WATER COLOUR TECHNIQUES
- Wet in Wet
- Flat wash
- Graduated wash
- Glazing
- Line and Wash
- Dry Brush
- Mixed media –incorporating watercolour pencils, pastels, ink
Gum arabic is manufactured into watercolour paint as a binder, but you can also buy it separately. It is a solution or paste that can be added to mixing water or directly into the paint to make it glossier and more transparent. It will also heighten the intensity of the colours and make the paint more soluble, which aids the correction of mistakes. Gum arabic should be used in proper proportions, usually just a few drops at a time, or else the gloss effect may be too strong and the dried paint may crack.
Ox gall comes from the gallbladders of cattle and acts as a paint flow improver when added to mixing water. It does this by lessening the surface tension of the water, which makes it more fluid, and enhances the flow of washes, especially when working on smooth, heavily sized paper which can repel washes and cause puddling. Increased flow also helps when it comes to mixing paint and using blending techniques.
It can also be diluted and applied to paper before painting to make it more receptive to watercolour paint. Overuse can result in a dull finish, so it should be used sparingly.
Ox-gall is a detergent and allows your paint to flow easier.
Ox gall comes from the gallbladders of cattle and acts as a paint flow improver when added to mixing water. It does this by lessening the surface tension of the water, which makes it more fluid, and enhances the flow of washes, especially when working on smooth, heavily sized paper which can repel washes and cause puddling. Increased flow also helps when it comes to mixing paint and using blending techniques.
It can also be diluted and applied to paper before painting to make it more receptive to watercolour paint. Overuse can result in a dull finish, so it should be used sparingly.
Ox-gall is a detergent and allows your paint to flow easier.
Masking Fluid
is a latex solution that can be applied to dry watercolour paper before you paint on it. The purpose of it is to preserve specific areas of white paper, as white paint is not traditionally used in watercolour painting . The masking fluid will form a thin film of latex that adheres to the paper. Once the painting is dry, the latex film can be carefully peeled off, leaving the white surface of the paper untouched.
is a latex solution that can be applied to dry watercolour paper before you paint on it. The purpose of it is to preserve specific areas of white paper, as white paint is not traditionally used in watercolour painting . The masking fluid will form a thin film of latex that adheres to the paper. Once the painting is dry, the latex film can be carefully peeled off, leaving the white surface of the paper untouched.