Welcome to this class!

Bev will be demonstrating step-by-step instructions from beginning to final masterpiece of art.

Reference photos were taken by Bev at different times of day, while she was on site for a plein air painting.

In this class, you will be learning and exploring different techniques in watercolour. She has provided other photo references if you wish to try another view, for example painting river rocks in the last lecture.

Supply List:

Paper- 140lb acid free watercolour paper taped on a board 12” x 16”; Good quality paper such as Arches, Canson, Stonehenge, Fabriano, Strathmore

Watercolour brushes - round brushes (size 6, 8, 10, 14), flat brushes (size 2 in, ¼ in), riggor or writer brush

Watercolour paints (In this demonstration Winsor Newton Cotman paints will be used, but other manufacturers can be used)- Hooker’s green, Gamboge hue, Alizarin crimson hue, Ultramarine blue, Cerulean blue hue, Burnt umber, Burnt sienna, Yellow ochre, Cadmium red

Misc items- mechanical and graphite pencil, pen, water pot, kneaded rubber eraser, clean rag or paper towels, masking tape, ruler, masking fluid or frisket, mixing palette for watercolour painting, toothpick, plastic spoon and table salt (optional graphite paper)

Refer to the separate attachment files of the transfer sheets with the outline of this reference to be printed off separately. (Two sizes available) in Lecture 2.

Two Transfer Methods:

a) Tape the computer sheet to a lightbox or a window so that the backside can be traced with a graphite pencil. Once finished, flip the transfer paper to the front side and put two small pieces of tape on the top and tape it to the watercolour paper. Use a pen and go over all the lines again. Remove the transfer paper and now re-draw with a mechanical pencil using some of these lines to guide you. Often, the transfer lines are light, yet can be seen. Take your time to become familiar with the photograph reference. Once finished, use a kneaded eraser, and dab any excess lead off the watercolour paper. (It will cause smudges if left on)

b) Another method of transferring the image is using Graphite paper. Place the Graphite paper under the transfer sheet. Use a pen, press lightly, and trace over the lines. Beware that these marks are difficult to erase on Watercolour paper.

What is masking fluid? Masking fluid creates a protective barrier on your watercolor paper to prevent the paper from being colored by paint. Masking fluid is latex-rubber fluid that is applied to your watercolor paper, will work as a resistant, preserving the white paper or wash underneath. It is often referred to as "frisket". Avoid using a paint brush to apply, because it is very difficult to remove and usually the paint brush is discarded afterwards.

Pour masking fluid in a plastic spoon. Dip your toothpick in the masking fluid or Frisket and apply to preserve any white areas of the paper (because we do have white paint).

Apply the masking fluid to the top edge of the barn and shed’s roof, fence posts or any ledges. Air Dry only. Refer to image under Resources.

In watercolours, we begin with very light paint, then follow with medium values and completing the painting with very dark pigment. This first technique means that you will wet your watercolour paper and paint the following washes onto your painting.

Make 4 light washes: Gamboge hue, Cerulean blue hue, Ultramarine blue, and Alizarin crimson hue.

Wet the entire page with a flat brush. Wait for a few minutes to allow the paper to absorb the moisture. Paint the Ultramarine blue on the top sky leaving spaces for another colour. Paint the Gamboge hue at the horizon and in front of the barn, and sunny areas of the grass. Apply the Alizarin crimson hue in the sky (clouds), and occasional areas on the barn. Apply the Cerulean blue on the barn boards not painted previously. Tilt the painting horizontally and use a paper towel to absorb any peddles at the edge of paper. Before the paper dries, decide if a darker value of Ultramarine blue should be applied, especially on the left side of the sky or under the barn suggesting shadows cast.

Air dry only allowing the colours to blend softly. Expect your paints will dry 20% lighter, than originally applied because the wet paper will dilute your original washes.

Mix the Ultramarine blue to the Alizarin crimson hue to make a shadow colour. Imagine the sun to be on the right side of painting. Paint this shadow mixture on the left side of the barn (behind shrubs), inside the broken panels, and under the eaves. Save this wash for future shadows if needed. Blow or Air Dry

These washes are painted on dry paper. Two techniques using salt and splattering will be demonstrated.

SHRUBS: Look at the reference & be aware that the sun is on the sun is at the right side of the picture. Make three medium washes of Gamboge hue, Hooker’s green and Dark green (mixing Hooker’s green & Burnt umber). Paint one tree or shrub at a time allowing it to dry before attempting to paint next to it. Paint the Gamboge hue on top & right side, Hooker’s green in the middle & Dark green at the bottom. Let the paint mix on the paper. Add table salt to create a special technique. Air dry only allowing the salt to do its magic!

