Watercolor Painting for Dummies (12 page)
Read Watercolor Painting for Dummies Online
Authors: Colette Pitcher
Tags: #Art, #Techniques, #Watercolor Painting, #General
If you take care of your brushes, they should last your lifetime. I still have my first serious brush I bought in college some 20, ahem, 30 years ago. Usually the only reason I buy a new brush is because I have scrubbed and worn the tip out on an old one so it doesn’t hold tiny detail any more. I try not to scrub with my good brush to prolong its life.
When you use your good pointed brush constantly to soften hard, dry paint, you wear out the tip on the brush. Some watercolorists only use fresh soft paint, but they have more money to spend on paint. Moistening the paint makes it more pliable and less destructive to your brushes (I talk more about this in Chapter 3).
Don’t use other mediums with your good watercolor brushes. Oil and acrylic paint aren’t as gentle on brushes as watercolor pigments and will ruin watercolor brushes immediately. Likewise, keep your fingers off the hairs of your brushes. Your hands are full of oil, and your face is even worse. I actually see uninformed customers fondle new brushes and touch them to their face like a makeup brush. It takes all the finesse, patience, and diplomacy I have to not scream. Good brushes are expensive and should be respected, not fondled.
New brushes are protected for shipping by being dipped in
gum arabic,
the binder in watercolor pigments, and/or covered with a tight, clear tube. When you get a new brush, discard the plastic tube. Don’t be tempted to replace it on the brush for protection. It’s too small, and you’ll end up bending back hairs and damaging the brush.
If the brush is stiff with gum arabic, dip the hairs in water and gently roll the brush on a table surface (not your good cherry dining furniture, but something you can wipe up liquid from like a kitchen countertop) until all of the gum arabic stiffener is removed. You may have to dip and roll several times until all the hardener is soft.
Watercolor is pretty gentle, so you don’t need to wash brushes using soap very often, if at all. Rinsing with water is usually sufficient. Simply swirl the brush in water to rinse it, and then lay it flat to dry. Do this in between using colors. At the end of your painting session, do this really well. You want the brush to air dry, so don’t cover it with anything.
Never leave a brush standing in water. When brushes are wet, they are at their most vulnerable to damage. Prolonged exposure to water may damage the handle and loosen the ferrule. And, if you leave a brush in water for a long time, the hairs adapt to the shape of the bottom of the container. Result? Bent brush.
When dry, your brushes should be stored where they will be safe. You can buy storage containers like brush quivers, canisters, and rolled pouches.
Quivers
are like an arrow quiver; they’re usually a box with a carrying strap and a hinged lid.
Canisters
secure the end of the brush so the hair end doesn’t touch anything.
Rolled pouches
can be bamboo mats (or other fabric) that hold brushes in a pocket; they can be rolled up to take less storage room. These are great for travel because they allow the brush to breathe if wet and still protect the hairs from mashing. I store my brushes in the studio in a nifty jar filled with sand. The hairs point up, and the handle end is in the sand.
Gum arabic is handy if you need to retrain your brush back into shape or repair a damaged brush:
1.
Dip the hairs into gum arabic and let it dry to a gummy state.
2.
After making sure your hands are clean, use your fingers to sculpt the hairs back to a point or edge, and leave the brush to dry.
The gum arabic becomes stiff when it’s dry, which usually takes just a few minutes. Leave the brush with the gum arabic in it for a few weeks. Store the brush on its side or upright standing on its handle.
3.
Remove the gum arabic by dipping the brush hairs in water and rolling it out like you do with a new brush (see the “Prepping a new brush” section).
If the reshaping worked, hooray! If it didn’t work and the brush is still out-of-shape, you can try using gum arabic again or go shopping for a replacement.
Do you have a time of the day when you feel more fresh and creative? That’s your best time to paint. Ideally, what you’re looking for is regular, uninterrupted time you can devote to your art.
Even if it’s only for ten minutes, paint every day. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish with ten-minute sets of time. Ten minutes is good for quick exercises and planning. Increase your painting time as you can.
To encourage yourself to paint every day, set up your paints and leave them out. Packing and unpacking supplies sometimes is enough to make you avoid painting. Find a spot that you can devote exclusively to painting. Using the kitchen table isn’t good because you eventually have to pick up your paints so you can eat dinner. But if you have a place where the paints are always ready, it’s easier to take ten minutes to paint.
If you’re having trouble finding painting time, look for a local art association that conducts classes, and sign up for a regular class. Then you’re assured at least that class time every week. An added benefit is that your instructor and classmates can provide inspiration as well as instruction.
You can set your schedule to accommodate your needs. If you’re lucky enough to have lots of time, you’ll be surprised to see how quickly time goes when painting.
If you feel that you don’t have enough time to paint because you care for younger or older individuals, get them involved with painting too. People less versed in verbal skills can often communicate quite effectively visually.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers a program called Memories in the Making, which pairs artists with people afflicted with Alzheimer’s. The paired artists tell stories through art and enjoy time together. People with dementia can sometimes express feelings and emotions through art that otherwise are trapped inside. The artwork is auctioned as a fundraiser with the families’ permission. The program was started in 1986 and has spread internationally. For more information, contact the Alzheimer’s Association through the Web site
www.alz.org
.
Of course, every child loves to paint. Make it a family project. Each child gets a toolbox to fill with painting supplies, including a painting apron to keep clothes safe from stray paint. Kids are less inhibited about art, and adults can gain much from this attitude. Pick a set time when everyone paints together, and put classical music on in the background (Mozart is supposed to stimulate creativity).
In This Chapter
Preparing your paint
Brandishing your brushes
Playing with water
Trying out techniques
Displaying your art
Painting a miniature landscape
Y
ou have all your supplies at the ready; now it’s time to do something with them. If you have a few butterflies in your tummy, relax. You’ll be transferring those butterflies to your paper in no time. This chapter gets you started with some basic watercolor techniques and introduces you to some simple terminology.
You can’t improve your skills without using up some paper. So as not to break your budget, I designed the projects and practices in this book for small pieces of paper you can get by dividing a full sheet of watercolor paper (see Chapter 2 for more on dividing your paper). The paintings you make may be gems, and you may frame a mini-masterpiece. Or they may be learning experiences that only you want to see.
Keep an open mind, have fun, remember to breathe, and grow with each exercise. If you’ve never attempted watercolor, you’re in for a treat. You’ll be building new skills before you know it.
