Lesson 7:

Watercolor Techniques with NatureArt Through the Yearwith Sharon Jeffus

Rainbow Resource Center, 2014 1

“ ”“Watercolor is like life. Better get it right the first time—you don’t

get a second chance!”

— Sergei Bongart

In this lesson, we are going to look at beautiful and exciting landscapes and illustrations created by master artists with watercolors. We’ll learn some watercolor techniques while obtaining an appreciation of this medium’s fluid and transparent properties. In the first project, we’ll practice watercolor techniques by creating landscapes, butterfly wings, and flowers. Then we’ll move to the second project where we’ll explore illustration and mixed media along with watercolors to create a charming scene of boats with butterfly wing sails.

Masterpieces Referenced:

Artist in the Simplon, by John Singer Sargent, c1909http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Artist_in_the_Simplon_John_Singer_Sargent.jpeg

Bedouins, by John Singer Sargent, c1905–1906http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bedouins_John_Singer_Sargent.jpeg

Escutcheon of Charles V, by John Singer Sargent, 1912 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Escutcheon_of_Charlest_V_John_Singer_Sargent_1912.jpeg

Rowing Home, by Winslow Homer, 1890 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Winslow_Homer_Rowing_Home.jpg

Rainbow Resource Center, 2014 2

Masterpieces Referenced:

Rocky Shore, Bermuda, by Winslow Homer, 1900 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Winslow_Homer_-_Rocky_Shore,_Bermuda_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

After the Hurricane, Bahamas, by Winslow Homer, 1899 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Winslow_Homer_005.jpg

“”

“I have no interest in the dark and gloomy. To me, the delight of watercolor

is in capturing the light within the white paper by surrounding it with

successive washes of transparent color.”

— Jean Grastorf

A Child’s Garden of Versesby Jessie Willcox Smith, 1905http://digital.nls.uk/rlstevenson/pics/

picture-a5.html

Christmas Card, by Louis Prang, 19th centuryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_card2_ byLouisPrang.png

“When she stood upright her ugliness had all gone.” From “The Lilac Fairy Book”, illustrated by H. J. Ford, c1910http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Her_ ugliness_was_gone_by_h.j._ford.jpg

The Land of Counterpane by Jessie Willcox Smith,

1905http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jessie_Willcox_Smith_-_

The_Land_of_Counterpane.jpg

Rainbow Resource Center, 2014 3

Project 1: Practice TechniquesWe will cover watercolor techniques—backwashes, wet brush techniques, dropping in color, salt and texturing techniques—to learn how to master this medium and the various ways you can apply color and texture to your paper.

Materials List:• Tube watercolors• Watercolor paper (140 lb)• Art or painters tape• Watercolor brushes: - 1.5" flat brush - #12 round - #2, #4, or #6 detail brush

• Watercolor pencils• Paper towels• Table salt• Water in cups• Paper plates for paint palette

ALWAYS start with all sides of the watercolor paper taped down to board or table.

Landscapes...

1. Using the wet brush technique, cover your entire paper with a coat of water. Dab a wet brush into various colors on paint palette and then practice applying subtle washes and gradations of color on your wet paper to create a sky and meadow.

2. If you have too much color in certain areas, go back and blot with a paper towel to lift some pigment or create interesting effects. Once the background is dry, go back with a smaller brush to add details.

Butterfly Wings...

1. With a wet brush and one color of paint, draw your butterfly shape making a nice gradient. Add table salt to create an interesting texture. Go back into your wet butterfly wings and drop in a second color to watch the two colors flow and blend together.

2. With watercolor pencils, go back into the wings and add more details even if they are still wet. Experiment and have fun. Brushing over colored pencil markings with water can create nice effects since the pencils are water soluble.

Flowers...

1. Start with creating a circular yellow center, then add a darker ochre yellow to create shading. Paint flower petals by adding washes of color to make them progressively darker, creating variation of tone. Add a little bit more pigment each time until the desired darkness and gradation is achieved..

2. With a small brush, add more color and details to your flowers.

Practice Variations:

Rainbow Resource Center, 2014 4

Project 2: Butterfly Sailboats in Mixed MediaCreate beautiful butterfly winged sailboats on the water with a rainbow in the sky. In the project we will be using watercolors in combination with other mixed media, such as colored pencils and ink pen, to create a dynamic, colorful scene.

Materials List:• Tube watercolors• Watercolor paper (140 lb)• Art or painters tape• Watercolor brushes: - 1.5” flat brush - #12 round - #2, #4, or #6 detail brush

• Color pencils• Graphic Pen (black ink)• Paper towels• Water in cups• Paper plates for paint palette

1. Paint a subtle background with transparent gradations of blue for a sky and water with a flat brush. (We practiced this technique in Project 1.) Allow your paper to dry. Transfer an initial sketch of the butterfly boats to the dried painting. Fill in some details and outlines of the butterfly boats with a graphic ink pen.

2. Work on creating depth on the boats by applying washes of green paint making it darker on one side and lighter on the other. Using a little brush, add detail and texture to the boats.

3. With bright colors and a detail brush, work on painting the circles of the butterfly sails. Next, work on applying washes of colors to the butterfly wings. Add some detailing and waves to the water under the boats.

4. Once dry, add details and vivid colors to the butterfly wings with col-ored pencils. Add lines and ripples of water to the areas under the boats with colored pencils. Have fun and use your imagination. To enhance the mixed media look further add more detailing to the boats with the graphic ink pen.

5. With the #12 round brush, add light transparent washes of color to the sky, creating a rainbow.

BONUS:Beatrix Potter’s adorable paintings and illustrations for her book The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/ b/beatrix-potter-peter-rabbit/

Butterfly Boat Variations:

Let’s get started...

Project 2

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Project 2

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