystiffdamppaintbrush,andblottheareadrywithapapertowel.
7DryingtheworkUsingahairdryerallowsyoutocontinueworkingonthepicture.Ifyouleavethepainttodrynaturally,thatwillcreaterichertextures.SEEALSOGLAZING170MASKINGFLUID102,192WATERCOLORPAINTS87
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PAINTINGASTILL-LIFEGROUPThisstill-lifepaintingbringstogetherthecoreofsubjectswehaveseen
earlier,butthistimetheartisthaschosentointroduceanothervitalelement–
light.TimothyEastonisknownforpaintingsthatarecomposedwithastrong
geometricstructure.Herehearrangesasimplestilllifeonasquarecanvas,
placingthemaingroupjustoffcenter.Adiagonalshaftofwintersunlight
balancesthecompositionandthrowsdramaticshadowsacrossthetableand
backdrop,creatingagrid-likepatternwiththefoldspickedoutbytheintense
light.
PaintingwithoilsSomepeopleseemtofindusingoilpaintintimidating–somethingthatthey
shouldworkupto,havingcuttheirteethonanothermedium,suchaswatercolor
oracrylics.Thereisalsoawidelyheldviewthatitisimpossibletopaintinoils
withoutcreatingsuchamessthatyouneedaspecialstudiotoworkin.Neither
assumptioniscorrect.Beingslow-drying,oilpaintwillallowthebeginnerplenty
oftimeforexperimentation.Mistakescanbecorrectedbyoverpainting,orby
scrapingoffthepaintandstartingagain.
Onedrawbackwithanyslow-dryingpaintisatendencyforcolorstobecome
“muddy,”simplybecauseeachnewlayerofpaintstirsupthecolorsthathave
alreadybeenappliedtothecanvas.Youcancontrolthistosomeextentby
startingwiththinwashesofdilutedcolorthataregraduallyoverlaidwiththicker
paintasthepaintingdevelops.Also,itpaystokeepyourpaintbrushesascleanas
possibletoavoidintroducingcolorsinadvertently.TimothyEaston,whouses
onlythebest-qualityoilpaints,takesextracaretokeephiscolorscleanby
premixingarangeofshadesfromarelativelylimitedpalette.
Variousadditivesormediumscanbemixedwithoilpainttomodifyits
characteristics,butyoucanproduceperfectlysuccessfulpicturesusingnothing
butpureturpentineforthinningthepaintandforwashingoutyourbrushes.
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PaintbrushesTimothyEastonlikestousearangeofrelativelysmallfilbertsforpaintinginoils,becauseitenableshimtomakeavarietyofstrokesusingasinglebrush.Forveryfinedetail,heusessablebrushes.
AnticipatingthelightAllpaintingsrelytosomeextentonthewaynaturalorartificiallightfallsonthesubject,butinthiscasetheartisthasdecidedtoallowthelighttodominatehispicture.Achoicelikethisbringsitsownchallenges,requiringtheartisttodevotemuchofthedaytoworkingpartlyfrommemory,anticipatingthosebriefperiods
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oftimewhenconditionsarejustright.
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BasicpaletteofcolorsAlizarincrimsonCadmiumyellowCadmiumyellowdeepCadmiumredCeruleanCobaltblueGeraniumlakeIndianyellowPermanentredRawsiennaTitaniumwhite
InitialbrushdrawingHavingprimedandpaintedthecanvaswithaneutralolive-greenground,the
artistbeginstodrawthesubjecttoestablishthebasiccomposition.Eventhough
heisapplyingdilutedpaintwithasmallsablebrush,theworkatthisstage
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resemblesalivelypencildrawing,withboldhatchingusedtoindicatetheareas
ofshadow.
TonalunderpaintingWiththeunderlyingstructuredrawninwithline,theartistbeginstoblockina
widerrangeoftones,usingdilutedblue-graypaintappliedwithbolddiagonal
brushstrokes.Duringtheseinitialstages,theartistcanonlyapproximatethe
depthoftoneanddegreeofcontrastthatwillbeevidentwhenthesunlight
finallystreamsthroughthewindowtotheleftofthestill-lifetable.
Consequently,heconcentratesonbasicproportionandform,knowingthatthere
maybeconsiderablechangesmadetothecoloratalaterstage.
ImprovisedmahlstickAtraditionalpaddedmahlstickisusedforsteadyingthepaintingarmwhenexecutingprecisework.Whenworkingatclosequarters,improvisebyrestinganystripofwoodagainsttheframeofthestretchedcanvas.
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MixingcolorsinadvanceBecauseheisinthehabitofworkingonanumberofpaintings,allatdifferentstagesofdevelopment,TimothyEastonhasmorecolorsonhispalettethanheneedsforanyindividualpicture.Consequentlythereislessspaceonthepaletteformixing,andthere’stheinherentriskofcolorsbecomingcontaminated.Asaprecaution,hesqueezesouttheminimumamountofrawpaint,butthenmixesarangeofhuesandshadesfromeachcolorbeforestartingwork.
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StretchingcanvasesTimothyEastonlikestopaintonsupportshemakesfromrollsoflinencanvas.Usingrolledcanvasreducestheriskofcreasesthatmaynotshowuntilvarnishisappliedtothefinishedpainting.
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WorkingupformanddetailWiththemainelementsofthepaintingblockedintohissatisfaction,Timothy
Eastonstartstoworkupthedetailsofthestill-lifegroup.Theformofeachlily
isgreatlyenhanced,andcarefullydrawnhighlightsandshadowsareusedto
indicatethecurveofindividualleaves.Moreworkgoesintopaintingthewaterin
thevase,introducingdarkshadows,pinkreflectionsandbrighthighlights,allof
whichservetodescribetheroundedshapeofthevase,thethicknessoftheglass
andthesurfaceofthewater.
ApplyingstrongercolorsThesunlightbringsthestrongercolorstolife,andtheartistseizesthe
opportunitytoblockinthelemons,usingcoolgray-greensfortheshadows,
orangeforthemidtonesandvariousshadesofyellowtodepictreflectedlight
andhighlights.Atthesametime,hestrengthenstheshadowscastbythefruit
andgivestheshellsbodyandformwithpinkhighlightsandwarmershadesof
blue-gray.
TurningapaintingupsidedownIfatanystageyoufeelthatsomethingisnotquiterightwithyourpainting,turn
itupsidedown.Thisinvariablyhelpsyoutoseetheworkafreshandmakesyou
awareofproblemswithproportions,colorbalanceandtonalcontrast.
Introducingthelilies
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Thestemsandleavesaredrawnusingbrokenlinesandbroadbrushstrokes,andthepositionofeachbloomisplottedwithwhiteandpale-yellowpaint.Wheneveryoupaintflowers,beawarethatbudseventuallyopenintofullbloomswhich,inturn,wiltastheflowerdies.Sinceyoucannotarrestaflower’sdevelopment,youhavetodecidewhatstageisbestforyourpainting.
FloodingwithlightEventuallythesunlightstreamsthroughthewindow,illuminatingthestilllifeastheartistanticipated.Thisgiveshimthechancetopaintthehigh-keytonesacrossthetableclothandbackdrop,andtointroducehighlightstotheflatdishandshells.Withthemoreintenselightpervadingthescene,nowisthetimetobalancethetonesacrossthepainting.
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DetailingtheshellsTheshells,too,receivemoreattention.Thehollownatureofthelargeshellisindicatedwithpinklightglowingfrominside.Darkertonesareappliedtomakeastrongercontrastwiththebrightlightreflectedfromthetableandbackdrop.
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TimothyEaston
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ReflectionsandShadowsOiloncanvas61×61cm(24×24in)ThefinalstagesThepaintingbeginstoglowwithlightandcolor–anillusioncreatedbytonalcontrastandthejuxtapositionofwarmandcoolhues.Colorisintroducedtotheshadowsandareasofreflectedlighttoimplythewarmglowofeveningsunlight.Althoughtheglazingbarsandraisedfoldsareclearlydefined,theyaredeliberatelysoftenedwithdry-brushedandscumbledcolortobreakupanyhardedgesandcreateaninterestingsurfacetexture.Tobalancethecomposition,theareaofshadownearthebottomofthepictureisincreasedand,atthesametime,reflectedcolorintroducedontothewhitesurface.Colorfuldetailsbringtheliliesintosharpfocus,withagreatervarietyoftonalcontrastamongtheleaves.Theformandsurfacetextureofthefruitsaresharplydefinedwithfinebrushworkandblending.Theshallowdishisdescribedwithcastshadowandreflectedlight,itsrimpickedoutwithpale-pinkandbluehighlights.Theshellsareworkedupwithgreaterdefinition,theirpearlizedsurfacesreflectingwarmshadowsandspecksofcolor.SEEALSOPAINTINGAGAINSTTHELIGHT266DRYBRUSHING178,196MAHLSTICK86MEDIUMS76MIXINGCOLORS220OILPAINTS64PAINTBRUSHES78,120PAINTINGTHREEDIMENSIONS236PRIMERSANDGROUNDS24SCUMBLING176STRETCHINGCANVAS16
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PAINTINGYOURROOMSteppingbackfromthestill-lifetable,anartistcantakeinawiderviewofhis
orhersurroundings,bringingpiecesoffurnitureintotheframe,andperhapsa
windoworthecorneroftheroom.Somepeoplewouldseeitasjustanother
stilllifeonalargerscale,yetaroom–someone’shomeorworkspace–ismuch
morethananaccumulationofinanimateobjects.Everyinteriorhasa
characterthatreflectsthepersonalityofthepeoplewholiveorworkthere.
Paintingaroomyouknowwellgivesyouabetterchanceofconjuringupthat
atmosphereandconveyingittotheonlooker.
CapturingthesubjectThefeaturedpaintingisapictureofasmallintimatespace,fusedwithrich
earthycolorsandstrongdaylightstreamingthroughthewindow.Aglass-topped
table,achestofdrawersandamahoganywallclockemergefromtheshadows.
ThisisthelivingroomoftheartistDebraManifold.Likemostartists,she
surroundsherselfwithaplethoraofinterestingobjectsandcurios,butshehas
deliberatelyexcludedmostofthesedetailstocapturewhatsheconsiderstobe
theessentialcharacteroftheroom.It’simpossibletopainteveryobjectyousee
inaroom.Youhavetosimplifytheclutter,andsometimesrearrangethe
furnitureifyoufeelit’sdetractingfromthepainting.
PreparatorysketchesBeforestartingonthefinishedpainting,DebraManifoldphotographedher
roomfromdifferentangles.Havingsettledonaparticularview,shemadeatonal
study,usingpastelandacrylicpaintonbrownwrappingpaper.Shealsomadea
coloredpastelsketchtogetsomeideaofhowshemightinterprettheeffectof
lightontheroom.Everythingyouhavelearnedfrompaintingstill-lifegroupsis
relevanttopaintinganinterior:form,shape,tone,lightandshadeallplaytheir
part.Basicperspectivebecomesevenmoreimportant.Youdonothavetobe
precisewithyourcalculations,butwhenmakingpreparatorysketchesand
planningyourcomposition,beawareofhowthedifferentsurfaces–floor,walls,
ceiling,tabletops–relatetooneanotherinspace.
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Tonalsketch
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Colorsketch
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Scumblingcolors
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DebraManifoldcreatesrichoverlaysandsubtlecombinationsbyscumblingonecoloroveranother.Shescrubsthepaintontothesurface,depositingverythinlayersofcolor.Scumblingisaneasytechniquetomasterbecauseyoucanseetheeffectdevelopinggradually.
UnderpaintingHavingmadetwosketchesalready,DebraManifoldispreparedtolaunch
straightintothepaintingitself.
BlockinginthedarkerareasThepositionsofthewindowsurround,dooropeningandfurnitureareblockedin,usingadarkertoneofthevioletgroundcolor.Theartistscrubsneatpaintontothesurfaceoftheboard.
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LayingcomplementariesTherealvalueofthestrongvioletgroundbecomesobviouswhenelectricgreensandbluesarelaidoverit.Thisbringsthepaintingtolife.
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PositiveandnegativeshapesAlampshade,silhouettedagainstthewindow,isbrushedinwithblue-graypaint;thefurnitureanddarkfloorareaareindicatedwithhatching.
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ThefinishedunderpaintingThedetailsoftheroomareaddedquickly,withthewallclockandtablerecedingintoshadow.Lightfromthewindowisintensified,andbrushstrokessuggestreflectionsfrompolishedsurfaces.
Materials
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Thefeaturedpaintingwasmadewithacrylicpaintoverlaidwithsoftpastel.ThesupportisIngresboard(pastelboard),primedwithgessomixedwithpumice.Theprimedboardwascoatedwitharichgroundcolor–quinacridoneviolet–toestablishavibrantbasisforthepainting.
Theartist’spaletteCadmiumredmediumFrenchultramarineHooker’sgreenMaroonMarsorangeOlivegreenPayne’sgrayQuinacridonevioletTitaniumwhiteYellowochreKeepingacrylicsworkableFast-dryingacrylicpaintislikelytodevelopaskin,sometimesbeforeyouhavefinishedpainting.Onewaytodealwiththeproblemistouseastay-wetpalettethatkeepsthepaintmoist.DebraManifoldhasadifferentapproach.Shesimplysqueezesoutgenerousamountsofacrylicontoherpalette–whenaskinforms,thepaintbeneathremainsworkable,evenonthefollowingday.
BrushesTheartistpreferstousenatural-bristlepaintbrusheswhenworkingwithacrylics,eventhoughhervigorouspaintingstylewearsoutherbrushesatquitearate.Forthispainting,sheusedtwofilbertbrushes–Nos8and10.
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BringinglightintotheroomThewaylightspillsintotheroomisvitaltothepainting.
ScatteringthelightAfterscumblingoverthewindow,theartistusesadrybrush,barelyloadedwithpaint,toscrubcolorontothewallsandfurnitureinthevicinityofthewindow.
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ScumblingoverthewindowTheartistbeginstoscumbleneatpaintoverthewindowitself.Thisenhancesthecontrastandbreaksuptheedgesofthebarelydiscerniblewindowframe.
ChangingthecompositionThepicturehasreachedastagewhereDebraManifoldisforcedtomakea
decisionthatwillaffectthecompositionofthepainting.
MovingthevasetotheforegroundWithafewbrushstrokes,theartistfindsthesolutiontotheproblem.
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ReturningtotheunderpaintingBeforetacklingtheforegrounddetail,theartistdecidestoglazeoverthewall
clock,whichatthemomentistoodominant.
OverlayingwithawashofcolorWithawidebrush,DebraManifoldpaintsathinvioletglazeovertheright-handsideofthepainting.Usingdilutedgroundcolorunifiesthisareaofthepicturebutpreservesthevitalityoftheothercolors.
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DebraManifold
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TheArtist’sRoomAcrylicandpastelonboard58.5×41cm(23×16in)Thefinaldetailsareworkedupwithsoftpastels.Thedoorwayexudescoollight,butwithoutdetractingfromtheprincipalsourceofillumination.Thesamegreenlight,scatteredacrossthefloor,balancesthepaintingandthrowsthetablelegsintorelief.Asplanned,theconflictbetweenthebackgroundandtheforegroundisresolvedwiththeadditionofavasethatnowcontainsflowers.Thesebringtouchesofcolorintowhatisotherwiseasomberareaofthepainting.Pointsofreflectedlightsparkleacrosstheglasstabletop,whereafreelydrawnfruitbowlencouragestheeyetolinger.SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110COMPLEMENTARYCOLORS215GLAZING170PAINTBRUSHES78,120PAINTINGAGAINSTTHELIGHT266PAINTINGASTILL-LIFEGROUP258SPACE,DEPTHANDDISTANCE302PASTELS48SCUMBLING176STAY-WETPALETTE121
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PAINTINGAGAINSTTHELIGHTPaintingsubjectsinfrontofawindow–knownascontre-jour,(literally
“againstdaylight”)–isanactivitythatfascinatesartistsbecause,inone
picture,theyareabletocombinetraditionsasdiverseasinteriorpainting,still
life,portraitureandlandscape.Aboveall,thereisthechallengeofdealing
withthecapriciousnatureofdaylight.
ChoosingyourviewpointYoudon’thavetobeblessedwithastunningviewinordertomakeexciting
pictures.Therearesomanyoptionsandpermutationsineverylocationthatyou
couldpaintthesamesubjectoverandoverwithoutexhaustingthepossibilities.
Whenmakingoneofthepaintingsfeaturedhere,theartist–contre-jour
specialistColinWilley–wasseatedsothatthepicturecouldencompass
everythingfromthestilllifetothehousesattheendofhisgarden.Fortheother
painting,hepositionedhimselfsothattheobjectswereviewedagainstadark
backgroundinordertomakethemostofreflectionsintheglass.
SettingoutthepropsThepropsforthesepaintingswereselectedfortheirsimplicityandforthewaytheywouldreflectlightandcolor.
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TransientlightBecausedaylightissotransient,ColinWilleyhasadoptedthepracticeofworkingontwoormorepaintingsatonce.Forthisexercise,hehaspaintedastilllifethatisfloodedwithbrightsunlight.Bytheafternoon,thesunnolongerstreamsthroughthewindowofhisstudio,sohebegananotherpaintingofthesamesubjectfromaslightlydifferentviewpoint.
OilpaintsColinWilleyrestrictedhimselftousingjustfivecolors:Venetianred,cadmiumyellow,yellowochre,Frenchultramarineandtitaniumwhite.
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ThepaletteTheartistmixeshispaintsonasheetofglasslaidoverwhitepaper.Heusesturpentineasathinnerandforrinsingpaintbrushes.
BrushesThesepaintingsweremadeusingaselectionofrounds,flatsandfilberts.Workingoncoarsecanvasishardonpaintbrushes,soColinWilleyisloathtospendtoomuchonthem.
“IusethemupatsucharatethatIthinkIwouldbecometooinhibitedifIbought
expensivebrushes.Inanycase,Idon’tmindusingcheapbrushessolongastheydothe
job.IfabrushmakesthemarkIwant,thatisallthatmatterstome.”
ApplyingcoloredgroundInpreparationforthepaintings,theartiststretchedtwocanvases,usingcoarse
cottonduck,andthenprimedthemwithsomewhiteacrylicpaint.Hethen
appliedacoloredgroundinordertoobliteratethewhiteprimer.
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BlockinginColinWilleyalwayslikestolaunchstraightintoapainting.
“Inevermakeaseparatepreparatorydrawingofthesubject.Iliketocapturethe
momentdirectlyonthecanvas,sothattheprocessofworkingeverythingoutbecomes
partofthepaintinginsteadofitbeingaseparateexercise.Itcanbehardwork,butthat
formeisanadvantage.WhenIamworkingonsomethingthatisdifficult,itbecomes
totallyabsorbingand,afterawhile,Ibegintoseethingsintermsofpaintandcolor
insteadofactualobjects.Andthatisgoodforthepainting.”
Fat-over-lean;light-over-darkThefeaturedoilpaintingsonthesepageswerebothconstructedconventionally,observingthewell-triedprincipleofpainting“fat-over-lean,”whichpreventsthetoplayerscrackingasthepaintdries.
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“Iinvariablyuseoneofthreecolorsformygrounds–burntsienna,burntumberor,as
here,yellowochre.Isometimesworkoverolddiscardedpaintings.Ijustturnthem
upsidedownandincorporatetheexistingbrushmarksintothenewpainting.”
DrawinginthemainelementsThemainelementsaredrawnontothecanvas,usingadarkmixtureofultramarineandred.Themainareasoftoneareblockedinwiththinnedpaint.Scrubbingpaintontothecanvasforcesthecolorintothecoarseweave.
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ThefinishedunderpaintingThemainelementsofthepaintingarenowblockedin,andthecompositionhasbeenfirmlyestablishedtotheartist’ssatisfaction.
CreatinglayersofcolorColinWilleyspendsalmostasmuchtimeremovingpaintfromthecanvasashedoesapplyingit.Havingbrushedcolorontothesurface,hewilloftensmudgeitwithhisfingersorwipethepaintoffagainwitharag,leavingsubtleoverlaysoftransparentcolor.
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UsinggroundcolorRubbingpaintoffthesurfacealsoexposesthewarmgroundcolor.Thistechniqueisusedsuccessfullytosuggestthewarmsunlightreflectedontothewindowframeandsill.
WorkingonthestilllifeHavingestablishedthetonalbalancebetweentheforegroundandbackground,
theartistwentontoworkupthestill-lifeelements,usingavarietyoftechniques.
“Thecoloringisquitesubtlehere,becauseitisacombinationofshadowandreflected
light.ThecolorsIhaveusedtopainttheappleshavebeensmudgedandreapplied
severaltimes,sothecanvasaroundthatareaisstainedwiththesamecolors.Thisgives
theimpressionthatthefruitsarebeingreflectedinthewhitesurface.”
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PaintingshadowsDry-brushingdarkshadowsunderthefruitcreatestheillusionofsolidobjectsrestingonthewindowsill.
Contre-jourThewaythatthelightfallsonthestill-lifegrouphasaprofoundeffectonthewayinwhichtheartistpaintsthesubjects.
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StrongsunlightInthispainting,strongsunlightisfallingontothehighlyreflectivesurfaceofthemetalteapot.Tocreatetheimpressionofdazzlinglight,theartistsmearspaintandblurstheedgessothatpartsoftheobjectdisappearinthehighlights.
CooldaylightInthesecondpainting,thesunhasmovedround,sothereisnotasmuchtonalcontrast.Thelightiscooler,thereflectionslessintense,andtheobjectsmoreclearlydefined.
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ColinWilleySilverTeapotandSummerFruitsOiloncanvas41×51cm(16×20in)Thestilllifeisthefocalpointofthispainting.Whatyouseethroughthewindowexiststocreatearelativelydarkbackgroundwithoutwhichtheforegroundobjectslackdrama.Theviewoutsideiskepttoabareminimum.Thereisapatchofsunlitgrassandfoliage,darkbranches,leaves,andbarelydiscernibleredberries.Aflurryofbrushstrokesmerelyhintsatagardenjustbeyondtheglass.
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ColinWilleyStillLifewithViewThroughtheWindowOiloncanvas41×51cm(16×20in)Thispictureisperhapsthetrickieronetopaint,becausetheartisthastocontendnotonlywithadetailedstilllifebutalsowiththechallengeofcreatingtheillusionofdepthnormallyassociatedwithlandscapepainting.Thishedoesbypaintingthedistantbuildingsandthemiddledistancewithdesaturatedcolors,whichareallofasimilartone.Byintroducingdarkertonesintoforegroundfoliage,hemanagestobringtheshrubsrightuptothewindow.SEEALSOATMOSPHERICPERSPECTIVE292,303DRYBRUSHING178,196FAT-OVER-LEAN164,166PAINTINGTHREEDIMENSIONS236SCUMBLING176
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PAINTINGAGARDENAsawayofintroducingthemselvestolandscapepainting,manyartiststurnto
workingintheirgardens.Agardenprovidesasafeandconvenientlocation
withallthepleasuresofworkingoutdoors,butnoneofthedisadvantagesof
unwelcomeattentionorbeingcaughtoutbyinclementweather.Andifthe
lightchangesdramatically,youdon’thavetotravelveryfartoresumeworking
thenextday.
GettingstartedItcouldn’tbeeasiertomovearoundwithintheconfinesofyourowngarden,
lookingforinterestingsubjectsandviewpoints.Bearinmindthatevenfamiliar
environmentscanvaryinappearance,dependingontheweatherandtimeofday
–andyoudon’thavetobetooliteral.Youcanalwaysomitatattyshedifitis
botheringyou,ormoveaneyesoreoutofthewaytemporarily.
JackieSimmondslikestomakepreparatorysketchesandcolornotesonthe
spot,withperhapsafewphotographicreferenceshotsasaback-up.
Althoughitisnotentirelysatisfactory,youcanworkdirectlyfrom
photographs.Thismaybeyouronlyalternativeifyouwanttopaintduringthe
winter,orifthegardenyouhaveinmindistoofarawayfromhometoallowyou
toworkfromlife.
WorkingwithsoftpastelsInmanyways,pasteltechniqueshavemoreincommonwithdrawingthanwith
painting.Youneedneitherdiluentsnormediums,andthere’snoneedfora
rangeofpaintbrushes.However,justlikeother,moretraditionalpainting
methods,workingwithpastelsreliesonskilfulmark-makingandadeveloped
senseofcolor.
Despitebeingdry,pastelisstillamessymedium.Gentlyblowawayloose
particlesaspastelbuildsuponthesurfaceofthepaper,andusefixativesparingly
tosealthefinishedpainting.
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BepreparedCarryasketchbookwithyouwhenvisitingfriends,sothatyoucanjotdownideasforgardenpaintings.
Rangeofcolors
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Pastelcolorsarenotintermixablelikepaints.Consequently,pastelsaremadeinanenormousrangeofsubtlydifferentcolors.However,youneedonlyabout30–50colorstogetyoustarted.Fromyourrangeofcolors,choosethosethatcloselymatchyoursubjectandthenplacetheminashallowtray.Onaverage,youwillneedabout20colorsperpainting.Inthiscase,theartistchosearangeofdark,mediumandlightgreens.Blues,grays,andpurpleswerealsoselectedforthetrees;beigeforthepatio;andreds,yellows,orangesandwhitefortheterracottapotandflowers.
ChoiceofpaperThefeaturedpaintingwasmadeonasmoothneutral-coloredpaper.Thedeepbuffbackgroundservesasawarmcomplementarytothepredominantlygreenhuesofthepainting,andisausefulmidtoneforthestonewallsandpaving.
CompositionWell-designedgardensoftencontainthesameelementsthatmakeforexcitingtwo-dimensionalcompositions.Lookforthetensionscreatedbycurvedandstraightlines,repetitionintheformofstepsorposts,thecontrastbetweenhardandsoftmaterials,andavarietyoftextures,tonesandcolors.Jackie
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Simmondshasincludedalloftheseelementsinthefeaturedpainting.Sheusesapredominantlywarmareaofstoneworkasafoilforsumptuouscoolfoliageandvibrantcomplementarycolors.Theshapesandareasoftonearecarefullybalanced,withthefocalpoint(aterracottapotfullofflowers)placedtotherightofcenter.
CorrectingmistakesIfnecessary,youcanremovepastelwithabristlebrushandthenuseanerasertogetbacktotheoriginalpaperbackground.Oryoucanremoveanareaofpastelbyscrapingwithaknifeblade.
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UnderdrawingBecauseitblendswellwithsoftpastel,charcoalisidealformakingyourpreliminaryunderdrawings.Graphitepencilistoogreasy.
Basicpastel-paintingtechniqueWithpractice,youcanmakeawidevarietyofdescriptivemarksandstrokes,and
youcanlearntoblendcolorsonthepaper.
“Itisquitehelpfultogetafeelingforthematerialbeforeyoustart.Tryoutyourselected
colorsinasketchbook,experimentingwithdifferentlinearmarks,crosshatchingand
blending.”
Usethesideofapastelsticktomakebroadstrokes,anddrawfinelineswiththe
point.Itisimportanttovarythedirectionofyourstrokes,inordertoavoida
“rainy-day”effect.Usefirmpressureifyouwantfull-strengthcolor;alighter
touchwillproduceathinner,moretransparentcoatingofcolor.
AchievingcolorbalanceUsingthecharcoaldrawingasaguide,thefoliageisblockedinwithdark-green
andbluepastels.Similarcolorsappliedtodifferentpartsofapaintingcreate
balanceandharmony.
Developingthefoliage
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Observecloselyhowlightchangeslocalcolor.Sunlightaddsawarmeryellowto
thefoliage,butbroadleavesturnedtowardstheskymaytakeonabluishtinge.
CreatingdepthAbstracttexturesaresufficienttosuggestfoliageinthedistance,butpaintthe
leavesandstemsintheforegroundindividually,tohelpreinforcetheimpression
ofdepthinapainting.Paleshadesappliedoverdarkertonesanddeepcolors
separateareasoffoliagefromthebackground.
Achievingcolorbalance
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Developingfoliage
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Creatingdepth
AccentsofcolorAccentsofbrightcoloraddsparkletoapainting.Graduallyworkingtowardsthe
high-keytones,theartistcreatestheeffectofdappledsunlightacrossthepatio.
Smalltouchesofred,orangeandwhitesuggestflowerheadsamongtheblues
andgreensofthefoliage.
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Astheworknearscompletion,stepbacktolookatthecompositionasawhole,andcheckthatthepictureisbalancedincolor,toneandshape.Toputthefinishingtouchestothispainting,theartistworkeduptheforegrounddetailbyfeedingindarkertonestoclarifytheshapesoftheleaves,addedlightertonestotheareasofdappledsunlightandappliedcharcoaltoindicatetheedgesoftherandom-shapedpavingslabs.
