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Syd Edward

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When i paint a watercolour i paint using the layering method , carefully avoiding a layer that causes mud. does anyone on the forum use any other method in painting WC ....Syd
michael

Michael Edwards

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I never layer - once a wash is down it's down.

Dippy Dipper

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Posted
You need to understand (or work out, find out, know) what's in each colour. A warm blue (basic blue+red, let's say) washed over a green/yellow = MUD A cool blue washed over a green = vibrant colourations. Think - all 3 primaries added = MUD So if your 1st wash has two primes and you wash over the 3rd prime = MUD But if your 1st wash is either one prime or you have 2 primes and wash something with those same primes = vibrant. (It works the other way around too - 1st wash is a pure blue, 2nd wash has a warm dual prime colour = MUD) ****************************** If you already follow what's in your colours - for the purpose of mixing on the palette - then all you do is now imagine the paper IS the palette... and wash over wash IS colour mixing in that palette.

Edited
by DippyDipper

michael

Michael Edwards

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I often use the 'mud' in the corners of my mixing pans for odd small details where I don't want to compete with the vibrancy of the medium - by using the dregs I often get 'mud' colours I could never replicate if I actually tried to mix them - yup there is a time and a place for mud so don't write it off entirely. I believe Athelstan uses it for painting - errr- mud

Kay Devlin

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I don't tend to use a layering method because I am impatient and it takes so long waiting for each layer to dry! The first and only painting I've done on hot press paper had a solid background that I wanted a deep velvety blue, it took me a few days to get it right and took seven layers. I was incredibly pleased with it, but it took far too long! I like to do my background washes by mixing two or three colours, wetting the paper with clean water and dropping the colours in, in a random fashion, and letting them merge however they please. I love mixing paint on the paper, something interesting always happens that I wasn't expecting. I also sometimes like to paint with a brush in each hand, loaded with different colours, for areas such as foliage or stonework. it stops things being too neat. As for mud, well, I like mud. It rains a lot around here, and there's a lot of it. Good posts Dippy dipper / Syd. Kay.