Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting [New, Enlarged] 0273008439, 9780273008439

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LINCOLN CITY LIBRARIES Complete guide to watercolor pai

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BMPL

7a«2Whi WHITNEY, EDGAR A.

3 3045

ION OF

ONE OF AMER CA S MOST "ww POPULAR vi ui-nii WATERCOLOR lin LrnjULUn BOOKS DV^WI\0 l

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5524

Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting by Edgar A. Whitney „

A.,

A.W.S.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS/BASIC TECHNIQUES/ FRAMING/SELLING PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN/LANDSCAPES/PORTRAITS/FIGURES

$14.95

Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting by Edgar A. Whitney

*n* aws

At last— a new, enlarged edition of one of the most comprehensive and popular watercolor painting books ever published! This definitive course in watercolor painting shows the reader how to master all the basics of watercolor— from traditional methods of working on dry paper to modern wet-in-wet methods. The author clearly demonstrates all the essential elements of technique, as well as treating the fundamental design principles that every artist in every medium must consider.

Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting shows the reader how to paint landscapes, portraits, nudes, and clothed figures. The author offers sound, practical drills which enable the reader to develop and improve his skill in handling watercolor, as well as his drawing ability. The author also provides instructive, practical chapters on matting, framing, and selling paintings. In addition, there is a new instructive demonstration section. Included are seven paintings that are developed step-by-step in full color. Each step is accompanied by a complete caption describing exactly what is taking place in each step. This new, enlarged edition of Edgar A. Whitney's important watercolor book represents a famous painter's broad range of experience, information, and profourd insight. Beautifully illustrated and designed, it is indispensable for everyone who enjoys painting, a superb guide for continual self-instruction through the years.

176 pages. 7 % x 10 /4. Over 100 black and white illustrations. 37 full color plates. Bibliography. Index. 1

WATSON-.

IPTILL

PUBLICATIONS

Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting

NEW, ENLARGED EDITION

Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting by Edgar A. Whitney

A.N. A., A.W.S.

WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS/NEW YORK

PITMAN PUBLISHING/LONDON

RKifPI

Copyright

©

1974 by Watson-Guptill Publications

First published in

in the

1974

United States and Canada by Watson-Guptill Publications,

a division of Billboard Publications, Inc.,

One

Astor Plaza,

New

York, N.Y. 10036

Published simultaneously in Great Britain by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., 39 Parker Street, Kingsway,

ISBN

London

WC2B

5PB

0-273-00843-9

All rights reserved.

No

may be reproduced

or used in

part of this publication

any form or by any means

— graphic,

electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping,

or information storage

and

retrieval systems

—without

written permission of the publishers.

Manufactured

in

U.S.A.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Whitney, Edgar A. Complete guide

to watercolor painting.

First ed. published in

the

1958 under

title:

Watercolor:

hows and whys. Bibliography: 1.

Water

p.

color painting

ND2420.W45 1974 ISBN 0-8230-0851-7 First Printing,

1974

—Technique.

75i.4'22

I.

Title.

74-4330

Contents Introduction 1.

9

Tools for Watercolor

12

THE VIRTUES OF WATERCOLOR, 12 • WATERCOLOr's NATURE, 12 • THE TOOLS, 13 • PAPER AND COLORS, 13 * STRETCHING PAPER, 14 • COLD PRESS PAPER, 14 • SMOOTH PAPER, 14 • PALETTE, 15 • BRUSHES, 15 • COLOR PALETTE, 16 • WATER CARRYING THE TOOLS, 18 CAN, 16 • KNIFE, 16 • OTHER TOOLS, 17 •

2.

The

Drills

19

FLAT WASH ON DRY PAPER, 1Q

ON DRY PAPER, 20 DIFFUSIONS, 21

3.

•

•

FLAT WASH ON

"

CRANULATED WASH, 20

COLOR DRILL,

•

WET

PAPER, 20

•

THE "LIFT", 20

•

GRADED WASH

WET

IN

WET

21

26

Painting the Picture THE CREATIVE CONCEPT, 26 27

•

SUBJECT MATTER, 27

28

•

PATTERNS, 29

•

SIX

THE SMALL ROUGH, 34 DESIGN,

37

•

35

•

EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT, 27 SYMBOLS, 28

SIGNIFICANT DESIGN, 28

SHAPES,

•

PATTERN SCHEMES, 32 • CONTRIVING THE DESIGN, 34 • DESIGNING WITH A LARGE BRUSH, 34 • "SEEING" A VALID

DESIGNING WITH THE PENCIL, 35

CHOOSING THE TECHNIQUE, 38

"