FOREGROUND WEEDS OR WILDFLOWERS: Time to splatter! Very important to cover the barn, sheds, and sky before splattering! With a clean brush, add a few wet areas randomly. Use some of the previous washes of yellows and reds. One loaded with paint and another to tap on, mimicking wildflowers. Now add the varies green washes around some these splatters. Dip a toothpick in Burnt umber and add random stems or twigs. Before the paint dries, sprinkle salt. Air dry

MIDDLE GROUND WEEDS: Paint the previous greens directly in front of the barn, sheds and behind the fences. Before the paint dries, sprinkle salt. Air dry

Other Options:

Cornfield: paint a cornfield by painting Yellow ochre on top, then Hooker’s green at the bottom. Use a sharp tool or a toothpick and make vertical strokes. Air or blow dry.

Create Distant trees: Make a darker version of the green by mixing the Hooker’s green with Ultramarine blue. Use a small round brush.

Remove all masking fluid and Salt. Sometimes the pencil marks disappear so re-draw. You may use a ruler to make straight lines.

BARN roof: Mix Alizarin Crimson hue & Cadmium red & paint the roof with a small round brush or rigger brush. While the paper is still damp, use a sharp tool or toothpick (dipped in with Burnt umber) and imitate shingles. Air or Blow Dry

SHEDS: Paint the far-left shed using the red mixture for the roof. Paint the right shed with the Cerulean blue.

BARN walls: Make a medium value wash of bluish grey by mixing Ultramarine blue and Burnt umber. Use a small flat brush and downward scrap the colours to mimic boards.

Practice First: Try scraping your brush so that your image will appear as old barn board. With a small flat brush, make vertical strokes using these two colours (leaving white spaces). Sometimes add the Ultramarine Blue to your brush on the shady side of barn. Blow or Air Dry.

FENCES: With a riggor brush add a dark value of Burnt sienna on top of horizontal fences and right side of the vertical posts. Before the paint dries, add a dark value of Burnt umber to the shadow side.

SHEDS: Look at your sheds. Ask yourself if you need to paint more details such as shadows and developing any windows.

MAKE AN INTERESTING BLACK! In watercolours, black can be vibrant when mixing Ultramarine blue & Burnt umber. In this painting we will add a small drop of paint directly from the tubes of Ultramarine blue and Burnt umber. Use rigor brush to paint this brownish black to add detail to the barn, fences, and sheds. Add more shadows to the smaller sheds.

Step back and look at your painting 5 feet away. Ask yourself does it need more darks? Does your painting need more darker shadows from the barn, shed or posts? Are you happy with your sky?

What did you learn?

· How to create your own transfer paper and a method how to transfer onto the watercolour paper

· Protecting our whites with masking fluid

· Learn about transparent and opaque watercolours

· How to create unusual backgrounds, just by adding salt or using a simple toothpick.

· How to paint the contrast of light and shadows on a country barn and sheds.

· In the last Lecture, students will learn ‘how’ to paint river rocks in watercolour

We all have ORIGINALS! Try the painting again, and experiment using different colours, textures or value.

Smile, you did a great painting!

Always remember that no two paintings are the same! No matter how many times I use the same reference, each artwork has its own life!

Happy Painting and enjoy the Additional Lecture ‘Painting River Rocks’

Bev

In this last lecture, I will be demonstrating ‘how’ to paint river rocks, only, not the barn. Print the photo reference under Resource. Try using the smaller barn transfer (under Lecture 2).

If you decide to draw rocks and water in this painting, sketch in river rocks at the bottom half of your painting. Maybe add grasses in front of a few rocks? If rocks are nearby each other, paint each rock individually. At the end, they will appear separate.

Apply Burnt sienna either on the top or side edge, followed by the bluish black (Lecture 11) at the bottom or left side (Ultramarine blue and Burnt umber). If you wish to add extra texture, use a toothpick dipped with the bluish black. Add a few grains of salt and air dry.

If you decide to paint the water, turn your painting upside down, at the bottom of the rocks introduce Cerulean blue and Ultramarine blue. Paint around the rocks with a darker value and as you paint above them, begin scraping your brush to a light value. In this approach, it would mimic the rapids and water movement.

The grass was painted initially with a light green and later painted with a darker green using a riggor brush.

Turn your painting right side up and evaluate the water. Add a darker value if necessary.

Step back again and look at your painting 5 feet away. Ask yourself does it need more darks? Remember that any rocks that are wet, will appear darker.