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JackieSimmondsShadyPatioSoftpastelonpaper46×61cm(18×24in)SEEALSOCOMPLEMENTARYCOLORS215PAINTINGALANDSCAPE274PAINTINGOUTDOORS134SPACE,DEPTHANDDISTANCE302TYPESOFPAPER34PASTELS48
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PAINTINGALANDSCAPENotsurprisingly,watercolorhasenormousappealforlandscapepainters.In
practicalterms,itisperhapstheidealmediumforworkingonlocation–but
moreimportantly,itispossibletocreatearangeofsubtleatmosphericeffects
withanimmediacythatisdifficulttomatchusingothercomparablemedia.
Tipsforwatercolorists
•Whenlookingforsuitablesubjectstopaint,don’tbetooreadilyseducedbyoverlydramaticorpicturesqueviews.Theydonotalwaysmakethebestsubjects–andit’syourpaintingthatshouldbebeautiful,nottheview.
•Onoccasion,allowthepaintto“doitsownthing.”Letonecolorrunintoanother,andcreateunpredictabletexturesbydroppingcleanwaterintoareasofconcentratedcolor.
•Avoidtoomanysharpedges–theylookoutofplaceinalandscape.
SketchesmadeonlocationJohnLidzey’sfieldstudiesaremorethansimplesketches.Someofthemaresodetailedthattheyarealmostfinishedpaintings,buteventhesearemerelythebasisforthelargerworksthathecreatedinhisstudio.
ThereweretwodistinctphasestoJohnLidzey’slandscapepaintings.First,he
workeddirectlyfromnature,makingcolornotesandrelativelydetailedsketch
paintings.Forhim,therewasnobetterwayofexperiencingthemanyqualitiesof
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thelivinglandscapeandtranslatingthemontopaper.Backinthestudio,heused
hissketchbookobservationstocreatefinishedpaintingsonalargerscale.
“Someofmysketcheshaveinspiredasmanyasthreeorfourcompletedpaintings.”
Workinginthestudioprovidesagreaterdegreeofcontrol.Youhavemoretime
toworkonyourcomposition,andthefreedomtoexperimentwithtechniques
andmaterials.
PaintsandmaterialsJohnLidzeykepthiswatercolorpaintsandbrushesintworeproduction
nineteenth-centurywoodenboxes.Wellusedandsomewhatbattered,theywere
hisconstantcompanionsforover30years.Whenworkingonlocation,healways
usedasimpleportablepaintbox.
Likemostartistswhohavebeenpaintinglandscapesforanumberofyears,
JohnLidzeypickedhiswatercolorsfromastandardpalettethatheknewwould
givehimtherangeofcolorsandeffectshewasafter.Forthefeaturedlandscape
painting,hechoseaureolin,cadmiumyellowpale,yellowochre,French
ultramarine,monestialblue,indigo,Payne’sgray,cadmiumscarlet,carmine,and
burntumber.Healsousedwhitegouachetomixtheopaquebodycolor.
HeusedroundKolinskysablebrushes(Nos2,4,6,8and12),andalsoan
18mmsquirrel-hairmopforbroadwashes,andsomecottonwoolforliftingout
colorandremovingdriedpaint.
Thepaperusedforthesamplesandthestudiopaintingwas300gsm(140lb)
smooth(hot-pressed)watercolorpaper,wettedandthenstretchedonadrawing
board.
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AwealthofpossibilitiesSketchbookstudiesarenomorethanstartingpoints:pointsofreferencefromwhichanynumberofcompositionscouldevolve.Notonlycanyouvarythescaleandpositionofthevariouselementscontainedwithinasketch,butyoucanalsoalterthelight,suggestdifferentweatherconditions,changethetimeofday,orevensubstitutesummerforwinter.
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AttentiontoscaleTherehastobeadifferenceinscalebetweentheforeground,middledistanceandbackground.Butdon’tbeoverlyconcernedwithforegrounddetail.It’senoughtosuggesttheplants–youarenotpaintingabotanicalstudy.
MakingthefinishedpaintingDespitetheirapparentfreshnessandspontaneity,traditionalwatercolorsrequire
anelementofplanningorforethought.Colorisbuiltupwithtranslucentwashes
laiddarkoverlight,andsinceit’saprocessthatisdifficulttoreverse,
watercoloristsadoptasystematicapproach.Moreimportantly,whitehighlights
arecreatedbyleavingareasofpaperunpainted–somethingtheartisthasto
consideratanearlystage.
LayingthefirstwashesInitially,palewashesarelaidoverasimplepencildrawing.Theprincipalareasof
thecomposition,includingthesky,areblockedinwithdilutedyellowochre.
Aureolin–agoldenyellow–islaidoverthemeadowintheforeground.
BuildinguptheskyandmiddledistanceTheskyisthenbuiltupwithwashesofFrenchultramarinemixedwith
monestialblue.Toaddvariety,paleyellowisdroppedfromabrushtobreakup
someareasofthebluesky.Tocreatetheimpressionofbillowingcumulus
clouds,cottonwoolisusedtomopupsomeofthecolorwhilethewashesare
stillwet,revealingwhitepaperandsomeoftheoriginalpale-yellowwash.
Palecarmineiswashedoverthemountains.Themeadowisneutralizedwitha
hintofmonestialblue,andthetrackislaidinwithaweakwashofyellowochre.
Themid-groundtreesarenowdefinedwithmixesmadeofaureolin,cadmium
yellowpale,yellowochre,monestialblueandcarmine.Yellowsandbluessuggest
foliage,andthepalecarmineredbringsthewarmthassociatedwithwoody
growth.
Oncetheinitialwashesaredry,theartistdrawsgrassesintheforegroundand
agateattheendofthetrack,usingadippenandsomemaskingfluid.
PaintingthetreelineandundergrowthAtthispoint,thefoliageisstrengthenedwithdeepertonesandstrongercolors,
creatingdepthandshadow.Themaintrunksandbranchesarepaintedwith
Payne’sgray,thenthesmallerbranchesaredrawnwithadippenchargedwith
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watercolor.
Severalloosewashesofcolorarelaidfortheundergrowthbeneaththetrees.
Thesewashesaremadeusingvariousstrengthsofindigo,cadmiumyellowpale
andaureolin,mixedwithsmallamountsofPayne’sgray,tocreateneutralized
greens.
Whenthesewashesaredry,aslightlyopaqueyellowochreislaidinpatches
overthegreensoftheundergrowth,inordertosuggestmixedfoliagethatis
turningautumngold.
ThegateattheendofthetrackTocompletethisstage,themaskingfluidisremovedtorevealthegate.The
starkwhitepaperistoneddownwithapalewash,thenFrenchultramarineis
brushedacrossthegatetoimplycastshadow.
PaintingcharacterfulskiesGiveyourskiesplentyofcharacter.Paintthemfreely,usinglotsofwaterandwashesofdifferentcolor.Thebackgroundtothispagewascreatedbypaintingwarmcolors,wet-in-wet,alongsideadeep-bluewash.Colorwasliftedtoindicatetheclouds,usingthetechniquedescribedforthefinishedpainting.
ApplyingthefirstwashesUsinghissketchbookstudiesasreference,JohnLidzeymadeasimplepencildrawingtohelphimfixthepositionsofthemainfeatures.Thenheappliedthefirstpale-yellowwashesacrosstheskyandforeground.
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TheskyandmiddledistanceCloudsareblottedfromabluesky;foliageisindicatedwithbroadwashes.
TreelineandundergrowthTrunksandbranchesaredrawninwithwatercolor.Strongtonessuggestdeepshadowsbeneaththetreesandundergrowth.
WorkinguptheforegroundTheforegroundinshadowhelpstobalancethecomposition.Thefinished
paintingisdividedhorizontallyintobandsofcontrastingtone–thebrightsky,
thedarkgroupsoftrees,asunlitmeadow,andtheforegroundinshadow.Thisis
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adeviceoftenusedbypainterstodrawtheviewerintothepicture;itisan
invitationtostepintothesunnierpartsofthescene.
RevealinggrassstemsandflowerheadsLoosewashesofcolorarelaidacrosstheforegroundtolowerthetonalvalues
andgiveafeelingofshade.Whenthewashesaredry,theartistremovesthe
maskingfluid,appliedduringanearlierstageinthepainting,byrubbingitwith
afingertip.Byrevealingthepaleunderlyingcolor,thegrassstemsandflower
headsstandoutclearlyagainstthedarkbackgroundwashes.
ThedistanttreesandmeadowBeforeproceedingwithforegrounddetail,theartistpaintsthemeresthintofa
treelineatthebaseofthemountains,andaddstwosmalltreestotherightof
themaingroup.Verylittledetailisrequiredatthisdistance,anditisimportant
tousepaledesaturatedcolortomakethetreesrecede.Loosewashesofcool
greenarelaidacrossthedistantmeadows,withjustafewhorizontallinesofa
darkercolortosuggestunevenground.
PaintingweedsandflowersFreelyappliedbrushstrokesaddinteresttotheforeground.Warmyellowsand
browngiveanimpressionoftallweedsanddriedgrasses,andtheflowerheads
revealedbyremovingthemaskingfluidarecoloredwithcadmiumyellow.
Someadditionalflowersprovideaccentsofbrightcolortocomplementthe
darkweedsandforegroundscrub.Theseflowerheadsarepaintedrandomlywith
redandwhitegouache–opaquepaintthathasexceptionalcoveringpower.
Don’tmakeyourarrangementsofflowerheadstooregular.Clumpthem
togetheringroups,andvarytheirshapesandsizes.
ForegroundshadowTheshadowthatrunsacrossthetrackisdeliberatelylightintone.Anydarker,it
wouldcompetewiththetoneofthetreesinthemiddledistanceanddestroythe
illusionofdepth.Thecolorisbuiltupinstagesbyapplyingthreepalewashesof
Frenchultramarinemixedwithyellowochre.Thisallowstheartisttojudgethe
weightofthetoneprecisely.
Don’tpaintshadowswithhardedges,unlessyouwanttocreateanimpression
ofstrongsunlight.Andavoidusingblackpainttodarkenyourshadows–deep
bluesorpurpleshaveasimilareffect,butwithoutcreatingadead,inkyblackness.
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RemovingmaskingfluidPalegrassstemsarerevealedagainstdarkwashesintheforeground.
AddingweedsandwildflowersShadowsaredeepened,thenweedsandflowerheadsareintroduced.
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ForegroundshadowsThecorrecttonalbalanceaddsdepthtothepicture.
MaskingfluidThisisarubberysolutionthatpreventscolorsoakingintothepaper.Itisusedprimarilytomaskofffinedetailsandhighlightsthatwouldbedifficulttopaintinlaterwithopaquebodycolor.
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WeaksunHeretheartistshowshowtopaintthesuntryingtobreakthroughacloudysky.Liftoutsomeofthecolorwithcottonwool,usingacircularmaskcutfrompaper.
ThepaintsurfaceManywatercoloristsmakethemistakeoftryingtoachieveaphotographic
representation.Theendresultmaybehighlyaccurate,butitinvariablylacks
vitality.Herearesomeideasandtechniquesforcreatingapaintsurfacethatwill
addtotheinterestandenjoymentofyourpictures.
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Foliageinclose-upAdippenloadedwithwatercolorpaintisusefulforindicatingforegroundfoliage,withoutitbecomingtootight.Usethepentodrawdetailoverarangeoftonesandcolorwashes.
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TreesandmovementTreescanbesuggestedsimply,usingnothingmorethanwashesofcolorforthefoliage.Putinthetrunkandbrancheswithloosebrushmarksorpenstrokes.Thebenttreesandflyingleavessuggestawindyday.
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JohnLidzeySuffolkLandscapeWatercoloronpaper33×51cm(13×20in)1SkyLeaveapalewashofyellowochretodry,thenpaintoveritwithdeep-bluewashes.Whilethepaintiswet,mopoutsomeofthecolorwithcottonwooltocreateabankofclouds.
2Middle-distancetreesYoucanapplydetailtothemiddledistance,butdon’toverdoit.Paintingsomeofthetrunksandbranchesdarkandsomelightcreatesasenseofdepth.Softedgessuggestthatthefoliageismoving.
3DistanthillsArangeofrelativelylighttonesandcoolcolorscreatesasenseofperspective.Ameresuggestionoftoneatthebaseofthehillscanbeinterpretedasdistanttrees.Keepdetailtoaminimum.
4UndergrowthApplysimplewashes,wet-on-dry,toconveyasuggestionofbushesandundergrowth.Awarmyellow-ochrewashaddsvariety.
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5MeadowPaintsuccessivewasheswet-on-drytobreakuptheareaofgrassandlow-growingscrub.Coolshadowsindicatetheunevenground.
6TreesinsilhouettePaintedtobreakupthelineofdistanthills,thesesmalltreesarebarelymorethansilhouettes.Coolcolorsandshadingatthebaseofthefoliageaddsformtothecrownofeachtree.
7ForegroundshadowsApplyapalewashofultramarinemixedwithasmallamountofyellowochre.Thesoft-edgedshadowsinthispaintingimplydiffusedsunlight.Theyalsohelptocreatetheillusionofdepth.
8LonggrassandwildflowersFreebrushworksuggeststangledweedsandwildgrasses.Wet-in-wetindigobrushmarkscreatedeepshadows.Useadippentodrawpalerstemswithmaskingfluid,andapplyrandomspecksofgouachetoindicateflowerheads.
PaintingtreesandfoliageInlandscapepainting,treesandfoliageareoftenrepresentedbylittlemorethan
abstractbrushmarks,butitishelpfultobeacquaintedwithindividualspeciesin
ordertomakethosemarksconvincing.Notonlydospeciesdifferintheirshape,
butmanychangetheirappearancewiththeseasonsand,insodoing,confera
verydifferentatmosphereonthepainting.
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SimonJenningsTreesinaLandscapeOiloncanvas51×76cm(20×30in)
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AtmosphericperspectiveCreateasenseofdepthinyourpicturesbypaintingforegroundtreeswithstrongcolorsandwell-defineddetails.Treatthoseinthedistancemorelikesilhouettes,usinglightertonestomakethemrecede.Soft-edgeforms,paintedwet-in-wetwithwatercolor,alsocreateanillusionofdistanttrees.
DavidDayTrees:ColorStudiesSketchbookpagesWatercolorandmixedmedia
Texturedeffects
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KnifepaintingPaintthedistinctivefoliageofatallpinebyusingapaintingknifetoapplythickacrylicpaint.Addtexturewiththeedgeoftheblade.
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DrybrushingHavingpaintedthetrunkandbranches,dry-brushtheclumpsoffoliagethathangfromasilverbirch.
StipplingStipplingoilpaintorwatercolor,usingthetipofaflatbrushorfanblender,producesthelayeredfoliageofatypicalfirtree.
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SpongingCreateasubtledappledeffectbystipplingwithanaturalspongedippedinpaint.Aseachlayerdries,applyanothercolorortone,thenbrushinthetrunk.
ApplyingawashPainttheoverallshapeofthetree’scanopywithabroadwash,thenscribbleinthebranches,usingapointedstick.
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StickdrawingPaintthebarebranchesofapollardedtreebydrawingapointedstickthroughwetpaint.
SeasonalchangesAnoaktreeillustratesseasonalchanges.Inspringandsummer,thetreedisplaysafullcanopyofgreenleaves.Typically,patchesoflightcanbeseenthroughthefoliage.Theformisthesameinautumn,buttheleaveshavechangedtowarmrussets.Bytheendoftheyear,however,theunderlyingstructureisrevealed.
Springorsummer
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Autumn
WinterSEEALSOATMOSPHERICPERSPECTIVE292,293GOUACHE104WATERCOLORBRUSHES96PAINTINGOUTDOORS134PAINTINGTREESANDFOLIAGE280STRETCHINGPAPER33WATERCOLORPAINTS87WET-IN-WET188WET-ON-DRY189DRYBRUSHING178,196TEXTURALEFFECTS208WASHES182
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LANDSCAPEONLOCATIONThisstretchofcountrysideisatleast8km(5miles)wide,andstretches
another16km(10miles)tothehorizon.Itisapatchworkoffieldsandwoods
onrollinghillssetinavalleythatmeldsintoarangeofhillsvisibleinthe
distance.Thereistheoccasionalfarmbuilding,andtheforegroundand
middledistancearebisectedbyrowsoftrees.Theviewpointchosenbythe
artistprovidesexceptionalwidthanddepth,andlooksdownontothescene
fromahighvantagepoint.Knownasan“openlandscape,”thiswouldappear
atfirstsighttobeadauntingmosaicofshapesandundulations,withmany
differenthuesandcolorsbeneathadeep-bluesky.Thefirstchallengeisto
decidewhattofocuson,andhowtobeginthepainting.
StartingpointsPreliminarysketchesandvisualnoteshelpyoutogetyoureyeinandtofamiliarizeyourselfwiththecolorsandshapesinalandscape.Oneautomaticallythinksofpaintinglandscapesinthehorizontallandscapeformat.Inthiscase,theartistmadehispreparatorysketchesinthisformat,butexecutedthefinalpaintingin
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anuprightportraitformat.
PreparatorysketchesTheartistwasdrawninparticulartothestripesintherecentlymownfieldsandtotheshapesofthedistanthillsagainstthesky.Theworkbeganwithcolorsketchesinawide-formatlandscapesketchbook.Thecolorsweretakendirectlyfromthetubes,asrequired.Forbroadareassuchasthesky,forexample,thepaintwassqueezedontothepageandblendedwiththefingers.
KeepingacrylicsmoistAcrylicpaintsarenotoriouslyfast-drying.Thishasmanyadvantageswhenworkingoutdoorsonlocation,butinhot,dryweatherthecolorscanskinoverinminutesandsetsolidbeforeyouhavehadtimetousethemup.Consequently,itpaystosqueezeoutonlysmallamountsofpaintanduseastay-wetpalette.
Youcanbuyaready-madepaletteormakeonefromashallowplastictray.Linethebottomofthetraywithanolddishclothorsomelayersofnewspapergenerouslydampenedwithwater.Ontopofthis,layasheetofgreaseproofpaperoradampsheetofthickwhitecartridgepaper.
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Squeezeyourcolorsoutontothispaperasyouwouldwithaconventionalpalette.Ifyousealthetraywithplasticwrapwhenyoutakeabreak,thepaintwillstayworkableforhours,ifnotdays.Anothersolutionistomakeastay-wetpalettefromashallowfood-storageboxwithasnap-on,airtightlid.
LayinggroundcolorsUsedecorator’sbrushestolaygroundcolors.
SelectingcolorsandsettingoutthepaletteYoucansetoutapaletteinwhateverorderyouwish,butasthereweremany
shadesofgreeninthislandscape,theartistlaidouttheready-mixedcolorsin
lineontheleft,becausetheseweretobepickedupandusedstraightfromthe
tube.
Theearthcolors,yellowsandblueswerelaidoutontherightasthesewere
morelikelytobemixed.Wateristheonlydiluentneededforacrylics–butkeep
twojarsonthego,oneforthinningpaintandtheotherforwashingoutyour
brushes.
Layingatonedground
Artistshavetraditionallyprimedtheircanvaseswithabasecolor.Thechosen
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Artistshavetraditionallyprimedtheircanvaseswithabasecolor.Thechosen
groundcoloraffectsthesurfaceandappearanceofthefinishedpainting.
Inthispainting,thetonedgroundservestwopurposes.First,itworksasa
primertosealandstretchthepaper–apurelypracticalfunction.However,it
alsoactsasagroundcolorthatisintegraltothepainting.Here,amixtureof
cadmiumredandpermanentroseislaidontothepaper.Beingahotcolor,it
reflectsthewarmclimateofthelocationanditiscomplementarytothe
predominantlycoolcolorsinthelandscape.Asthepaintingbuildsup,the
groundshowsthroughhereandthere,liftingtheothercolorsandcreatinga
vibrantsurface.Layafairlythinwash,evenlybutquickly,withadecorator’s
paintbrush.
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CreatingavibrantsurfaceThehotgroundcolorshowsthroughthepaintedsurface.
ExpertadviceThereisnoprescribedformulaformakingapainting.Allartistshavedistinctivestylesandtacklethejobin
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theirownway.Formanypainters,especiallybeginners,themaindifficultyseemstobeingettingstarted,andthefirststagesthataredepictedhereareoftenthemostdifficultanddisheartening.
Thebestadviceistoseekoutasubjectthatwillholdyourattentionforseveralhours–inthiscase,anarrestingview–thenkeepatit,concentratingonthecrucialelementsandaddingessentialdetailuntilthepicturebeginstoemerge,almostbyitself.Onlythendoestherealenjoymentbegin.
BlockinginbroadstrokesUsingtonesoftheoriginalgroundcolor,broadstrokesareblockedinquicklyinordertogetafeelfortheoverallcomposition.
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PlottingthecompositionThemainelementsofthecompositionaresketchedinwithsomecharcoal,usingpainttodefinetheshapesandfocalpoints.
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BuildingupthesurfaceThecolor,toneandsurfacedetailaregraduallyintroducedandthenrefinedastheworkcontinues.
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CreatingdepthHavingsketchedinthesky,theartistconcentratesoncreatingdepthandspacebyusingdeepertonesandstrongcolor.
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ForegrounddetailTheforegroundcomestolifewiththeclearlydefinedtrees,foliageandtheall-importantgroundtextures.
Whenisapaintingfinished?Everypaintinghasaknackoftellingyouwhenyoushouldleaveitalone.Manya
picturehasbeenstrippedofitsessentiallifeandinitialspontaneitybybeing
overworked.
Whenyoureachapointwhereyoufeelsatisfiedthatyouhavedoneyourbest
withinthegivenconstraints,thenleavethepaintingaloneforawhile–perhaps
forhoursorevenacoupleofdays–andthencomebacktoitwithafresheye.At
thatstage,youwillbebetterabletojudgewhetherthepaintinghasreacheda
satisfactoryconclusion.Ifnot,youcaneitherreturntothelocationormakeany
furthermodificationsandimprovementsinthestudio.
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SimonJennings
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ViewfromMontaltoAcryliconpaper100×79cm(40×31in)SixhourslaterThislandscapeistheresultofaboutsixhours’work.Thesequenceoppositeshowskeypointsinthedevelopmentofthepicture,butthecreationofanypaintingisrarelyastraightforwardlinearprocess.Thevariousstagesshowhowtheartistestablishedafoundationandthenbuiltalooseframeworkforthepicture.Fromthenon,itwasamatterofconstantmodificationwithinthisframeworkuntilthepaintingarrivedatthispoint.
FinishingtouchesBackinthestudio,youcanincludeanyadditionaldetails,suchastelegraphpolesandfenceposts,usingafinepaintbrush.Thesedetailswillhelptoreinforcetheillusionofdepthandaddtexturalinteresttothepainting.SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110PAINTINGOUTDOORS134PAINTINGTREESANDFOLIAGE280TYPESOFPAPER21PRIMERSANDGROUNDS24
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PAINTINGSKIESANDWEATHERForeverylandscapepainter,theelementsprovideanendlesssupplyof
inspiringandoftensurprisingsourcematerial,andhowyouincorporateitis
vitaltotheoutcomeofapainting.Asarule,ifthelandmassiscomplicated
andhighlydetailed,thenkeeptheskysimple.Changingtheemphasisgives
youthefreedomtoincludedramaticcloudformationsandatmosphericskies.
Sketchingwithwater-solublepencilsQuickimpressionssketchedinmonochromecanplayavitalroleinexploringthetonalrelationshipsandmood.Brushingcleanwateroverwater-solublepencilturnsalinedrawingintoawatercolor.Assoonasthewashesdry,youcanstrengthenthetoneswithdarkerhatching.
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SunsetinpastelYouhavetoworkquicklywhenpaintingsunsets.Softpastelsareideal,becausetheyaresoexpressiveandnotimeiswastedmixingcolors.Forthissketchpainting,colorsareblendedonsmoothpastelpaper,andastripoflandisreducedtoasimplesilhouette.
SketchingoutdoorsDrawandpaintoutdoorsasoftenasyoucan;thereisnosubstitutefordirect,
first-handexperience.Youcan’trelyonthelightandweather–but,withluck,
youwillbeabletoworkforacoupleofhoursbeforeconditionschangetoo
dramatically.Placethehorizoninthelowerhalfofyoursketchifyouwantthe
skytodominate.
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Fair-weathercloudsingouacheGouacheisaversatilemediumforpaintingskies.Dilutedwithwater,itcanbeusedlikewatercolor;opaquegouacheactsmorelikeoilpaint.Evokingabalmysummer’sday,thesetoweringcumuluscloudsarepaintedwithbroadbrushstrokesoveratinted-paperbackground.Therulesofperspectiveapplytotheskyaswellasthelandscape.
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SunriseinwatercolorEarly-morningskiesareusuallymoresubtleincoloringthanthoseatthecloseoftheday.Watercolorlendsitselftothesesoftatmosphericeffects.Here,washesofcadmiumorangeandceruleanblue,laidwet-in-wet,createtherequiredsoftnessofadawnsky.Touchesofopaquebodycolorsuggestthesunisabouttobreakthrough.Italwayshelpstobalanceapaintingifyoucanpickupcertainskycolorsinthelandscape.Reflectionsinwaterprovidetheidealopportunity.
RayBalkwillSkyStudiesVariousmediaonpaperAveragesize:14×19cm(51/2×71/2in)
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High-summerskyinwatercolorUsingsoftpapertissue,theartistblottedcloudsfromacobalt-bluesky.Alizarincrimsonaddswarmthtothecloudsonthehorizon.
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MistandfoginwatercolorWhenmistandfogdescenduponalandscape,colorsarestarvedofintensity,andformsbecomeill-defined,withlittlevariationintone.Watercolorisperfectforconveyingtheseeffects,providedyoukeepdetailtoanabsoluteminimum.Here,alightmistrisesfromabodyofwateratdawn(above).Palewintersunshinetriestoburnoffthedensemistorfogpaintedwet-in-wet(below).
RayBalkwillStudiesofWeatherConditionsVariousmediaonpaperAveragesize:14×19cm(51/2×71/2in)
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StormyweatherinpastelDistanthillsshroudedbyadark,broodingskysuggestapproachingrain.Thedownpouronthehillsideiscreatedsimplybysmudgingthepastelwithafingertip.
Snowsceneinwatercolor
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Leavesomeareasofwhitepapertodepictdriftingsnow,andpaintintheshadowswithcoolbluesandpurples.Createflyingsnow-flakesbyspatteringwhitegouacheacrossaheavy,snow-ladensky.
WindingouacheWindyweatherisdifficulttoconveyinanymedium.Youusuallyhavetorelyondevicessuchastreesbentinthewindoraflurryofleaves.Inthesketchpainting,horizontalstrokesmadewithadrybrushhelptoconveyasenseofmovementincloudsthatscudacrossanenergeticsky.Also,birdscanbeseenbattlingwiththestrongwind.SEEALSODRYBRUSHING178,196PERSPECTIVE302WET-IN-WET188
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THECHANGINGLANDSCAPEAlllandscapepaintershavetodealwiththerealitiesofworkingoutdoors,
whichinevitablymeanscopingwithchangeablelightandweather.Aswehave
alreadyseen,someartistsmakerapidsketchestocapturethemoment.Others
mightstartanotherpaintingwhenthere’saradicalchangeinconditions.And
thenthereareartistswhoaccepttheinevitable,andarepreparedtoallowtheir
paintingstochangeandadaptalongwiththeelements.
“Lightchangesallthetime.Whenpainting,Imaystaywiththeoriginallightor
amenditastimegoesby,andevenchangeitagainbackinthestudio.Theknackcomes
withexperience,butyouhavetobeflexibleandopen-mindedtogetaresult.”
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ApplyingacoloredgroundHeavilydilutedwithturpentine,thepaintisscrubbedon,usingalargeflatbrush.
DavidGriffin,anexperiencedmarinepainter,haslearnedhowtodealwiththe
changinglandscape–andwithworkinginpublic.
“Ononeoccasion,Iwasbeingwatchedcloselybytwotattooedyouths,eachdrinking
fromacanoflager.Ifoundtheexperiencemostdisconcerting,butkeptonpaintingand
triedtoignorethem.Afterabouttenminutes,oneofthemapproachedme–butnot
withtheusualsneeringquestion:“Howmuchdoyouexpecttogetforthat?”Instead,he
asked,“Howdoyoucometotermswiththeproblemsofchanginglight,tideand
lengtheningshadows?”AtthetimeIwasreallysurprised,asthisisoneofthe
fundamentalchallengesoflandscapepainting.Thesimpleansweris:“Carryon
regardless!”–andwhenitfeelslikeanuphillstruggle,justrememberyouarenotthe
firsttofeelthatway.”
Paints,brushesandsupportWhenheispaintingoutdoors,DavidGriffinusuallyworksonstretchedcanvas,
butonthisoccasionheusedalightweightcanvasboard(primedcottoncanvas
whichismountedonthickcardboard),measuring30×40cm(12×16in).He
usesthreeorfourbrushesonly–aNo.10or12flatbristlebrush,acoupleof
medium-sizefilberts,andarigger.