BEING SELECTIVE,

•

•

•

NOTATED SKETCHES,

ORGANIZING YOUR PICTURE, 38

•

QUICKIES,

3 5

EXPRESSION IN

LOWEST POSSIBLE TERMS, 38 • RESTRICTING YOUR VALUES, 39 • SEEING VALUE • BEST VALUE SEQUENCE, 39 • "KEYING", 39 • VISUAL STRENGTH V/ATERCOLOR METHODS, 41 OF WHITE, 40 • MIX COLOR ON THE PAPER, 40 WETTING THE PAPER, 41 KEEPING THE PAPER WET, 42 • RE-WETTING, 42 DIFFERENCES, 39

•

•

DRY BRUSH, 43 • CORRECTIONS, 43 • RECLAIMING LOST WHITES, USING UNSUCCESSFUL PAINTINGS, 44 DEMONSTRATION PAINTINGS, 45

DRYING, 43

44

4.

•

•

Landscape Painting

55

WOOD INTERIOR, 57 SUN ON PAPER?, 55 • TREES, 5 5 MOONLIGHT, 59 • THE OCEAN, 60 " SURF, 60 DUNES, 59 •

6l

•

REFLECTIONS IN WATER, 6l

LICHT, 65 SIONS,

66

• •

GRAY DAYS, 65

SKIES, 62

INTERIORS, 65

•

•

•

EDGES, 68

•

SAND

59

ROCKS, 6l

•

SNOW,

OUTDOOR OTHER LAWS OF THREE DIMEN-

CLOUDS, 63

FOG, 65

• GRADATION, 67 • FOREGROUNDS, 68 DEMONSTRATION PAINTINGS, 69

DESIGN CHARACTER, 67

LATED FIGURES, 68

5.

•

BIRCHES,

RE-

Figure and Portrait Painting DRY METHOD 8l

•

B,

79

WET METHOD

•

B,

77

THE "PUDDLE" METHOD, 79 • DRY METHOD A, 79 • DRY METHOD C, 80 DRY METHOD D, 80 WET METHOD A,

FRESHNESS, ESSENTIAL, 77

•

•

83

THE LAWS OF LICHT, 86

•

•

BACKGROUNDS, 84 • SEEING YOUR MODEL, 84 PAINTING MEANS WORK, 86

USING

6.

Principles of Design UNITY, 89

•

CONFLICT, 90

87 •

DOMINANCE, 91

•

REPETITION, 91

•

ALTERNATION,

• BALANCE, 93 • HARMONY, 94 • GRADATION, 95 • A NECESSARY TOOL, 96 FIFTEEN WORDS: PRINCIPLES AND ELEEIGHT WORDS: DESIGN PRINCIPLES, 96

93 •

MENTS OF

7.

DESIGN, 96

•

PAINTINGS IN COLOR, 97

Elements of Design 114

LINE,

117

*

114

VALUE, 114' COLOR, ll6

MONOCHROMATIC HARMONY,

•

ANALOGOUS HARMONY, ll8 TEXTURE, 119

118

ELEMENTS, 120

8.

•

SPLIT

HUE, 117

VALUE, 117' INTENSITY,

•

COMPLEMENTARY HARMONY, ll8 1 1 8 COMPLEMENTARY, ll8 • TRIADIC HARMONY,

-

SHAPE, 119

BOTH ARTIST AND

•

•

119

SIZE,

DIRECTION, 120

USING THESE

CRITIC, 121

124

Drawing UNDERSTANDING THE FIGURE, 125 • USING DRAWING IS THE FOUNDATION, 124 • PRINCIPLES, 125 • DRAWING EVERYWHERE, 126 " VARY YOUR DRAWINGS, 126 DRAWVARY YOUR TOOLS, 127 • SEEING VOLUME, 128 • VARY THE LINES, 1 29 ING WITH ALL THE SENSES, 129 • CONTOUR DRAWING, 129 • GESTURE DRAWING, •

130 •

THE EXPERIENCE, 132

•

DRAPERY, 134

13 5

•

STUDY THE LIGHTING, 132 • CAST SHADOWS, 134 • SHADE AND SHADOW, 135 • PERSPECTIVE,

SOLID FORMS, 135

COLOR

LOCAL

•

•

VALUE,

135

DRAUGHTSMAN'S MISCELLANY, 136

9.

A

•

FRAMING, 139

FRESHNESS,

135 •

STRUCTURE,

136

DRAW CONTINUOUSLY,

137

PRICING,

138 1

39

H

Craft Philosophy and Art Today

YOUR EMOTIONS,

WHAT

11.

"

BE BOLD, 137

Matting, Framing, and Selling MATTING, 138

10.

