'Must Try' Watercolour Techniques

We begin by painting a dark value of Winsor blue around tree and circle. Indent the branches coming out of the circle, with sharp tool such as a toothpick or end of brush while the paint is still wet. Once dry remove packing tape and apply masking fluid on tree. This technique can be applied on both wet and dry paper. This is ideal for imitating rough surfaces such as the bark of a tree or uneven ground, just by using a toothpick.

After the wash of paint is applied to the paper, drop on top grains of rice, and allow time to dry before removing. This can be used to create small stones along a rocky beach. It also shows a variety effects on the watercolour paper, dependent on the amount of moisture, wash of the paints and the humidity in the room.

Bubble wrap can add some interesting elements to your watercolour painting. Paint the surface, and while the paint is still wet, press bubble wrap into the paint, and allow to dry. It does help to weigh the bubble wrap down with a book while drying. Just imagine all the pattern possibilities that different- size bubble wrap has to offer.

Fabric used in gauze, provides a simple method of creating different textures. First apply thick paint, to the surface, press gently, but firmly, the gauze on top and paint on top of gauze covering in spaces between. Try to avoid moving the fabric. Air dry overnight before removing.

While the paint is wet, scrunch up some plastic wrap and press it onto the paper. Let the paint dry before removing the wrap (usually more than 4 hours, depending on the room temperature and humidity), In this technique, the paint keeps the hard edges formed where the wrap has touch it.

Rubbing alcohol creates some unique effects that can be used in backgrounds and for patterns. The 70% rubbing alcohol acts similarly to water when it is dropped into paint. It pushes the pigment away, but with rubbing alcohol, the reaction happens quicker and has more fixed results. Try using a Q tip dipped in alcohol to apply to your paper.

Another way to make rocks in watercolour is to use a palette knife. Mix a variety of rock-like colours to a thick consistency and dip the palette knife. Using the side of palette knife, scrape away some of the paint, creating rocks and rock shapes.

Press tinfoil into wet paint using the same technique used for plastic wrap. The effect is stronger than that produced by plastic wrap, but you cannot see the effect being made while the paint is drying. Add a weight on top and best to wait over 8 hours before removing the tinfoil.

Table salt is used in watercolour painting to achieve complex textures. Salt can imitate the texture of a porous rock, snow falling or certain types of vegetation. Moisture plays an important part and works best in a dry climate. The effect of salt does not work if you try to blow-dry it, so it is best to let it air dry. The moister the paint, the larger will be the patches produced by each grain. There is only one trap with this technique, and it is time. Sprinkle the salt just as the shine of your wash goes dull; then, you have about thirty seconds to do it. If salt is on too soon, the salt will dissolve. If you put the salt on too late, nothing happens. Don’t be impatient and throw in more salt. Wait patiently for the effect to take place. Try tossing or sprinkle a light amount of salt from high above the painting (at least 12 inches) above so the salt is more likely to scatter and spread unevenly.

Kosher salt is a coarse salt which creates some interesting textures. It is great for rocky beaches and roads as well as buildings. Kosher salt is useful for achieving that plaster and mortar look on old, weathered buildings.

Add just a few sprinkles for a hint of texture or add much more to get that rough look of stucco. Sprinkle this salt as you paint. Coarse salt does work best if there is a generous amount of pigment. It does take longer to dry, but the effects are worth the wait.

Epsom Salt creates interesting crystals when dry. In a glass, add 2 tsp of Epsom Salts (found at a grocery or drug store) plus 2 tsp of water and a pinch of table salt. Add a strong value of watercolour pigment to the dish. Swirl the mixture gently for 2 minutes. Nearly all your Epsom Salts should be dissolved (if a few grains are left, that’s OK). If you still see lots of Epsom Salts, swirl/swish for another 2 minutes. If you want to have some larger crystals, you need to add more paint. Then use this coloured mixture to paint your moon as usual around the tree. The thinner layers of paint will crystallize in around 2 hours and larger crystals take up to 24 hours to completely form. They make a shiny shimmery finish.

Results of spattering depend on several factors: the consistency of the paint, the distance of brush from paper at the time of splashing the paint, the tilt of the paper, the steadiness of the artist’s hand, and the presence or absence of moisture in the paper. This technique can be especially useful for creating floral effects and suggesting the texture of a tree, a pebbled ground, a porous rock, or a surface corroded by rust. In spattering paint, bear in mind that you cannot fully control the size of the drops that fall on the paper; this factor will largely depend on the thickness of the brush. You will need to prepare a stencil to mask any areas you want to protect from the paint flying. The effects on dry paper are usually distinct sprays of paints but on wet paper the paint dries lighter and diffused.

