Using watercolour brushes effectively involves a few key techniques to control the flow of water and paint. The goal is to achieve the desired effect, whether it's a smooth wash or a textured dry brush look.
Understanding Brush Dampness
One of the most critical factors in watercolor painting is the dampness of your brush. It shouldn't be dry, but it shouldn't be dripping wet either. Here's a simple guideline:
- Just Damp: Aim for a brush that is moist enough to hold paint but not so wet that it causes uncontrolled pooling or drips on your paper.
Loading the Brush with Paint
Once your brush has the right level of dampness, you're ready to load it with paint:
- Thicker Consistency: For techniques like dry brushing, load your brush with a thicker consistency of paint than you might for a normal wash. This helps in achieving a more defined, textured look.
- This can be done by using a slightly less wet brush, and picking up paint directly from the pan or palette.
- Even Paint Distribution: Ensure the paint is distributed evenly throughout the bristles.
Applying Paint to the Surface
Here are some essential techniques when applying watercolour paint:
- Wet-on-Dry: Applying paint to dry paper usually gives sharper lines, a stronger colour intensity and creates the ideal surface for achieving a dry brush effect.
- Wet-on-Wet: Applying a wet brush with paint to wet paper creates soft edges and allows for blending colours, and is not recommended for dry brush techniques.
- Dry Brush Technique: For the dry brush look, use a brush that is only slightly damp and loaded with a thick paint. Brush this across a dry surface. The reference mentions this: "load it with a thicker than normal paint and brush it on your surface. The dry brush look is best achieved on a dry surface." This will leave a textured effect with visible brush strokes.
Brush Cleaning
- Rinse Thoroughly: Always rinse your brush thoroughly with clean water after each color use.
- Proper Drying: Reshape your brush and allow it to air dry completely. Don’t let brushes dry with their tip pointing upwards as this can make the bristles splay.
Key Points to Remember
- Experimentation is Key: The best way to learn is to practice with different levels of dampness and different paint consistencies.
- Paper Matters: The type of paper you use will also influence the final outcome of your brush strokes.
- Brush type: The brush you use will affect the stroke and the final outcome, so choose carefully according to your needs.
By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to mastering watercolour brush techniques and creating beautiful artwork.