•

IS

141

A CRAFT PHILOSOPHY,

142

•

1

PAINTING TODAY, 142

ART?, 144

Color Demonstrations

1

Notes

l61

Conclusion

J

Epilogue

^7°

Bibliography

l 71

Index

173

45

68

.

.

.

for love of anything

is

the offspring

more fervent knowledge is more certain.

of knowledge, love being in proportion as

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Introduction

to the painting of a fine watercolor

all knowledge essential

can be obtained

from books, many books; teachers, many teachers; and subscription the pragmatic theory that doing

There

is

on such subjects

tion

part of the knowing.

is

no one volume purporting

contributing factors inherent

in a

to present

or even a resume of

all,

Most books

watercolor.

pretense of helping the

—so

tions of artists'

and

thinking. This

book has those additional

tool to

the

be kept

mind from

sequences.

vernacular

critics'

and sketchbox.

in studio

digressions,

and

to

design

act,

They do not supply

principles, or recent findings in the study of aesthetics.

the

make no

of tools; they

understand himself, the creative

to

artist

all

give superficial informa-

wash techniques and the use

as

to the truth of

defini-

important to the student in shaping his objectives. It

keep the

conceived as

is

be glanced

It is to

artist

working

a

at frequently to

keep

concerned with significant word

reference book.

It is a

Throughout the book and

the chapter. Notes, you will find

particularly in

Some

"capsule" precepts or comments.

are

others

quotes,

originals.

There

is

evidence that certain authors have better minds than ours and these "seeings"

—well expressed bv our superiors—can lesser

bv

sustain, encourage,

understanding and vision engender doubts.

—something

to believe in.

Man

and

edify us

must have

when our

a faith to live

These men have found an unassailable

faith in the

validity of creative activity. I

teach about two hundred students weekly in eight different classes.

percentage of them are professional will

own and

read this selected

list

for

coming

eight vears.

to

Why?

me

Well,

—

as students." I

to

— Maitland Graves, Suzanne four of the many — there

name

don't know.

large

Langer,

will

They continue It

A

repeatedly admonish them, "If you

I

of authors

Louis Arnoud Reid, Jacques Barzun

need

artists.

might be

to

come. Some for

be no

as long as

sloth, "leaving seatprints

on the

sands of time," or just the fact that they like their edification sugar coated with

entertainment

—

all

good teachers are

fifty

percent ham.

the three-s\ liable words in Langer, Reid, Barzun, et philosophy, for instance, creates tension in "love of

wisdom

or knowledge," and

frightening about that?

many

It

al,

may

as

be that some of

frighten them.

students, yet

William James

also

Webster

"man

The word

defines

thinking."

it

as

What's

—

One

sees the

Men

professional painters.

books a lack of interest

their

upon them-

reflect discredit

with national reputations

and the organizations that honor them by

selves

contemporary

to scholarship in contemplating the

same aversion

indicating in their paintings

in penetrating the design barrier,

and

and

in the contriving

of aesthetic fusion. Their deficiencies are mostly in the areas they refuse to think

about

you

—design

will

which

and aesthetic theory.

have evidence

as to

which

in liquor,

you spend a few hours

If

which man

state of being

when you painted

the group

and which

in conversation,

your picture will fool no sophisticated

and

in

in himself.

women,

the same token,

By

confronted with the

If,

in

report precisely your interests

eye. It will

it.

in a social group,

most interested

is

vital

problems of

fine color, value chords, and distinguished space divisions, your answers are an

making

evasive brush-off, your concern being largely with

and contriving a as

an

slick, glib

many

years of

daily demonstrations to

ing are reported

emphasis

is

commercial

to nature, but the

bow

is

impatient of slow growth.

values—psychological values

than

more perfunctory each

A

fine picture

plastically

There

is

my

in it.

year, so

parts of a paint-

me

am

a fusion of plastic

apprehended. Without

much.

very

I

paintings, but the

I still I

required in

make

too low a

encouraged, but

and psychological

this fusion,

we have

nothing wrong with either except that, being

is

fragmentary, they lack importance as works of

art.

result of a fusion of both these components. This

to

have

like to

I

am

I

component

and they are embodied

the illustrative

illustration or decoration.

all

Escape from realism only, concerns

principles

heavier on

and teaching,

art experience

show how the character of

literally.

expound upon design

still

a tree look like a tree

qualified appraisal of your status

artist.

After

bow

wash, you must accept

Art

is

is

significant

when

it is

the

very important for the student

remember. So, perhaps there

is

a

need

for a simply written

book which neglects none

of

the essentials found in a wide student-reading-painting experience. Inasmuch as precise thinking presupposes precise language, the best

and

watercolorists,

interested

should find this book

The author

in

maximum

word

will always

information with

be chosen,

minimum

effort,

a practical tool.

of a textbook, in his desire to be thorough, could write forever in

the peripheries of his subject and never finish his book.

