Notes to Accompany WASA Demonstration on 15Th

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Notes to accompany WASA demonstration on 15th. July 2014

BEFORE WE START

Three different methods for putting paint on paper.

1. Drawing down – adding colour to a heavy wash (sneaking up on it)

Mix a heavy wash strength of colour and paint the area to be covered.While it is stillwet (important!) take a brush full of clean water and stroke from the bottom of the paper UP TO MEET thewet colour. The paint willflow into the path of water you have provided. You can evencreate a water ‘shape’ for the paint to follow. (pear, jellyfish, tree trunk).

Try this again and introduce a second colour (instead of plain water) to

Thefirst wash.

2.Wet layer method

Lay a medium wash of colour onto the area to be covered. While it is stillwet lay on another medium wash of a different colour. Do this several timeswith different colours.

3.Layered heavy wash - for a velvet finish

Mix a very heavy wash of a dark colour. Take a medium brush full of paintand gently ‘pat’the colour onto the area to be covered. Make sure you keepa ‘wet edge’ on each side. Ensure too that each brush stroke overlaps theprevious one. This method works better with dark colours rather than light colours.

A FEW POINTS TO CONSIDER

•Consider the scale of background texture compared with subject.

•Use only a few mediums to achieve your effect — too many can become distracting.

•Use backgrounds to achieve a creative end, not as an exercise in technical play.

•Remember it is just a background — it is not the main feature.

•Background should complement the subject, not compete with it.

•Background and image should be unified.

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BASIC METHODS

Paint flooding

Tape the painting paper to your board.
Make strong mixes of several colours.
Wet the paper and keep the board flat. Take a brush full of one colour and drop the paint onto the paper. Immediately take a brush full of another colour and drop into the first colour. Repeat with another colour if desired and allow the image to dray flat.

Masking fluid

Pour a little masking fluid into a small container and add a few drops of water.
Take a toothbrush or bristle brush, wet the bristles and dip into the masking fluid.
Point the brush at the paper–bristles down. With one hand and with the forefinger of the other hand draw the bristles back then release. Masking fluid will spatter onto the paper.
Try this by spattering over a cut out paper shape.
When dry, paint or work over in any medium. When medium dry gently remove masking fluid by rubbing with finger.

Gum Arabic

Paint the surface of paper with a light (high value) colour and let it dry thoroughly.
Mix a second darker (low value) colour and add a small amount of gum arabic into it and paint over the previous painted surface. Let this dry thoroughly.
Dip a toothbrush or bristle brush into water, remove excess and spatter onto the surface. Immediately blot off with a tissue. The water dilutes the top surface of gummed paint which is easily removed with a tissue to reveal the light colour underneath. Remember you cannot paint over this process successfully.

Gladwrap

Make a strong mix of watercolour paint and gouache together and do this with another contrasting colour also.
Take a piece of plastic wrap and crinkle it up in your hands.
Paint the surface of the paper with the two mixes and spread the gladwrap over it.Press down firmly to achieve good contact with the paint.
Place a heavy weight e.g.a telephone book onto the surface and put aside for about half an hour.
When ready, remove weight and gently take off gladwrap. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

Indian ink / methylated spirits

Put some Indian ink into a small container.
Paint the paper with watercolour paint. While wet put a few drops of Indian ink from the container onto the surface and let it spread. (Experiment by tilting the board to achieve different effects.)
Wait a minute and then apply a few drops of methylated spirits onto the wet surface. Let this dry thoroughly before adding any other medium.

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Water flick

Apply watercolour paint to the surface and wait until the sheen has gone from the
paper surface, which denotes it is part dry.
Take a brushfull of water and flick it onto the nearly dry paint, note the result. Try
this again using a variety of ‘flicking devices’.

House brushes

Paint the surface of paper with dark colours of creamy consistency paint.
Allow about half a minute for the paint to setthen take a house painting brush and draw it swiftly across the paint in one stroke. LEAVE IT!
Try this again with a mix of two or three dark colours.

Daniel Smith watercolour ground (gesso-like product)

Having been in Australiafor about 3 years this product is relatively new to us. It is a versatile and interesting material that will challenge your creativity. When applied to a surface (not necessarily paper) and cured, it enables you to apply watercolour, oil or acrylics.

The makers claim it will work on the following surfaces: paper, canvas, plaster, hardboard, glass, plastic and metal. The demonstration surfaces of paper and canvas have been prepared in advance because of the drying time required for curing.

Sponging

Flood the paper with water, drop in light coloured paint and then dark colour.
While wet gently remove some of the colour with a tissue or sponge. Allow it to dry.

Any of these techniques can be combined to produce a unique and creative background.

The only limitations are those you place on yourself.

Further examples are on the following page.

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