Theoverallimpressionofthefeaturedpaintingisoneofsubtlety–itistonal
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Theoverallimpressionofthefeaturedpaintingisoneofsubtlety–itistonal
ratherthancolorful.Inordertocreatethebroodingatmosphereofanimpending
storm,theartistusedalimitedpaletteofgood-qualityoilcolors(right).
Layingtheground“Ilikeawarmpainting.It’sveryinvitingtohaveabitofwarmth–likeaniceopen
fire!”
Havingsetuphiseasel,DavidGriffin’sfirststepistolayawarmgroundto
coverthestarkwhiteboard,usingwhatevercolorscometohand.
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ThecoloredgroundThegroundforthispaintingisaboldmixofcadmiumyellowandcadmiumorange.
BroadstrokesBlockingintheskyandwaterwithboldwashesofcolorconveysanimpression
oftheprevailingweatherandalsothegeneraldirectionoflight.
Withtheonelargebrush,thinnedpaintismixedandblendedontheboardto
representastormyskyandsunlightreflectingoffthesurfaceofthewater.
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ThefinishedpaintingThispicturewaspaintedduringaperiodofquiteunsettledweather,whentheartistwasforcedtodealwithanever-changingskyandthefleetingshadowsandreflectionsthatcomewithit.
Broad-strokebrushesUselargebrusheswhenlayingtheground,andforblockingin.ANo.12flatistheonlybrushyouneedforblendingpaintontheboard.
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FixingthehorizonlineBecausetheturbulentskyiscrucialtothispainting,thehorizonisplacedwellbelowthecenterlineofthepicture.Toplacethehorizonatthecenter,orevenaboveit,woulddramaticallyalterthebalanceandemphasisofthelandscape.
AdjustingthecompositionAsapaintingevolves,theartistisfreetorearrangethedifferentelementsin
ordertoimprovethecompositionandthedynamicsofthepicture.
“WhatcanIputintomakethepaintingmoreinteresting–aboat,abuoy,somefigures
onthedeck?Here,Imovedajettyintothepicture.Inrealityitiswayouttotheleft,
butthecompositionisstrongerforitsinclusion.”
AtmosphericperspectiveWatervaporanddustparticlessuspendedintheairtendtoobscureourviewof
distantobjects.Introducingwhatisknownasatmosphericperspectivehelpsthe
artisttoreinforcetheillusionofdepthinapainting.
Usingsomerelativelydarktonesandwarmcolorsintheforegroundpushes
thesketchyskylinebackintothedistance.Darkerreflectionsbeneaththebarge
andjettyserveasimilarpurpose,andalsokeepthemfromlookingasiftheyare
free-floatinginspace.
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TellingdetailsThemooredbargebalancesthecompositionanddrawstheeyeintothepicture.Abuoyisintroducedtoaddinteresttotheforeground.
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CreatingdepthThesharperdetailsintheforegroundandthereflectionsbeneaththejettybothadddepthtothepicture.
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FinishingthepaintingAfterabouttwohours’work,theartisthasconjuredupanatmosphericlandscape
thataccuratelycapturesthemoodoftheriveronthatparticularday.However,
heinvariablycontinuesapaintingbackinhisstudio,wherehecanworkwithout
theconstraintsoftryingtoportraytheactualsceneinfrontofhim.
“Isometimesblendpaintwithmyfingers.Ifinditmoreconvenientthanusing
brushes.Kidslovemakingmudpiesandgettingdirty–Isupposefingerpaintingmust
beanextensionofchildhood.”
BackinthestudioWhenhegetshome,DavidGriffinusuallymountshispaintingstemporarilyina
frame.Headmitsthereisanelementofbriefsatisfactioningazingatanewly
paintedpicture,butthereisalsoapracticalpointtotheframe.
Whenyouarepaintingseascapesandriverscenesonlocation,itcanbe
difficulttogetallthehorizontalsandverticalsalignedwiththeedgesofthe
board.Usingtheframeasavisualguide,youareabletocorrectanymistakes
withafinebrushorthepointofaknife.
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DavidGriffinStormBrewingOilonboard30×40cm(12×16in)
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Lookingatthefinishedpainting,youcanseetheadditionalworkdoneinthestudio.Thereisconsiderablymorevariationincolorandcontrastinthesky,withbrightaccentsoflightpiercingtheclouds.Similarcolorsandtonesarereflectedinthewater.
Distantbuildingshavebeenpickedoutwithcolor.Muchgreaterdetailhasbeenincludedintheforeground,withspotsofintensecolorthatattracttheeye,andsparklinghighlightsscratchedintothewaterwiththeedgeofablade.SEEALSOCAPTURINGWATER296PAINTINGSKIESANDWEATHER286SPACE,DEPTHANDDISTANCE302PRIMERSANDGROUNDS24
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CAPTURINGWATERWithinthecontextoflandscapepainting,wetendtothinkofwaterasacalm
elementseeninariver,lakeorharbourscene.However,althoughwateris
oftenassociatedwithavisionoftranquillity,thatisnotalwaysthecase.In
additiontoconventionalcompositionandtechniquesforpaintingwater,the
artistDavidJacksonintroducessomealternativeideasforcapturingthe
energyandexcitementofwater,rain,mistandspray.
AlternativetechniquesConventionalbrushtechniquesareseeninDavidJackson’sviewoverwatery
mudflats(below).However,inhisstudyoftheVeniceLagoon(bottom),hehas
introducedgessopastetoaddtextureandthenpaintedoverwithwatercolorto
impartamisty,atmosphericperspective.
Inthispainting,theartistmadeuseofastiffbrush(liketheonesusedforcombinginhairconditioner)tocreateetchedlinearindentsandscratchedthesurfaceofthepaintingwithasharpbladetocreatetheeffectofalate-springcloudburstoveranexceedinglywaterylake.
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DavidJackson
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ColorStudiesWatercoloronpaper40×50cm(16×20in)
DavidJacksonBlueBreakerWatercoloronpaper54×71cm(21×28in)MovementandenergyFluid,liquidpaintisappliedvigorouslyandgenerouslytodampenedpaper,wet-in-wet.Inplaces,thewhiteofthepaperisleftshowingthroughtorepresentfoamandspray.Colorisliftedoutwithaspongeandrag,andthenreappliedtobuilduptheopacityoftheoceansurface.Paintisspatteredandthrown,andthesurfacescoredwithahard-pointhairbrushsothatthepaintsinksintothegrooves,creatingalineardirectionaleffectofanexplodingwaveinaboilingrain-dashedocean.
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SEEALSOPAINTINGOUTDOORS134PAINTINGSKIESANDWEATHER286TEXTURALEFFECTS208THECHANGINGLANDSCAPE290WET-IN-WET188
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PAINTINGATOWNSCAPEMakingbuildingsthefocalpointofalandscapecanintroducethepossibility
ofagreatervarietyofcolorandtexture.Whetheritbemodernsteelandglass
orthemellowpatinaofcrumblingrenderandbatteredwoodwork,thereis
muchtopaintandenjoy.
ApersonalapproachWatercoloristsusuallystartbypaintingthesky,thenworksystematicallyfrom
backgroundtoforeground,graduallyoverlayingpalewasheswithdarkerand
richercolors.FortheartistKayOhsten,conventionalmethodsaretoo
inhibiting.Shepreferstoworkinreverse,becauseshefeelsithelpstoinject
moredepthintoherpictures.Hervigorouspaintingstyleencompassesarangeof
techniques,fromdrawingwithapointedsticktoholdingthepaperunder
runningwater.Spontaneityisthekeyword,whichiswhysheisunabletorecall
thecolorssheusesforaparticularpainting.
TheartistatworkKayOhstenpreferstostandatherworktable.Paintingonunstretchedpaper,shemovesdeftlyfromtabletosinkwhencreatingheruniquepaintingsofbuildingsandlandscapes.
Underdrawing
Thefirststageofthepaintingisamoderatelydetailedpencildrawing.Although
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Thefirststageofthepaintingisamoderatelydetailedpencildrawing.Although
itincludeslittlearchitecturaldetail,thereisstillsufficientinformationtoenable
theartisttobeginpaintingwithconfidence.
SketchingonlocationKayOhstenmakesdrawingsonthespot,whichincludedetailednotesoncolor,textureandtone.Shealsotakesoneortworeferencephotographs,andthenstartsworkinearnestathomewhilehermemoryisstillfresh.
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PaintingequipmentInadditiontoastandardsquare-tippedflatpaintbrush,KayOhstenemploysavarietyoflessconventionalequipment,includingasharpenedstickandacalligraphypen.
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FirstbrushstrokesUsingabroadflatbrush,theartistblocksinthesidesofthebuildingsthatareindirectsunlight.Sheappliesapaleparchmentyellowtothewallsandlightterracottatotheroofs.
RemovingcolorwithapaletteknifeBeforethewasheshavehadachancetodry,theartistbeginstoremovecolorbydrawingtheroundedtipofapaletteknifethroughthepaint.Shortstrokesrepresenthighlightsonthepantiles.
PaintingforegroundtexturesBeforethepaintinggetsveryfar,KayOhstenintroduceshercolorsandtextures
intotheforegroundinordertocapturethenatureoftheweatheredsurfaces.
“Ilovepaintingbuildingsthatarecrumbling,becausetherougherIpaint,themore
mistakesImake,andthemoreaccidentsIhave,themoreauthenticthebuildingslook.”
Palemauve,redandumberbrushstrokeswarmuptherooftiles,andothercolors
arespatteredacrossthepapertomeldwiththewetpaint.Additionaltextureis
createdusingtheedgeofapastelstickandbyblottingthesurfacewithabsorbent
paper.
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PaintingthedistantlandscapeInthedistanceisafertilevalleythatstretchesawaytoarangeofmountains.
Fieldsandvineyardsaredescribedwithfreelyappliedbrushstrokes,leavingafew
smallpatchesofwhitepaperthataddsparkletothelandscapeandalsogivea
vagueimpressionofsomedistantbuildings.
Thedarkergreenfoliagethatisimmediatelybehindthebuildingsthrowsthe
stronglylitwallsintorelief.Tallcypresstreesareindicatedwiththeedgeofaflat
brush,anddarklinesthatcrisscrossthelandscapeareappliedwithapenloaded
withdilutedwatercolorpaint.
Havingbrushedintheblue-graymountains,KayOhstentiltsthepaperto
encouragethecolortoruntowardstheskyline,thenbackagaintoavoidleaving
adarkedge.
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KayOhstenBonnieux,ProvenceWatercoloronpaper42×46cm(16×18in)
BrushmarklibraryKayOhstenlikestouseasingleflatpaintbrushwithwhichsheisabletomakeawidevarietyofmarks.
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Full-widthbrushTomakebroadstrokes,sheusesthefullwidthofthebrush.Nippingthetipofthebrushbetweenfingerandthumbcreatesnarrowstrokes.
BrushedgeUsingtheedgeofthesamebrushmakeslinearmarks;thedryerthepaint,thenarrowerthestrokes.
BrushtipPlacingthebrushtiponthepapermakesrowsofidenticalbrushmarks.
PrintingwiththeedgePrintingwiththeedgeofthebrushmakesattractivetaperedbrushstrokes.
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PressingwiththesidePressingthesideofthebrushagainstthepaperleavesbrokencolor.
FlickingandspatteringFlickingthebrushspatterspaintacrossthepaper.Ifyouspatterontowetpaint,thecolordisperses.Tipthepapertocontroltherun.
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KayOhstenBonnieux,ProvenceWatercoloronpaper42×46cm(16×18in)1LineworkYoucanmakebroadexpressivelineswithasharpenedstickwhichhasbeendippedinwatercolor.Forfinerwork,useacalligraphypenloadedwiththinnedpaint.
2PaintingshadowsCool-grayshadowscreatetheimpressionofstrongsunlight.Broadareasareblockedinwithaflatbrush;linearmarksaremadewithapen.
3PastelandcontéCreatetexturesbydrawingwiththetipofpastelandcontésticks.
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4SpatteringFlickingpaintontoapaintingcreatesrandomtextures.
5ScrapingwithapaletteknifeScrapingthetipofapaletteknifethroughwetpaintsqueezesthecoloroutofthepaper.Tomakeverypalemarks,liftthepaintsoonafterapplyingthewash.Waitinglongerwillallowmoretimeforthepainttostainthepaper.
PerspectiveAsasubject,townscapeswillrequireatleastabasicappreciationofperspective,butanexcitingpainterlysurfaceismoredelightfultotheeyethanacarefullymeasureddrawing.
BlottingLiftpaintoffthesurfacebyblottingitwithabsorbentpaper.Blotoutstripes,usingsometissuepaperwrappedroundaruler.
Loadacalligraphypenwithwatercolor
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Paintingondamppaper
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Oneadvantageofworkingwithunstretchedpaperisthatyouarefreetomanipulatethecolorwithcopiousamountsofwater.Providedthepaintisdry,youcanholdyourpaintingunderrunningwaterwithoutfearofthecolorsrunning.
CreatinganorangeglowAnoveralltoneoforange-yellowcreatesanimpressionofwarmsunlight.Wetthebottomhalfofthepaintingbyholdingitunderarunningtap,allowingsurpluswatertorunoffintothesink.Spatterthewetpaperwithdilutecadmiumorangeandyellow,thentiltthepaperbackandforthtomovethecoloraroundonthesurface.Blotexcesswaterwithapapertowel.
PaintingtheskyTurningthepaintingupsidedown,youcanadoptasimilarmethodtopaintthesky.Havingwetthepaper,paintabluewasharoundhillsandbuildings,thentiltandbendthepapertodirectthecolorexactlywhereyouwantit.Thisalsopreventsthepaintpoolingandleavingobviousridges.Ifyouwanttocreateclouds,blotthemoutofthebluesky,usinganabsorbentpapertissue.SEEALSOATMOSPHERICPERSPECTIVE292,303PAINTINGOUTDOORS134PAINTINGSKIESANDWEATHER286
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SPACE,DEPTHANDDISTANCEPerspectiveisanopticalillusionwherebyobjectsappeartodiminishinsizeas
theyrecedeintothedistance.Itispossibletoreproducethisillusionina
drawingorpainting,usingasystemoflinesandreferencepointsforplotting
therealthree-dimensionalimageontoatwo-dimensionalsurface.Although
perspectivedrawingcanbepreciselymeasuredandconstructed,youonlyneed
toapplythebasicprincipleswhenyouarepaintingandsketching.
UsingaviewfinderSomeartistsuseacut-outcardboardwindowtoestablishtheirviewpoint,andtohelpassessperspectiveinrelationtothepictureplane.
Establishingthehorizonline
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Toestablishthehorizonlinefromanyworkingposition,holdarulerhorizontallyinfrontofyoureyes,soyouseeonlytheedge.Makeamentalnoteofthelinetherulermakesacrossthesceneinfrontofyou.Markthislineacrossyourdrawingtorepresentthehorizon.
PictureplaneYourdrawingorpaintingisarepresentationofaviewasitmightappearwhen
projectedontoanimaginaryclearscreeninfrontofyou–thisissimilarto
lookingatthesamesubjectthroughawindow-pane.Thissurface,knownasthe
pictureplane,istakentobeatrightanglestoyourcenterofvision.
Single-pointperspectiveSubjectsseenheadon–withonefaceparalleltothepictureplane–canbeconstructed,withinlimits,usingasinglevanishingpoint.
HorizonlineWhenyoulookstraightahead,neitherlookingupnordown,youreyelevelfalls
onthehorizonline(HL).Thisistheprimarylineofreferenceinperspective
constructionandisalwaysateyelevelnomatterwhatheightyouarelooking
from.Inaseascapethehorizonlineisvisible,butinmostsituationsitis
obscuredbyhighgroundorbuildings.
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Two-pointperspectiveThismethod,whichisalsoknownasangularperspective,usestwovanishingpointsforconstructingthree-dimensionalobjectssetatanangletothepictureplane.Itprovidesamorenaturalviewthansingle-pointperspective.
VanishingpointsInperspectiveviews,alllinesatrightanglestothepictureplaneandparallelto
thegroundappeartoconvergeonthehorizonline.Thesepointsofconvergence
arecalledvanishingpoints(VP).Usually,oneortwovanishingpointsareused,
dependingontheangleofthesubjectbeingobservedinrelationtothepicture
plane.Sometimesathirdvanishingpointisintroducedaboveorbelowthe
horizonline.Inpractice,vanishingpointsmayfalloutsideyourpicturearea.
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Three-pointperspectiveThisisusedtogiveasenseofrealismtosubjectsviewedfromaboveorbelow.Unlessthevanishingpointsarewidelyspaced,theviewisdistorted.
ForeshorteningWhenanobjectisseeninperspective,recedingtowardsthevanishingpoint,it
appearsshorterthanitisinreality.Thisphenomenonisknownas
foreshortening.Thisdiminishinginsizeisprogressive,sothatarowofwindows
ofequalsizeandspacing,forexample,willappeartogetsmaller,andthespaces
betweenthemnarrower,astheyrecedeintothedistance.
Foreshorteningisrelevanttoeverythingyoudraworpaint,notonly
landscapesortownscapesbutfiguresaswell,asshownintheillustration(below).
FiguredrawingWhendrawingfigures,foreshorteningaffectstheproportionsofthelimbsandtorso.Asanaid,thinkoftheseelementsascylindersinperspective.
AtmosphericperspectiveDustandwatervaporsuspendedintheatmospherepartlyobscureourviewof
distantobjects.Astheyrecedeintothedistance,detailsbecomelessdistinct,
tonesbecomelighterandcolorsappeartogetcooler,movingtowardsshadesof
blue.Simulatingtheseeffectswithpainthelpscreatetheillusionofdepthand
distance,asillustratedinthepaintingbelow.
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AccurateforeshorteningOnewaytoachievethisillusionistodrawthesubject,sayawindow,inperspective,thendrawinthediagonals.Drawalinethroughthecenterofthecrosstothevanishingpoint,thendrawaverticallinethroughthesamecenter,dividingthewindowintoquarters.
Nowdrawadiagonalthroughonequarterandextendthelinetocrossthelowerrecedingline.Drawinaverticalwheretheselinescross.Markthediagonalasbeforeandthencontinueinthiswaytowardsthevanishingpoint.
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RobertTilling
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Rocks,LowTideWatercoloronpaper65×50cm(26×20in)
CirclesonthehorizonWhenthecenterofthecirclecoincideswiththehorizonline,theminoraxisoftheellipseisalsohorizontalandtheellipseappearsupright.
CirclesbelowthehorizonWhenthecenterofacirclefallsbelowthehorizon,theminoraxiscontinuestopointtowardsthevanishingpoint.Asaresult,theellipseappearstorotateinorderforthecircletobeseenintrueperspective.
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ForeshortenedcirclesNotehowellipsesappeartogetflatterastheyapproachthehorizonline.
DrawingcirclesinperspectiveAcircletouchesallfoursidesofasquare.Whenitisseeninperspective,thesquareisforeshortenedandthecirclebecomesanellipse.SEEALSOLANDSCAPEONLOCATION282PAINTINGALANDSCAPE274PAINTINGATOWNSCAPE298THECHANGINGLANDSCAPE290
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PUTTINGLIFEINTOAPAINTINGPaintedcityscapesandinteriorsbereftofpeopleappeareerilydeserted.John
Yardley,whoiswellknownforhisabilitytoinjectvitalityintothesesubjects,
showsushowtobringapaintingtolifebyincludingsimple,well-conceived
figures.
ProportionandscaleIfafigureiswrong,evenbyasmallmargin,itcanspoilwhatispotentiallya
goodpainting.Inparticular,itiseasytoforgetthatifpeopleandanimalsaren’t
inscalethewholepicturewilllookoutofbalance.Theheartoftheproblemlies
inthefactthattheeyeiscapableofperceivingverysubtledifferences.
“Artistsoftenmaketheirfiguresappearstiffandwooden,almostlikeclothespegs.Ifyou
paintafigurewiththelegsjustafractiontoofarapart,itnolongerreads
convincingly.”
PlanningyourpaintingWhenpaintinginwatercolor,theartistJohnYardleyadoptstheconventionalmethodofworkingfrombackgroundtoforeground,leavingwhitespaceinwhichtopaintthefigures.
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WorkingpositionItisoftenbesttopaintstandingup,especiallywhenworkingoutside.Whenseated,youlookacrossthepaperatanacuteangle,whichcangiveadistortedviewofperspectiveandproportion.
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AllateyelevelRegardlessoftheirscale,theheadsofallfiguresstandingonthesameareaofflatgroundwillbemoreorlessateyelevel.Thisassumesthatyou,thepainter,arealsostandingonthesamesurface.Ifyouareseated,thentheheadsofthefiguresclosesttoyouwillappearhigherthantherest.
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BrushesTheartistisinthehabitofusingtwoNo.10roundsables.Oneisanewbrush,whichtakesapointwellandisidealforpaintingdetail.Theotherbrushisolderandslightlyworn,butisperfectforbroadwashes.
“Thereisonlysomuchyoucansayaboutpainting–paintingisadoingthing.”
JohnYardleyalwaysstartsbydrawinginpenciltoindicatewherehewantsto
placethefigures.Theyconstituteanintegralpartofthecomposition,notmerely
afterthoughtsthatareinsertedatrandom.
Thebackgroundispaintedfirsttoestablishbroadareasoftoneandcolor,
leavingpatchesofwhitepaperwheretheartistintendstointroducelocalcolor,
perhapstosuggestadressoraman’scoat,forinstance.
Figuresarepaintedfreelytosuggestmovement,precludingdetailthatwould
spoiltheillusion.Here,abroadareaofshadowanchorsthegroupoffiguresto
theground.
“Thesecrettosuccessfulwatercolorpaintingisknowinghowmuchwatertouse.This
onlycomeswithexperience,butonceyougetafeelfortherightcombinationofwater
andcolor,youhavecontroloverthemedium.”
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JohnYardleyFigureStudiesWatercoloronpaper
EconomyofmeansFiguresshouldlookcredible,evenwhenpaintedsimply–butdon’tconcentrateonunnecessarydetail.Forexample,thebraintellstheviewerthatpeoplehavelegsthatendwithfeet,sothereisnoneedtopainttheshoes.
Themostbasiceffectscanbeusedtoimplymovementanddirection.Asmallwhite“V”leftatthenecklinewillindicatethatafigureiscomingtowardsyou.Paintitinwithsolidcolorandthefigureappearstobewalkingaway.
Castshadowssuggestthatfiguresarestandingonsolidground,buttheytooneedtoobeytherulesofperspective.
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JohnYardley
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StreetScene,SorrentoWatercoloronpaper51×76cm(20×30in)SEEALSOFIGUREDRAWING140ACTION&POSE141PAINTINGALANDSCAPE274PAINTINGOUTDOORS134PERSPECTIVE302WATERCOLORPAINTS87
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PAINTINGAFACEThere’snoquestionthatportraiturecanbesomewhatdaunting,evenfor
experiencedartists.Itcanbequitedifficulttoconcentrateonthemechanicsof
drawingandpaintingwhen,atthebackofyourmind,youarewonderingwhat
yoursitterisgoingtothinkofyourefforts.Theimagewehaveofourselvesis
oftenquitedifferentfromhowothersseeus.Consequently,attemptingto
createafaithfulportraitofyoursitterthatneitheroffendsnorflattersmaywell
beadelicatebalancingact.
ChoosingyourmodelOnewaytoavoidembarrassmentistopaintaself-portrait.Youcanthenbe
totallyobjective,andworkforaslongasyoulikewithoutfearoftiringyour
model!Ifyoudon’twanttopaintafull-faceportrait,setupapairofmirrorsin
suchawaythatyoucanseeyourselffromdifferentangles.
Otherobviouscandidatesareyourfriendsandmembersofyourfamily,who
willusuallyprovetobewillingparticipants.Paintingpeopleyouknowintimately
shouldhelpyoubringouttheirtruecharacter,providedthatyoucandiscipline
yourselftolookbeyondyourownpreconceptions.
Whatevertherelationshipwithyoursitter,youaremorelikelytoapproachthe
taskwithenthusiasmifyougenuinelyfeelthatpersonwillmakeaninteresting
subjecttopaint.
Workingfromphotographs
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Thereisnosubstituteforpaintingfromlife,butit’susefultotakephotographsofyoursitteratthebeginningofasessionandagainattheend.Photosarehelpfulifyouwanttoworkonthepaintingbetweensittings,orifyourmodelisveryyoungandlikelytotirequickly.However,acameralenscanproduceadistortedimage,particularlywhenshootingclose-upswithawide-anglelens.
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PosingyourmodelBeforeyousettleonapose,tryoutvariousviews,fromfullfacetothree-quarterviewandprofile.Tiltingtheheadupordownoffersevenmorepossibilities.
ComposingaportraitThefeaturedpaintingisaconventionalhead-and-shouldersportraitagainsta
plainbackgroundthatemphasizesthecontoursofthefaceandthrowsthe
featuresintostarkcontrast.Theartist,NickHyams,hasselectedathree-quarter
view,whichmakesiteasiertoseethefeaturesinthreedimensions.
Lightingwillalsoaffectyoursubject.Afaceunderevenilluminationcan
appearalmostflat,whereasastrongsidelightthrowsthefeaturesintorelief.
Youcouldshowmoreofyoursitter,andalsoincludeasettingthathelpsto
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Youcouldshowmoreofyoursitter,andalsoincludeasettingthathelpsto
conveythemodel’slifestyleorinterests,butifyourobjectiveistoachievea
recognizablelikeness,itpaystokeepthecompositionsimple.
Helpyourmodeltofeelcomfortableandrelaxed–don’texpectanyoneto
holdasmileorotherexaggeratedexpressionforanylengthoftime.Be
encouraging,andinvolveyoursitterintheprocessbyallowinghimorhertosee
andcommentonyourworkduringthebreaks.
Agreeonwhatyoursittershouldwear.Itdoesnothavetobeanything
elaborate,buttheadditionofjewelry,ascarfornecktie,orevenahat,may
contributesomethingtothepainting.Astheworkprogresses,feelfreetoalter
thecolorandtextureofthesitter’sattireifyoufeelitwouldimprovethe
painting.
MakingapreliminarydrawingWeallhavethecapacitytorecognizeindividualsandcantellwhenaportrait
actuallylookslikesomeoneweknow.Asanarttutor,NickHyamsencourages
hisstudentstoharnessthisinstinctivepowerofobservationwhentheyare
drawingorpaintingalikenessofanotherhumanbeing.
Beforeyoucommityourselftopaint,itisworthmakingapreliminarydrawing
ofyoursubject.Drawingconcentratesthemindandgivesyouanopportunityto
observeyoursitterclosely.
Evenabasicunderstandingofhowthebodyisconstructedenablesanartistto
drawandpaintwithconfidence,anditistheunderlyingbonestructurethat
givesusthemostimportantcluestoworkwith.
Theeyesaresetdeepwithinroughlycircularsocketsintheskull(youcan
detectthembeneaththelayersofskinandmuscle).Thecheekbonesjustbelow
thesocketsareinvariablyprominentfeatures,asisthecurveofthelower
jawbone.Evenwhenitiscoveredwithhair,thesizeandshapeofthecranial
domeisvitaltotheoverallproportionofthesitter’shead.
AchievingalikenessAperson’sskullcontributesinlargemeasuretotheirappearance.Ourmodelhashighcheekbones,quitelargewell-definedeyesockets,andadelicatechin.Thesecharacteristics,togetherwithherfulllips,slightlyalmond-shapeeyesanddistinctivenose,distinguishJoycefromeveryotherindividual.
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Astronglylitthree-quarterviewmakesthemodel’sfeaturesstandoutagainstthedarkbackground.
BasicproportionsAlinethroughthebottomoftheeyesocketsdividesthehumanskullinhalf.Whenpaintingsomeonewithafullheadofhair,thelinerunsthroughthecenteroftheeyes.
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ThedrawingPortraitureisnevereasy,buttheartistNickHyamsadvocatesamethodof
paintingthatallowsyoutocorrecttheinevitablemistakesyouwillmakewithout
havingtothrowawayallthevaluableworkyouhaveputintocreatingaportrait.
Thefeaturedpaintingistheresultofanumberofsessions,spreadoveran
extendedperiod.Althoughthedrawingwasmadefromlife,thefinishedportrait
waspaintedfrommemory.
Theadvantagethatapaintedportraithasoveraphotographisthattheartist
isfreetomakesubtlechangesofemphasisinordertodrawattentiontoa
person’suniquecharacteristics.Comparethefinishedpaintingwiththecarbon-
pencilstudyontheright,andyoucanseehowNickHyamshasdeliberately
emphasizedthesitter’scheekbonesandpointedchin.
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“Almostinstinctively,Iwillselectcertainfeaturesthatcharacterizethemodel.Iam
tryingtoarriveatsomethingthatsaysmoreaboutthesitterwithoutitbecominga
caricature.”
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NickHyamsPreliminaryDrawingCarbonpencilonpaper38.5×28cm(151/2×11in)
UnderdrawingandgroundThefinishedworkbeganwithasimplepencildrawingthatwasusedasaguide
tothepainting.Thewholesurfacewasthencoveredwithawashofrawsienna,
appliedwitha50mm(2in)brush.