He

must, therefore, accept

the limitations of any one book and be selective. Eager to be helpful, and to do the most good, such an author will direct his research and efforts to supplying the greatest

need of

The

his readers.

bookshelves are so

filled

with watercolor textbooks dealing with tech-

niques and tools, that these subjects are assumed to be not unfamiliar to readers. While in the interest of thoroughness they are adequate!}' dealt with, they are not the only subject matter of this book. Emphasis artist's greatest single

in taste

10

is

concern

even,'

is

placed upon what must be an

time his brush touches paper

design.

Growth

contingent upon never ending preoccupation with design principles.

Other than books which are watercolor symposiums, most certainly valuable, have found but one watercolor textbook making any appreciable gesture direction, and the author apologizes for that.

buy

I

in this

have told hundreds of students to

I

because his design precepts are sound and practical. His design

his books,

and

precepts, however, are not basic,

significantly the

word design does not appear

in his index.

The

run the different washes and paint in wet areas with some

abilitv to

control, the capacitv to

"draw" without design conditioning,

potentials of different tools I.Q. of, sav, seventy;

but

—these

mind

onlv bv a fairlv normal

can be acquired by any person with an

skills

a masterly,

knowledge of the

a

powerful stature as a designer can be acquired

plus scholarship. Watercolorists

who

believe this, and

have been unable to find a textbook on watercolor which puts emphasis on basic

whom

design principles, are those for

The first

edition was written.

work?"

To

is

written.

"Do

pragmatists asking their inevitable question,

they

answer: "Students conditioned by these principles have in the past four

I

been awarded, bv the

vears

book

this

design principles presented in this book have been tested daily since the

of the wall space in their

This book

juries of

original in that

is

the American Watercolor Society, ten percent

Annual Exhibitions."

ment. However, the ideas and

my

it is

personal synthesis and

principles discussed, weighed,

important to be new. Like the wheel, they are included

Automobiles of the future

have wheels

will either

manner

of state-

and appraised are too

among man's

oldest ideas.

not be good auto-

or they will

mobiles; the pictures painted in the future will have design principles evident in

them

—arrived

at

through cognition or the trial-and-error method

—or they

will

not

be good pictures.

This

as

is

good

sort of ex cathedra

a place as

manner

ence (vou get no credence

if

any for

me

to apologize for, or at least explain, a

of declamation born perhaps of wide teaching experi-

vou

enthusiasm for current findings. These are not regarded the onlv absolute

The

truths. I

am

bias for

against

both

is,

there will be change, and that

phvsicist's sign

as

may be an excited conclusions. I know that

all

other truths are partial

without conviction), or

state

+± for the inescapable paradox

not naive enough to imagine myself impartial.

and and

against, for.

and then, when

This appoints vou

as

possible,

I

it

is

will

understood. argue with reckless

quote the most authoritative bias

judge of the merits of the case, and gives us

a varietv of culture.

There are too many students who do not know that competence can be learned and taste can be educated into us. those two facts.

I

want

my book

to

The watercolorist's problem to solve that

problem

That information edified

is

is

precisely

implicit in

is

My

objective

is

to acquaint

them with

be inspirational.

What

a rectangle of watercolor paper.

what this

it

takes to solve

any problem

book. Those wish'ag to be

it

takes

—information.

more

explicitly

need only consult the bibliography. 11

1 Tools for

Watercolor

there are two reasons or an emotion. interesting

The

for putting paint

other

One

on paper.

is

to

communicate an idea

to decorate a surface. Either objective, or the

is

and more important one of contriving a synthesis of both, has

prerequisite a

knowledge of and

facility

more as a

with the tools used. These are our concern

in this chapter.

THE VIRTUES OF WATERCOLOR Watercolor has three long

glories or virtues:

(1) Faster

rhythms

—one

stroke three-feet

you wish. (2) Lovelier precipitations, the truth involved here being that own laws do beautiful things. Look at tide marks on a

if

substances obeving their

beach, or auto

tire

schach ink blot. This

is

trying to help

A

is

enamel or paint on the color

in snow. Coil

marks

you arrange the other.

light

is

my

cast

one on the

contention.

floor

is

Its

He

poured

white paper showing

the closest approximation to light in

the loveliest thing that exists. All of these virtues is

to.

then

at a Ror-

and framed the area that pleased him most. Water-

you every stroke you make. (3)

nature of watercolor, which

floor,

Look

the truth Jackson Pollock added nothing

through a transparent wash

and

two ropes and

them proves

glance at

that

it is

all

the media,

have to do with the

wet.

watercolor's nature

The

nature and essence of watercolor

impression, not the careful building detail.

