Watercolor and watercolor paper

Semi-transparent technique of watercolor painting requires special skill. The subtle overflows of tones and halftones in the mixing of colors here are achieved in a special way, with the help of several special techniques that help to preserve the tenderness and transparency of the color, giving it saturation and brightness. Two or three colors of paint are mixed on a palette and heavily moistened with a brush are transferred to paper. Or, to achieve the desired tone, apply several layers of paint on the previously dried layer. We all know from childhood that if you apply a layer of blue on the yellow paint, you will get a green color, and if you apply red on blue, you will get purple. There is one more way when watercolors, in order to achieve the necessary color effect, lay a number of thin small smears of clean tones that, at a distance, visually merge, form a complex color overflow.

Techniques of watercolor painting

The individual techniques of artists using watercolors in their works are just as different. The technique here can be any: paints are applied to wet or dry paper very wet or, on the contrary, a dry brush. The sky, the sea water surface, the mountains are effectively depicted by the way of pouring several layers of paint one upon another after the drying of each layer. Dense watercolor paints are applied to palette transparent etudes, drawing details, enhancing the color of halftones, etc. Children often use watercolor and gouache in their work, and the most common techniques (perhaps unconsciously) for small artists are techniques for wet or wet paper. Painting "on wet" reveals the fullness of color and subtle shades, when the strokes are applied one next to the other, preventing the paint from drying out and capturing a few adjacent strokes. The paints blend lightly, creating new unexpected color shades. In order to enhance the effect, an additional color is poured into the not yet dried brushstroke with a wet brush, which, blurring, creates a slightly abstract rainbow pattern. There is another method of wet technique, when the sheet is thoroughly moistened with water with a soft cloth or cotton wool, give it a little soak, and then directly on the water paint with a brush in different colors, which, mixing, give unique shades and semitones.

Watercolor paper

One of the most important materials in watercolor technology is paper. From its quality, type, relief, granularity and density depends the final result of the artist's work. Once upon a time, very long ago, watercolors were painted on parchment, ivory plates, and also on a thin linen cloth. Since the 14th century, paper made from linen fiber has been used. In the XVII century for the production of paper began to use cotton raw materials, which was cheaper than flax, and therefore, made the production of paper cheaper. Watercolor paper made from cotton has one positive quality. Unlike paper made from wood fiber, it does not darken in the light, but it does not shake and the colors from it are washed off badly, and lie unevenly.

Still, like several centuries ago, the best watercolor paper is that made from pure linen raw materials without any additional impurities. On this paper, the colors fall flat and do not lose their brightness, in addition, the watercolor drawing made on linen paper, you can easily make changes, as it well scraves and the paint from it easily washed off. Watercolor paper made of linen has the most important properties necessary to make the drawing successful. It is impeccable whiteness, good density, which does not allow water to immediately absorb, does not have additional chemical impurities, when interacting with which the colors can change their color.

The most common grade of watercolor paper is Whatman, which can be of different grain sizes. They also produce a special grain-free cardboard, which is very convenient to draw on, since it keeps the shape well and does not warp from the water.

Preparation of paper for watercolor painting

Typically, any paper has on its surface traces of oil and grease, preventing the paint from falling evenly, as well as small dark inclusions of metal shavings that get into the paper dough during production. To remove the greasy plaque, use distilled water with the addition of a few drops of ammonia. And particles of iron are removed only mechanically. If the linen paper has turned yellow from long storage, bleach it can be a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide.

To ensure that the watercolor paper does not lose its properties, it must be stored in a dark, dry and dust-free place. Dust strongly spoils the top layer of paper, as it penetrates deep into the pores, giving it a dirty gray shade.