Watercolor pencils and water brushes are a great combination for creating beautiful artwork. Here's how you can use them together:
There are two main methods for using watercolor pencils with a water brush:
Method 1: Direct Application
First, draw directly onto your paper using the watercolor pencils. Once you are satisfied with your drawing, take your water brush, which is a brush with a water reservoir in the handle, and wet the pencil lines on the paper. The water activates the pigment in the pencil, creating watercolor effects.
Method 2: "Wet-on-Dry" Technique
This involves picking up pigment from the watercolor pencil with the water brush directly.
Here's how:
- Wet the tip of your water brush.
- Touch the wet brush tip to the end of a watercolor pencil.
- The brush will pick up the pigment.
- Now you can paint directly on your paper using the brush and the water/pigment mix.
Tips for Best Results
- Paper Choice: Use watercolor paper or thick paper to handle the water without buckling or tearing.
- Experiment: Try different amounts of water on your brush for varying effects. Use less water for more intense color and more water for a lighter wash.
- Layering: You can layer colors by letting the first layer dry before adding another.
- Blending: Use the water brush to blend colors together while they are wet.
- Clean Your Brush: Rinse your water brush frequently to prevent color mixing where unwanted.
Summary Table
| Method | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 (Optional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Application | Draw with watercolor pencil. | Use the water brush to wet the drawing. | Add layers after first layer dries. |
| "Wet-on-Dry" | Wet water brush. | Touch wet brush to the pencil tip to pick up pigment. | Paint with the brush on the paper as desired. |
Remember, you can also **wet a brush and a watercolor pencil and touch the brush to the pencil and then paint with the brush**.
