Helen Wigley
Artist
Warm evening
I have developed below a simple step-by-step demonstration based on my painting shown in the watercolour section of this web page. These are free and you may print them off if you wish.
I suggest you read all the instructions before attempting the watercolour painting to familiarise yourself with each instruction, because watercolour painting is all about timing (If you see a clock face image; timing is essential here)
Click on the image for enlarged picture.
Good luck with your painting and I hope these inspire you ?
Suggested colours and materials
Suggested colours, as follows:
To produce this watercolour painting I have used the following colours: - Cadmium yellow, Ultramarine, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium orange, Burnt umber and Cerulean blue.
To enable the artist to retain the white of the paper, we use the method of masking out. I used a ruling pen and masking fluid (See Image) to mask out some highlights on the waterfall (See image). A Brush can be used to apply the masking fluid but wash out straight away because it ruins the brush if left to dry.
Sketch the painting
Step 1
Step 1
Start by sketching your image of the waterfall. Using the masking fluid; mask out the highlights. On the water (See image).leave to dry
Suggested brushes
Suggested brushes:
To produce this watercolour painting I used the following watercolour brushes: Large flat brush, medium flat brush, large round brush, small detail brush and a pallet knife
Wet the paper
Step 2
Step 2
Using the large flat brush wet the paper down to the top of the waterfall. (See image)
Painting the trees
Step 3
Step 3
While the paper is damp apply the Cadmium yellow, leaving the middle area of the paper white. (See image)Then add strokes of ultramarine outwards towards the edge of the painting. This will turn green with the under colour of yellow.
Painting the trees
Step 4
Step 4
While the green mix on your paper is damp pull out with a dry round brush distance trees (see image)
Painting the trees
Step 5
Step 5
Next we are going to paint the leaves with combinations then using the Cadmium orange and Alizarin crimson, flick the paint to produce leaf shapes, these will soften and look like foliage. (See image) Leave too dry..
Painting the trees
Step 6
Step 6
Next mix a colour of ultramarine and burnt umber to create the tree trunk colour. Add the trunks using the round brush, also the branches using the rigger /detail brush (see image)
Painting the foliage
Step 7
Step 7
Once the trees have dried, use the Cadmium orange and Alizarin crimson again to add more foliage. This will create depth.
Painting the rocks
Step 9
Step 9
Next we are going to under paint the rocks, using Cadmium yellow, orange and ultramarine. (See image) this was applied using a large brush.
Painting the foliage
Step 11
Step 11
Now we are going to add the foliage to bottom of the painting, wet the area first then drop in all the colours we have used so far, orange, yellow ,green and blue. Let them mix on the paper; you may want to blow onto the paint to crate interesting shapes. A water bottle spirits will also help soft some edges. This technique can also be added to the foliage on the rocks. (See image)
Painting the bushes
Step 8
Step 8
To ground the trees to the top of the waterfall we are going to add some bushes using the round brush and a mixer of Cadmium yellow and ultramarine. (See image)
Painting the rocks
Step 10
Step 10
Once the under painting is dry, mix up a mixer of Burnt umber and Ultramarine in a thick strength, more paint than water. Place the mixer over the rocks and then using the pallet knife scape into the mixer to produce rock shapes (see image) this takes practice! You may want to practice first
Painting the water
Step 12
Step 12
Once all the painting is dry we are going to add the water to the water fall. Using the ultramarine, cerulean blue and also a shadow colour of a mixer of ultramarine and Alizarin crimson paint downward brush marks; soften off with a damp clean brush. (See Image) .
Painting the finishing touches
Step 13
Step 13
When the paint is dry; rub off the masking fluid. Stand back and observe if the white areas need to be knocked back a bit, and are not jumping of the page. If this is the case soften off the white areas which some light washes. (See image)
Hope you have enjoyed