“Iliketostartwithacoloredground.Itimpartsharmonytoapainting.Italsogives
youawarmbackgroundsothatyouarenothavingtodealwiththestarkwhitepaper,
whichcanbeverydistracting.”
Don’tattempttocreateaflatwash,justapplythepaintinanydirection,even
mixinginasecondcolorifyouwantabitmorevariation.Thegroundfixesthe
pencilunderdrawing,sothereisnofearofitsmudging.
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MediumAglossmediumwasusedtoincreasethetransparencyoftheacrylicpaintandtoimprovetheflow.
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PaperThispaintingismadeon100percentcotton,300gsm(140lb)hot-pressedpaper.Havingasmoothsurface,thepaperdoesnotimposeatextureonthepainting.
BrushesSyntheticbrushesareidealforacrylics.Theirbristlesarestrongandspringy,andarerelativelyeasytoclean.NickHyamsusesroundbrushesinarangeofsizes.
UnderpaintingUsingthecoloredgroundforyourhalftones,developanunderpaintingtoworkoutthebasictonalvalues.Forthispainting,variousmixturesofrawumber,cadmiumlemonandwhitewereusedtoroughlypaintinthedarkerareasandhighlightswithwashesofcolor.Havingblockedinthebasiclightsanddarks,paintadarkwashacrossthebackgroundsothatyoucanchecktherelativetonalvaluesofthefacebeforeyouproceedwithcolor.
PaintsIfyouarenewtopaintingportraits,andespeciallyifyouareintendingtouseacrylicpaints,itisagoodideatoconfineyourselftoalimitedpaletteconsistingprimarilyofearthcolors.Untilyoubecomemoreexperienced,paintingaportraitwithbrightcolorscanmakeyoursitterlooklikeapainteddoll.Thefeaturedportraitwaspaintedusingthefollowingcolors:
Ifyoufeelaneedtoexpandyourpaletteslightly,thefollowingcolorsarealsorecommendedforportraiture:
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ModellingwithcolorSomeartistsadoptaboldapproach,attackingthecanvaswithgusto.Such
paintingsareoftenalivewithenergyandamplyrewardtheriskstakenbythe
artist.However,whatappearstobecarefreeabandonisoftentheresultofyears
ofexperienceandexperimentation.
Youhaveabetterchanceofsuccess,especiallywithacrylicpaints,ifyou
approachyourworksystematically.NickHyams’technique,whichrelieson
simplecombinationsofcolor,enablesyoutokeeptheprocessundercontrol.
Asyouworkupthepainting,keepsteppingbacktoevaluatetheeffectofthe
modellingandalsotochecktheoveralltonalbalance.Ifonepartappearstoo
dark,justaddafewspecksofapalertonetomodifyit.Ifthehighlightsaretoo
bright,knockthembackwithdotsofdarkercolor.
OpticalmixingInthisprocesssmallspecksofpurecolorlaidsidebysidemergetogetherwhenviewedfromadistance,suggestingadifferentandmoresubtlecoloring.
HighlightsThelightestareasarepaintedwithcadmiumlemonandwhite.Thesehighlightsarewarmedwithspecksofredoxidewhich,whengroupedtogether,begintomodeltheform.
ShadowsThesamethreecolorsareusedintheshadedareas,wheretheunderlyingrawumbermakesforacoolercoloringgenerally.Deepentheshadowswithspecksofdarkerandcoolercolorsuntilyouachievetherequireddepthoftone.
ThehairDon’tlosesightoftheunderlyingshapeoftheheadwhenyouarepaintinghair.Linearbrushstrokesaremoreexpressivethandots,andscumblingwithadrybrushaddstexture.
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PaintingtheeyesNotehowthecircularirisispartlyhiddenbeneaththeeyelid,whichalsocastsashadowacrosstheeyeball.Thesphericalshapeoftheeyeballissuggestedwithmodellingoftheupperandlowerlids.Here,specksofredoxide,cadmiumlemonandwhitepainthavebeenusedtodepictthewhitesoftheeyes.Makesurethatbotheyesarelookinginthesamedirection.Manyaportraithasbeenspoiledbytheartistgivingthesitterasquint.
WorkingupthedetailsLineisanartisticconvention.Inreality,thereareonlyedgeswhereacurvedsurfaceisseenasahorizonorwhereonesurfacemeetswithanother.Drawthesemarginsasbrokenlines,usingdotsofcolorthatmergeandblendtocreatetheshapeyouwant.Thedarkestareasofdrawinginthispaintingaremadewithspecksofrawumberandblack.
BackgroundWhatappearstobeaplainbackgroundfromadistanceshimmerswithtinyblue-gray,brownandblackbrushstrokes.
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NickHyams
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JoyceAcryliconpaper38×28cm(15×11in)SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110MEDIUMS118MIXINGCOLORS220PAINTINGAFRIEND314SCUMBLING176
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WORKINGONTHEFEATURESWhenusingwordstoidentifyanindividual,wetendtorelyondescriptionsof
theirdistinguishingfeatures–thinlips,longnose,bigears,andsoon.
Similarly,inpainting,anaccuratedepictionoffacialfeaturesgoesalongway
towardsobtainingarecognizablelikeness.Thisiswhatmostportraitistsare
strivingtoachieve,andwhatmostsitterswanttohangonthewall.
PreliminarysketchesBeforepaintingafullportrait,gettoknowyourmodel’suniquefacial
characteristicsbymakingpreliminarysketches,notforgettingtorelatethemto
theoverallproportionsofthefaceandhead.Usetheopportunitytomaketonal
studiesandcolornotes.
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Closeobservation
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Thisartistmovesaroundhersitters,sketchingdetailsinwatercolorandcontécrayonbeforeembarkingonafinishedpainting.
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ValerieWiffenStudiesofFacialFeaturesWatercolorandcontécrayononpaper35.5×53.5cm(14×21in)SEEALSOCOLOREDPENCILS42CONTÉCRAYONS52WASHTECHNIQUES182WATERCOLORPAINTS87WET-ON-DRY189
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PAINTINGAFRIENDThisisanexampleofportraituremadewithpanacheandenergy.It’sastyleno
completebeginnercouldhopetoemulate,butitisagoaltowhichmanyartists
aspire.WatchingKenPaineatworkisaninvigoratingexperience,becausehe
isafirmbelieverinthrowingcautiontothewind.“Bebold.It’sonlya
painting.It’snevergoingtobelife-threatening.”
PaintingmorethansuperficialappearanceAswehaveseenpreviously,anartistwillsometimesexaggeratefacial
characteristicsinordertoconveythetruelikenessofthesitter.Takingitastep
further,aperceptivepaintercanexpressmorethansuperficialappearance.
MaterialsThisisapaintingmadewithacrylicpaintandsoftpastels,arichcombination
thatallowsforahugevarietyofboldandexpressivemarks.Thereisverylittle
timespentwaitingforthepainttodry–sotheartistcanswitchfrompaintto
pastelandbackagain,asthemoodtakeshim.
Thesupportisagood-qualitymountingboardwhichhasbeencoatedwith
gesso,andthensprinkledwithpowderedpumice.Thisprovidesafinelytextured
surfacethatacceptsbothmaterialsequallywell.
Whenworkingwithmixedmedia,KenPaineusesone,orpossiblytwo,large
filbertsfortheunderpainting,whichissubsequentlyoverlaidwithlayerupon
layerofpastelstrokes.
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PosingyourmodelWhenyouposeyourmodel,thinkabouthowyoucanusebodylanguagetoconveydifferentaspectsofthesitter’spersonality.Itiseasytoimaginehowtakingupaforceful,aggressivestancewouldgiveacompletelydifferentimpressionfrom,say,lounginginanarmchair.Buthumanbeingscanpickupmoresubtlemessages.Amodelstaringstraightoutofthecanvascouldbeinterpretedaschallengingorengaging,whereasdowncasteyesmaybeseenaspassiveormelancholy.Withalittledirectionfromtheartist,thismodeltookupanatural,contemplativepose.
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MarkmakingExpressivemarks,madewithbrushandpastelstick,aretheartist’sdirectresponsetothesubjectofthepainting.
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MirrorimageUseamirrortolookatyourportraitfromadifferentviewpoint.Thiswillhelpyoutoevaluatethepaintingintermsofcompositionandtonalbalance.Italsoenablesyoutoseethecanvasfromadistance–usefulifyouworkinasmallstudio.
UnderdrawingInordertopindownthemainelementsofthecomposition,theartistbeginsby
drawingwithpastel.Fromthebeginning,thelinesofthetorsodirectthe
onlookertowardsthefocalpointofthepicture,thesitter’shead.Placingthe
focalpointslightlyoffcenterhelpstocreatewell-balancedshapesoneachsideof
thefigureandmakesforamoredynamiccomposition.
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UnderpaintingWithinminutesofstartingtheportrait,KenPainepicksupabrushandstarts
modellingtheformwithlightandshade.Heblocksinthedarkertones,usinga
wetbrushtomanipulatethepastel,andpaintsthehighlightswithwhiteacrylic.
“WhenIlookataperson,Idon’tseetheirbodyortheirfeatures:Iseeshapes–shapes
withinshapesandshapesbetweenshapes.AndifIpaintthoseshapeswell,Iwillgeta
goodlikenessofthatperson.”
Theartistbringsinwarmandcoolaccents,usingamixtureofyellowochreand
rawsiennaforthefleshtones,andacoolgreenfortheareasinshadow.Flashes
ofscarlet,warmblackanddeepyellowareusedtochiseloutthefeatures.
Paintingadarkbackgroundshowsupthesideofthefaceandshoulder.
CreatingapainterlysurfaceHavingestablishedthebasicform,theartistbecomesengrossedinthestruggle
togetthesitter’slikenessdownontothecanvas.Usingcoolgraysandochres,he
drawsinthehalftones;bringsthesitter’sfacetolifewithdeftstrokesofblack
andredpastel;andthenintroducesthestronghighlightswiththesideofapastel
stick.
“Apaintinggoesthroughmanydifferentstages.Youmustbepreparedtobuilditup
thenbreakitdownagain.It’snoteasy,butitisanessentialpartoftheprocess.”
Eventually,thepaintingreachesapointwhichtheartistfeelsisafirm
foundationforthefinalstages.
“Thesearetheunderlyingcolorsthatwillshowthroughtheall-importantmarksIshall
bemakingtofinishtheportrait.Ifyouproceedwiththatprocessbeforethepaintingis
ready,theportraitwillbelifeless,butifyoupersistwiththebasicmodellinguntilyou
arehappywithit,thenyoucanreallyenjoythenextstage.”
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Blockinginthetones
Addingwarmandcoolaccents
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BringingthefacetolifeKenPainedrawsthefeatureswithboldpastelstrokes,buthedoesn’thesitatetotakeupapaintbrushandreworktheportraitwhenitisn’tquitegoinghisway.
FinishingtouchesReturningtopastelsoncemore,theartistputsthefinishingtouchestothe
portrait.Evenwhenheisconcentratingondetail,KenPainecontinuestowork
freely;heappliesbroadstrokes,usingthesideofastick,thenmakesdelicate
marksandlinesbydrawingwiththepointandedge.
BalancingthepaintingTheportraitisallbutcomplete,butnowtheartistmustdecidehowtoconvey
thebulkofthefigurewithoutdistractingfromthefocalpointoftheportrait.
Thisheachieveswithboldbrushstrokesandvigorouslinesthatbreakdownthe
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edgesofthetorsoanddirecttheviewer’sattentiontowardsthehighlydetailed
features.Thefinalbalanceismadebyblockinginthebackgroundcolors,using
darkandlightareastothrowthesitter’sheadintorelief.
AcompleteillusionCloseup,thefinishedpaintingcouldbecomparedwiththeworkofanabstractpainter,yetstepbackandallthoseexpressivemarkscoalesceintoacompellingandconvincingportraitoftheartist’sfriend,Andy.
“Iamtryingtoproduceaninterestingpainterlysurface.Itisimportanttorealizethat
youarecreatingapainting,youarenotmakingacopyofwhatyoucanseeinfrontof
you.Justasajazzmusicianmightimproviseonatheme,soIamtakingcertain
libertieswiththeportrait.It’swhatwecallartist’slicence.”
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KenPaine
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AndyAcrylicandpastelonmountingboard84×58cm(33×23in)SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110EXPERIMENTALPOSES322FIGUREDRAWING140PAINTINGAFACE306PASTELS48
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PAINTINGAPERSONAportraitcanencompassmorethanaperson’sheadandshoulders.Withthis
exercise,wesetouttopaintafullfigure,clothedandsetagainstasimple
background.Itisperhapsmoreimportanttocreateanimpressionofasolid,
well-proportionedhumanbeingthanitistoachievearecognizablelikenessof
themodel.
AstheartistValWiffenisquicktopointout,thereisoftentoomuchemphasis
placedonthefeatures,whenatthisscalepostureandmeaningfulgesturesare
equallyimportantforconveyingcharacterandpersonality.
“Don’tbetooconcernedifyoudon’tachieveanobviouslikeness,becauseyourpainting
maystillbeaverygoodrepresentation.”
MakingasketchplanValWiffendispenseswithadetailedunderdrawing,optinginsteadtomakea
sketchplan,usingasepiawater-solublecoloredpencilandwashinordertoplot
themainelementsofthecomposition.
“Iliketoputdownafewlines,sortoflandmarksthatwillguidemethroughtheearly
stagesofpainting.Icanchecktheproportionsofthefigureandatthesametimeresolve
thecomposition,whichinthiscaseisaplayontriangleswithinasquareformat.”
Tostrengthentheimageonthepaper,theartisttakesabrushloadedwithclean
wateranddrawsitacrossthelinework,dissolvingthepencilandcreatingwashes
ofcolor.
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MaterialsandequipmentThispaintingwasmadeon410gsm(200lb)watercolorpaper,usinggouacheandtemperablockcolorappliedwithasingleweasel-hairbrush.
Tonalwashesarecreatedbybrushingwaterovertheinitialwater-solublepencildrawing.
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Thefirstwashesarethenlaidinbytheartistwithtemperablockcolor.
Temperablocksareasolidformofgouache(seepage104).
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ChoosingyourviewpointInquiteasmallstudio,standingoveraseatedmodelmayproduceanawkwardbird’s-eyeview–inwhichcase,youmaybebetteroffseatedatthesamelevelasyoursitter.However,standingatyoureaselwillgiveyougreaterfreedomofmovement,andyoucanstepbackfromtimetotimeinordertolookatyourworkfromadistance.
KeepinggouachemoistTheartistusesastay-wetpalettewhenworkingwithtubesofgouache.Shekeepsthepaintmoistbymistingitoccasionallywithwaterfromasmallplantspray.
DressingyourmodelEncourageyoursittertochooseclothesthatheorsheisusedtowearing–somethingthatexpressesthesitter’spersonality.Thiswillhelptoreinforcethesenseoflikenessinyourpainting.Thesimplesttextilesareoftenthemostdifficulttopaint.Distinctpatterns,suchasstripesorchecks,willfollowthecontoursofthe
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bodyandmakeiteasiertodepictthemodelinthreedimensions.
PaintsandpaintbrushesPaintsGouacheisaversatilemedium.Itcanbelaidastransparentwashes,muchlike
watercolor,butwhenappliedinathickerconsistency,gouachehasgoodcovering
power,whichgivesanartisttheoptiontoalterorcorrectapaintingwithoutthe
colorsbecomingmuddy.Whendry,thesurfaceofthepainthasanopalescent
glow,similarinsomewaystosoftpastel.Unlikewatercolor,whichstainsthe
paper,gouachemerelysitsonthesurfaceandcanbewashedoffwithadamp
sponge,leavingverylittletraceofcolorbehind.
Fortheearlystagesofthefeaturedpainting,theartistusedtemperablocks
(gouacheinsolidform)torendercolorwashes.Astheworkprogressed,she
revertedtoconventionalgouachepaintsuppliedintubes.
PaintbrushesValWiffen’spersonalpreferenceisforChinese-madebrushes,withwhichshe
canmakeawidevarietyofmarks.Forfigurepainting,sheadvocatesusingat
leastonebrushthatcomestoafinepointandalargemopforapplyingbroad
washes.Forasmall-scaleworklikethis,however,shecanmakedowithasingle
brushthatfulfilsbothpurposes–alargeweasel-hairbrush(equivalenttoaNo.
14round).
PositiveandnegativeshapesWiththenextstage,theartistgetstogripswithdrawingandworkingonthe
tonalvaluesofthecomposition.Applyingtemperawashes,sheblocksinthe
positiveshapes,whichconstitutethefocalpointofthepicture,andalsothe
negativeshapescreatedbyspacesandareasofcolorsurroundingthefigure.
“IfIamhavingtroublepaintingthenegativeshapes,itmeansthefiguredrawing
requiressomeadjustment.”
SolidityandformWiththeposefirmlyestablished,theartistbeginstohomeinonspecificshapes
andcolors.Sheintroducesstrongerandrichercolorstorenderfoldsinthe
clothing,thestripedsofacoverandthemodel’sboots.Withonlytheminimum
ofdetail,thefigurealreadylookssolid,withhisweightnestlingintothesoft
seating.
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IntroducingdetailWithdeftstrokes,theartistbeginstomodelthebasicfacialfeatures.Folded
fabricstakeshape,withcastshadowsandhighlightsindicatedwithstrokesof
paint.Althoughbroadlypainted,detailssuchascollars,cuffs,pocketsandseams
giveformanddefinitiontotheclothing.
Thepicturedevelops
KeepingcolorsfreshWhenlayinggouache,makeasinglestrokeinonedirectiononly.Thisdepositsthepaintonthesurfacewithoutdisturbingtheunderlyingcolor.
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Blockinginpositiveandnegativeshapes
Introducingstrongerandrichercolors
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Detailingthefeaturesandclothing
FromstarttofinishAllowingforrestbreaks,thepaintingwasbroughtclosetofruitionoveraperiod
ofaboutfivehours.Thesequencebelowshowshowtheportraitevolvedfrom
thesketchplanandloosewashes,untilthefinishedpainting(opposite)finally
emerged.Itisworthnotingthattheartistresistedthetemptationtopaintthe
model’sfeaturesuntiltheveryendofthesession.
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Paintingskintones
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Inthiscase,so-calledwhiteskinismorelikeawarmgraywithmauve-tintedshadows.Alwayslookcarefullyatfleshtonesandtrytoidentifythecolorsobjectively.
PaintingeyesDon’tallowtheeyestodominate.Ifyoupaintthemwithpurewhitepaint,yourmodelcanappeartobestaringunnervinglyoutofthepicture.
PaintinghairThehairstylecontributestothesitter’sappearance.Thereisnoneedtopainteverywispofhair,butheretheartistwasabletointroducesufficientdetailtoconveytheageandcharacterofhermodel.
PaintinghandsFormostpainters,thehandsareasourceofconsternation,becausetheyappeartobesuchcomplexstructures.Paintthemsimply,asplanesseparatedbyrowsofknuckles,rememberingthatthesejointsareonlycapableofhinginginonedirection.
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ValerieWiffen
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PortraitofSimonGouacheonpaper38×38cm(15×15in)SEEALSOFORESHORTENING303GOUACHE104TEXTURALEFFECTS208PAINTINGAFACE306PAINTINGHANDSANDFEET330STAY-WETPALETTES121,283WASHTECHNIQUES182WORKINGONTHEFEATURES312
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EXPERIMENTALPOSESForlongfigure-studysessions,artistsgenerallyasktheirmodeltotakeupa
conventionalseatedorstandingpose.Butyoucanextendyourrepertoirewith
someten-minutesessions,toenablethemodeltoadoptamoredramaticpose,
ortoletyoupractisecapturingtheessenceofafigureinmotion,usingarapid
andsketchystyle.
Rule-of-thumbproportionsYoucandividetheaveragehumanfigure,fromcrowntoankle,intoapproximatelyeightheadlengths.
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Relaxedposes
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Withshortbreaks,amodelcanholdtheseposesforhoursonend.Notethetiltoftheshouldersinducedbyshiftingtheweightontoonefoot.
SlowmotionThemodelmovedslowlyfromoneposetoanotherwhiletheartistcaughttheactionwithpencilandwatercolor.
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SharonFinmark
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Transparenciesoffigurestudiesandpaintingsfromtheartist’scollectionVariousmediaonpaper
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FiguresincontextFurnitureandsimplepropscanbeemployedtomakeaneye-catchingposelookplausible.Bedroomsandbathroomswillmakeappropriatesettingsfornudeorsemi-clothedfigures.SEEALSOFIGUREPAINTINGINTHESTUDIO324PAINTINGAFRIEND314PAINTINGHANDSANDFEET330PUTTINGLIFEINTOAPAINTING304
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FIGUREPAINTINGINTHESTUDIOFormanyamateurartists,makingastudiopaintingofanudemodelisa
relativelyambitiousproject,butonetowhichmostaspire.ToKenHoward,
wellknownforhisback-litlifestudies,itisafamiliarprocess,buthispainting
featuredheregoesastepfurther.
Thisparticularpictureisasophisticatedcombinationofthreethemes–figure
painting,roominteriorandstilllife.Makingalltheseelementsworksuccessfully
inonepicturebringsustothecoreofthisartist’sapproachtopainting.
“Paintingistheprocessofkeepingeverythingworkinginaproperrelationship.Keep
youreyeonthetotalpicture,bringingeverythingalongtogetherrightuptothelast
mark.Thatisthekey.”
Thisisaveryimportantthemethatwewillreturntoagainandagainasthework
progresses.
Workingwithamodel
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Hiringaprofessionalmodelisaluxuryfewpainterscanafford,butthere’snoneedtogotosuchlengthsifthereareclosefriendsorfamilywhoarewillingtositforyou.Particularlywhenusingamateurmodels,it’sessentialtochooseacomfortableposethatyoursubjectcanholdforextendedperiods.Youshouldalsoallowforregularbreaks,markingthekeypointsoftheposewithmaskingtapesothatyourmodelcantakeupthesameposition.Besuretokeepyourworkroomwarm,andtoprovidesomewhereforyourmodeltodisrobeinprivate.
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Settingupthepose
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Itpaystothinkabouthowyouwanttoposeyourmodelbeforeheorshearrives.Thatwayyouwon’twastevaluabletimearrangingyourpropsandlighting.Inthispainting,themodelisposedagainstthediffusedlightfromawindow,withadark-tonedpicturehangingbehindhertoprovidedramaticcontrasttoherprofile.Atable,whichispositionedtobreakuptheforeground,holdsaselectionofjarsandbottlesthataddsparkleandcolorfuldetailtothepicture.
Thefollowingsequencecoversapproximatelythreehours’work,andwasexecutedina“one-wet”session.Thefinishedpaintingoppositewastheresultofafurthertwo-hoursession.
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KenHoward
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PaulaOiloncanvas60×50cm(24×20in)
Paint,brushesandcanvas“Thereisnoreasontobeafraidofusingoils.Ifyouwanttobeafraidofsomething,be
afraidofwatercolororgouache–there’snoturningbackorscrapingoffwiththese
paints.”
AswithmuchofKenHoward’swork,thisisinessenceatonalpaintingwhichis
madewithalimitedpalette,inthiscasecadmiumlemon,cadmiumred,French
ultramarine,Naplesyellow,rawumber,blackandwhite.Heusesglazemedium
toacceleratethedryingwhilepreservingthetransparencyofthepaint,andrinses
hisbrushesinajarofpureturpentine.
“Thepaletteofcolorsthatanartistusesisabitlikethekeyacomposermightchoose
whenwritingmusic.Thecomposerwouldn’twriteeverypieceofmusicinthesamekey
andnoartistusesthesamepaletteforeverypicture.Eachtimeyoucometoapainting
youshouldbetryingtodosomethingbetterordifferent.”
KenHowardstressestheimportanceofalwayskeepingyourpaintbrushesclean.
“Iprefertoworkwithrelativelylargebrushes.Ifyoustartusingsmallbrushesduring
theearlystagesofapicture,youlosespontaneityandfreshness.WhileIamworkingon
aparticularpaintingIreservespecificbrushesforthedifferentcolorsIamusing.Itisa
mistaketokeepusingtheonebrush,becauseevenwhenyouhaverinseditinturps
thereisstillaminuteamountofpaintleftinthebristleswhichgetstransferredalong
withthenextcoloryouputonthecanvas.Usingseveralbrushesistheonlywaytokeep
yourcolorslookingfresh.”
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BrushesThispicturewaspaintedwithhog-hairflatsandfilberts,plustheodddecorator’sbrush.
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PaintsOilpaintisKenHoward’spreferredmedium.
ThecanvasThesupportforthisworkisasizedlinencanvas,measuring60×50cm(24×20in),coatedwithawhiteoilprimer.Aneutralgroundcolorwasappliedtoprovidetheimportantmidtone.
Gaugingproportionsandrelationships
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Usethemodel’sheadtogaugetheproportionsofherbody.Atthesametime,establishtherelationshipbetweenthedifferentpartsofthefigure,usingkeyverticalandhorizontalgridlinesthatrunthroughthepicture.
DrawingwithcharcoalDon’tmakethemistakeofthinkingyoucansimplyfillinthefinishedcharcoaldrawingwithcolor.Asyoumakeeachmarkwithpaint,youshouldberelatingitbacktoyourmentalgrid,constantlyimprovingonthedrawingasyouaddcolorandtonetothepainting.
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BlockinginthedarktonesTodefinethemodel’sprofileandhair,thedarkerareasofthepictureareblockedinwithbroadwashesofpaintthinnedwithturpentine.
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Underdrawing“Ihavemetalotofgooddraughtsmenwhocouldnotpaint,butIhavenevermeta
goodpainterwhocouldnotdraw.”
Fromtheveryearlieststagesofapainting,KenHowardisconcernedwith
workingoutproportionsandrelationships.Whenfacedwithablankcanvas,he
likestogethiseyeinbydrawingwithcharcoal.Thisnotonlyallowshimto
checktheproportionsofthefigure,butalsotoworkouthowthevarious
elementsofthepaintingrelatetoeachother.
Layingin
Thenextstageofthepaintingisthevitallayinginofthefullrangeoftonesand
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Thenextstageofthepaintingisthevitallayinginofthefullrangeoftonesand
keycolors,establishingafirmfoundationuponwhichthepictureisbuilt.Tonal
balanceisall-importantatthispoint,butyoushouldalsobeawareofhowthe
colorsrelate.Havingidentifiedandmixedacolor,checkwherethatcolor
appearselsewhereinthepicture,andbrushthatintoo.Thiswillhavetheeffect
ofunifyingapainting.
PaintingfleshtonesWarmfleshtonesareappliedtothefigure,followedbytheneutralgraywallbehindthemodel,thenred-brownbrushstrokesforthechair.
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InsertinghighlightsNowthelightertonesandhighlightsareintroduced,includingthecurtainedwindow.
Theimageonthecanvasbeginstoclarify,muchlikelookingthroughacameralenswhilethepictureisslowlybroughtintofocus.Apaintingcanoftenlookitsbestatthisearlystagebecauseitseemstobreathelifeandspontaneity.
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PaintingtheforegroundTheforegroundbeginstoemerge.Theshadowsbeneaththetablearepaintedinwithabrush,thenliftedoffwitharagtosuggestreflectedlight.
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PaintingstraightedgesAlongrulerisusedtoguidethebrushwhenpaintingthestraightedgesofthewindowframe.
FocusingattentionThereismorethanoneapproachtopainting.Someartistswillworkupthe
entirepaintingindetailuntilthewholepictureisfinishedtothesamedegree.
Alternatively,apaintercanfocustheonlooker’sattentiononwhatheorshe
considerstobetheimportantelementsofthepicture.Thisisachievedby
concentratingonthefocalpointsandpaintingtheperipheralpartsofthepicture
inlessdetail.ThisistheapproachfavoredbyKenHoward.
“IhaveapointinapicturewhereIwanttheeyetolinger,becauseIbelievethatisthe
wayoneseesinreality.Ifyoulooksomeoneintheeye,therestoftheirfaceisoutof
focus,asortofimpression.ThatisthewayIliketopaint.”
Asyouwork,itpaystocomparemixedcolorswiththelighteranddarkerareas
ofthepaintingtoavoidbecomingabsorbedindetailattheexpenseoftheoverall
picture.
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IntroducingdetailDashesofcolorandtoneareaddedtorepresentthebottlesandotherobjectsintheforeground.
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Still-lifeelementsThestilllifeintheforegroundisonefocalpointthatreceivesspecialattention.Smalldabsorstreaksofpaintsuggestreflections,highlightsandareasinshadow.
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FeaturesandfleshtonesAsthepaintingprogresses,moreworkgoesintothemodel’sfeatures,andthefleshtonesarestrengthenedtogivesoliditytothefigure.
AnindividualapproachKenHowardbelievespeopleteachthemselvestopaint.
