120 21 17MB
English Pages 175 [184] Year 1974
LINCOLN CITY LIBRARIES Complete guide to watercolor pai
NF
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
I
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
•