Tips And Techniques For Abstract Watercolor Painting Success

By Jayne Rutledge


If you want to explore your creativity and develop a new skill, then starting out with abstract watercolor painting is a fantastic idea. This style of art can be remarkably satisfying, soothing and stress-busting. However, there is real skill to this kind of painting, and knowing a few tips will help you to get good results faster.

Watercolors are a simple kind of paint to use since there is not too much technicality attached to mixing the colors or applying them. In order to prepare the liquid, all you need to do is to add a little water to the palette. While the technical aspect is simple, there is a great deal of skill to using them effectively on the canvas.

One of the first things you need to realize when using it is that it will always dry a lighter color than what it appears when you are applying the brushstrokes. It might take a little bit of trial and error in order to work out how to mix the colors to your liking. If you are finding that your canvases are drying too light, then you will need to play around with the paint to water ratio that you are using.

Even when you are working with darker hues, this style of painting remains quite translucent. While this can be a very attractive style, it also means that it is quite hard to disguise any errors in your work. You can go over the work again by re-wetting the piece, but this could affect the look of it. This is an aspect that you will need to play around with in order to get a feel for how you will deal with errors and re-workings.

Many artists recommend making a simple sketch of your subject before beginning with the real thing. This will help you to plan where and how you will composite the picture. Taking the time to do this can save you a lot of frustration and errors.

It is generally a good idea not to mix too many colors into the picture. This is especially true when you are new to this medium since mixing colors can be a challenge when using watercolors. As you get more accustomed to the manner in which they blend you may be able to introduce more than three to a painting. Generally, at least for new artists. More than three colors can make the canvas look muddy.

Another key point about painting in this manner is that you need to have quality materials. Your brushes are most important as it can be very frustrating when your brush is dropping bristles on the canvas. If you need to economize, do it on the canvas or liquids, but never on the brushes.

Abstract watercolor painting is an excellent place to begin your exploration of this style of art. Through trial and error and experimentation, you can come up with some excellent results and begin to understand the subtleties of using this kind of medium. Be creative, use your imagination and you will begin to develop some good work and your own particular style.




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