“Therearenofixedrulesthatyoucanpasson–thereisnomethodthatsuddenlymakes
itpossibletodraworpaint.Asateacher,allyoucandoisexplainyourapproachto
paintingandencouragepeopletoobservewithapainter’seye.Teachingartisabout
sowingseedsinpeople’smindstoinspirethemtosearchfortheirownway.Some
studentshavetoldmethemostencouragingthingIhavetaughtthemisthatItoocan
getmyselfinamess,butthenfindmywayoutagain.”
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SEEALSOEXPERIMENTALPOSES322PAINTINGHANDSANDFEET330
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PAINTINGHANDSANDFEETLikefaces,handsandfeethavedistinctivecharacteristics–fleshy,slim,
elegant,pale,dark,youngorelderly–thatcontributesignificantlytoa
likenessofyoursitterandtowardsthesuccessofyourpainting.Whenmaking
figuredrawingsandpaintings,payattentiontothesizeandproportionof
handsandfeetinrelationtotherestofthebody.
MakingcolorstudiesWorkingmostlyfromlivemodels,ValerieWiffenhascreatedasketchbookpageofcolorstudiesingouache.Makingsimilarstudieswillhelpyoutoappraisethecomplexshapesandproportionsofhandsandfeet,andgiveyoutheexperiencetodevelopavisualshorthandforpaintingthemconvincinglywhenyouarecreatingfull-figureportraits.
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ValerieWiffen
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StudiesofHandsandFeetGouacheonpaper35.5×53.5cm(14×21in)
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SEEALSOFIGUREPAINTINGINTHESTUDIO324GOUACHE104
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PAINTINGAPERSON318WORKINGONTHEFEATURES312
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PAINTINGANIMALSANDBIRDSWildlifeartistsoftenspecializeinnaturalisticdrawingsandpaintingsof
animalsandbirds.Ittakesdedicationandexperiencetorenderwildanimalsin
theirnaturalhabitat,butyouwillfindthatdomesticpetscanbechallenging
andrewardingsubjects,too–althoughtheycanbejustasuncooperative!
Withfurandfeatherfeaturedstrongly,animalsandbirdscanofferawealthof
colorandtexture.Andtheyhaveanaturaltalentforstrikingquitestunning
sculpturalposes.
However,beforeyoulaunchintoafull-scalepainting,developafewideasfor
possiblecompositionsbystudyingyourpets’habitsandalsobyrecordingtheir
dailyliveswithsomerapidsketchesorreferencephotographs.
SketchingfromlifeThewildlifeartistPeterPartingtonfavorsasoftgraphitepencil.
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WorkingwithunreliablemodelsAnimalsandbirdsarenotoriousforrefusingtoco-operate.Thereisnopointintryingtocontroltheirhabits;yousimplyhavetoworkroundthem.Oneobviouswayistopaintyourpetwhileitisresting,buteventhenitpaystogettheessentialsdownasquicklyaspossible.Also,mostanimalswillsettlequietlyforashortperiodwhiletheyarefeeding.Ifyouwanttoprogresstosomethingmoreexciting,youhavetofindwaysofrenderinganimalsonthemove.
PreparatorysketchesandstudiesSomeartistsrelyentirelyonphotographicreference.Thisisamethodwith
obviousadvantages,especiallyforrecordingintricatemarkingsandforcapturing
fleetingposes.Nevertheless,sketchingisstillthebestwaytocreateamental
bankofimagesthatyoucantranslateintofinishedpaintings.Ifyouspend
enoughtimelookingintentlyatanimalsandbirds,youwillbesurprisedathow
muchinformationyoucanstoreinyourmemory.
Atfirst,itmaywellseemimpossibletodoanythingworthwhile.However,by
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Atfirst,itmaywellseemimpossibletodoanythingworthwhile.However,by
persevering,youwillsoondiscoverthatanimalshaveatendencytoreplicate
actionsandpostures.Soeventhoughyoumayonlyhavetimetogetdownoneor
twolines,theoddsarethattheanimalwilleventuallytakeupasimilarpose,
givingyouachancetoaddmoredetailortoscribbletonesandtexturesoveryour
initiallinedrawing.
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PeterPartington
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SketchDrawingsGraphitepencilonpaper
Birds’eggsTheseareperfectexamplesofnature’sabilitytocreatewonderfullysubtlecolorsandtextures.Ifyoucomeacrossabandonedeggs,youwillfindthemfascinatingsubjectsfordetailedstudiesandpaintings.
Ears
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Withvelvet-likefurontheoutsideandsmoothskinprotectedbydelicatehairsontheinside,acat’searsfaceforwardformostofthetime.Thereareintricatefoldswherethelowerearjoinsthehead.
WhiskersThecat’swhiskersarecoarsehairsthatsproutfromamongtheshorterandsofterfurthatcoversthemuzzle.
PaintingbirdsEvenmorethananimals,cagedbirdspresentthechallengeofcapturingrapid
movement.Feathersarefascinatingandoftencolorful,providingendless
possibilitiesforpatternanddesign.
RenderingplumageAbird’splumagecomprisesdifferent-sizedfeathersarrangedingroupsortracts
thatoverlaponeanother.Asageneralrule,thefeathersgetsmallertowardsthe
breast,andlongertowardstheback.Thelongestonesaretheprimaryflight
feathersthatformthewingtipsandtail.
UsingadiamondgridAquickwaytore-createthislayeringistodrawadiamondgrid,whichyouthenfillintosuggestthecoloredtipsofindividualfeathers.Keepacloseeyeonlocalcolorandtheeffectsoflight.
Paintingyourcat’sportrait
Justlikehumans,individualanimalshavetheirdistinctivecharacteristics,which
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Justlikehumans,individualanimalshavetheirdistinctivecharacteristics,which
enableyoutodistinguishyourpetfromperhapshundredsofsimilaranimalsin
yourneighborhood.Here,thecatissingledoutasaworthysubjectfor
portraiture,butmakingsimilarobservationsandstudieswillenableyoutocreate
anintimatepictureofanyanimal.
Studythefeaturesandtheoverallshapeoftheanimal’shead.Theaveragecat
haslargetriangularears,whicharesethighonaroundedhead.Exceptfor
certainexoticspecies,catshaveashort,almostflat,muzzle.
Therelativelylargeeyesareonalinethatdividesthecat’sfaceinhalf.Divide
thelowerhalfintwotodefinethetopofthetriangularnose,whichmoreorless
spansthespacebetweenthecat’seyes.
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FacialmarkingsThefurisgroupedintoridgesthatrunverticallyacrosstheforehead.Somebreedsofcathavestripedmarkingsthatfollowtheseridges.
EyesTheleaf-shapeeyesareoutlinedinblack.Theeyelidcastsadeepshadowacrosstheiris;thedistinctivepupilchangesshapeinresponsetothelight.
AcatatrestPeterPartingtontakesupthecatthemebypaintingabrindledtabbywho–
thoughnotactuallyasleep–isperfectlyrelaxedandenjoyingtheheatfromthe
stovenearby.SheislyingonafadedPersianrugthataddscolorandpatternto
thepainting.
Theartiststartsbydrawinginthemainelementsofthecomposition,
includingthecat’smarkings,andthenappliesawarmishblue-graywashthatis
mixedfromcobaltblueandlightred.Someareasofthepaperareleftwhitefor
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highlights.
Shadowsandlocalcolorareintroducedtogiveformtothecomposition,and
toindicatethetabbycat’sstripedmarkings.Colorsareallowedtomerge,togood
effect.
Theartistthenbeginstostrengthenthetonesandworkupthesurfaceofthe
fur,usingablue-graymixedfromcobaltblueandrawsienna.It’sbesttoapply
thepaintinthedirectionofthefur,blottingthehighlightswithsomesofttissue
papertoliftoutareasofcolor.
PeterPartingtondevelopsthecat’sfeaturesandfacialmarkingswiththe
smallerpaintbrush,andthenintroducesahintofburntumberinordertowarm
thefuraroundthecat’snoseandcheeks.
Finally,thecarpetisworkeduptobalancetheforeground.Oncethepainting
hasdriedthoroughly,thelasttouchesandtexturesareadded,usingcolored
pencils.
PaintingfurThere’snoneedtoincludeeveryhairwhenpaintingacat’scoat.Itismore
importanttolookfordistinctivemarkingsthathelptodescribetheanimal’sform
andcharacter.Youmayfinditpaystoconcentratemostdetailaroundthecat’s
faceandhead,keepingtherestofitsmarkingssketchyandfree-form.
Preliminarydrawings
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Beforeembarkingonthepainting,theartistmadetwoorthreepencilstudiesfromdifferentangles.Healsomadecolornotesanddrewadiagramofthepatternedcarpet.Armedwiththisinformation,heretiredtothestudiotopaintthepicture.
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Materialsandequipment
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Thefeaturedpaintingwasmadeon300gsm(140lb)watercolorpaper,lightlytapedtoadrawingboard.Mostoftheworkwascarriedoutwithwatercolor,butdetailsandtextureswereaddedwithcoloredpencils.Forthispainting,theartistusedjusttwobrushes:aNo.16roundforthebroadwashes,andaNo.10roundforpaintingdetails.
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PeterPartingtonMrsTabsMixedmediaonwatercolorpaper32.5×43cm(121/2×17in)
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FurabsorbsandreflectslightWhendepictingfurinadrawingorpainting,lookforchangesoftonecausedbythewaythefurabsorbsandreflectsthelight.Asageneralrule,whenthehairsarepointingtowardsyou,furlooksdarkintone.Whentheyarelyingflatandpointingawayfromyou,thefurappearsglossyandlighterintone.SEEALSOCOLOREDPENCILS42PAINTINGAFACE306WATERCOLORPAPERS28WATERCOLORPAINTS87
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GETTINGYOURIDEASDOWNThere’sapopularmisconceptionthat“real”artistsbalkattheideaoftracing
animageontocanvasorpaper.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.For
centuriesartistshavesoughtwaysofaccuratelytransferringimagesontoaflat
surface–andalthoughagreatdealofcunningtechniquewas(andstillis)
oftenemployedtoachieveasuccessfulresult,thenotionthatitmightbe
construedas“cheating”neverenteredtheirheads.
PrickingandpouncingOneofthemostwidespreadmethodsoftransferringimageswastomakeafull-
sizedrawingor“cartoon”andthen,followingthelineswithatoothedwheel,
punchaseriesofcloselyspacedholesthroughthepaper.Theperforateddrawing
waslaidontothesupportand“pounced”bytappingwithaclothbagfilledwith
finecharcoalorchalk.Thepouncingforcedthepowderedmaterialthroughthe
holes,leavingareplicaoftheprickedimageonthesupport.
TracingTracingisasimplewayofcopyingeitherdrawnorphotographicimagesontoa
paperorcanvassupport.Youcanbuyflatsheetsandrollsofgood-qualitytracing
paperthathavesufficienttransparencyandstrengthtoenableyoutoworkeasily.
TracingpaperTapetracingpaperoveryouroriginalandlightlytracetheimage,usingasharp
pencilorfinefelt-tippen.Scribbleacrossthebackofthetracingwithasoft
graphitepencil;thentapethetracing,graphitesidedown,ontoyoursupport.
Youcantransferthelineworkbydrawingoverthetracedlineswithapencil,and
thenremovethetracingtorevealtheimagemarkedoutingraphiteonthe
support.
UsingtransferpaperAsanalternativetographite,sandwichasheetofcarbonpaperordark-redrouge
paperbetweenthetracingandthesupport.Rougepaperisaspecializedpaper
usedbyprofessionalstotransferdesigns.Itsmainadvantageisthatunwanted
lineworkcanbeerasedeasily.Youmayfindthelinescreatedbycarbontobea
littletooopaqueandpermanent.
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TracingonalightboxYoucantraceanimagedirectlyontopaperoranunstretchedcanvas,usinga
photographer’slightboxdesignedforviewingtransparencies.Thistypeofbox
comprisesafluorescentstriplightmountedbeneathasheetoftranslucentglass
orplastic.Thelightisbrightenoughtothrowaclearimagethroughreasonably
thickpaperorcanvas.
DrawingmachinesInthepast,inventiveartistsdevisedmanywaysoftracingtheoutlinesofthree-dimensionalobjectsontosheetsofglass.
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CameraobscuraInthefifthcenturyBC,itwasdiscoveredthatlightpassingthroughasmallapertureintoadarkenedroomproducesaninvertedimage.Bytheseventeenthcenturythecameraobscura,aboxwithalensintheaperture,wasbeingusedasadrawingaid.
TracingwheelUsedtopunchadesignontoasupport.
ScannersanddigitalcamerasForrelativelylittlemoney,youcanbuyascannerthatwillcopyflatartworkandphotographsontoacomputer,whereitispossibletochangethescaleandrecroptheimagebeforeprintingit.Youcanalsotransferpicturestakenwithadigitalcameradirectlytothecomputerforprintingout.
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ChangingscaleArtistsfrequentlyneedtochangetheproportionoftheoriginalimageinorderto
fitalargerorsmallersheetofpaperorcanvassupport.Thereareseveralmethods
forenlarging,transferringandmanipulatingimages,someofwhichare
mentionedbelow.
Gridding-upTomakeanaccurateenlargementorreduction,drawasquaredgridacrossthe
originalimage.Ifyoudon’twanttomarktheoriginal,drawyourgridona
tracing-paperoverlayoronasheetoftransparentacetate.
Drawasimilargridoflargerorsmallersquaresonthesupport.Toplotthe
gridacrossthewidthofthesupport,countthenumberofsquaresinonerow
drawnacrosstheoriginal(sayninesquares),andthenalignthetipofyourruler
ortapemeasurewithoneedgeofthecanvasandthetenthdivisionwiththe
other.Makeapencilorcharcoalmarkagainstdivisionsonetonine,thenusea
T-squaretodrawarowofverticallinesacrossthesupportfromeachmark.
Youcancreatethegridofsquaresbydrawingaseriesofhorizontallineswith
thesamespacingandatrightanglestothefirstsetoflines.Finally,copythe
imagesquarebysquareontothecanvassupport.
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TilingwithphotocopiesVerylargeassembliescanbecreatedbytapingphotocopiesorcomputerprintoutstogether.Thesecanthenbegriddedortracedandtransferredtothesupport.
UsingaphotocopierIfyouhavereadyaccesstoaphotocopier,thenenlargingandreducingpictures
couldn’tbesimpler.Mostmodernmachineswillprintcopiesupto400percent
largeror75percentsmallerthantheoriginal.
ProjectingpicturesTothrowanimageontoasheetofpaperorsmallcanvas,youcanusea
photographer’senlargeroratable-topoverheadprojector.Adjustthefocus,then
drawthemainelementsonthesupportwithasoftpencilorcharcoal.
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Workinprogress
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Thepaintingaboveisbasedonacuttingfromanewspaper.Theartisthasenlargedandcroppedtheproportionoftheoriginalimageandtransferredittothecanvasusingthegridding-upmethod.Theoriginaldrawingandgridlinesaregraduallyobliteratedasthepaintingprogresses.SEEALSOCOMPOSINGFROMIMAGINATION338
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COMPOSINGFROMIMAGINATIONMostofthepaintingsinthisbookhavebeenmadefromlifeorbyusingdirect
photographicreference.Althoughartistsmayhavereinterpretedthesubjects
tosomeextent,theyaremoreorlessfaithfulrepresentationsofwhatthe
artistscouldseeinfrontofthem.However,itcanmakeastimulatingchange
toconstructapicturefromimagination,usingavarietyofreferencematerial,
suchassketches,photographsandmagazinecuttings,asabasisforthe
composition.
ChoosingalocationAlastairAdamswantedtopaintacaféorbistroscene,whichwouldgivehimthe
opportunitytoincludegroupsofpeopleandindividualsengagedinavarietyof
activities.Hetriedoutanumberofsmallintimatelocations–whichhadplenty
ofatmosphere,butnotenoughgoingon.Mostofthemwerealsodimlylit,
makingitvirtuallyimpossibletotakereferenceshots.
Eventuallyhedecidedonadiningareainashoppingmall,whichsuppliedall
hisneeds.Itwasalargeopeninteriorwithagoodsourceofnaturallightwhere
anartistcouldsitunnoticedwhilehewatched,sketchedandphotographedthe
numerouscharactersthatpassedthrough.Innotime,hecouldretiretothe
studiowithmorethanenoughreferencetobeginthepainting.
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On-the-spotobservationandback-upreferencesAlastairAdamsconstructedhispaintingfromaseriesofreferences.Youwillneverusealltheimagesyougatheronlocation,butitpaysyoutoaccumulateasmuchreferenceasyoucan,includingsketches,photographsandmagazinecuttings.
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ResearchingthelocationIfyouhavemadeahabitofcollectingpictorialreference,youcouldbeginbysiftingthroughyourfilestoseeifthere’sanythingyoumightuseasastartingpointforyourpainting.Alternatively,youmayprefertostartfromscratchandlookforalocationthatoffersawealthofdiversematerial.
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WorkingontracingpaperThissequenceshowshowAlastairAdamsbuiltupapreparatorycollageoftracing-paperoverlaysasabasisforhiscomposition.Beingtranslucent,tracingpaperallowstheartisttoimposelayeruponlayerwithoutcompletelyobscuringtheunderlyingstructureanddetail.
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TransferringtheimageHavingfinalizedthecomposition,theartistmakesanenlargementofthecollagetomatchthesizeofthesupport,thendrawsasquaredgridontheenlargementandanidenticalgridonthesupport.Bycopyingtheimageexactly,squarebysquare,heisabletore-createthecompositiononthesupportasanunderdrawingforthefinishedpainting.
WorkingonthecompositionBythetimeyougettothestudio,youprobablyhaveafairlystrongimageofthe
paintinginyourmind’seye.Someartistswillmakeapreliminarydrawing,using
referencetheyhavegatheredonlocationtojogtheirmemory.AlastairAdams
preferstoincorporatehisreferencematerialbyenlargingandreducingtracings
ofhisdrawingsandphotographsonaphotocopier,andthentapestheimagesto
anenlargeddrawingoftheinterior.Workingontracingpapergiveshim
completefreedomtoredrawtheinteriors,figuresandinanimateobjectstosuit
hiscomposition.Notonlycanhechangethescale,hecanalsoflipthetracing
papersothatapersonisfacingintheoppositedirection,modifyaposeby
combiningdetailsfromdifferentshotsofthesameperson,orcomposeagroup
ofseatedfigures.
Whencombiningdisparateimages,itisimportanttocorrecttheperspective
asyouconstructthecomposition.Inthesequence(below),theartist’sviewpoint
isfromaseatedposition,sotheheadsofalltheseatedfiguressharethatsame
eyelevel.Onlythestandingwaitressappearsatadifferentlevel.
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“Istartbyre-creatingthesetting,usingthebackgroundasanemptystageformy
characters,whichIarrangetobalancethecompositionandtosuggestdepthinthe
paintingbyprovidingclose-updetailintheforeground.”
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FleshtonesFleshtonesarebasedonwhitemixedwithcadmiumredmediumorcrimsonandcadmiumyellowlightorcadmiumyellowmedium.Topreventthesecombinationsbecomingtoowarmandpink,theartistalsoaddspurpleorgreentoneutralizethemixes.
PaintingsignsInthistypeofsituation,therearealwaysanumberofprintedsignsandgraphicimages.Itisessentialtoincludethemtoconveytheatmosphereofthelocation,butifyoumakethemtoolegibletheycandetractfromthemainsubjectmatter.Itisbettertosuggestletteringandsymbolswithsimplebrushstrokesandspotsofcolor.
Materialsandequipment
Thefinishedpicturewaspaintedwithafairlylimitedpaletteofacryliccolors–
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Thefinishedpicturewaspaintedwithafairlylimitedpaletteofacryliccolors–
titaniumwhite,cadmiumyellowlight,cadmiumyellowmedium,cadmiumred
medium,quinacridonecrimson,dioxazinepurple,phthalogreen-blueshadeand
phthaloblue-greenshade.
Forfinedetail,theartistusedNos3and5roundsynthetic-bristlebrushes,
designedspecificallyforapplyingacrylicpaints.Whenmanipulatingthicker
paint,hepreferstouserelativelystiffhogbrushes,inthiscaseNos2,4and6
flats.
Thepaintingwasmadeonasheetofmedium-densityfiberboard(MDF),
whichdoesnotbucklewhenwetpaintisapplied.Theboardhasasmooth
surfaceanditisstiffenoughtoallowthepainttobebuiltupquitethickly.
Havingtransferredtheunderdrawingtotheboard,theartistcoateditwitha
clearacrylicprimerthatallowsthenaturalcolorofMDFtobeusedasawarm
mid-tonegroundcolor.
ThefinishedcompositionTheactiontakesplacewithinthelowertwo-thirdsofanalmostsquareformat.
Thismassofcoloranddetailisbalancedvisuallybytheneutralcolors,geometric
planesandsimplelinearpatternsoftheshopping-mallwallsandskylights.
Thepaintingisdividedverticallybyaconcretepillarthatdirectstheviewer’s
gazetowardsaforegrounddominatedbyanelderlygentlemanreadinga
newspaper.Foregrounddetailservestoadddepthtothepaintingandencourages
theeyetolingeruntilitiseventuallyledawaybyacurvingchairback,towards
thewaitressclearingthetableontheleftofthepicture.Heractivityiscrucialin
counterbalancingthepassive,almostcontemplativeposturesoftheother
charactersinthepainting.
Therelativelylargeareaofneutral-coloredfloorcreatesacalmbalance,giving
theeyearestbeforeitalightsuponayoungwomansippinghercoffeeand
groupsofpeoplefinishingtheirmealsorengagedinconversation.Thoughsmall
inscale,thesefiguresarebeautifullyrealized,withsufficientdetailandanimation
tomakethembelievable–yetkeptsimpleenoughtoensuretheyrecedeintothe
background.
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AprotectivecoatofvarnishTomaintaintheirrichcoloringandpreventthepaintabsorbingdust,AlastairAdamsinvariablyprotectshispictureswithacoatofvarnish.
Paintingneutrals
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Theneutralareasofthepaintingcompriseanumberofsubtlegraysandoff-whites.Theywerecreatedbyaddingcomplementarycolorstoabasicwhitemix–forexample,whitewithcadmiumyellowlightandasmallamountofpurple.Theneutralcolorsjustbelowtheglazedatriumhadtobekeptcoolsothattheywouldrecedeandsuggestdepthinthepainting.Theyaremadewithgreensandbluesmixedwithcrimsonandcadmiumred,andjustahintofcadmiumyellowlight.
AlastairAdamsCaféSceneAcryliconboard51×54.5cm(20×211/2in)
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KeepingcolorsfreshTheartistmanagestokeephiscolorsfreshanduncontaminatedbybuildingupanimagewithdistinctpatchesofcolorlaidsidebyside.Thismethodalsopreventsapaintingbecomingfussyandoverworked.
EmpathywiththecharactersWearenotdirectlyengagedwithanyofthefiguresinthispaintingabove–wearemerelyspectators.Yetasonlookers,wecannothelpspeculatingwhetherthemanreadinganewspapermayperhapsbewaitingforhiswifeorafriendtoreturnfromshopping;orifthewaitressistakingadvantageofatemporarylullbetweenorderstoclearthetables.SEEALSOACRYLICPAINTS110GETTINGYOURIDEASDOWN336PAINTBRUSHES78,120PUTTINGLIFEINTOAPAINTING304RESOURCESANDREFERENCES126SPACE,DEPTHANDDISTANCE302
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Chapter9
THESTUDIO
Whetheryourworkplaceisalarge,airystudio,aspareroomorevenjustacornerofaroomorakitchen
table,itisimportantthatitshouldbecomfortable,well-litandproperlyorganized.Inadditiontobeing
theplacewhereyoucreateart,thestudioareaismostprobablywhereyouwillstoreitandprotectitfrom
damageandtheelements.Varnishing,usingfixative,andmountingandframingarenotonlythe
methodsofpreservingyourartworks,theyarealsoeffectivewaysofshowingthemofftotheirverybest
advantage.
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STUDIOORGANIZATIONItgoeswithoutsayingthatyourstudioshouldhaveadequatelightingand
ventilation,buttherearenohard-and-fastrulesaboutthewaytoorganize
yourstudioequipment.Themainrequirementisthatyoushouldbeableto
reacheverythingcomfortablyandconvenientlywiththeminimumofeffort.
Themoremobileyourset-up,theeasieritistoadaptittochanginglight
conditions,differentsubjects,andbothsittingandstandingworking
positions.
StoringpaperPapershouldbestoredflatinadryplace,wrappedincleanpapertoprotectit
fromdustandlight.Watercolorpaper,inparticular,shouldbeprotectedfrom
damp,whichcanactivateimpurities,producingspotsthatwon’ttakecolor.
StoringcanvasesandboardsTopreventcanvasesandboardsfromwarping,storethemuprightinadryplace.
Apaintingrackiseasilybuiltfromlengthsof25×50mm(1×2in)lumber,and
canbeusedtostorebothunusedcanvasesandunfinishedpaintings.
StoringdrawingtoolsIfpencils,crayonsandsticksofcharcoalarethrowntogetherinadrawer,they
willbecomedisorganizedandmaybreakorchip.Standthemend-upinapotor
jar,orkeeptheminabox.Anotherplacetostorethemisingroupsinthe
separatecompartmentsofaplasticcutlerytrayforeasyaccess.
EquipmentlayoutThesurfaceonwhichyoulayoutyourpaints,paletteandotherequipmentmay
consistofanordinarytable,oratrolleywithwheelsorcastersformobility(an
oldteatrolleyorteawagonisideal–theshelfunderneathisusefulforstoring
equipmentyouarenotusingallthetime).Foreasyaccess,itshouldbeplacedat
rightanglestoyoureaselorworksurface.
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HandybrushholderIfyouusealotofbrushes,thissimpledevicewillkeepthemallneatlytohandandpreventthemfromrollingoffthetableontothefloor.Becausetheyareproppedatanangle,theyareeasiertopickupwhenneeded.CutaseriesofV-shapednotchesalongtheuppersurfaceofalengthof25×25mm(1×1in)wood.Layitonyourpaintingtableandrestthebrushesinthegrooves,withthebristlesprotrudingfromtheedge.
ImprovisingstorageAmetalwinerackcanbeusedtostorewetoilpaintings;thisisusefulifyoudon’thavethespaceforawall-mountedpaintingrack.
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LightingGoodlightingiscrucialtothesuccessfulexecutionofcreativeartwork–without
it,youwillhaveproblemsseeingclearlyandrenderingcolorsaccurately.The
typeoflightanditssourcearealsoimportantinprotectingyoureyesfromstrain.
NaturallightThebestnaturallightforbothdrawingandpaintingiscoolandeven,withno
directraysorchangingshadows.Aroomwithnorth-facinglightisidealfora
studio(south-facinginthesouthernhemisphere).Itoffersindirectlight,largely
reflectedfromthesky,thatremainsconstantduringthewholeday.Northlight
isalsoneutralinhue,sinceithasnoneoftheyellowcastofdirectsunlight.
Harshlightcanbecooledandsubduedbycoveringthewindowwithsomethin
gauze,cottondrapesorashade.
ArtificiallightInadditiontoalteringthecolorvaluesofobjects,artificiallighttendstocast
ratherharshshadows.Whereasapaintingdoneinnaturallightwilllookfine
underartificiallight,thereverseisnotalwaystrue.
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SimulatingdaylightIfyouhavetomakedowithartificiallighting,thenlampsfittedwithdaylight-simulationbulbsarethebestalternative.Theseblue-tintedlightbulbssimulatenorthlight,whichallowsperfectcolormatchingandisrelaxingtotheeyes.Daylight-simulationfluorescenttubesarealsoavailable;theyareinterchangeablewithstandardfluorescenttubes.
Anidealstudio
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Awell-organizedstudiofreesyourmindtoconcentrateonpaintinginsteadofsearchingformaterialsandequipment.Theentirestudioabovewasdesignedaroundsomeinexpensive,ready-madefurniture.Thestrongplywoodboxesandwall-hungshelvingtakecareofstoragerequirements,andtheworktablecanberaisedtoaconvenientheightifyouprefertoworkstandingup.
JohnMartinMorningStudio,BrightonOiloncanvas45x60cm(18×24in)
Manyartistsfeaturetheirownstudiosintheirwork.JohnMartin,forexample,haspaintedthissamestudioonmanyoccasions,foreverfascinatedbythedifferentlightthatfallsthroughthewindow.
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SEEALSOCANVAS14WATERCOLORPAPERS28DRAWINGMEDIA37
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EASELSFromthevariousstylesandsizesofeasels,yourchoicewillbedictatedbythe
spaceyouhaveforworking,whetheryouworkmostlyindoorsoroutdoors,
andbythescaleonwhichyouwork.
EaselpositioningYoushouldalwayspositionyoureaselsothatthelightsourceisslightlybehind
youandcomingoveryourleftshoulderifyouareright-handed–viceversaif
youareleft-handed.Byworkinginthisway,yourhandwillnotcastashadow
acrosstheworkingsurface.