That

is oil,

is its

spontaneity, the swift seizure of a single

up of design and inclusion

gouache, or casein painting. Taste

a too arbitrary extension of the natural province of the

12

is

of carefully defined

questionable

medium.

when

there

is

In the

first

siasm for aquarelle with

sequence that read

mean

it

way

the

my book on

edition of

my

this chapter, expressing

page in

for dramatics,

greatly respect the

I

I

did not

work of many men painting

in these

Warren

media. Aron Bohrod, Arnold Blanche, John Pellew, Hardie Gramatky,

Baumgartner, and Joseph Di Martini come to mind. As a matter of

my

Pellew and Di Martini in

"Art

is

A

fact,

I

have

a

private collection.

emphasis on essence"

as to subject matter.

enthu-

contrived a very stupid word

I

an indictment of gouache, casein, and tempera.

as

read.

it

penchant

a

portrait of

is

a precept to be aware of

Cyrano de Bergerac with

be a portrait of Cyrano. This truth color which does not emphasize,

is

relevant to any

make

capital of,

when being

a small

nose would not

A

so-called water-

medium.

its

selective

wetness,

is

not an artful

wcrtercolor.

A

liquid quality in watercolor

long step in the direction of washes. Abstract lessons

is

important. Understanding of this

with watercolor, which

facility

—similar

to

is

your

first

mostly control of

is

chromatic scales for the piano student

together with suggested tools and the reasons for their use, follow.

THE TOOLS I

feel silly writing

about

tools.

Hundreds

of pages in watercolor books have already

advised you on this subject; furthermore, the tools used by the best watercolorists

have

little to

do with the

The

qualities in their works.

each painter, the way he divides space, where his interest

and decoration, would be

illustration

his

own even

if

color and value chords of

the

lies in

gamut between

he painted with a sponge and

a shaving brush. I

doing

work on the ground, seated on so.

It gives

a small folding stool. I

the same free arm swing the Orientals get painting on their

knees, and the angle of vision at that distance encompasses colors

and thrusts can be

related. But,

When

all

of

no matter how much you

you have a big stomach, or are rather broad astern, you ground from

have reasons for

my

like

will

watercolor, so

my

pictures,

if

not work on the

a small folding stool.

I

use a pencil, a 2-B makes a

mark dark enough

wash without furrowing the paper. You may prefer

be seen under a

to

a harder or softer pencil.

I

frequently draw directly with a goose quill, with a ballpoint pen, or with a brush.

Marin used charcoal. decisions.

I

A

few times on location

will

enable you to

have reasons, however, for using the tools

I

do.

I

make your own

will give

you

my

reasons.

PAPER AND COLORS

There

is

no argument

here.

Tube

colors are best.

cent all-rag paper makes a tough job tougher. 140

—heavy enough to permit corrections—and

it

Anything but one hundred lb. is a

per-

good all-around weight

can be used on the other side

when

J3

you get

The

a "stinker."

cost in time

no longer mount paper, though

I

and

effort,

and

loss of

if

—which

is

piece of Masonite, one strong

clip at

do

it.

not compensated

for

by

experience enables you to handle

fussy, use 300- or 400-lb. stock.

you are

you how

to

will tell

paper at the edge

the elimination of an occasional bulge

an y Wa y— and

I

each corner.

A

I

clip 140-lb.

paper to a

bulge can be pressed out and

the clips readjusted in a second.

STRETCHING PAPER

Here

is

(completely immersed) in cold water for one-half hour; hold

most of the water has run

bubbles are underneath; take

perpendicular until

it

paper on board one end down

off; lay

strips of

gummed

140-lb. paper

Soak

a stretching procedure for the half-size imperial sheet.

first,

so that

no

air

paper previously cut to the right

length and measuring from two and one-half to three inches in width. Fasten paper

board

to

—about

two inches on the board and one inch on the paper. The two

inches on the board should be

should go on paper dry

dampened with

— there

under the

gummed

remaining one inch

enough water on the wet paper. Now, with

is

hard, smooth tool (the back of a

a sponge; the

comb

a

or a toothbrush) squeegee the water from

paper; then, with an absolutely clean sponge, absorb

all

the

gummed paper. This cuts much greater drying tensions,

excess moisture from the paper, including the squeegeed

drying time in half. For a reinforce

first

gummed

full-size sheet,

which has

paper with a second

strip

on

all

four sides, overlapping on

the paper by about a half inch more. Keep paper horizontal while

it is

drying.

COLD PRESS PAPER

More experienced

watercolorists usually prefer cold press paper because subtler

The rough paper granulations being higher, they but make rough brushing on surf and close-up foliage

nuances of color can be obtained.

more shadow on

cast

a

much

colors,

simpler technical problem.

