Wet-On-Dry Watercolor Technique Class

                     is in session!

     “Self-Portrait”

The instructor (me) has painted almost exclusively in another medium, acrylic and an occasional oil. Yikes! But, hey, I know a little more about watercolor painting today than I did last week. In my small world that makes me an expert.  By the way, my self-portrait showing me wearing my wings is NOT a watercolor. I know, I know…my waistline hasn’t been that small since elementary school, but the wings are real. I did this illustration with fine art markers on marker paper. I love, love, love fine art markers. I learned to use fine art markers in art school; until then I thought markers were made to write the kids names on their lunch bags for school…you know, a different color each day to add variety and excitement.

Back to watercolors. Referring to my earlier blog, “Odd Paper” (July 20, 2015), my technique of choice was wet-on- wet…meaning I would dip my brush in water, dampen an area of the paper, then saturate my brush with the color-of-choice and lightly touch the dampened area. Magic! The glorious color would spread and float in interesting directions….but still controlled by me.

My painting, “Natural Beauty”,  is an example of wet-on-wet on regular 180 lb. (or was it 300 lb.?) watercolor paper. The ink stays right in place, never smearing.Click here for information about “Natural Beauty” fine art print.

However, with my new watercolor journal containing 24 pages of this very odd paper, the color didn’t know when to stop creating magic….here, there and everywhere.

Determined to take charge of this process, I opened my journal (yes, the one with the odd paper) and did a quick ink sketch and started to work….wet on dry.

With no wet pathway to travel, the color stayed in place. I learned I could use much richer, high-value color with this technique. I enjoyed it. I used to wonder how some of the great watercolorists such as Winslow Homer, achieved such rich colors. At last I have at least one little hint.  No, goodness no, I’m not comparing myself to Winslow Homer…. but maybe in a year or so. Grin!

Many thanks to one of my favorite people for giving me permission to paint from a beautiful photo she took of flowers in her backyard. Thanks, Lyndsay.  But please do not tell her that I painted it first, then asked permission. No, I wouldn’t post it without her permission which she graciously gave. Photographers are artists, also, and have copyrights.

Now, give it a try.  You know as much about wet-on-dry watercolor technique as I do. Maybe teaching a workshop is in your future.