Your Watercolour Questions Answered (September) : Part 1 (Patreon)

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on the answers to your questions from last month. Here is Part 1 finished.

In this part we'll cover: 

Discussing why it's not about being "good enough" but enjoying the journey of learning.

Handling sticky watercolour pans and whether tubes might be a better option.

Tips for laying out your palette for easy colour mixing.

Mastering dry brushing techniques.

How to properly care for your watercolour brushes.

Troubleshooting deep shadows and preventing colours from getting muddy.

When and how to use opaque watercolours effectively.

I'll post the next instalment next week. Dom will work on a pdf of all of the information and I'll include it on the final post so you can keep it.

Charlene asked: “As a newbie with no drawing skills, how can I learn to enjoy watercolor and not worry about being "good enough" to paint? "

I completely understand how daunting it can feel when you're just starting out, especially if you feel like you lack drawing skills. The good news is that watercolour is such a forgiving and playful medium - it's perfect for embracing creativity without worrying about perfection.

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your watercolour journey:

Start Simple: Begin with abstract shapes, washes of colour, or simple subjects like leaves or feathers. You don't need to create a detailed drawing first, just let the colours flow and experiment with how they blend.

Quiet the Inner Critic: It’s natural to have thoughts like, "I'm not good enough" or "This isn't turning out right." When those thoughts come up, try to observe them without judgment and let them pass. Remind yourself that everyone starts somewhere, and you’re learning as you go. The more you practice, the quieter that inner critic will become.

Be Kind to Yourself: We all have a voice inside us that doubts and criticises, but you don’t have to listen to it. When you notice those negative thoughts creeping in, think something positive instead: "I'm just beginning, and I’m proud of myself for trying." Self-compassion will take you further than self-criticism ever could.

Use Tracing or Line Drawings: If drawing feels intimidating, don't hesitate to use a light tracing or work from a line drawing. This lets you focus on painting rather than the pressure of drawing.

Let Go of Perfection: Watercolour is unpredictable, and that's what makes it beautiful. Try not to judge your work too harshly. Enjoy the magic of the process, the way the paint flows, the happy accidents and trust that you’ll improve naturally over time.

Practice Mindset: Rather than aiming for a perfect result, approach each painting as practice. Every stroke teaches you something, and even the pieces you might not love are valuable learning experiences.

Have Fun: Most importantly, focus on having fun. Put on some music, relax, and enjoy the feel of the brush on the paper. The more fun you have, the more your confidence and skills will grow.

It’s not about being "good enough." It's about expressing yourself and enjoying the journey of learning something new.

Kati asked: “I have a paint question. Besides using professional formulas in tubes, I sometimes like to use my W&N Cotman paints in half pans. However, lately they just seem to refuse to dry and some have remained kinda ‘sticky! and wet. What causes this and are they still ok to use, or am I better off using tubes to avoid this problem?”

The stickiness you're experiencing with your W&N Cotman half pans could be due to a few factors:

Humidity: One of the most common causes of paints staying sticky and not drying fully is high humidity in the environment. Watercolour pans rely on air drying, so in more humid conditions, they might take a long time to dry.

Binder Ratio: Cotman paints, being student-grade, often contain more binder than pigment compared to professional formulas. This can make them more prone to staying tacky or feeling wet, especially if the binder doesn't fully dry out.

Age or Storage Conditions: If the paints have been stored in tightly closed containers or have absorbed moisture over time, they might struggle to dry out completely. Keeping them in an open or well-ventilated space can help.

Are they still okay to use? Yes! They’re still perfectly fine to use, even if they remain a bit sticky. You might just need to be a bit more careful when mixing water into them, as they can get mushier than dried pans.

Would tubes help? Tubes have the advantage of being softer and easier to work with directly, but they do need time to dry if you squeeze them into pans. If you prefer the convenience of dry pans and want to avoid this issue, a trick is to squeeze tube paint into pans and leave them open to dry completely. Professional-grade tubes tend to have a better pigment-to-binder ratio and are less likely to stay sticky over time.

I have pan paints but I nearly always reach for my tube paints because I find them easier to paint and mix with.

Grazyna N asked: “Would you give some tips on the best approach to master dry brushing, please?”