SMOOTH PAPER There are gains and virtues,

but

its

losses involved in the use of

use requires greater technical ability.

any paper. Smooth paper has

The

novice will lose control of

washes, and get dry edges where he does not want them, because he does not work

enough. Brilliancy and subtlety of color, impossible on rougher paper, are two

fast

of the merits of cold press

the rougher stock.

the

fiber,

then

begins to lose

damp body

14

let it its

press, there

you want more "tooth" dry. Re-wet to work.

glisten. "Lifts"

color.

Clean water

papers

imperial

I

size,

in still

A

being none of the shadows cast by

to the

hot press paper, wet

good time

to start painting

tilting

x

30%

to raise

when

it

a clean,

the paper. For a real dark, use thick

moist areas gives a nice, textured watermark.

prefer are Arches, Crisbrook, R.W.S., Fabriano,

22%

it is

on smooth stock are very successful. Use

brush. Effects can be obtained by

The The

If

and hot

inches, divides into

and A.W.S.

two or four nice proportions.

Why

manufacturers continue to make sketch blocks or pads,

Glued on four edges, the wet, expanding paper has nowhere undulations in which control of washes

do not understand.

I

but up, creating

to go

lost.

is

PALETTE I

O'Hara

use an

reason for this

palette,

upon which the

that sullied color runs off and

is

A

top of the mound.

a

mound on

The

a flat surface.

on the

leaves pure color available

mechanically

is

problem. Water stavs

a constant

is

Any

dinner plate or enameled tray has the same advantage.

palette with color in a depression

becomes

color

Contaminated color

inferior.

in declivities

and when paper

is

wet you

cannot get drv color to put into wet areas. Masterpieces have been painted with color in

little holes,

but thev were made

handicap.

in spite of this

BRUSHES

mv

Eightv percent of one-inch red sable

painting

flat.

In

done with

is

manv

because demonstrating to classes everyday

and painting, and talking while

The

these brushes faster.

A

virtues: (1)

and covers

large

(3)

flat

it

—committed

to

paint (students cannot

I

is

one hour of drawing

sit

(

5

longer)

still

—most expedient;

it

(2)

an infinitely better "lifting"

thousands of hairs at the end, squeezed dry, are "thirstier";

known

—

find

I

holds more color

because

tool,

(4)

it

its

the best

is

antidote for "hemstitching," breadth of effect being aided mechanically;

holding the brush perpendicular to the plane of the paper, with

)

brush and a

brush, however, has the following undeniable

ready-made straight edge

areas faster;

a two-inch camel's-hair flat

no other brushes were used. This may be

pictures

ing the paper, gives to small parts the beauty of a "tool mark."

knows what

mean. In elementary school

I

art exhibitions,

its

Any

end touchcalligrapher

the graphic arts are

always superior to the paintings, because the dig of a tool in linoleum blocks or the scratch on scratchboard contains the beaut}- of the unmolested mark.

There are

fine watercolorists

who

paint with very few brushes but, confronted

with specific problems in specific areas,

What

for the solution.

on

derricks, or

enough

branches

hand and make easy the essence So, all

I

have

a two-inch "silvering

the help

I

can

prefer having available the

other brush can do certain jobs as well as a

for instance? Its long hairs hold ships, cables

I

14,

10, 6,

Mv

3,

and

2

7

in foliage;

on

they also absorb the trembles of a

of a rope or cable

—

its

absolutely

smooth

brush" of camel's-hair and a rigger as help.

curve. I

want

ith

method

I

have numbers

(the big brushes lose their points), and a one-inch red sable, I

find

mv "Whitnev

Rotary" brush of value

—

a

double-

water in one brush and color in the other, an edge can be

treated or softened instantly by a

brush; this

rigger,

get.

students and

ended brush. \Y

number 4

tool

water to complete the stroke of rigging

Standard equipment would include red sable round brushes.

flat.

one best

is

flip

of the hand, then back to the color-filled

used as opposed to that of a stroke, shaking the brush clean

15

brush. To then picking up more color with the diameters are join the two brushes where the

edge, in the water, softening the

construct this double-ended brush,

equal-a wedge on one and thread a

little

a

"V"

that

fits

cover with waterproof adhesive.

Duco cement, and

brushes, Before leaving the subject of said

"one brush onlv

is

necessary" (the

"absolutely" before "necessary"

)

fine the wedge in the other-bind with

.

He

I

to agree

want

mine, and

italics are

suggested a

with George Ennis I

who

would add the word

number 12 round red

sable.

