Watercolor NOT A Difficult Medium

It seems that I frequently get the same comment when I am a participating artist at an art show..........."watercolor is difficult!"

The art therapist in me understands that most people think this way because watercolors is on the very loose end of the art medium continuum. Pencil is at the other end because it is a medium that can be controlled. The majority of people like to be in control and are uncomfortable if not. Thus, watercolors place them in a challenging situation where they are "out of control" and have to do something about it. Most people do not welcome this feeling or the challenge.

Joe Garcia, a famous watercolor artist, does not believe that watercolors is the most difficult medium to use. In his opinion, "Anyone can learn to paint with watercolors; however, a person must be willing to start with the basics. That starting point is the wash. It is the foundation of watercolor painting. Learning to control the wash will open the door to the versatility and creativity of watercolors. This knowledge will allow you to tightly render or loosely interpret your subject."



Quail
Watercolor
Joe Garcia

Watercolor Wash

Did you know there are four basic washes in watercolors?

This was one of those "learn something new today" facts that came across while reading Mastering the Watercolor Wash by Joe Garcia to my art therapy client.

Joe Gracia claims that once you understand the process of how to do these washes, the world of watercolor painting opens up to you. The four washes are: flat, gradated, wet-into-wet and streaked. Painting each one requires a slightly different approach.

The flat wash looks like the name implies. There is no gradation from top to bottom or side to side. It has one value. This is a great wash for skies or buildings where a flat value is needed.

A gradated wash is one that gets progressively lighter in value. The gradated wash starts with the desired color and value and more water is added as the wash continues. It is a great wash for landscapes where mountains fade into the mist or dark rich skies fade into the horizon.

The wet-into-wet technique is the wash most often used. Colors are placed side by side on a wet surface and allowed to flow together. Soft blending is the result of this wash. Because of the wet surface there is less control. It is a great wash for controlled accidents.

The streaked wash is really a tool to get you to think about washes and texture. The color is placed on a wet surface, then you pick up your drawing board and tilt it in the direction you want the texture to run. This technique is good for showing the wind blowing the clouds or rain.

There are no rules on how washes should be done. It is up to the artist to make them work. Joe believes that practice is the key to success.


Waiting For Playmates
Joe Garcia