I have a blog post about the drybrush technique here:

https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2023/5/18/what-is-dry-brushing-in-watercolour

And here is a tutorial with some exercises you can practice:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/84431782

Jeanette asked: “I would like to ask about colour mixing ie learn how to do it? 2. How to layout my pallet? “

I have a blog post here about the mechanics of colour mixing - my top 13 tips:

https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2023/7/17/how-to-mix-watercolour-paints-my-top-13-tips

How to Lay out your palette

Laying out your palette is a personal choice, and the key is consistency. The more familiar you are with where each colour is, the more intuitive your painting process will become. Here are a few ideas to guide you in setting up your palette:

1. Organise Like a Colour Wheel:

For my round palettes, I like to lay out my colours in the order of the colour wheel. I start with my cool yellows at the top, and moving clockwise, I place my warm yellows, followed by warm reds, cool reds, warm blues, and finally cool blues. This keeps my colours organised in a way that mirrors how they interact, which makes colour mixing more natural. In the remaining wells, I place my earth tones and neutrals.

2. Complementary Colours Layout:

For rectangular palettes, I’ve tried organising colours so that complementary pairs are placed opposite each other. For instance, yellow sits across from violet, red across from green, and blue across from orange. This setup is handy if you frequently mix complementary colours for neutrals or shadow tones, as it makes finding those combinations more intuitive.

3. Group by Temperature:

Another option is to group your colours by temperature. You could have all your warm colours (yellows, oranges, reds, and warm earth tones) on one side of your palette and your cool colours (cool reds, blues, greens, and cool earth tones) on the other. This layout makes it easier to quickly grab the right tone when you need it for shadow or highlight work.

4. Create a Neutral Mixing Area:

No matter how you lay out your palette, it’s helpful to leave some empty space for mixing neutrals. This can be a designated area on your palette where you create grays, browns, and subtle tones. Alternatively, some painters prefer to mix directly on the painting itself, but a neutral mixing area can give you more control over the intensity of your mixes.

5. Use What Makes Sense to You:

At the end of the day, the layout should make sense to you and fit your workflow. Some artists prefer arranging colours based on how often they use them - placing their most-used paints front and centre. Others may prefer separating their palette into sections for pure pigments and convenience colours like pre-mixed greens or purples.

6. Test and Adjust:

As you paint more, you might find that certain arrangements work better for the way you mix colours. Don’t hesitate to rearrange your palette until it feels right! It’s worth experimenting to find the setup that helps you paint fluidly.

The goal is to make your palette feel like an extension of your hand, so you can mix colours quickly and without hesitation as you work. Once you’ve chosen your layout, stick with it to build muscle memory, you’ll be able to grab the right colour instinctively every time.

I’m working on a blog post and video about different ways to lay out your palette.

Doris asked: “Do you ever wash your brushes with soap?”

Yes, I do use soap to wash my watercolour brushes. I use the soaps made by brush manufacturers, which are gentle and specifically designed to protect the natural fibres in sable brushes. Here’s my approach to caring for my brushes, including how often I wash them and why:

1. Not After Every Painting:

I don’t wash my brushes after every single painting session. I have read that over-washing can wear down the natural oils in sable brushes, which helps keep them soft and flexible. Instead, I give them a good rinse with clean water during and after each session to remove any excess paint, making sure they are thoroughly rinsed but not necessarily scrubbed with soap every time.

2. Deep Cleaning When Necessary:

I do wash my brushes with soap when I feel they need a deeper clean, usually after a few painting sessions, or if I’ve been using them with more staining pigments. When I do use soap, I work the brush gently in the soap and then rinse it thoroughly with cool water, making sure not to push the bristles too hard against the soap or water surface to avoid damaging the delicate hairs.

3. Always Wash Before Storing:

Before putting my brushes away for longer periods, I always make sure to wash them with soap. This helps remove any residual paint that might be hidden in the ferrule which can harden over time and affect the brush's shape. After washing, I reshape the bristles and leave the brushes to dry flat to prevent water from seeping into the ferrule.

4. Use Gentle Soap for Longevity:

The soaps made specifically for brushes by manufacturers are gentle enough to clean without stripping the natural fibres/hairs. These soaps also help maintain the bristles’ softness and natural oils, which is especially important for sable brushes.

5. What to Avoid:

Never leave your brushes soaking in water for long periods, as this can damage the handle and loosen the glue holding the bristles in place. Also, avoid using hot water, as it can weaken the natural fibres.

Pat asked: “How long do you let the paper dry after stretching and how long do you leave it on the board after painting? "

I wait until the paper is completely dry before I paint on it - sometimes that might be overnight.