Table-topeaselsThetable-topeaselprovidesauseful,compactsupportforsmallerpaintingsanddrawings,andcanbefoldedflatforstorage.Therearevariousdesigns,fromasimplecollapsibletripodtoasturdyframethatfoldsflatwhennotinuseandcanbesetatdifferentangles.Woodeneaselsaresturdierthanthealuminiumversions.
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Heavy-dutyeaselsAheavy-dutyH-framestudioeaselisexpensiveandcumbersome,butprovidesasturdysupportforworkonalargescale.Thepaintingrestsonaledgethatalsoformsacompartmentforholdingpaintsandbrushes,whileaslidingblockatthetopholdsthepaintingfirmlyinposition.Theheightisadjustable.Somemodelsareonwheelsorcasterssothattheycaneasilybemovedaroundthestudio.
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RadialeaselsIfyouhavelimitedspace,thecompactradialeaselprovidesareasonablyfirm,butlessexpensive,alternativetotheH-frameeasel.Sturdyandversatile,itconsistsofacentralpillarwithadjustabletripodstruts.Thecentraljointtiltsbackandforwardsothatyoucanangleyourworktoavoidglare,andtheheightisadjustableforsittingorstanding.Itcanbefoldedforeasystoragewhennotinuse.
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CombinationeaselsAfoldingradialeaselanddrawingtablecombined,thecombinationeaselcanbelockedinanypositionbetweenverticalandhorizontal.Inthehorizontalpositiontheeaselbecomesaflatworkingsurfacethatwillholdalargedrawingboard.
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BoxeaselsThewoodenboxeaselissturdierthananordinarysketchingeasel,butequallyportable.Itcombinesapalette,adeepdrawerforstoringpaintsandequipment,acollapsibleeaselandacarrierforcanvases,allofwhichcanbefoldedupintoonecompactunit,completewithastrongcarryinghandle.
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SketchingeaselsThetripod-stylesketchingeaselislightweightandeasilyportable,andissuitableforoutdoorworkandsmall-scaleworkindoors.Availableinaluminiumandwood,ithastelescopiclegstoenableyoutoworkataconvenientheight,andthepivotedcentralsectioncanbetiltedtoahorizontalposition.Itcanbefoldedawaywhennotinuse.
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KenHoward
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Self-portraitatOrielOiloncanvas120×100cm(48×40in)KenHowardrejectstheconventionalportraitbypaintinghisstudioasanextensionofhimself.Herevelsinthebrushes,jarsofthinners,propsandparaphernaliathatgraduallytakeovereveryartist’sstudio,conveyingtherelaxedatmosphereinwhichhechoosestowork.SEEALSOPAINTINGOUTDOORS134
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PROTECTINGARTWORKAlltoooften,picturesarestoredindampbasementsorleakingattics,orhung
inroomswithinappropriateorharmfullighting.Theyareoftendisplayedor
storedawaywithoutanymeansofprotection.Afewsimpleprecautionscando
muchtopreserveyourpicturesinthebestpossiblecondition–havinglabored
withloveandtimeonanartwork,itmakessensetolookafterit.
Avoidingdamp,lightandheatKeepallartworksawayfromdampandhumidconditions,whichencourage
mildew,andalsofromexcessivelydryconditions.Inaddition,youshouldavoid
extremetemperaturechanges,suchasthosecausedbyroomheaters,radiatorsor
draftywindows.
Someofthegreatestdamagetopicturesisdonebystrong,directlight,which
canfadecolorsanddiscolorvarnishes.Instrongsunlight,orunderspotlights,
heatcanbeequallydamaging,sodisplayyourpictures,particularlyworkson
paper,awayfromdirectsunlightandindiffusedartificiallighting.
StoringwatercolorsanddrawingsUnmountedwatercolorsanddrawingsshouldnotbeleftunprotectedforlong,
andshouldbestoredinasafeplaceuntilsuchtimeasyoucanhavethemframed.
Theyshouldbestoredflatinlargedrawersoraplanchest,oratleastina
portfolio,interleavedwithsheetsofwaxedpaper,cellophaneoracid-freetissue,
inordertopreventthemrubbingtogetherandbecomingsmudged.Aheavy
boardlaidontopwillpreventanylateralmovement.
Donotstacktoomanydrawingsontopofeachother,asthismaycompact
anddamagethesurfacepigment.Itisnotagoodideatorollupandstore
drawingsthathavenothadfixativeapplied,asthepigmentswilltendtodropoff
orsmudge.
TransportingpaintingsIfyouneedtotransportframedpaintings,youshouldprotectthecornersofthe
framesbypaddingthemoutwithplasticfoamorbubble-wrap,orwith
cardboardsleeves.Thiswillalsopreventthepaintingsleaningflatagainsteach
otherinstorage.
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Transportingpaintings
(1)Cutoutfourshapes.
(2)Foldtheflaps.
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(3)Fitandsecurethesleeves.
Makingprotectivecardboardsleeves1Tomakecardboardsleeves,cutoutfourshapesasshown,makingthespace
betweentheparalleldottedlinesslightlylargerthanthewidthoftheframe.
2FoldflapsAandBandthentapethemclosed.
3Fitthesleevesovereachcornerandtapethemtothebackingortheglass(not
theframe,asitmaydamageanysurfacedecoration)tokeeptheminplace.
Unframedpictures
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Picturesthatyouwanttokeep,butnotframe,shouldbestoredinasafeplace,suchasaportfolioorplanchest.
ProtectingoilpasteldrawingsUnlikeotherpastels,oilpastelsdonotrequirefixing,becausetheblendofpigments,fatandwaxneverfullydries.Forthisreason,itisinadvisabletoapplyvarnishoveroilpastels;shouldyouneedtoremovethevarnishatalaterdate,itwilltakemostoftheoilpastelcoloroffthesurfacewithit.Themosteffectiveandlastingprotectionistomountoilpasteldrawingsunderglass.
ProtectiveframingThewayyoupresentartworknotonlydisplaysittobestadvantagebutalsoprotectsitfrompollutantsandaccidentaldamage.Below,thedrawingishingedfromthetopedgeonly,withinafoldedbookmountthatholdstheglassatasafedistance.AstiffbackingboardofhardboardorMDFkeepsthedrawingflat.
ProtectingdrawingsDrawingsexecutedinafriablemedium,suchascharcoal,pastel,contécrayon
andchalk,areeasilysmudged.Whentheyareframed,thereisadangerof
pigmentparticlesdriftingdownundertheglassandsoilingthemountboard.
FixativeTopreventtheseproblems,thiskindofdrawingshouldbeprotectedwith
fixative.Thisisathin,colorlessvarnishwhichissprayedontothepictureand
fixesthepigmentparticlestothesurface.Itismostcommonlyavailablein
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aerosolspraycans,whicharethemostconvenientmethodtouse.Alternatively,
therearemouthdiffuserswhichhaveaplasticmouthpiece,throughwhichyou
steadilyblowafinemistoffixative.
Sprayingadrawingwithfixativerequiresadelicatetouch;itshouldbeapplied
sparingly,asacoupleoflightcoatsarebetterthanoneheavyone.Itisworth
practisingonpiecesofscrappaperuntilyoudiscoverhowtoproduceafine,
uniformmistwithoutgettinganydripsonthepaper.Ifyouholdthespraytoo
close,itwillsaturatethesurfaceandmayrunandstreakyourwork.
Makesurethatyoualwaysworkinawell-ventilatedarea,inordertoavoid
inhalingtoomuchofthespray.
ApplyingfixativePinyourfinishedworkverticallyandholdtheatomizeratleast30cm(12in)
awayfromtheimage,pointingdirectlyatit.Beginsprayingjustbeyondtheleft
sideofthepicture.Sweepbackandforthacrossthepicturewithaslow,steady
motion,alwaysgoingbeyondtheedgesofthepicturebeforestopping.Keepyour
armmovingsothatthespraydoesnotbuildupinonespotandcreateadark
patchorstarttodripdownthepaper.
MouthdiffusersThesehaveaplasticmouthpiecethroughwhichfixativeisblown.
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SEEALSOCHARCOAL46PASTELS48OILPASTELS50CONTÉCRAYONS52DRAWINGACCESSORIES61MOUNTSANDFRAMES352HEALTHANDSAFETY386
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VARNISHINGPAINTINGSAlayerofvarnishwillgivethesurfaceofapaintingauniformglossorsemi-
mattfinishthatwillbringthewholepicturetogetherandwillenhancethe
depthandlusterofthecolors.
Whyusevarnish?Ifoilandacrylicpaintingsarewellcaredforandarecleanedoccasionally,theydo
notnecessarilyhavetobevarnished.However,varnishwillcertainlyprotectthe
paintfilmfromanydamagecausedbyscuffing,humidity,dustandatmospheric
pollutants.Thevarnishitselfwilleventuallybestainedbytheseelements,which
iswhyaremovablevarnishispreferredbyrestorers;whenitbecomesdirtyor
cracked,itcanberemovedwithsolventsandreplaced.
NaturalvarnishesNaturaldammarvarnish,whichiscomposedofdammarresinandwhite
(mineral)spirit,enhancescolorswithminimalglossandyellowing;itdoesnot
crackorbloom(becomeopaque).Naturalmasticvarnish,withmasticresinand
turpentine,driestoahighgloss.However,itdoeshaveatendencytodarken,
crackandbloom.
SyntheticvarnishesSynthetic-resinpicturevarnishes,suchasthosemadefromketone,arepreferable
totraditionalnatural-resinvarnishes.Whereasvarnishwasoncequitelikelyto
darkenandcrack,modernversionscanbereliedupontobenon-yellowingand
tough,yetflexibleenoughtowithstandanymovementofthecanvaswithout
cracking.
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VarnishingoilpaintingsItisveryimportantthatanoilpaintingiscompletelydrybeforefinalpicture
varnishisapplied;thiscantakeanythingfromsixmonthstoayear,perhaps
moreforthicklyimpastedpaint.
Oilpaintexpandsandcontractsasitdries,andprematurevarnishingmay
causecrackingasvarnishislessflexiblethanoilpaint.Retouchingvarnish,
however,canbeappliedassoonasthepaintistouch-dry–normallywithina
fewdays.Thiswillprotectthesurfaceuntilitisdryenoughforfinalvarnishing.
VarnishingacrylicpaintingsDespitepopularbelieftothecontrary,itisasadvisabletovarnishcompleted
acrylicpaintingsasoils;althoughacrylicdrieswaterproofandastoughasnails,it
picksupdirtjustlikeanyotherkindofpaint.Acoatofvarnishgivesyour
paintingextraprotectionandalsoenhancesthebrillianceofthecolors.Itevens
outanydifferencesinglosswhenthepaintdries;thesedifferencesarecausedby
mixingvariedamountsofwaterormediumwiththecolors.
Donotuseacrylicmediumsasafinalvarnish,becausetheycannotberemoved
whendirty.Alwaysuseaproprietaryacrylicvarnish,whichdriesquicklytoa
clearfilmthatcanbecleanedeasilywithsomemildsoapandwarmwater.Itcan
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beremoved,ifrequired,usingwhite(mineral)spirit.Youcanbuyeitherglossor
mattvarnish,oryoucanmixthetwoinordertocreateapleasingsemi-matt
finish.
Acrylicpaintingscanbevarnishedassoonasthepaintisdry,whichnormally
takesacoupleofhoursatmost.
SimonJenningsLeavesofGrassAcryliconcardboardwithCrylavarnish45×60cm(173/4×233/4in)
VarnishingpaintingsmadewithoilsticksWhenthepaintisthoroughlydry,traditionaloil-paintvarnishesmaybeused.Thereisaspecialisolatingvarnish,whichmaybeapplied6–12monthsaftercompletion;thisfirst-stagevarnishingisfollowed24hourslaterbytheapplicationofafinishingvarnish.Thedualprocessinvolvedenablesthefinishingvarnishtobeeasilyremovedatalaterdate,ifrequired,withwhite(mineral)spiritorturpentine.
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VarnishingoilsandacrylicsVarnishingshouldbedoneinawarm,dry,dust-freeventilatedroom.Avoidvarnishingindamporhumidconditions,asthismaycausethevarnishlayertoturnhazy.
(1)CleanoffdustandgreaseEnsurethatthepaintingisfreeofdustandgrease.
(2)ApplyvarnishinonedirectionApplythefirstthincoatofvarnishwithabroad,soft-hairedbrush,preferablyavarnishingbrush.Strokethesurfacesmoothlyandevenly,workinginonedirection,soasnottocreateairbubbles.
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(3)ApplyasecondcoatatrightanglesLeavetodryovernight,thenapplyasecondcoatatrightanglestothefirst,unlessyouareusingamattvarnish,inwhichcasebrushinthesamedirectionasbefore.Leavethepictureinahorizontalposition,protectedfromdustandhairs,untilthevarnishhasdriedhard.SEEALSOOILPAINTS64OILSTICKS70OILMEDIUMS76AVOIDINGPROBLEMS164ACRYLICPAINTS110ACRYLICMEDIUMS118HEALTHANDSAFETY386
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MOUNTSANDFRAMESWhenselectingaframeforanartwork,yourchoicewillbeaffectedby
personaltaste,prevailingfashionsandthetypeofimagebeingframed.The
onegoldenrule,however,isthatthestyleandcoloroftheframeshould
complementandenhancetheimagebutshouldnotattracttoomuchattention
toitself.
BasicconsiderationsAwell-chosenframenotonlyenhancestheappearanceofapaintingordrawing,
italsoprotectsandconservesit.Unlessyoualreadyhavesomeexperienceof
framing,thistaskisbestlefttoaprofessionalframer.However,whetheryou
frameyourownworkornot,therearecertainaestheticpointstoconsiderwhen
choosingthestyleandcolorofthemountandframe.
FramingworksonpaperWatercolor-basedpaintings,pastelsanddrawingsarefragileandvulnerableto
surfacedamage.Mostofthesepicturesareframedunderglassandare
surroundedbyawindowmount,ormat–awide“frame”ofthickcard.The
mountservestwopurposes:first,itactsasabufferbetweenthepictureandthe
glass,allowingairtocirculate.Ifthepaperisincontactwiththeglass,
condensationmaybuildupandeventuallydampstainsandspotsofmildew–
knownas“foxing”–maystainthesurfaceofthepaper.Inthecaseofdrawings,
themountalsopreventstheglassfromcrushingthesurfacepigmentand
compressingthepaper’stexture.
Theotherfunctionofamountistoprovideanaestheticallypleasingborder
aroundthepictureandaclean,finishedlook.Italsoprovidesakindofbreathing
space–asympatheticsurroundingthatseparatestheimageitselffromthehard
edgeoftheframe.Thewindowapertureiscutwithabevellededge,which
avoidssharpshadowsfailingontheimageandcreatesarecesswhichleadsthe
eyeintothepicture.
Thewidthandcolorofthemountwillexertaconsiderableinfluenceonthe
impactofapicture,soitisimportanttomakeacarefulchoice.Worksonpaper,
forexample,aretraditionallysurroundedbyawidemountandanarrowframe,
anarrangementwhichenhancesthedelicacyofanimage.However,sinceevery
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artworkisdifferent,thesame“rules”donotalwaysapply,andthusitpaystocut
stripsofcardandexperimentwithdifferentmountwidthsandcolorsuntila
particulardrawingorpaintingseemstositcomfortablyinitssurroundings.
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MountingboardMadefromthickboardfacedwithbondedpaper,mountingboardisavailableinarangeofcolors,somewithsubtledecorativefinishesandtextures.Youcaneitherbuysheetsofmountingboardandcutyourownwindowmounts,orhaveitdoneprofessionally.Cheapermountboardsaremadeofunrefinedwoodpulp,whichcontainsacidsthatcanbeharmfultoworksonpaper.Exceptfortemporaryframing,alwayschooseconservationboard,whichisacid-freeandwon’tyelloworfadewithtime.
DoublemountsAdoublemounthasa“stepped”effectwhichgivesanaddedtouchofopulencetothepicture.Theinnerandoutermountscanbeofthesamecolor,orcomplementaryorcontrastingcolorscanbeused.Sometimestheinnermountisgildedordecoratedwhiletheoutermountisleftplain.
Integralpaintedframe(P.Quested)
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Closeframing(B.Yale)
Spacers
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Whereyoufeelamountisinappropriatetothetypeofpicturebeingframed,keeptheglassandpicturesurfaceseparatedbyinsertingspacersbetweenthefrontrebateoftheframeandtheglass.Spacersarenarrowstripsofwood(orconservationboard,inthecaseofworksonpaper).
WidthofmountThemarginsofthemountmustbeinpleasingproportiontotheimage.
Generally,asmallimagelooksmoreimpressivewithawidemount,whichgives
itaddedweightandimportance.Forexample,foranimagemeasuring30.5×
22.5cm(12×9in),marginsof10–12.5cm(4–5in)aresuitable.Alargepainting
withboldshapesandcolors,ontheotherhand,looksbetterwithanarrow
mount.
Itisusualforthebaseofthemounttobeslightlydeeperthantheremaining
sides–between6mm(1/4in)and18mm(
3/4in)isenoughinmostcases,
dependingonthesizeofthepicture.Thisistopreventavisualillusioninwhich
anequalbottommarginappearsnarrowerthantheotherthree,andtheimage
appearstobedroppingoutoftheframe.
SelectingacolorGenerallyspeaking,acreamorneutral-coloredmountisthemostsympathetic
choiceforwatercolorsanddrawings,orperhapsonewhichsubtlyechoesoneof
thedominantcolorsintheimage.Themountmaybeembellishedwithnarrow
washlinesdrawnaroundtheinneredge,eitheringoldorinacolorthat
complementsthecolorsofthemountandthework.
Althoughinsomecasesarichlycoloredmountmightbeappropriate,itscolor
shouldneveroverpowertheimage.If,forexample,themountisofalighterkey
thanthelightesttoneinthepicture,ordeeperthanthedarkestareas,youwill
tendtoseethemountbeforethepicture.
FramingoilpaintingsOilpaintingsaremorerobustandlesspronetodamagethanworksonpaper,so
theydonotneedtobeframedbehindglass.Indeed,theyarebetterleftunglazed,
toavoiddistractingreflectionsandtoallowthetextureofthepaintsurfacetobe
morereadilyappreciated.
Framingacrylicpaintings
Withacrylicpaintings,youhavethechoiceofframingasforanoilpaintingora
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Withacrylicpaintings,youhavethechoiceofframingasforanoilpaintingora
watercolor,dependingonthesizeofthepaintingandthetechniqueemployed.
Forexample,aplain,narrowframemaybeappropriateforabold,abstract
painting,butatraditionalwatercolorframewithwidemountmightsuita
delicatepaintingthatinvolveswashtechniques.
FrameinsertsJustasworksonpapermaybeenhancedbyawindowmount,moresubstantial
mediumsnotunderglassmaybesetoffbyaframeinsert,or“slip.”Thisisathin
framemolding,eithergilded,painted,orcoveredwithcloth,whichprovidesa
separationbetweentheouterframeandthepicturesurface.Mostframingshops
sellarangeofready-madeframeinserts,oryoucanmakethemyourself.
Framewithinsert(S.Jennings)
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Flatframewithinnerslip(J.ElliottBates)
Narrowframewithwidemount(Print)
Insetcanvaswithboxframe(G.Rowlett)
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IdealdepthsToconserveandprotectyourwork,themoldingshouldideallybeatleast28mm(11/8in)deepforastretchedcanvas(top)and10mm(3/8in)deepforaworkonpaper(above).Itisalsoimportanttochooseamoldingthathasarebatedeepenoughtoaccommodatethethicknessofthework,plusglassandbackingboards,iftheyarerequired.
FramemoldingsThechoiceofframemoldingisasimportantasthechoiceofmount,andthe
twoshouldideallybechosentogether.Awell-chosenmoldingcangiveevena
mediocrepaintingafeelingofpurposeandauthority,whereasaninappropriate
onecanactuallyruinagoodpicture.
Whenchoosingamolding,itisvitalthatyouconsideritswidth,colorand
designinrelationtothepictureitself.Lookformoldingsthatcomplement
ratherthandominateyourpictures.Asageneralrule,simplemoldingsare
usuallybestfordelicateworksonpaper;moreornateonesarebetterforoilsand
acrylics.Highlyelaboratemoldingstendtodistractthevieweranddraw
attentionawayfromthepicture.
Widthofmolding
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Ifyourpicturecontainssmall,delicateareasorissurroundedbyawidemount,
thenchooseanarrowframe.Ifthepictureislargeanditcontainsstrongcolors
andshapes,itwilllookmoreimposingwithawideframeandnomount,ora
verynarrowone.
ColoranddesignThecolorofthemoldingshouldharmonizebothwiththecolorsinthepainting
andwiththemount.Generally,aframewithacolorofasimilarorslightly
darkertonetotheoveralltoneofthepaintingworksbest.Thecharacterofthe
pictureitselfshouldbethetouchstoneofthedesignyouchoose–whetherthe
imageandcolorscantake,forexample,aheavy,architravemoldingorasimple,
flatone.
GlazingapictureThereareseveralkindsofglass:standard“float”glass,non-reflectiveandUV-resistant.Checkexactlywhatyourframeroffers,sincethecheapernon-reflectiveglasshasanunattractivemattsurface.Topoftherangeismuseumglass,whichisbothnon-reflectiveandUV-resistant.
TypesofmoldingFramingshopshaveabewilderingarrayofframemoldingsondisplay.Thedesigns,however,fallintoafewbasiccategories.Fromlefttorightbelow:reverse-spoonmolding;half-roundmolding;spoonmolding;boxmolding;reverse-slopemolding;flatmolding.
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SEEALSOPROTECTINGARTWORK348VARNISHINGPAINTINGS350
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Chapter10
GALLERYOFART
Whenchoosingsubjectstopaint,mostartiststurntotheclassicthemesofstilllife,landscape,interiors,
wildlife,portraitureandfigurepainting.Thereare,ofcourse,manyvariationsonthesethemes.Stilllife
alonecanencompassanythingfromasingleobjecttoacomplexgroupoffruitandflowers.Townscapes,
seascapes,skystudiesandgardensaremerelydifferentformsoflandscapepainting.Andwhenartists
constructpicturespurelyfromimagination,anyoralloftheclassicthemescouldbecombinedinasingle
picture.Thefollowingpagesfeatureagalleryofpaintingstohelpyouchooseasubjectandtoinspire
you.
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CHOOSINGASUBJECT
InterpretingsubjectsRangingfromaquintessentiallandscapetoastrikingnudestudy,thisselection
ofpicturesillustrateshowahandfulofartistsdrewinspirationfromtheclassic
paintingthemes.Thepotentialforindividualinterpretationisfurther
exemplifiedbyatable-topstilllife,anintimatedomesticscene,aviewacrossa
sun-dappledgarden,andastylisticrepresentationofanartist’snightmare.
Presentedonthefollowingpagesisagalleryofpicturesthatreflectthe
popularsubjectstowhichartistsreturnagainandagain.Thesepictureshave
beenselectedtoshowaswideavarietyofpaintingstylesaspossible.But
whateveryoudecidetopaint,letitbeyourownchoiceandbesuretogiveyour
personalstylefullrein.
ChrisPerryClockworkDogsAcryliconhardboard56×81cm(22×32in)
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RayBalkwill
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VineyardsnearAlbaPastelonpaper53×35.5cm(21×14in)
TimothyEastonRoofRidgewithRosesOiloncanvas20×35.5cm(8×14in)
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AnukNaumannSunflowersandLemonsMixedmediaonpaper35.5×53cm(14×21in)
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ValerieWiffenSaxophonistOiloncanvas40.5×30cm(16×12in)
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JohnLidzeyAWomanDressingattheDellWatercoloronpaper50.5×35.5cm(20×14in)
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PAINTINGSTILLLIFES
StilllifePaintingsomeinanimateobjects,eithersinglyorinarrangedgroups,hasobvious
appeal–it’ssoeasytocontrol.Youcanselectandcomposetheobjectsatyour
leisure,pickabackgroundthatsetsoffthestilllifetoadvantage,choosethe
directionandformoflightingthatgivesyoutherequiredmoodand,perhaps
moreimportantly,youcantakeupandlaydownyourbrushesatyour
convenience.
FromasinglefruittoakitchendresserStill-lifepaintingofferssuchavarietyofpossibilities.Someartistsenjoymakingcarefulanddetailedstudiesofsimpleobjects,andwillgaintremendoussatisfactionfrompreciselyrenderingtheskinofafruit.Forothers,theexhilarationcomesfrompaintingmorecomplexarrangementsoftheirfavoriteflowersandcolorfulprops.Formostpainters,theobjectistomaketheirstill-lifepaintingslookasnaturalaspossible,butaformalarrangementofpropscanlendaquitedifferent,almostsurreal,atmospheretoapainting.
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RonaldJestyJustaLemonWatercoloronpaper18×13cm(7×5in)
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ColinWilleyRedPepperOiloncanvas13×15cm(5×6in)
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PeterKelly
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TheRedVaseOiloncanvas43×33cm(17×13in)
AnnieWilliamsTheCrocusJugWatercoloronpaper38×42cm(15×161/2in)
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JennieDunnSunflowersTooOiloncanvas61×66cm(24×26in)
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JohnMitchellStudioWindowWatercoloronpaper33×25cm(13×10in)
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DavidMartinStillLifewithGloxiniaOiloncanvas101.5×76cm(40×30in)
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PAINTINGINTERIORS
RoomsandinteriorsThroughouthistory,artistshavepaintedtheirfamiliarsurroundings,often
providinguswithintimatesnapshotsthatrevealthedetailsoftheirpersonal
lives.Butifyouarepreparedtostepintothewiderworld,therearealsoexciting
possibilitiesforpaintinginpublicspaces,suchaspubs,restaurants,railway
stationsandhistoricalbuildings.
InsideoutsidePaintingasmallcornerofyourownroomisakintopaintingastilllife–youchoosetheviewpoint,rearrangethefurnituretosuityourcompositionand,ifyoudon’talreadyownsuitablepropstoenrichthescene,youcanbuy,borroworeveninventthem.Youcanalsoadjustorsupplementambientlightingtothrowshadowsexactlywhereyouwantthem.
Whenyousetupyoureaseltotakeinawiderviewofaninterior,daylightalmostinvariablyplaysapart.Strong,evendiffused,lightfromawindowcantransformascene,creatingboldshadowsorshaftsoflightandbringingtheroomtolifewithsparklinghighlightsandintriguingreflections.
Inmanyinstances,anartistwilluseawindowtoframetheviewbeyond,creating,inasinglepicture,aback-litstilllife,aninteriorandalandscape.
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AnukNaumann
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AMackerelforSupperMixedmediaonpaper25×25cm(10×10in)
DebraManifoldTheLadyChapel,GlastonburyAbbeyAcryliconboard53×76cm(21×30in)
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AnnieWilliams
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TheKitchenWatercoloronpaper58.5×45.5cm(23×18in)
TimothyEastonSummerFlowersatDuskOiloncanvas58×40.5cm(23×16in)
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GeraldGreenInteriorWatercoloronpaper35×25cm(131/2×10in)
PeterKelly
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Table–ChâteauChampdeBatailleOiloncanvas30.5×53.5cm(12×21in)
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BUILDINGSANDTOWNSCAPES
UrbanlandscapesTheurbanlandscapeisafascinatingsubjectformanypainters.Somebeginners
findthedisciplinesofperspectivealittledaunting,buttheopportunitiesfor
includingarichvarietyofcolor,textureandcopiousdetailmaketownscapesand
individualbuildingsirresistiblesubjects.
TimothyEastonNoonShadowsOiloncanvas76×71cm(30×28in)
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BrianLancasterTheWatchtowerWatercoloronpaper34×52cm(131/2×201/2in)
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AnukNaumannSeawall,StIvesMixedmediaonpaper30.5×30.5cm(12×12in)
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ShirleyTrevenaHousebytheForestMixedmediaonpaper27.5×39.5cm(101/2×151/2in)BuildingsmakeadifferenceLookaroundyou,andyoucanhardlyfailtoseebuildingsthatcouldmakeinterestingadditionstoyourpaintings.Somemerelynestleintoaconventionallandscape,providingapleasingcontrasttonaturalformsandcolors.Inotherlocations,however,thebuildingsmightconstitutethefocalpointofapainting,withindustrialcomplexesorstreetscenesthatarefulloflifeandbustle.Whetheryouchoosetodocumentyourowntownorvillageorbringhomesketchbookremindersofaholidayabroad,therearecountlessopportunitiesforpaintingbuildingsandtownscapes.
GeraldGreen
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IndustrialPlantWatercoloronpaper35×53cm(131/2×21in)
PeterGrahamLaBellePromenade,Villefranche-sur-MerOiloncanvas66×65.5cm(26×251/2in)
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DavidCurtisCityCrowds–PiccadillyWatercoloronpaper57×77.5cm(221/2×301/2in)
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PAINTINGLANDSCAPES
LandscapesTheclassicopenlandscapehasabroadappeal.Itnotonlyprovidestheunique
experienceofworkingdirectlyfromnature,butitalsoofferschallenging
opportunitiesforcapturingalmostlimitlessnuancesoflightandatmosphere.