This process is remarkably like using plastic wrap and tin foil technique but using parchment paper on top of a wet wash. After apply weight on top and let sit overnight.

This process is again similar to using the previous techniques but applying a paper towel that have an imprint or design, will duplicate  onto the watercolour paper.  Place on top of a wet wash on the paper. Apply a weight on top and let sit overnight.

A sponge is a multi-use tool. It can be used for applying washes, painting designs, suggesting textures, creating effects, dampening the paper, absorbing water, correcting, and removing paint. Each type of sponge produces a different effect. Natural sponges have an irregular texture, so look for the side or edge that best suits your purpose. Synthetic sponges leave a more consistent mark. If you want the sponge to mark the paper with a several colours, you need to wait for the first colour to dry or the paints will blend. You can dilute the paints or sponge and rub it on the undiluted paint from a pan or palette, for a stronger value

Explore how different items in your pantry may be introduced into your watercolour painting, as a new technique. Couscous, which is 100% Durum Wheat Semolina, acts very similar to rice, but small oval shapes. Sprinkle couscous on your wet wash of paint. Come back 12 to 24 hours later and remove the Couscous to see your effect!

Lifting the wet pigment by tissue rolling; Watercolour is a very fluid medium and takes a little while to dry. While the paint is still moist it is possible to lift the paint and thus lighten an area. The success of this process depends on several factors: how dry the paint is; the staining power of the paint; and the type of paper. Different paints have different staining powers. The paints with high staining power are extremely difficult to lift once they are laid down. Winsor blue and alizarin crimson fall into this category and under most circumstances, they will leave a stain on the paper. The paper’s capacity to release colour depends on the texture and the size used.

Wet colour can be lifted from paper, usually with tissue, a brush or a soft cloth. This can be useful to correct mistakes or when you have flooded the paper and simply to remove the excess paint. But it can also be used for more positive reasons, to create a light area for a particular purpose – clouds in a blue sky, ripples on water, highlights on a vase, for examples. In this instance we are rolling a squished tissue on wet paint to create rock formations.

Plastic Knife: While the paint is still wet, use a plastic knife with teeth indentations and pull across the wet paint to create distinct lines. A comb is another everyday object that enables an artist to create these same effects. The teeth of the knife or comb leave regular marks in the paint that can imitate the texture of hair, grass or fabric. Scraping can also be done on dry paint with a sharp blade to remove the top paper surface to create fine details allowing the white texture to an area.

A hard plastic strip or old credit card can also be used to scrape wet paint as single lines. Paint the rough shapes of a loose stone wall, letting two colours blend. While the paint is wet, scrape out the shapes of the stones using a plastic strip or an old credit card, to remove the wet paint.

By scraping the watercolour paper gently with sandpaper, you can remove the colour when dry or lighten the tone to paint over it. This technique lets you create effects such as the reflections of light on water. The texture of the paper is important here because with very coarse grain paper, the paint will remain in the troughs and you will only be able to remove it from the ridges. The result also depends on the type of sandpaper you are using. Fine sandpaper will produce an even effect, whereas coarser sandpaper will remove more paint and leave more paper visible. Remember to control the amount of pressure you apply on the sandpaper; if you rub too hard, you could damage the paper and, therefore, the painting. Here is a hint for sanding a straight line. Using a ruler as a horizontal guide, press down hard on a small piece of folded sandpaper positioned against the ruler. Drag it quickly along the ruler to create your sparkles. It may take several swipes to remove enough paper. Use a soft eraser to clean the area.

This technique using Magic Eraser, removes any unwanted dry watercolours on your painting. Be aware it does disturb the top surface of the paper. Create straight white lines, by running the small square of magic eraser along a plastic edge or a ruler. This would be especially useful to use, for water horizontal streaks.

After Epsom salt is dry on the moon, remove masking fluid from tree and background stars. Paint the base, tree, and branches with a dark value of Payne’s gray.

Filling the white crayon circles with a darker value of paint used.

Add more white or black pastels where needed.

Using a palette knife extend the roots below, trying to follow the layers. Use the Payne’s gray and add depth to the layers.

The range of techniques available to the watercolour painter is limited only by the imagination of the individual artist. You will no doubt devise methods of your own for controlling and manipulating the way you apply the paint. But there are uncommon techniques associated with the medium that range from the way washes are applied, to sponging, scratching out, wet in wet manipulations and various methods of masking out!

You must try these techniques to create your own interesting effects!

Final Advice

Accept your mistakes, mistakes happen. They are all part of the learning process. Accept them. Embrace them. One thing is for certain. You will remember what you did wrong much sooner than what you did right.

Now that you have been armed with the knowledge of how to create with these watercolour techniques, grab that brush and paper, and……. Go forth and paint!