When I have finished the painting I don’t take it off the board until it is completely dry. A hair dryer helps with this if I’m in a hurry.

I have a blog post here where I explain my paper stretching method:

https://www.louisedemasi.com/tips/2024/1/8/how-to-stretch-watercolor-paper

Oriole asked: “I started a picture from a photograph and it had a deep (almost black) shadow on one side. The shadow is causing me problems. It is a Bluebird and I just can't figure out how to make the shadow on red/orange and then the blue without it all turning muddy. I have been using the glazing technique. I've tried painting a grey shadow before the colors, then after the colors and then I've tried mixing darker versions of the colors. I'm just not sure what to do.”

Working with deep shadows over bright colours like the red/orange and blue of a Bluebird can definitely be tricky, but you're on the right track with glazing! Here are a few tips that might help:

1. Build Up Shadows Gradually:

It sounds like you’ve tried both adding shadows before and after the colours, but with glazing, you’ll want to build up your shadows slowly. If the shadow is very deep, start with a light wash of a neutral colour (like Payne's Grey or a mix of Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna) and layer it gradually. Each layer should be thin, allowing the colours underneath to shine through while creating depth.

2. Avoid Overmixing Colours:

One of the challenges with glazing is that multiple layers of different colours can sometimes result in muddiness. To prevent this, try to avoid layering too many colours in the same area. For example, you can darken the red/orange and blue separately, keeping their shadows distinct instead of mixing them too much.

3. Use Darker Versions of Your Colours:

If I was painting it I wouldn’t paint a grey shadow before the colour. I think you’d be better to try mixing darker versions of your red/orange and blue for the shadow areas. For example, mix a deep violet or indigo into your blue and maybe a deep burgundy or burnt orange into your red/orange. These deeper tones will give you a rich shadow without dulling or muddying the colours.

4. Cool vs Warm Shadows:

Consider the temperature of your shadows. If the light source is warm, your shadows will typically be cooler, and vice versa. This means that for the red/orange part of the bird, a cooler, purplish or blue-grey shadow could work, and for the blue, a slightly warmer shadow tone might do the trick (maybe a mix of blue with a touch of burnt sienna to keep it in harmony).

5. Glazing in Layers:

Try painting your local colours first (the bright reds, oranges, and blues), letting them dry completely. Then, glaze your shadows over the top in thin layers. If you feel the shadow is too overpowering, you can always lift a bit of paint with a damp brush to soften it.

6. Test First:

Before applying shadow to the bird, it might help to test your shadow colour mixes on a separate piece of paper. This way, you can see how the shadows will interact with the colours before committing to your painting.

7. Don’t Rely Too Heavily on the Reference Photo

Remember, you don’t have to match the shadow in your painting exactly as it appears in the reference photo. Photographs can sometimes distort colours and values, making shadows look harsher or darker than they need to be. Trust your instincts and adjust the shadow to fit the overall feel of your painting. The goal is to create a pleasing balance, so soften or lighten the shadow if it works better visually for your artwork.

Vicki asked: “Is there a particular stage where it is better to use an opaque? And do all opaques stain? I've tried to figure this out on my own and I'm baffled.”

Great question! Opaque watercolours can be tricky to use, but they have their uses.

1. When to Use Opaque Colours:

Opaque colours can be most helpful at the later stages of a painting, especially when you need to add highlights or details that require a more solid, visible application of colour. For example, if you've lost some light areas or want to brighten up a section, a touch of an opaque colour can help restore those elements. That being said, it's best to use them sparingly, as too much opacity can make your painting look heavy or lose the transparency that makes watercolour so special.

Some artists also use opaques to make corrections or add details toward the end of a painting. For example, if you're painting a white flower and need to add tiny highlights or bring out certain details, using an opaque white can be effective. As I mentioned, use them sparingly because they can take on the appearance of chalk.

2. Not All Opaques Stain:

Opaque colours don’t necessarily stain, but some can. Staining depends more on the pigment itself than whether it’s opaque or transparent. For example, some opaque pigments, like Cadmium Yellow don't stain and can be lifted relatively easily, while others might leave a residue. When in doubt, you can test your opaque colors on a separate sheet to see how they behave.

3. Using Opaques Carefully:

Because opaque colours can cover underlying layers, you might want to be cautious if you're layering over transparent washes. They can be used to add punch or emphasis, but overusing opaques might lead to a more "chalky" or flat appearance (as mentioned above).

It’s always a good idea to experiment with your paints to get a feel for how each behaves.

Louise