Watercolor Painting. 5 ESSENTIAL tips to paint with impact.

Here is a further explanation that should help you understand how to view this course.

I have included a document with further information in the resources.

You don't always have to paint exactly what you see. That's why we have something called 'artist's licence'

Planning your the composition of your painting is one of the first things you need to consider. I often suggest to my students that they 'start with the end in mind'. In other words, imagine how you want it to look when it's mounted and framed and on the wall. Then work backwards.

You don't always have to position the subject matter bang in the middle of the painting, sometimes your picture will be more 'eye catching' and have more impact if you place the subject off centre, or look at it from an unusual angle.

Your chosen composition might also result from what you consider to be the most important or interesting part of the subject. You might want to zoom in on a certain area, or crop the the photo you are working from.

So it's worth spending a lot of time considering the part of the painting before you even pick up a paint brush.

I often do lots of small sketches (thumb nail sketches ), both landscape and portrait, before I decide what I think will be the most satisfying. By this I mean what will please the person looking at the picture and, that brings out the aspects which motivated me to paint it in the first place.

This video will take you through my thinking and planning processes and I'm sure if you use some of the ideas you will be pleased with the results. No longer will your compositions look predictable.

So what do I mean by harmony when it comes to colours ?

I mean 'cohesion' getting a mixture of colours that play together nicely in your painting pleasing the eye.

The noun : the act or state of cohering, uniting, or sticking together.

But I also like the definition pertaining to a botanical reference is the one I also like 'the congenital union of one part with another'.

So with the above in mind the next video will demonstrate how to use your colours so that the end result is pleasing, has impact but also flows and is comfortable to look at.

I will show you examples of a good outcome and a not so good outcome, but remember, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and we all see things differently.

I hope it helps to shed light on this area which some can find quite bewildering.

Yes my child, you can make changes, you just need to know what you are dealing with.

This is one of the biggest reasons that a lot of people don't start painting with watercolours. They think that if they make a mistake they can't fix. Well I have news for you can as long as you know what you are dealing with.

It's all a question of understanding how your paints work, such as how strongly they stain. Some are stronger than other.

My video demonstration will show you a way of finding out bout the staining ability of your paints and also how successfully you can lift some paints out or diesguise any mistakes which cannot be rectified.

One of the many definitions of the word is as follows; ' the theory or art of suggesting three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface, in order to recreate the appearance and spatial relationships that objects or a scene in recession present to the eye'

We also use the word when you refer to a point of view, and that is exactly what it is when it comes to art. The perspective you draw or paint depends on your viewing point

Many people find perspective scary, but it needn't be if you follow a few simple rules, and it can really make a difference to any painting, no matter what the subject matter might be.

We live with it everyday, but seldom stop to think about it. There's no need to go into too much detail unless you want to become a technical artist or architect, so fear not, I will keep it simple, enough to help you make the difference which will make the difference to your paintings.

In this video I will demonstrate a few simple rules that will help to bring you paintings to life no matter what the subject matter may be and give you confidence to tray more complex compositions.

The book I mention, which I think is excellent is 'The Artist's Guide to Perspective' by Janet Shearer.

I have put a few photos taken from the book to further explain, the vanishing point, the picture plane ( frame ) and the horizon. I hope that helps

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER when you have established how you are looking at your subject to be consistent throughout.

I have done this second video in order to further explain about being consistent with your perspective. In other words are looking down or up on the subject and check that you apply the same 'view' point through out the painting ?

There are two main things to remember here:

1) Have a consistent light source, when it comes to creating shadows.

AND

2) Don't be afraid of the dark shades when you are painting shadows.

A student will sometimes complain that their painting looks a little flat and unrealistic.

This can often be remedied by creating more contrast between the light and dark areas. It's what is referred to as 'colour values'. In other words how much or little water you mix with your paints. This is particularly important when painting shadows. It is also very important to make sure that they are all painted on the same side.

Here I will demonstrate how to place your shadows and the difference a good strong shadow can make in the overall appearance of a painting.

I will also show you how to create graduated shading.

The following tips may sound simple, but then again, I don't know what you know, do I ?

Happy Painting

A fun wordsearch puzzle if you want an 'arty' distraction.