Your Watercolour Questions Answered: Part 1 (Patreon)

Hi everyone

I've been working on answers to some of your questions. Since there were so many, I'll break them up into several parts to keep each post manageable. I'll share my answers over the next few days.

This is Part 1.

In this part, we'll cover:

Blending edges smoothly without hard lines

Softening edges without lifting paint

Techniques for underpainting and choosing shadow colours

Dealing with quick-drying paper in hot climates

Correcting accidental paint marks on backgrounds

Deciding which areas to paint loosely versus with more detail

Answers - Part 2 is here:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/109291428

Answers - Part 3 is here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/your-watercolour-109615078

Deborah asked: "I have a lot of trouble blending edges so there is no hard edges. When I try this I end up colouring the whole area with the paint not blending. Any hints?"

It sounds like you may not be using enough water - either in your paint and/or on your paper. To avoid hard edges, make sure your paper is adequately damp and your paint mixture has enough water.

Try applying clean water to the area first, then add the paint while it's still wet. This should help the colours blend smoothly. Also, practice the 'wet-on-wet' technique where you apply wet paint on wet paper for softer transitions. As well as this, it might help to avoid over-blending with your brush. Sometimes, letting the paint do its own thing without too much interference can lead to better results.

I have a blog post here about working wet on wet that may help:

https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2023/4/19/working-wet-on-wet

And this one has some blending exercises that you could try:

https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2023/9/11/how-to-blend-watercolour-paint

Julie wrote: “I am having trouble blending and softening edges. When I go in with a clean damp brush to soften the edge it is lifting the paint rather than blending and softening the edges."

It sounds like this might be a brush control issue. Without seeing your process, it's a bit challenging to pinpoint the exact problem. However, here are some tips:

When softening edges, gently rub over the edge with a clean, damp brush. Make sure it's not too wet or too dry.

I often use two brushes for this technique: one with paint and another clean, damp brush to soften the edges.

The key is to match the wetness of your brush with the wetness of the paper and paint. If your brush is too wet, it can add too much water and create a bloom. If it’s too dry, it won't soften the edge properly.

Timing is crucial. Ensure the paint is still wet enough to blend when you go in with a damp brush. If it has dried too much, it will lift rather than blend.

Consider the quality of your paper. Higher-quality watercolour paper typically allows for better blending.

Use a soft, round brush for blending.

Check the consistency of your paint. If it’s too thick, it can be harder to blend and more likely to lift.

Experiment with different levels of dampness and these additional factors to find the right balance.

This video might help: https://www.patreon.com/posts/89090087

Kamila asked: "I have two areas I struggle with, first to understand and learn a method for correct underpinning ie I know that to make bright orange for example I would use a lemon yellow underneath but what about blue or purple colour objects? Would you use the underpinning at all? And second area I struggle with is how to know what colour to use for the shadows? I know of the complementary colours but they don't work for me well especially for yellow flowers. Should I use a darker value of the colour used to paint the subject ? Or should I add grey ? How to determine that?"

Underpainting

When it comes to underpainting, the goal is to establish a base layer that enhances the colours and depth of your final painting. For bright oranges, using a lemon yellow is a good choice. Here’s a guide for other colours:

Blue Objects: Use a light wash of a cooler blue, like a cerulean. This helps to create a luminous effect when you layer darker blues on top.

Purple Objects: A light wash of a warm or cool red, depending on the desired final tone, can be beneficial. For a warmer purple, try a light red or magenta wash. For a cooler purple, use a light wash of ultramarine blue.

Underpainting isn’t always necessary, but it can add a lot of depth and vibrancy to your work. From memory - I think I’ve only ever used a yellow underpainting to brighten green leaves.

Shadows

Choosing the right colour for shadows can be tricky. Here are some tips:

Complementary Colours: While complementary colours can work, they can sometimes be too stark, especially for lighter colours like yellow. I used complementary colours in one of the daffodil tutorials and also in the banana tutorial.

Darker Value of the Same Colour: Using a darker version of the same colour is often effective. For yellow flowers, try using a darker yellow or a yellow mixed with a bit of brown or green to create a natural shadow. I painted some daffodils years ago and I used green in the shadows.