Themoreintimate“close”landscapeischaracterizedbycomparativelydetailed,
sometimescolorfulimagery,epitomizedbyaformalgardenordensewoodland.
TimothyEaston
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BuddleiaandLavenderFieldOiloncanvas25.5×30.5cm(10×12in)
JohnMitchellSgurranFheadainMixedmediaonpaper57×41cm(221/2×16in)
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ColinWilleyRecedingCloudsOilonboard20×25.5cm(8×10in)
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DebraManifold
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CorneroftheWoodsPastelonsandpaper51×63.5cm(20×25in)ThenaturallandscapeLandscapeisagenrethataccommodatesanystyleandtreatment,fromthesemi-abstracttohighlyfinishedrealism.Artistsseemabletorelaxinfrontofalandscape,re-creatingtheeasy-flowinglines,shapesandtexturesofnature.Furthermore,thereisn’tasinglemediumthatdoesnotlenditselftolandscapepainting,althoughsomeareperhapsmoresuitedtostudiopaintingthantoworkingenpleinair.
JohnBlockleyMoorlandRoadWatercoloronpaper30.5×46cm(12×18in)
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AnthonyAtkinsonWinteratHorkesleyOiloncanvas101.5×76cm(40×30in)
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DavidMartinAftertheHarvest,CuparOiloncanvas91.5×91.5cm(36×36in)
SimplelandscapesItisnotnecessarytosearchfor“picturesque”landscapesubjects;someofthe
mostmemorablepaintingsaresimple,everydayscenes.Beginwiththeplaces
youknowbest,andtrytouncoverthosethingsthatawakenanemotional
responseinyou.Whenyouspotsomethingthatgetstheadrenalinegoing,paint
itthereandthenifyoucan,oratleastmakeasketchofit.Don’tpassitby,
thinkingtheremightbegreenerpasturesaroundthecorner.Thatfirstmoment
ofseeingisuniqueandcannotalwaysberecapturedwhenyoureturntothe
subjectatalatertime.
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AnnabelGaultInverlussaBayIIOiloncanvas102×153cm(40×61in)RedfernGallery,London
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PAINTINGWATER
WaterandseascapesTherearefewlandscapeartistswhohavenotatsometimebeendrawntopaint
seascapesandotherscenesfeaturingwater.Whetheratranquillakeorbreaking
waves,wateralwaysaddsdramatoapicture.Infact,theseaandnauticalsubjects
canbesocompellingthatsomeartistsmakemarinepaintingtheirlife’swork.
PeterKellySunlightandRainontheGrandCanalOiloncanvas28×38cm(11×15in)
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AnthonyAtkinsonBendintheRivernearLanghamOiloncanvas63.5×76cm(25×30in)
ChrisPerry
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FullMoonWestPierPastelonpaper30×42cm(113/4×161/2in)
TimothyEastonNettle,WillowherbandLilyPadsOiloncanvas25×35.5cm(10×14in)BeautifulobsessionIfyouaresoinclined,paintingwatercaneasilybecomeanobsession.Fromthereflectionsandplayoflightacrossagardenpondtothehypnoticmotionofthesea,withitselusivetexturesofsprayandfoam,thereissomuchforyoutopaint.Wateralsoprovidestheperfectfoilforotherelementsinthelandscape,betheymountainsorbuildingsthataremirroredinaflatsurface,orwatersideplantsandtreesscreenedagainstabackdropofshimmeringcolor.
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DonaldMcIntyreGreenSeaAcryliconboard30.5×41cm(12×16in)
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AnukNaumann
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RoughSeaMixedmediaonpaper40.5×40.5cm(16×16in)
BrianLancasterTimesofChangeWatercoloronpaper25×34cm(10×131/2in)
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RonaldJestyHandfastPointWatercoloronpaper45.5×45.5cm(18×18in)
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EXPRESSINGCOLOR
UnderstandingcolorColorissuchapersonalandsubjectiveareathatitisperhapsinappropriateto
discussitintermsofrulesandtheories.Nevertheless,topaintwell,itis
importantforanartisttohavesomeunderstandingofhowcolorsbehaveand
howtheyrelatetoeachother.Knowinghowcolorsaffectoneanotherwhen
mixedtogetherorappliedsidebyside;howtheychangeunderdifferentkindsof
lighting;whytheyfadeandhowtheycanbeusedtore-createform,shape,
perspectiveandmood;understandingtheopticaleffectsofcertaincolor
combinationsandtheirpsychologicalimpact–alltheseareimportantifyouare
tosucceedinmakingcolordowhatyouwantittodo.
SallyStrandKnittingPastelonpaper57.5×76cm(23×301/2in)
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PAINTINGFIGURES
ThehumanformThereisacontinuedfascinationwiththehumanformamongartists,despitethe
adventofphotography,andthetraditionsofportraitandfigurepaintingareas
strongtodayastheyeverwere.Thereissometruthintheoldadagethat“ifyou
canpaintpeoplewell,thenyoucanpaintanything.”However,itisnotessential
toknowaboutanatomyinordertopaintordrawthehumanformsuccessfully.
Moreimportantareaninquiringeyeandawillingnesstokeeppractising,evenif
yourfirstattemptsarenotsuccessful.
ArthurMadersonVerlayneRecliningOiloncanvas80×110cm(32×44in)
Figuresandportraits
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Figurepaintingandportraituremustbeamongtheoldestartistictraditions.
Therearefewsubjectsthatholdasmuchintrigueforartistsasthehumanform,
andfewerstillthatoffersuchawealthofsubtletyandvariety.
PaintingindividualsandgroupsYouwillnodoubtwanttotackleanudestudyorclothedfigure,eitheratalocallife-paintingclassorinyourownstudio.Butitisalsoworthgoingoutintothestreet,orintocafésandbarswhereyoucansketchinterestinggroupsoffiguresandindividuals.Theworkplaceandsportsclubsofferopportunitiesforobservingpeopleengagedinmoreactivepursuits.
TimothyEastonDowntotheSeaOiloncanvas30.5×35.5cm(12×14in)
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DebraManifoldLunchtimeattheCaféRougeAcryliconboard76×48cm(30×19in)
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TimothyEastonReturningtheBlades,HenleyOiloncanvas30.5×25cm(12×10in)
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ChrisPerryTinaPastelonpaper84×61cm(33×24in)
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JohnLidzeyAnnaPlayingtheCelloWatercoloronpaper66×45.5cm(26×18in)
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RonaldJestyRednudeWatercoloronpaper40.5×51cm(16×20in)
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SharonFinmarkTheMirrorPastelonpaper132×120cm(52×48in)
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PAINTINGFIGURESANDANIMALS
PortraitsInthefaceofsomestrongcompetitionfromthecamera,paintingsofcolleagues,
familyandfriendsconstituteauniquepersonalrecord.Althoughwetendto
thinkofaportraitasbeingahead-and-shoulderslikenessofthesitter,thereis
muchtobesaidforsteppingbacktotakeinthefullfigure.Thismayallowyou
toincludeaglimpseofthesitter’shome,andperhapsincorporatetheirpetsor
partner.Anddon’tforgettheself-portrait–atime-honoredgenrethatenables
youtoworkatyourownspeedandatyourconvenience.
DavidCobleyGirlwithWetHairOiloncanvas51×51cm(20×20in)
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KenPaineTheFlowerSellerPastelonboard71×53cm(28×21in)
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AlastairAdamsMrandMrsG.PostonandCatsAcryliconMDFboard101.5×101.5cm(40×40in)
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DavidCobley
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Doubt–Self-portraitOiloncanvas168×168cm(66×66in)
WildlifepaintingIttakesaspecialtalent,andnotalittlededication,ifwearetocapturethe
uniquequalitiesofanimalsandbirdsintheirnaturalsurroundings.Butthereis
muchtobegainedfrompaintingthedelightfuldiversityofwildlifeandother
animals–includingthosethatareliterallyonyourdoorstep,intheformof
domesticanimalsandpets.
AnimalsandbirdsIfyouarelookingfortheidealquiescentmodel,whatcouldbemoreperfectthantheaveragedomesticcat,whoisusuallytobefoundsprawledlazilysomewhereinthehouseoroutdoorsintheshade?Birdsandothernaturalhistorysubjectsareoftenperceivedasthepreserveofthespecialist,requiringagreatdealofscientificaccuracyanddetail.However,ifyouenjoyworkingoutdoorsandhaveanaffinitywithnature,don’tbeputoffbytheapparentdifficultiesofincludingwildlifeinyourpaintings.
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TimothyEaston
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StripedJugwithSpringFlowersOiloncanvas40.5×35.5cm(16×14in)
DavidMartinGullonaBirdTableOiloncanvas101.5×76cm(40×30in)
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PeterPartingtonMarshHarrierSurprisingCootWatercoloronpaper56×66cm(22×26in)
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PAINTINGFROMIMAGINATION
ImaginativepaintingPaintingpicturesfromyourimaginationcanbeveryliberating.Towhatextent
youallowfantasytotakeoverwilldictatethedegreeofyourinventiveness.Some
artistsputtogetherimagesandreferencesfromdisparatesources,creating
imaginativecompositionsthatareperfectlybelievablebutthatexistonlyintheir
heads.Otherartiststaketheprocessmuchfurther,puttingdowntheirmore
fancifulthoughts,dreamsandsurrealvisionsontopaperandcanvas.
CuttinglooseFollowyourownmuse,andletyourideasandthoughtsbubbletothesurface.Trydevelopingthefirstideathatcomestomindandseewhereittakesyou.Youmaydiscoverthatit’snotafirstideaatall,butalong-lostmemoryofsomepastexperience,orasubconsciousthoughtthathasbeenlurkingintherecessesofyourmind,waitingforanopportunitytoarticulateitself.
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GigolAtlerX-rayHallucinationOiloncanvas25.5×30.5cm(10×12in)SurrealismandabstractionConjurewithrealitytocreateimagesthatgobeyondconventionalrepresentation.Goonestepfurtherandinventabstractimagesthatarebasedonyourownexperiencesandobservations,creatingpaintingsofpurecolorandpattern.
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JohnEhrlichRibbonAcrylicandgouacheonpaper42×29cm(161/2×111/2in)
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DavidCobley
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MrStevenBerkoffOiloncanvas122×101.5cm(48×40in)
SimonJenningsRedandBlackNo.1Oiloncanvas20×25cm(8×10in)
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EXPRESSINGLIGHTSimplicityandlightAvaseofdaffodilsonasunnywindowsillistransformedbythelightbehindit,shiningthroughthetranslucentpetals;itisasiftheywerelitfromwithin.
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KenHowardSpringLight,MouseholeOiloncanvas60×50cm(24×20in)Watercolormaybefreelylaidoverothercolorstoprovideapainterlyeffect.Youcanusepaintinvariousdilutions,allowingittoblendwithandcovertheunderlyingapplications.
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JohnLidzeyCelloPracticeWatercoloronpaper31×19cm(12×71/2in)
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REFERENCEThisreferencesectioncontainsinvaluableinformationandisdesignedtobackupthecoreofthebook.
Healthandsafetyarefeatured,togetherwithadviceonhowtoreadapainttube.Intheextensive
glossarytherearedetailedexplanationsofallthespecializedwordsandtermsthatareused,together
withterminologythatyoumayencounterinfurtherreading.Youcanusethedirectoryofartsuppliersto
sourcetheartists’materialsthatyouneed.Inadditiontomanufacturers’addresses,websitesandemail
contactsaregiveninmostcases.
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HEALTHANDSAFETYManufacturersofartmaterialspayagreatdealofattentiontocurrentsafety
legislation;mostmanufacturers’cataloguesprovidereasonablydetailed
informationonsafety,toxicityandthelike,andtheproductsthemselvesare
generallyclearlylabelled(seebelow).
HealthhazardsSafetylegislationdiffersfromcountrytocountry,andthereisnosingle
internationalclassificationforallartmaterials,whichbasicallymeansthata
substancethatisregardedashazardoustohealthmaybewithdrawnor
substitutedinonecountrybutnotanother,dependingonthelegislation.
Someofthemostdeterminedoppositiontochangesinthecompositionof
painthascomefromartistswhofearthatmodernsubstitutescannotgivethem
thesameresultsastraditional(butpossiblymorehazardous)pigments,suchas
cadmiums,leadchromesorcobalts.
Manufacturers,however,putavastamountoftime,moneyandresearchinto
findingalternativematerialsthatapproximatetheoriginalascloselyaspossible,
inordertocomplywithevermore-stringentlaws.
Intheend,thedecisionofwhattouseandhowtouseitmustbemadeby
eachindividualartist,andthebestwaytoworksafelyistobewellinformed
aboutthematerialsyouareusing.Readthecatalogues,checkthelabelling,and
don’tbeafraidtocontactthemanufacturersifyouareconcernedabouta
product’ssafetyorquality.
Aboveall,youshouldalwaysfollowthemanufacturer’sinstructionswhere
printed.Makingartismanythings–creative,fun,inspiring,frustrating–butit
neednotbehazardoustoyourhealth.
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HighlyflammableProductsbearingthisinternationallabelhaveaflashpointofbelow21°C.Thecontainersshouldbekeptclosedwhennotinuse,andshouldnotbeleftnearsourcesofheatorignition.Donotbreathethevapororspray,andkeeptheproductawayfromchildren.
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Harmful/irritantThisinternationallabelisusedtomarkproductsthatareclassifiedaseitherharmfulorirritant;eachclassificationhasitsownparticularwarnings.Inbothcases,donotbreathethevapor,andkeeptheproductawayfromchildren.Avoidcontactwithskinandeyes,andwashthoroughlyafteruse.
InterpretinglabelsThesearethehazardlabelsyouarelikelytoseeonartproducts.Familiaritywiththeirmeaningswillenableyoutoevaluatestandardsandpossiblehazardoususeataglance,andtouseandstorematerialswithminimumrisk.
Healthlabel(HL)ThisAmericanlabel,fromtheArtandCraftMaterialsInstitute(ACMI),meansthattheproducthasbeenreviewedbyanindependenttoxicologistundertheauspicesoftheAmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials(ASTM).
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CPAnAmericanlabel,againfromtheACMI.“CP”standsforCertifiedProduct,inwhichthecontentsarenon-toxic,evenifingested,andwhichmeetorexceedspecificqualitystandards.
APAnotherAmericanlabelfromtheACMI.“AP”meansApprovedProduct,onewherethecontentsarenon-toxic,evenifingested.
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READINGAPAINTTUBEItiswellworthknowingthecharacteristics–permanence,lightfastness,
transparency,andsoon–ofthepaintsyouuse.Althoughtheremayappearto
beabewilderingamountofcodedinformationonastandardtubeofpaint,
thisisactuallyquitesimpletodecipher,andtheabilityto“read”atubewill
helpyoutochoosetherightpaint.Thetubeshownbelowisacomposite,but
alltheinformationonitcanbefoundondifferenttubes;eachmanufacturer’s
cataloguewillprovidefurtherdetailsparticulartoitsbrands.
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CodesandsymbolsInadditionaltotheabove,someproductscarryothercodedinformationtoindicatetransparency,mixingpotential,safetyinformation,andsoon.Themanufacturer’scataloguegivesdetails.
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GLOSSARYOFTERMSInadditiontothemanyeverydaywordsusedtodescribeartmaterialsand
techniques,thereareequallyasmanythatareunique.Mostofthespecialized
wordsandtermsusedinthisbookareexplainedhere,plussomeotherswhich
youwillcomeacrossinfurtherreading.
AAcrylicpaintAnypaintcontainingacrylicresin,derivedfromman-madeacrylic
orpropenoic(derivedfrompetroleum)acid.
AlkydresinAsyntheticresinusedinpaintsandmediums.
Allaprima(Italianfor“atthefirst”)Techniqueinwhichthefinalsurfaceofa
paintingiscompletedinonesitting,withoutanyunderpainting.Alsoknownas
aupremiercoup.
ASTMTheAmericanSocietyforTestingandMaterials.Aninternationally
recognized,independentstandardforcertainpaintqualities,adoptedbymost
manufacturers.
BBalanceInaworkofart,theoveralldistributionofformsandcolortoproducea
harmoniouswhole.
BinderAliquidmediummixedwithpowderedpigmenttoformapaint.
BistreAbrown,transparentpigmentmadebyboilingbeech-treesoot.
BleedingInanartwork,theeffectofadarkcolorseepingthroughalightercolor
tothesurface.Usuallyassociatedwithgouachepaint.
BlendingSmoothingtheedgesoftwocolorstogethersothattheyhavea
smoothgradationwheretheymeet.
BloomAdull,progressivelyopaque,whiteeffectcausedonvarnishedsurfacesby
beingkeptindampconditions.
BodycolorOpaquepaint,suchasgouache,whichhasthecoveringpowerto
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BodycolorOpaquepaint,suchasgouache,whichhasthecoveringpowerto
obliterateunderlyingcolor.“Body”alsoreferstoapigment’sdensity.
BrushworkThecharacteristicwayinwhicheachartistbrushespaintontoa
support,oftenregardedasa“signature”;alsousedtohelpattributepaintingstoa
particularartist.
CCaseinAmilk-protein-basedbindermixedwithpigmenttomakepaint;most
oftenassociatedwithtempera.
Chiaroscuro(Italianfor“clear-obscure”)Particularlyassociatedwithoil
painting,thistermisusedtodescribetheeffectoflightandshadeinapainting
ordrawing,especiallywherestrongtonalcontrastsareused.
CissingTheeffectcausedwhenawaterbasedpainteitherdoesnotwetthe
supportenoughtoadhereeffectively,orisrepelledbythesurface.Alsoknownas
crawlingorcreeping.
CocklingWrinklingorpuckeringinpapersupports,causedbyapplyingwashes
ontoeitheraflimsyorinadequatelystretchedandpreparedsurface.
CompositionThisisthearrangementofelementsbyanartistinapaintingor
drawing.
Contre-jour(Frenchfor“againstthedaylight”)Apaintingordrawingwherethe
lightsourceisbehindthesubject.
CopalAhard,aromaticresinusedinmakingvarnishesandpaintingmediums.
CrosshatchingMorethanonesetofcloseparallellinesthatcrisscrosseachother
atangles,tomodelandindicatetone.(Seealsohatching.)
DDammarAresinfromconifertrees,usedinmakingoilmediumsandvarnishes.
DeadcolorAtermforcolorsthatareusedinunderpainting.
DiluentsLiquids,suchasturpentine,todiluteoilpaint;thediluentfor
waterbasedmediaiswater.
DistemperAblendofglue,chalkandwaterbasedpaint,usedmostlyformurals
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DistemperAblendofglue,chalkandwaterbasedpaint,usedmostlyformurals
andposters,butalsosometimesforfine-artpainting.
EEarthcolorsThesecolors,theumbers,siennasandochres,areregardedasthe
moststablenaturalpigments.
EncausticAnancienttechniqueofmixingpigmentswithhotwaxasabinder.
FFatUsedtodescribepaintswhichhaveahighoilcontent.(Seealsolean.)
FillerInpainting,theinertpigmentaddedtopainttoincreaseitsbulk,also
calledextender;orthematterusedtofillopenporesorholesinasupportor
ground.
FilmAthincoatingorlayerofpaint,ink,etc.
FixativeAsolution,usuallyofshellacandalcohol,sprayedontodrawings,
particularlycharcoal,chalkandsoftpastels,topreventthemsmudgingor
crumblingoffthesupport.
FormatTheproportionsandsizeofasupport.
Fresco(Italianfor“fresh”)Awall-coveringtechniquewhichinvolvespainting
withwaterbasedpaintsontofreshlyappliedwetplaster.Alsoknownasbuon
fresco.
FugitivecolorsPigmentordyecolorsthatfadewhenexposedtolight.(Seealso
lightfastandpermanence.)
GGenreAcategoryortypeofpainting,classifiedbyitssubjectmatter–stilllife,
landscape,portrait,etc.Thetermisalsoappliedtoscenesdepictingdomesticlife.
GessoAmixture,usuallycomposedofwhitingandgluesize,usedasaprimer
forrigidoil-paintingsupports.
GlazeInpainting,atransparentorsemi-transparentcolorlaidoveranother,
differentcolortomodifyorintensifyit.
GrainSeetooth.
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GrisailleAmonochromepaintinginshadesofgray,oragrayunderpainting.
GroundAspeciallypreparedpaintingsurface.
GumarabicAgum,extractedfromcertainAcaciatrees,usedinsolutionasa
mediumforwatercolorpaints.
HHatchingAtechniqueofmodelling,indicatingtoneandsuggestinglightand
shadeindrawingortemperapainting,usingcloselysetparallellines.(Seealso
crosshatching.)HueThenameofacolor–blue,red,yellow,etc.–irrespectiveof
itstoneorintensity.(SeealsoReadingapainttube,page387.)
IImpastoAtechniqueofapplyingpaintthicklybybrush,paintingknifeorhand
tocreateatexturedsurface.Alsothetermfortheresultsofthistechnique.(See
index.)ImprimaturaAprimarycoatofdilutedcolor,usuallyawash,usedto
tonedownortintawhitecanvasorothersupportbeforepainting.
IntensityThepurityandbrightnessofacolor.Alsocalledsaturationorchroma.
KKeyUsedtodescribetheprevailingtoneofapainting:apredominantlylight
paintingissaidtohaveahighkey,apredominantlydarkonealowkey.In
modernmuralpainting,thekeyistheresultofscratchingandpreparingawall
surfacereadyforthefinallayerofplaster.
LLandscapeformatApaintingordrawingwiderthanitistall.(Seealsoportrait
format.)
LayfigureAjointedwoodenmanikinwhichcanideallybemovedintoalmost
anyposeorattitude,forstudyingproportionsandangles,andforarranging
clothinganddrapery.Layhandsandhorsesarealsoavailable.(Seealsopage150.)
LeachingTheprocessofdrawingoutexcessliquidthroughaporoussubstance.
LeanUsedasanadjectivetodescribepaintthinnedwithaspiritsuchas
turpentineorwhite(mineral)spirit,andwhichthereforehasalowoilcontent.
(Seealsofat.)LightfastTermappliedtopigmentsthatresistfadingwhen
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exposedtosunlight.(Seealsofugitive.)LocalcolorTheactualcolorofanobject
orsurface,unaffectedbyshadowcoloring,lightqualityorotherfactors;for
instance,thelocalcolorofacarrotisalwaysorange,evenwithavioletshadow
fallingacrossit.
Loom-stateCanvasthathasnotbeenprimed,sizedorotherwiseprepared
beforehandforpainting.
MMediumThistermhastwodistinctmeaningswhichareasfollows:thefirstis
theliquidinwhichpigmentsaresuspended,forinstance,linseedoilforoil
painting,andacrylicresinforacrylicpaints(thepluralhereismediums).
However,amediumisalsothematerialchosenbytheartistforworking–paint,
ink,pencil,pastel,etc.(thepluralinthisinstanceismedia).
MixedmediaIndrawingandpainting,thisreferstotheuseofdifferentmedia
inthesamepicture–forinstance,ink,watercolorwashandwaxcrayon–orona
combinationofsupports–forinstance,newspaperandcardboard.
MixedmethodTheprocessofusingoilglazesontopofatempera
underpainting.
MuralAlsosometimesreferredtoaswallpainting,thisworddescribesany
paintingmadedirectlyontoawall.(Seealsofrescoandsecco.)
0OpacityThecoveringorhidingabilityofapigmenttoobliterateanunderlying
color.Opacityvariesfromonepigmenttoanother.
PPaletteAswellasdescribingthevariousformsofholdersandsurfacesfor
mixingpaintcolors,palettealsoreferstotheartist’schoiceandblendsofcolors
whenpainting.
PatinaOriginallythegreenbrownencrustationonbronze,thisnowincludesthe
naturaleffectsofageorexposureonasurface,suchasold,yellowingvarnishon
anoilpainting.
Pentimento(Italianfor“repented”)Inanoilpainting,thisiswhenevidenceof
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Pentimento(Italianfor“repented”)Inanoilpainting,thisiswhenevidenceof
previouspaintingshowsthroughthefinishedworkwhenthesurfacepaint
becomestransparent.Thewordalsoreferstounerasedattemptstofixalineor
contourinadrawingorpainting.
PermanenceReferstoapigment’sresistancetofadingonexposuretosunlight.
(Seealsofugitiveandlightfast.)PigmentsThecoloringagentsthatareusedinall
paintinganddrawingmedia,traditionallymanufacturedfromnaturalsourcesbut
nowincludingman-madesubstances.Thewordisalsousedtodescribethe
powderedordryformsoftheagents.
PlasticityInatwo-dimensionaldrawingorpainting,plasticitydescribesfigures,
objectsorspacewithastronglythree-dimensionalappearance,oftenachievedby
modellingwithgreatcontrastsoftone.
Pleinair(Frenchfor“openair”)Atermdescribingpaintingsthataredone
outside,directlyfromthesubject.
PortraitformatApaintingordrawingtallerthanitiswide.(Seealsolandscape
format.)
PrimerAppliedtoalayerofsizeordirectlytoasupport,thisactsasabarrier
betweenpaintandsupport,andprovidesasurfacesuitableforreceivingpaint
andmediums.
ProportionTherelationshipofoneparttothewholeortootherparts.Thiscan
referto,forinstance,therelationofeachcomponentofthehumanfiguretothe
figureitself,ortothepaintingasawhole.
PVAPolyvinylacetate,aman-maderesinusedasapaintmediumandin
varnish.
RRecessionInart,thisdescribestheeffectofmakingobjectsappeartorecede
intothedistancebytheuseofaerialperspectiveandcolor.
ReductionTheresultofmixingcolorwithwhite.
SSanguineAred-brownchalk.
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SaturationTheintensityandbrillianceofacolor.
ScumbleThetechniqueofdraggingoneormorelayersofdryish,opaquepaint
overabottomlayerthatpartiallyshowsthroughtheoverlyingones.
Secco(Italianfor“dry”)Atechniqueofwall-paintingontodryplaster,orlime
plasterthatisdampenedshortlybeforepaintisapplied.
Sfumato(Italianfor“shadedoff”)Gradual,almostimperceptibletransitionsof
color,fromlighttodark.
Sgraffito(Italianfor“scratchedoff”)Atechniqueofscoringintoalayerofcolor
withasharpinstrument,torevealeitherthegroundcolororalayerofcolor
beneath.
ShadeTermforacolordarkenedwithblack.
ShapedcanvasAnynon-rectangularpicture.
ShellacAyellowresinformedfromsecretionsofthelacinsect,usedinmaking
varnish.
SilverpointAdrawingmethodalmostentirelysupersededbythegraphite
pencil.Apieceofmetal,usuallysilverwire,wasusedtodrawonaground
preparedwithChinesewhite,sometimeswithpigmentaddedtotheground.
Therewasnopossibilityoferasure.Alsocalledmetalpoint.
SinopiaAred-brownchalkusedforthepreliminarymarking-outoffrescoes;
alsothepreliminarydrawingitself.
SizeAweakgluesolutionusedformakinggessoanddistemper,forstiffening
paper,andformakingcanvasimperviousbeforeapplyinglayersofprimeroroil
paint.
SizecolorAcombinationofhotgluesizeandpigments.
SketchAroughdrawingorapreliminarydraftofacomposition,whichisnot
necessarilytobeworkedupsubsequently.Sketchesareoftenusedasameansof
improvinganartist’sobservationandtechnique.
SquaringupAmethodfortransferringanimagetoalargerorsmallerformat.
Theoriginalversioniscoveredwithagridofhorizontalandverticallines,and
eachnumberedsquareisthencopiedontoitscounterpartonalargerorsmaller
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setofsquaresonadifferentsupport.Alsoknownasgriddingup.
StudyAdetaileddrawingorpaintingmadeofoneormorepartsofafinal
composition,butnotofthewhole.
SupportAsurfaceusedforpaintingordrawing:canvas,board,paper,etc.
TTemperingInpainting,mixingpigmentswithtemperatoproduceahue.
ThixotropicStifffluidswhichbecomeliquefiedwhenstirred,shakenor
brushed.
TintTermforacolorlightenedwithwhite.Also,inamixtureofcolors,thetint
isthedominantcolor.
TintingstrengthThepowerofapigmenttoinfluencemixturesofcolors.
ToneTherelativedarknessorlightnessofacolor,withoutreferencetoitslocal
color.
ToothThetexture,rangingfromcoarsetofine,ofcanvasorwood.
TractionInoilsthisisthemovementofonelayerofpaintoveranother.
TractionfissureThisusuallyoccurswhentheprinciplesofpainting“fat-over-
lean”inoilshavenotbeenapplied,leadingtocrackingofthetoplayerorlayers
ofpaintorvarnish.
TragacanthAgum,whichisextractedfromcertainAstragalusplants,usedasa
bindingagentinwatercolorpaintsandpastels.
TransparencyThestateofallowinglighttopassthrough,andoffilteringlight.
