Using watercolour pastels effectively involves combining watercolour techniques with the unique properties of pastels. Here's a step-by-step guide:
Preparing Your Watercolour Base
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Prepare Your Surface: Start with watercolour paper, which is designed to handle water without buckling excessively. Consider stretching the paper or using a thicker weight for larger pieces.
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Apply Masking Fluid (Optional): If you want to preserve certain areas of your paper as white or a specific colour, apply masking fluid before you begin painting. This is useful for highlights or intricate details.
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Mix Colour Washes: Prepare a range of watercolour washes. Having a variety of colours ready will allow you to work efficiently.
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Apply Watercolour Paint: Apply your watercolour washes in layers, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. This helps build depth and prevent muddiness. Build up your painting, considering light and shadow.
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Add Details and Remove Masking Fluid: After the watercolour is dry, carefully remove any masking fluid you've applied. Add more watercolour details as needed.
Incorporating Watercolour Pastels
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Ensure Complete Dryness: It's crucial that your watercolour painting is completely dry before applying watercolour pastels. Any moisture will cause the pastels to become muddy and difficult to work with.
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Apply Pastel Lightly: Watercolour pastels are soft and blendable. Apply them with light pressure to avoid overworking the surface. Build up colour gradually.
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Blending and Layering: Use your fingers, blending stumps, or soft brushes to blend and layer the pastels. Experiment with different techniques to achieve various textures and effects.
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Adding Depth and Emphasis: Use darker shades of pastel to create shadows and add depth. Use lighter shades for highlights and to emphasize certain areas of your painting. This step enhances the overall contrast and visual interest.
Tips for Success
- Experiment with different brands: Watercolour pastels vary in softness and pigment intensity. Experimenting helps find what suits your style.
- Use fixative sparingly: While fixative can help prevent smudging, overusing it can dull the colours of your pastels.
- Work on a stable surface: Ensure your work surface is stable to avoid accidental smudging.
- Keep pastels clean: Wipe pastels with a clean cloth if they pick up unwanted colours from the surface.
- Protect your work: Framing behind glass is the best way to protect your watercolour and pastel artwork.
Example Application
Imagine painting a landscape. You could use watercolour for the overall sky and foliage. Once dry, use watercolour pastels to add texture to the clouds, define the details of tree bark, and create highlights on grass blades.