Neutral Colours: Adding a bit of grey or a neutral colour to the shadow can also work well, as it keeps the shadow from overpowering the subject.

Experimentation: Sometimes it’s best to test a few colours on a scrap piece of paper before applying them to your painting. This way, you can see how they interact with your base colours.

The key to both underpainting and shadows is subtlety. Light layers and gentle transitions will help maintain the luminosity of your watercolour paintings.

Michele wrote: "I live in the desert in the USA. Right now it’s 119 degrees, therefore the A/C units and fans are full blast. I think you deal with heat as well in your part of the globe. How do you deal with the paper drying so quickly due to the elements? Is there some kind of water conditioner to keep the paper wet? What’s your secret?"

I don’t use any wetting mediums but some artists have success with them. It is hot here in the summer so I work with large brushes when wetting the paper. If it is a large area I am wetting- when I have finished wetting it I go back to the area I started and rewet it to make sure the whole section is evenly wet.

It also helps to wet your paper- wait until it soaks in and then wet it a second time before painting.

I’ve written more about keeping your paper wet here: https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2023/9/18/my-paper-dries-too-fast-when-i-work-wet-on-wet

There is a video at the bottom of the blog post as well.

Cami wrote: How would you address/correct accidentally getting paint (especially staining colors) on the background. This question applies to both painted and unpainted backgrounds. Of late, I am particularly struggling with unpainted.

For example, when correcting edges or tweaking the shape of a subject, I may overwork or damage the paper, but the staining/ghosting remains.🙁 I feel like that was a long sentence. Lol.

Anyway, I’ve tried the R&Co Eradicator brush (love it), the Magic Sponge, allowing said paper to dry first, etc., with limited results. I’ll literally feel like I’ve got the painting itself the way I want it, but I won’t post it anywhere, gift it, or hang it up because the background looks messy and unprofessional. I could clean it up in Photoshop in order to post it, but that doesn’t solve the issue if I am gifting, selling, or keeping the physical painting. I realize the perfectionism thing does not help, but I am working on it. That is a tough one!

This has happened to me many times. I’ve been nearing the end of a painting I was happy with, trying to keep the background clean, and then I’d accidentally drop my brush, leaving a mark I couldn’t remove. Now, when that happens, I might end up splattering more paint to make it look intentional.

While painting this Rosella, I accidentally dropped my brush on the paper. I hadn't planned on adding any colour to the background, but I couldn't remove the paint mark, so I decided to incorporate it and painted some blue in the background (plus salt for texture).

To prevent accidents from happening, you can place some acid-free paper, such as tracing paper, on your background to protect it.

Sometimes the magic sponges will work, but you need to be very gentle with them.

Post-Correction Blending

Softening Edges: If lifting paint leaves hard edges or ghosting, soften these areas by gently re-wetting them with clean water and blending them out with a clean brush. This can help integrate the corrections more seamlessly into the background.

Use Good Quality Paper: High-quality watercolour paper is more resilient to multiple corrections and lifting attempts.

Light Touch: When correcting mistakes, always use a light touch to avoid damaging the paper. Overworking the same spot can lead to issues like paper pilling.

Darlene asked: "I'm wondering how you decide what areas of a painting should be painted in a loose style and which ones need to be more accurately painted?"

When deciding which areas of a painting to paint in a loose style versus with more detail, it's important to consider the focal point and what initially drew you to the subject.

Typically, the focal point, where the viewer's eye is meant to focus, should be painted with greater detail and sharper edges. This helps to emphasise its importance and draw attention.

Areas of secondary importance or those that are further away from the viewer can be painted more loosely. This can create depth and atmosphere in the painting, as softer edges and less detail suggest distance or a background role in the composition.

It's also beneficial to balance areas of high detail with those that are more loosely painted to create visual interest and avoid overwhelming the viewer with too much detail across the entire painting. This balance helps guide the viewer's eye through the composition effectively.

Ultimately, your decision on where to apply detail versus a loose style should reflect your artistic intent and the story you want to convey through the painting. By consciously choosing which areas to emphasise, you can enhance the overall impact and readability of your artwork.

______________________________________________________

If I've neglected to mention something - please add your thoughts in the comments below.

I'll be back with more answers tomorrow. Stay tuned for Part 2!

Happy painting,

Louise