Trompel’oeil(Frenchfor“deceivetheeye”)Apainting,usuallyastilllifewith
extreme,naturalisticdetails,whichaimsatpersuadingtheviewerthatheorshe
islookingatactualobjects,ratherthanarepresentationofthem.
UUnderpaintingThetraditionalstageinoilpaintingofusingamonochromeor
deadcolorasabaseforcomposition,overalltoneandsubsequentcolorglazes.
Alsoknownaslayingin.
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VValueAnalternativewordfor“tone,”“value”isusedmainlyintheUnited
States.Theterm“tonalvalue”referstotherelativedegreeoflightnessor
darknessofanycolor,onascaleofgraysrunningfromblacktowhite.
Veduta(Italianfor“view”)Anaccuraterepresentationofanurbanlandscape.
VehicleAmediumthatcarriespigmentsinsuspensionandmakesitpossibleto
applythemtoasurface;sometimescalledthebase.Thewordalsodescribesa
combinationofmediumandbinder.
VeniceturpentineAnoleoresin–thesemi-solidmixtureofaresinandan
essentialoil–derivedfromthelarchandusedprimarilyinmakingmediumsand
diluentsforoilpainting.
VerdaccioAnoldtermforgreenunderpainting.
VolumeThespacethatatwo-dimensionalobjectorfigurefillsinapainting.
WWashAthin,usuallybroadlyappliedlayeroftransparentorheavilydilutedpaint
orink.
WettingagentAliquid–oxgallorasyntheticequivalent–addedtowatercolor
painttohelpittakeevenlyandsmoothlyonasupport.
WhitingGroundandwashedchalkwhichisusedinmakinggessoand
whitewash.
YYellowingThiseffectonoilpaintingsisusuallycausedbyoneofthreereasons:
excessiveuseoflinseed-oilmediuminthepaint;applyinganyofthevarnishes
thatarepronetoyellowingwithage;or–mostoftenofall–anaccumulationof
dirtthatembedsitselfintothesurfaceofthevarnish.
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ART-MATERIALSSUPPLIERSForreasonsofspace,thismanualcannotlistallthemanufacturersand
distributorsofartists’materialsworldwide,buttheprincipalcontactsin
Europe,NorthAmericaandtheUnitedKingdomareincludedhere.Ifyouare
unabletopurchaseaparticularartmaterial,themanufacturersand
distributorslistedbelowwillbeabletoputyouintouchwithyournearest
supplier,andwillbepleasedtosendyoucatalogues,informationandadvice
ontheirproducts.
Berol(graphite,charcoal,coloredandwatersolublepencils;marker,fountainand
fibertippens;drawingsupportsandaccessories)BerolLtd
BerolHouse,OldmedowRoad,
King’sLynn,NorfolkPE304JR
www.berol.co.uk
BerolCorporation
105WestParkDrive,
POBox2248
Brentwood,TN37024–2248
www.berol.com
Bird&DavisCanvases(paintingsupports)
Bird&Davis
45HolmesRoad,KentishTown,
LondonNW53AN
Tel:02074853797
www.birdanddavis.co.uk
Canson(watercoloranddrawingpapers;mountingboards)ArjoWigginsFinePapersPty
LtdFinePapersHouse,POBox88,
LimeTreeWay,Chineham,
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Basingstoke,HantsRG248BA
Tel:01256728728
Fax:01256728889
www.arjowiggins.com
ArjoWigginsSAS
Headquarters
117QuaiduPrésidentRoosevelt,92442Issy-les-Moulineaux,France
ArjoWigginsUSAInc
2187AtlanticStreet,Suite603,Stamford,CT06902
Tel:2036746700
Carand’Ache(graphite,colored,watersolubleandpastelpencils;markerandfibertippens;
drawingaccessories)JakarInternationalLtd
HillsideHouse,2–6FriernPark,LondonN129BX
Tel:02084456376
Fax:02084452714
Email:[email protected]
www.jakar.co.uk
Carand’AcheSA
Headquarters
19CheminduForon,POBox332,CH–1226Thônex-Genève,
Switzerland
www.carandache.ch
Carand’AcheofSwitzerland
38–5243rdStreet,11101LongIslandCity,NewYork
Tel:7184827500
Fax:7184826700
ChromaColour(Chromacolorsandaccessories;moistpalettes)ChromaColourInternational
Unit5,PiltonEstate,Pitlake,Croydon,SurreyCR03RA
Tel:02086881991
Fax:02086881441
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www.chromacolour.co.uk
ChromaColourInternational
HeadOffice,1410–28StreetNE,Calgary,AlbertaT2A7W6,CanadaTel:403
2505880
Email:[email protected]
www.chromacolour.com
ArtsDesire
5604NorthEast,StJohn’sRoad,Vancouver,Washington98661
Email:[email protected]
www.bevelar.com
Daler-Rowney(oil,acrylic,gouacheandwatercolorpaints,brushes,supportsandaccessories;
pastels;drawingsupports;framingandmountingequipment;studioequipment)
Daler-RowneyLtd
POBox10,Bracknell,BerkshireRG128ST
Tel:01344461000
Fax;01344486511
www.daler-rowney.co.uk
Daler-RowneyUSA
2CorporateDrive,
Cranbury,NJ08512–9584
Tel:6096555252
Fax:6096555852
www.daler-rowney.com
Daler-RowneyEurope
RuedesTechnologies4,B–1340
Ottignies,Belgium
Tel:010452545
Faber-Castell(graphite,colored,watersoluble,charcoalandcontépencils;charcoalsticks;
graphitesticks;markerandfibertippens;pastels,technicalpens;drawing
accessories)WestDesignProductsLtd
Unit1A,PartFarmRoad,Folkestone,KentCT195EH
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Tel:01303247110
Fax:01303247111
Email:[email protected]
www.faber-castell.com
A.W.Faber-CastellUSAInc
9450AllenDrive,
Cleveland,OH44125
Tel:2166434660
Fax:2166434664
FalkinerFinePapers(paintinganddrawingsupports,specialistpapers)FalkinerFinePapersLtd
76SouthamptonRow,
LondonWCIB7AR
Tel:02078311151
Fax:02074301248
Gerand(brushes)
GerandBrushes
GerandHouse,41AlricAvenue,LondonNW108RA
Tel:02075159355
Grumbacher(oil,water-friendlyoil,acrylicandwatercolorpaints,brushesandaccessories;
pastels)M.GrumbacherInc
100NorthStreet,
Bloomsbury,NJ08804
Koh-i-noorRapidograph
1815MeyersideDrive,Mississauga,OntarioL5T1G3,Canada
Inscribe(watercolorandChinesepaintsandbrushes;paintingaccessories;pastels;marker
andfibertippens;coloredandwatersolublepencils;drawingaccessories;studio
equipment)InscribeLtd
51WoolmerWay,
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WoolmerIndustrialEstate,Bordon,HampshireGU359QE
Tel:01420475747
Khadi(Asianpaintinganddrawingpapers)KhadiPapers
Unit3,ChilgroveFarm,Chilgrove,Chichester,W.SussexPOI89HU
Tel:01243535314
www.khadi.com
Lefranc&Bourgeois(oil,gouacheandwatercolorpaintsandaccessories;pastels;contécrayonsand
pencils;graphite,colored,watersolubleandcharcoalpencils;charcoaland
compressed-charcoalsticks;drawingaccessories)
Lefranc&Bourgeois5RueRenéPanhard,21Nord72021
LeMans,Cedex2,France
Tel:0243838300
Fax:0243838309
www.lefranc-bourgeois.com
Liquitex(acrylicandoilpaintsandaccessories)ColArt
WhitefriarsAvenue,Wealdstone,HarrowHA35RH
Tel:02084274343
Fax:02088637177
www.Liquitex.com
Maimeri(oil,acrylic,watercolor&gouachepaints,brushesandaccessories;oilssupports;
studioequipment)MaimeriSpA
ViaGianniMaimeri1,20060
Mediglia,Milano,Italy
Tel:0290698229
Fax:0290698999
www.maimeri.it
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Martin/F.Weber(oil,acrylicandwatercolorpaints,brushesandaccessories;charcoal;oilpastels;
studioequipment)Martin/F.WeberCo.
2727SouthamptonRoad,
Philadelphia,PA19154–1293
Tel:2156775600
Fax:2156773336
Email:[email protected]
www.weberart.com
Pebeo(oil,acrylicandgouachepaints,brushesandaccessories;watercoloranddrawing
paper;drawinginks;studioequipment)PebeoSA
ParcD’ActivitesdeGemenos305,AvenueduPic-de-Bertagne,CedexF–
13881,Gemenos,France
Tel:33(4)42320808
Email:[email protected]
www.pebeo.com
PebeoofAmericaInc
Route78AirportRoad,POBox717,Swanton,VT05488
Email:[email protected]
Pentel(watercolorpaint;pastels;technical,markerandfibertippens;graphitepencils)
Pentel(Stationery)Ltd
HuntsRise,SouthMarstonParkSwindon,WiltshireSN34TW
Tel:01793823333
Fax:01793823366
www.pentel.com
PentelofAmericaLtdCorporateHeadquarters
2805ColumbiaStreet,Torrance,CA90509
Tel:3103203831
PentelGmbH
Ladermannbogen143,
2000Hamburg63,Germany
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EuroPentelSA
43RueFrancoisdeTroy,
94360BrysurMarne,France
PentelStationeryofCanadaLtd140–5900No.2Road,Richmond,British
ColumbiaV7C4R9,CanadaPentel(Australia)PtyLtd
Unit4/7–9OrionRoad,LaneCove,NSW2066,Australia
ProArte(brushes)
ProArteLtd
ParkMill,BroughamStreet,Skipton,NorthYorksBD232JN
Tel:01756791313
Fax:01756791212
Email:[email protected]
www.proarte.co.uk
Raphael&Berge(brushes)
MaxSauerSA
2RueLamarek,BP204,
22002Saint-Brieuc,France
www.max-sauer.com
RexelDerwent(graphite,watersoluble,pastel,charcoal,coloredandcontépencils;drawing
supports;accessories)Acco-RexelLtd
GatehouseRoad,Aylesbury,BucksHP193DT
Tel:01296397444
www.acco.co.uk
Rotring(technical,fountainandartpens;drawinginks;pencils)RotringUK
430StrathconaRoadWembley
MiddlesexHA98QP
Tel:02089082577
Fax:02089084476
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Koh-i-noorRapidographInc
100NorthStreet,POBox68,
Bloomsbury,NJ08804-0068
www.koh-i-noor.com
StCuthbert’s(watercolorsupports)
StCuthbert’sPaperMill
Wells,SomersetBA5IAG
Tel:01749672015
Fax:01749678844
www.inveresk.co.uk
Schminke(oil,watercolorandgouachepaints;pastels)C.Roberson&Co
1AHerculesStreet,LondonN76AT
Tel:02072720567
www.robco.co.uk
H.Schminke&CoGmbH
Otto-Hahn-Straße2,D–40699
Erkrath,Germany
Tel:021125090
www.schminke.com
Sennelier(oilandwatercolorpaintsandbrushes;pastels;inks)Tollit&HarveyLtd
LyonWay,Greenford,
MiddlesexUB6OBN
Sennelier
RueduMoulinàCaillouxOrlySenia408,94567RungisCedex,France
www.sennelier.fr
Talens(oil,acrylicandgouachepaints,brushes,accessories)RoyalTalensBV
HeadOffice,POBox4,7300AAApeldoorn,TheNetherlands
Tel:(55)5274700
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Email:[email protected]
www.talens.com
TwoRivers(watercolorsupports)
TwoRiversPaperCo
PittMill,Roadwater,Watchet,SomersetTA23OQS
Tel:01984641028
Unison(softpastels)
Unison
Thorneyburn,Tarset,Hexham,
NorthumberlandNE48INA
Tel:01434240457
Winsor&Newton(oil,acrylic,gouacheandwatercolorpaints,brushes,materialsandequipment)
Winsor&Newton
WhitefriarsAvenueWealdstone,HarrowHA35RH
Tel:02084274343
www.winsornewton.com
Email:[email protected]
Winsor&NewtonUS
ColArtAmericasInc,POBox1396,Piscataway,NJ08855-1396
Tel:7325620770
TheYorkshireCharcoalCompany(beechcharcoal)
YorkshireCharcoalCo
BromptonMoorHouse,Sawdon,
ScarboroughN.YorksYO139EB
Tel:01723864957
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INDEX
Aacrylics15,19,21,22,26,27,28,66,70,110–121,128,130,134
brushes120
Chromacolor116–117
collage208
fluorescentcolors115
glazing206
impasto208
iridescentcolors115
knives120
liquids113
mediums118–119
mixedmedia208
moistpalette121,283
paints110–115,130,164
palettes121,283
primer20,21,25
sketchingpaper21
spattering205
staining206
supports113
techniques202–209
texturaleffects208–209
varnishing351
washes204
alcohol103
alignment151
alkydmediums76,172
alkydpaints66,70,131,164
alkydprimer20,24
allaprima168–169
animals332–335,379
artists
Adams,Alastair338–341,378
Ambrus,Victor53,140
Andrew,Nick204
Anstice,Penny187
Apps,Paul207
Atherton,Barry118
Atkinson,Anthony367,370
Atler,Gigol60,149,206,380
Balkwill,Ray286–289,358
Batchelor,Valerie230
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Bell,Richard58,59,139,155
Blockley,John186,198,367
Brabazon,HerculesB.191
Buonarotti,Michelangelo164
Camp,Jane201
Carruthers,Rosemary105
Cawkwell,Sarah47,139
Chamberlain,Trevor29,191,195,218,231
Clarke,Terence111,113
Coates,Tom19,138,140,141,164,223
Cobley,David378,381
Confavreux,Jill208
Cottingham,Grenville225
Cotton,Alan129
Cripps,Edwin117
Crittenden,James35,49
Cuming,Fred25,177
Curtis,David365
Day,David144,145,146,148,155,246–249,280
Day,Jacqueline144
Dealtry,William191
Denahy,John175
Donaldson,Sarah39,43,138
Dunn,Jennie250–253,361
Easton,Timothy125,258–261,358,363,364,366,370,376,379
Ehrlich,John381
Finmark,Sharon323,377
Freer,Roy73,229
Fry,Anthony217
Gaa,Christa228
Gallwey,Kay39
Gault,Annabel168,178,230,368–369
Girvan,Geraldine107
Graham,Peter215,365
Green,Anthony233
Green,Gerald363,365
Griffin,David290–295
Hales,Gordon59
Hammond,Roy186
Harris,Leslie57
Haughton,Desmond227
Hemingway,Andrew35
Hockney,David42
Hosie,Nicola158,159
Houston,Ian173
Howard,Ken23,90,125,162–163,169,218,324–329,347,382
Hyam,Michael38,231
Hyams,Nick307–311
Hydes,Alan165
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Jackson,Albert148,156,157
Jackson,David130,296–297
Jackson,Pauline41
Jennings,Ella240–241
Jennings,Simon50,51,152,153,155,156,280,282–285,351,353,381
Jesty,Ronald187,360,371,377
Katchen,Carole35
Kauffer,EdwardMcKnight106
Keir,Sally201
Kelly,Peter360,363,370
Knight,Sophie175,186,226
Lancaster,Brian364,371
Lawrence,Tory175
Lidzey,John91,197,274–279,359,377,383
Macmiadhachain,Pádraig15
Maderson,Arthur169,173,178,216,221,375
Manifold,Debra209,262–265,362,366,376
Martin,David361,367,379
Martin,John107,229,345
Martin,Judy35
Maryles,Simie224
McIntyre,Donald209,371
McKibbin,Alex90
McKivragan,Terry216
Miró,Joan82
Mitchell,John361,366
Monks,John171
Musker,Alison232
Muybridge,Eadweard143
Mynett,David131
Mynott,Derek179
Naumann,Anuk359,362,364,371
New,Keith205
Nicholson,William76
Ohsten,Kay125,298–301
Paine,Ken314–317,378
Partington,Peter332–335,379
Perry,Chris358,370,377
Popkin,ElsieDinsmore229
Procktor,Patrick189,195
Quested,Penny105,352
Raynes,John53
RembrandtvanRijn227
Rizvi,Jacqueline27,90
Roberts,Keith75
Rooney,DennisMathew21
Roper,Keith225
Rosoman,Leonard202–203
Rowlett,George167,173,353
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Russell,Naomi38,39
Schwarz,Hans198
Scott,Hil58
Sheaks,Barclay207
Simmonds,Jackie49,270–273
Smith,Richard179
Stiff,Michael45
Strand,Sally232,372–373
Suff,David45
Sullivan,EdmundJ.58
Thompson,André157
Tilling,Robert183,195,303
Tindle,David109
Toulouse-Lautrec,Henride19
Trevena,Shirley193,197,254–257,364
Turner,J.M.W.166,180–181
Turner,Jacquie115,119
Vermeer,Jan219
Wales,Sue116
Wiffen,Valerie41,125,147,312–313,318–321,359
Willey,Colin266–269,360,366
Williams,Annie361,363
Willis,Lucy232
Wood,Anna45,155
Worth,Leslie223
Yale,Brian207,352
Yardley,John304–305
Young,Rosemary47,141
asymmetry229
atmosphericperspective280,292
Bbackruns196
bamboopens54
beeswaxmedium77
binders
oils74
birds332,333,379
blending178–179
blooms196
boards18–20,113
canvas20,113
cardboard19
chipboard18
cradling18
drawing61
hardboard18,19,70
marouflaging20
masonite70
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medium-density
fiberboard(MDF)18,61
mount19
plywood18
priming20,25
sizing23
storing344
watercolor19,32
bristlebrushes78
Bristolpaper38
brushes
acrylics120
brights78,81
bristle78
Chinese59,319
cleaning83,98,120,193
combination97
decorator’s78,81
drawing59
drying98
eggtempera109
extended82
fanblenders81
filberts79,81
fitch78
flats78,80,99
goathair97
gouache107
hogbristle78
household78,81
impasto172
maintaining83
mop98
oils78–83
oriental99
oxhair97
reshaping83
riggers81,98
rounds79,80,98
sable59,78,80,96,99,109
shapes80–83,98–99
sizes80,99
soft59,80
spotter98
squirrelhair97
storing83,98
synthetic79,97,109,120
wash98
watercolor96–99,107
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wipes83
buildings364–365
Ccameraobscura336
canvas14–17,70,113
boards20
burlap15
cotton14
linen14
priming24
ready-primed15
sizing22,23
storing344
stretching16–17,259
syntheticfibers15
textures15
weights14
cardboard19
cartridgepaper38
charcoal46–47,125
compressed46
fixing47
paper34
pencils46
sticks46
storing344
chiaroscuro227
Chinesebrushes59,319
Chineseink56
Chinesewhite93,130
Chromacolor26,116–117
cold-pressedpaper29
collage208,240–241
color211–227
brokencolor222
charts87
clean67,189,220,222
complementary215,221,226
contrast226–227
cool216,222,227
earth27
expression224,373
ground27
harmony225
hue215,225
intensity215
interpreting240–241
migration104
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mixing43,67,93,113,220–223
modifying221
opaque92,93
pigments212–213
primary214
relationships215
saturated227
secondary214
semi-transparent93
splitcomplementaries226
superimposed189
tertiary214
tone215
transparent90,91,92
warm216,222,227
wheel214,216
coloredpencils42–43
water-soluble44–45,131,152
comparativetones219
complementarycolors215,221
composition228–229
contécrayons52–53
coolcolors216,222,227
copying126
counterchange219,230
cradling18
craftknives61
crosshatching41,43,50,57
crow-quillpens54
Ddammarvarnish77,350
depth216
digitalcameras336
diluents66,70
oilpastels50
oils75
dippens54
dippers86
drawing137–159
accessories61
aids150–151
boards61,135
brushes59,125
charcoal125
figures140–149
inks56–59
media36–61
papers38–39
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pen-and-ink19,39,54–55
pencils40–45,125
pens54–55,58
preserving61,348,349
protectingdrawings349
drybrush178,196,238
Eearthcolors27,65,164
easels132,134,135,346–347
egg-oilemulsion26
eggtempera19,26,108–109,164
emulsionpaint25
erasers41,61
Ffat-over-lean164,166–167,267
feet330–331
fiber-tippens60
figures304–331,374–378
composingaportrait307
drawing140–149
handsandfeet330–331
paintingaface306–313
paintinginthestudio324–329
filleradaptors55
fitchbrushes78
fixative47,48,61,349
flakewhite66,164
flatwashes184
flocculation194
focalpoint230–232
foreshortening150,303
form236
formats233
fountainpens55
frames294,352–355
Ggardens270–273
gelmedium118,239
gelatinesize102
gesso26
board109
making26
panels19,24
glazemedium77,239
glazing77,170–171,206,222
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glycerine103
goathairbrushes97
gouache19,28,38,104–107,116,130,319
brushes107
supports107
techniques200–201
gradedwashes185
granulation194,195
graphitepencils40
graphitesticks40
gridding-up337
grounds
color27
oil-based164
opaque27
toned27,283
transparent27
gumarabic102
Hhands330–331
hardboard18,19,70
hatching41,43,50,57
healthandsafety386
highlights190,237
diffused192
horizonline302
hot-pressedpaper29
hue215,225
Iimpasto172–173,175,201,208
Indianpaper38
inks28,39,56–59,116,156
Chinese56
Japanese56
non-waterproofcolored56
oriental56
soluble56
waterproofcolored56
interiors262–265,362–363
JJapaneseink56
Japanesepaper38
K
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knifepainting174–175
knives
craft61
painting86,120,174,175
palette67,86,120,174
penknives61
Llandscapes27,274–281,366–369
changing290–295
distant299
onlocation282–285
urban364–365
layfigures150
leadpencils40
liftingout103,190
light216,225,260,264,382–383
boxes336
effectontone219
paintingagainstthelight266–269
reflected237
andshade237
lineandwash58
linearmarks41
linework57
linseedoil24,74,76,77,108,118,167
liquidacrylics113,130
Mmahlstick86,259
mappingpens54
markerpens60
marouflagingboard20
maskingfluid102,192,193,276
maskingout192
masonite18
medium-densityfiberboard(MDF)18,61
mediums
beeswax77
flowimprover119
gel118,239
gelthickener116
glaze77,239
glazing77,170
gloss118
matt118
oils76–77
retardingmedium119
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texturepaste119
turpentine77
metalpens54
mixingcolors43,67,93,113,220–223
mixingmedia158–159,208
mixingoils67
models306,324
mountboard19,352
mounts352–355
mulling68
Nnibs54,55
non-waterproofcoloredinks56
Ooils19,27,51,129,130
accessories86
alkyd66
allaprima168–169
artists’colors64,129
binders74,166
blending178–179
brushes78–83
combiningpaints64
constituents64
darkening65
diluents50
drybrush178
dryingspeeds65,166,168
fat-over-lean164,166–167
glazing170–171,222
impasto172–173,175
knifepainting174–175
linseed24,74,76,77,108,118,167
making68–69
mediums76–77,118
mixingcolors67
opticalmixing170
paints64–69,130,164,167
palettes84–85
paper21
pastels50–51,349
pigmentstrength65
poppy66,74,167
primer24
reusing67
safflower66,74
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scumbling176–177
sinkingpaint166,167
sizing22–23
sticks70–71,131,351
students’colors64,129
supports14–20
techniques162–179
tintingstrength65
tonking172
tubes65,70,387
underpainting74,109,164–165
varnishing350,351
water-friendly66
opaquecolors92,93
opaquegrounds27
opticalcolormixing43,170,221
orientalbrushes99
orientalinks56
outdoor-working128,131,134–135,282–285
equipment102,346
sketching152,156,274,287
oxgall102
oxhairbrushes97
Ppainting
knives86,120,172
media62–121
paints
acrylics110–115,130,164
alkyds66,131,164
eggtempera108,164
experimentingwith238–239
gouache104–106,130,319
making68–69
oils64–69,130,164
quality129
readingatube387
watercolor87–95,130
water-friendlyoil66,131
paletteknives67,86,120
palettes
oils84–85
stay-wet134,283
watercolor100–101
panels18–20
canvas20,109
cutting18
gesso19
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preparing18
sizing23
wood18
paper
acidcontent31
acrylicsketching21
Bristol38
cartridge38
charcoal34,47
cockling183
cold-pressed29,192
color39
cottonrag31
hot-pressed29
Indian38
Ingres34
Japanese38
making38
Mi-teintes34
oil-painting21
oil-sketching21
pastel19
rough29
sand-grain34
sizes28
sizing31,32
storing344
stretching19,33
stumps61
texture39
tinted32,34
toned107
toothed43
tracing336
transfer336
watercolor21,28–33,34,182,183,188,189
weight31,39
woodpulp31
pastels48–49,131,270–273
blending49,51
board19
hard48
oil50–51
paper19,28,270
pencils48
scumbling49
soft48,270
supports34–35
penandink19,39,54–55,156
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pencils28,40–45,156
charcoal46
colored42–43
graphite40
lead40
pastel48
sharpening61
storing344
water-solublecolored44–45,131
penknives61
pens
bamboo54
crow-quill54
dip54
drawing58
fiber-tip60,156
fountainpens54
mapping54
marker60
metal54
nibs54,55
quill54
reed54
reservoir54
sketching55
technical55
permanentwhite130
perspective302
atmospheric280,292,303
photocopying337
photographs306
pigments
choosing213
Chromacolor117
granulation194
lightfastness212
mixing93
oil68,73,74
opaque92
staining92
tintingstrength92
transparent92
watercolor92–93
plywood18
pochade134
poppyoil66,74,167
portraits306–323
poses322–323
primarycolors214
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primer
acrylic20,21,25
alkyd20,24
egg-oilemulsion26
emulsionpaint25
gesso26
making26
oil24
priming21,24–25
proportions151,304–305
rule-of-thumb322
protectingartwork348–349
Qquillpens54
Rrabbit-skinglue22,23
reedpens54
reservoirpens54
resources126–127
roughpaper29
ruleofthirds231
Ssablebrushes59,78,96
saffloweroil66,74
salt199
sandpaper61,103
scanners336
scrapingtools103
scratchingout192
scumbling49,176–177,262
secondarycolors214
sgraffito51,61
shading41
shape236
sizing
boards23
oils22–23
panels23
paper21,31
sketchbooks38,135,152,154,156
sketching42,137–159
incolor152,157
easel346
figures140
inink156
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outdoors152,156,274,282,287
pens55
skies224,275
andweather286–289
snow288
softbrushes59,78
solubleinks56
spattering57,205
sponges103,199
squirrelhairbrushes97
staining206
still-lifepainting126,236–261,360–361
stippling57
storage132,344,348
stretcherbars16
stretchingcanvas16–17,259
stretchingpaper19,33
studio128,294,343–355
figurepainting324–329
lighting132,345
organizing132–133,344–345
portable135
storage344,348
supports13–35,107,109,113
syntheticbrushes79,97
Ttechnicalpens55
techniques160–233
acrylics202–209
gouache200–201
oils162–179
watercolor180–199
tertiarycolors214
texturepaste159,239
texturedeffects103,194–199,242–245
threedimensions236–237
titaniumwhite66
tone215,219,236
comparativetones219
gradation41
andmood218
tonalcontrast227
tonalkey218
tonalvalues219
tonedgrounds27,283
tonking172
torchons61
townscapes298–301,364–365
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tracing336
transparentcolor,90–91,92
transparentgrounds27
transportingpaintings348
trees277,280–281
turpentine50,51,67,75,76,77,118,199,350
Uunderpainting74,109,164–165
Vvanishingpoint302
varnishing77,118,350–351
viewfinder302
Wwarmcolors216,222,227
washtechniques182–183
water296–297,370–371
water-friendlyoilpaints66,131
water-solublecoloredpencils44–45,131,152
watercolor19,38,58,116,128,130,134
accessories102–103
artists’quality89
backruns196
blooms196
board19,32
brushes96–99,107
drybrush196
flatwashes184
flocculation194
gradedwashes185
granulation194,195
highlights190,192
liftingout103,190
lineandwash58
maskingout192
paints87–95
palettes94–95,100–101
pansandhalfpans88
paper21,28–33,34,38,182,183,188,189
salt199
scratchingout192
sponges199
students’quality89
techniques180–199
textures194–199
tubes88
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washtechniques182–183
waxresist51,158,199
wet-in-wet93,188
wet-on-dry93,189
whiteareas190
waterproofcoloredinks56
waxresist51,158,199
weatherconditions286–289,290–295
wedges16
wet-in-wet93,188
wet-on-dry93,189
whitespirit50,51,75,76,77,118,351
wildlifepainting332,379
Yyellowing350
Zzincwhite66,68
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SIMONJENNINGShasbeenavisitinglecturerattheRoyalCollegeofArtinLondon.InadditiontohisprofessionalexperienceofdesignandgraphicartinNewYork,Chicago,andLondon,Simonhasconceived,designed,andproducednumerousartanddesignbooks,includingTHEARTIST’SMANUAL,THENEWARTIST’SMANUAL,ARTCLASS,andARTIST’SCOLORMANUAL(allfromChronicleBooks).