The secrets of watercolour - Hobby Land NZ Blog Post

Have you never tried painting with watercolours before? Or are you somewhat experienced with them? They’re a gentle and rewarding way to paint, but difficult to unlock the real magic of them unless you know the secrets. Hobby Land is here to let you into the secret garden of watercolours. Come on in…

 Watercolours aren’t meant to be applied heavy, densely like acrylics, oils, tempera. They are happiest when they flow across the paper, mixing and overlapping to create colour and shade. Not too wet and not too dry, watercolours have to be just right - and that’s where some of the secrets lie. Spend some time testing on strips of paper. Test the dampness, the colours and the tones before making your first mark. To be true to your own artistic journey, don’t be afraid to try and find your style, with a little inspiration from the masters. Using quality artist’s materials that you can find at Hobby Land, we suggest beginning with a thick brush and painting large. This focuses more on colour than the intricacies of detail which should teach you more about watercolours’ potential.

TOP TIPS TO BECOME A MASTER

  1. Start big and bold
  2. Find your ‘zone’ between shiny wet and bone dry
  3. Practice, practice, practice.

TECHNIQUE

Paint:

Choose paints based on their versatility, how they will mix and match in harmony, for example. Instead of gravitating toward rich colours which may clash and create disputes, try to find functional bases and buy more quality paints. You really only need a great yellow, Cobalt, Ultramarine, Prussia to start with, as well as blues to blend beautiful green foliage. Fro, there you can begin to grow your collection of colours.

Paper:

We stock specifically purposed watercolour paper and pads. Find the right one for you to learn your craft and create your art.

Palette Knife:

These go great together with watercolour. Try dampening the cold press paper so that the knife slides evenly across the surface, just "gliding". This tool is ideal for your watercolour technique, as its shape is suitable for free, bold and fast movements. You don't need to pour tons of paint on the knife, but just enough so that it slides easily over damp paper. 

Shadows:

The shadows should be subtly darker versions of the chosen colour. Also, think about soft edges when creating tree shadows. Shadows should not be sharp, especially if they are far from the object. If they are within a few inches, they should be sharper.   

Wet:

Wet watercolour to wet watercolour is where many of the secrets lie. Creating depth and soft edges is a magical technique, especially suited to the sea and sky. Pick up dripping paint on a large brush and just kiss the surface of the paper. There is no need to rub or pat as the incoming ink will stick to and soak into the paper. The watercolour paint will only move where the paper is moist. Areas of dry paper around moisture will act as a closed gate, preventing ink from escaping. 

Gradient:

Finally, gradient washing is one of the most useful techniques to practice and master. Gradual washing applies the paint from a dark to medium, lighter tone. The usefulness of this washing cannot be underestimated. A vase can be painted with a step-by-step wash. Simply turn the paper so that the side of the pot is facing up and you can easily continue the gradual wash downwards. When you're done, return the paper to its normal position.

These secrets to watercolour mastery should help you along the way. Shop with Hobby Land for high quality products at an affordable price and get painting right away.