COLOR PALETTE

,

are concerned w.th costs,

quantity of

say, "It takes a specific

I

students who paint you required effect. The quantity of paint to paint a given picture or get a fact, if you with the cost of the p.cture." In have in your box has nothing to do phrase paint w.th less waste. As to the

To

your have a large palette, you can mix should be "disciplined palette," the discipline ing

them from hot

to cold,

I

in

use vermilion,

the

artist,

cadm.um

not the palette. Arrang-

orange,

cadm.um yd ow

ultramarine blue, green, Pruss.an blue, cobalt, deep, strontinm, v.rid.an, phthalo slightly tilted palette, brights, kept at the top of my alizarin crimson. Those are my have Indian red, run into them. In a lower row I so that the sullied color does not ivory burnt umber, Payne's gray and burnt s.enna, yellow ochre, raw umber, be permanent. W.th them any color can black All these colors are reasonably cadmium to preference I use stront.um in obtained. I know the.r characteristics. of raw sienna for the instead yellow ochre pale because it is more opaque, and paper, not obvious between you and the same reason. Sufficiently diluted, they are

and when

in small areas

you need a

light over, or in, a dark,

you have

Inci-

it.

in not seriously compromise transparency, dentally opacity in small areas does look more transthe large areas and making them fact, it complements it-keying

parent by contrast.

Indian red, another opaque color, grays

Ivory black

makes the most

is

dark splendid w.th Prussian blue for

high key. It glorious silvery neutral washes in

middle or low values. However, sooty and should not be used for of it. flavor it with a color put on top

WATER CAN

A flat

if

you do use

,

water can

is

preferable to a deep one, so that

the brush by banging

it

against the bottom. It

is

all

is it,

,

the color can be rinsed from

also a smaller bulge in your

bag or

tool kit.

Theknife it

is

is

a splendid tool but use

with

restraint, especially in first

washes where

knife mark or aspect. In second washes, the apt to have a raw, monotonous

mutilation of too pure areas

16

it

is

less

dangerous.

OTHER TOOLS I

sponge adjacent to

find a large svnthetic

degree of wetness in

sponge has many

my

me

palette helps

maintain a precise

is

said that

an

artist

a craftsman in love with his tools.

is

A

planes on rocks.

lit

rocks

and mutilating marks with too

I

go

I

have a rubber

(remember the toolmark eulogy?) makes very

sink scraper that with one stroke finely

natural

invaluable for wetting paper, for instance.

along with this to the extent of being frequently called a gadgeteer.

texturallv, or

A

brushes, wiping the too wet brush on the sponge.

uses. It

Someone has

my

rubber heel, cut at different angles, makes smaller in

too pure areas.

them

little interest in

By too

—dead

pure,

areas.

A

I

mean

too pure

kitchen knife with

its

curved sharp-edge squeegees marks of varying widths.

A and

carpenter's pencil, 6-B, used in wet areas does not shine. It helps definition

textural reports. I

watched Dong Kingman,

Kleenex always in

when squeezed

An

surf.

number

infinite

It

can change a value readily,

Rubber cement

is

A

snow

uses. It creates a

add

you

effect

—unless

scraper removes

is

good

areas.

etc.

Crayon and

for textural spatter.

and dislodging paint from

tissue repeatedly until the

desire. Eraser

flat

sun "bead" on water,

on dried washes by taking the

toothbrush

useful for cleaning

is

wet scrub; (2) tamp with lighter value

A

"dead" darks.

interest to

small bristle brush

effects,

when dragged on wet

tops off the paper's high spots; or rain,

A

razor blade used as a

snow

paint from the tops of the grain for

pastel can

and by tamping and

with just a touch.

has a function but you are stuck with the

edge which usually has a hard quality.

few

on other

used (never by me) to block out areas (in a large wash) It

a

different ways,

in

faster

helps vary edges in

it

of textures can be obtained

easilv,

that are to be treated or painted later.

Sandpaper has

up color

a very useful tool. It picks

is

bv creasing, folding, crinkling

dragging.

condition values and textures with

virtuoso,

a It

dryish after wetting. However, wet or dry,

cumulus clouds and surfaces

hand.

his left

paper

is

areas:

clean again or

is

(1)

the

you are deliberately molesting the paper's

am

surface, use only

Artgum.

—

have sometimes saved "stinkers" by a thin wash of opaque white

a purist,

but

I

I

rarely use a

tube of Chinese white.

A

I

and then rearranging

my

so that different size

marks can be made, and with one edge nicked,

value and color chord.

an aquarellist

piece of shoemaker's leatixer cut is

helpful in

order to obtain old board and tree textures with one or two strokes. Tricks? will

Of

course they are tricks

be judged by.

