EXPLORING MORE

With advanced classes, it is helpful to see actual brush and wash applications on watercolor paper. Pads were used when possible as these kept paper pretty flat and practices could be removed one at a time with the pad ready for more image works. Otherwise, watercolor paper sheets were cut up to near 9"X12" formats.

Layer building, color blends and values was reviewed. This time, no wax resist was applied.

At this level different brushes were used for various textural and stroke varieties. Round brushe hairs could be flattened and "split" with finger nails to make multiple dry brush lines. Fan, bristle and stencil brushes offered new wet and dry expressions for different sized strokes and details.

Watercolor paper naturally embeds a fresh looking, "sparkly", texture to paintings that flat drawing paper cannot do. The bumpy pressed paper keeps dry brush applications to the top level letting the color drags be dominant and clear, depending on how the brush was applied. Washes too, can be loosely applied to allow the specs of uncovered paper to peek through.

Various shaped brushes were used to practice small trees. On the left a fan brush was used to depict leaf groupings where on the right, a split brush provided a similar effect. Loose washes appear in both examples.

The left willow tree practice used quick,loose washes and then dry brush with a #9 watercolor brush. The right tree was a dry brush application with loose washes around it.