The first time someone commented on “unforgiving” watercolors, I had to laugh, trying to imagine my medium with this negative label. I soon learned that a lot of people think that way, so I hope to help those painters who hesitate to use the watercolors which I enjoy so much.
STAY FOCUSED
True, watercolors need to be treated with more concentration than oils or acrylics which can be painted over easily, but a few simple procedures help enormously. I find that 300 lb Arches watercolor paper provides the sturdiness that eliminates stretching of the lighter weight paper. After my painting is completed, I simply put it face down on blotter paper, spray the back with water and put another sheet of blotter paper over it, weight it down with boards and allow it to dry for 24 hours. Any warp to the paper is totally eliminated.
WASH IT OFF
The beauty of the heavier paper is that it makes it easy to wash off the paint without disturbing the surface. If the beginning of my painting lacks something that I feel I can’t correct, I just put the paper in the shower and let the water wash off the paint. I allow it to dry and start over.
THE TYPE OF PAINT CAN ALSO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Although I have admired paintings which have been painted with staining and graining colors, my technique works best with transparent and semi-transparent paint. To ensure that I use the most light-fast colors of each brand, I refer to the “Wilcox Guide to the Best Watercolor Paints”, a book that lists all the properties of each color in each brand of paint and rates their light-fastness. This gives me the confidence that I can assure clients that the colors will not fade unless the painting is hung in direct sunlight for years.
Next time – How to make watercolor “bloom” work for you.