How

you get the

—found

results

subscribe to the nature of watercolor acter

—

its

demand

Watercolor

is

—

its

is

in all trades.

your business.

immediacy

—

its

The result is what you And these "tricks" all partial-statement char-

that you think in simplest terms.

the witty

create textural effects.

I

medium.

drop sand

in

I

know

of no thing that cannot be used to

sandy foregrounds, use twigs and stones

I

find

17

my

at

wax

feet with

which

to

mark too pure

areas.

pencils, pieces of wax, chalks, fingers

spit into areas

and

I

use indelible, graphite, grease and

and

finger nails,

(and successfully) to drive the truth

home

several times

to students, that

have

any

cause creates an effect.

CARRYING THE TOOLS

I

carry

which

all of my tools my arm can go

in a strong

canvas bag with a zipper top and two handles

through, slinging the bag from

my

shoulder.

One compact

unit contains everything, including plenty of half-sheets of imperial size watercolor

paper.

18

2 The

Drills

exercises for the beginner in watercolor have been described so often and with so

few variations that

am

I

reluctant to include them, but

do so

in order to

be

thorough.

The

virtue of the abstract exercise

attention to be focused

is

upon one subdivision

that

it

allows one hundred units of

of the total

instance, eliminate consideration of color, drawing,

problem at one time. For

and design. Take

just black

paint and several brushes and experiment, mixing water and paint in the brush and

pushing the brush around on paper, acquiring information about different values,

how

to

strokes

change them,

and

effects

obtained with different degrees of wetness, qualities of

textural effects.

Make

small rectangles, say two-inches high and

six-

inches wide of ten different values graded from black to white, with equal value intervals or differences

Discover

how

via the hairs flat

between each.

to get the three different qualities of edge:

on the paper or moved very

the tops of the tiny

mounds on

is

Rough brush

deposited only on

the paper; (2) blended edge, softened by water

either before or after the brush stroke It

fast so that color

(1)

is

made; (3) hard edge with sharp

has been said that the ability to lay a wash

is

definition.

seventy-five percent of water-

color technique. Practice the five basic washes in six-inch squares using a sable brush

and

No. 8

ivory black pigment.

FLAT WASH ON DRY PAPER This requires a puddle of even color slightly tilted paper,

about a

1

—no lumps—

in the palette,

and always have a

5-degree angle. Start at the top with a fully charged

brush. Carry a beaded wet edge

down

the paper by stroking

it

back and

forth,

drinking up surplus color at the bottom with a thirsty (squeezed out) brush.

19

WET PAPER

FLAT WASH ON

Wet

the area with water slightly tinted with color, so that the wetted area can be

seen; then distribute color in the area, stroking darker areas into lighter areas until it is

approximately even in value. Next "iron

it

out" with horizontal strokes, work-

ing from top to bottom. If the area has a correct degree of wetness, gravitation

helps deposit color evenly. If strokes show, the area

is

too dry

and

a little water

should be added.

GRADED WASH ON WET PAPER

Wet

paper

in the

manner described above. Deposit most

color at the top with a

diminishing amount toward the bottom. Brushing horizontally, gradation from black at

uneven.

If

top to white at bottom.

streaks appear,

add water and

Do

try again.

not be

You

try to get

satisfied

if

will find that

an even

gradation

you

will

is

have

to use a thirsty brush, drinking color, stroked from the bottom up to get an even

A

gradation. pulling itself

it

thirsty

brush

squeezed out by

a cleaned brush with the moisture

is

The brush then

sucks color from the paper back into

color. Paint top of rectangle

about brush width. Dip brush partly

through the

fingers.

very easily.

GRADED WASH ON DRY PAPER

Load brush with in

water to dilute. Carry

again.

Continue

this to

first

horizontal stroke a

bottom

little

lower.

Dip

water to dilute

in

of rectangle.

GRANULATED WASH

With

the area quite wet, flood in plenty of color. Tilt paper back and forth until

pigment

settles in the

small basins in the paper, giving a granular aspect to the

wash. Use the colors with body, not the staining colors.

THE "LIFT"

You should be times during

familiar with the "lift." Paint a rectangle of dark,

its

at different

drying, drag a brush (preferably a flat) slowly through the area,

Note the

pressing firmly.

and

different results in the varying degrees of wetness. In a

similar area, squeegee a knife (at butter-spreading angle), changing the knife angle so as to

Becomes

make

the marks of differing widths.

a very valuable tool.

so that the various widths of

The

With

knife's sharp

discretion

and experience

this

edge should have a graded curve

marks can be made.

I

#

f

With any

brush,

flat

or round,

push brush

at a

low angle so that the

hairs

turned back against the paper are spread apart; then whisk brush from paper so that hairs or bristles remain spread efficient

way

to

make

when

they leave the paper. This

a grass textured edge.

20

•