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Week 1 of Wildlife Watercolor

Introduction to Watercolor and Basic Overview ~ Bear 


  • Objective: Understand basic watercolor techniques and connect techniques with subject matter, allowing experimentation with color and form.

  • Activities:

    • Welcome: familiarization with watercolor materials

    • Introduction to Watercolor: properties of watercolor paint, how to mix colors and create different values.

    • Basic Techniques: wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, layering, and dry brushing.

    • Practice: Create a simple sketch of a bear and paint the bear using techniques. 


  • Homework: Beginning with the End in Mind (1st painting)





Wet-on-Wet

Technique: In this method, you apply wet paint onto a wet surface. You can either wet the paper beforehand or use water on your brush.

Application for Animals:

  • Soft Fur and Feathers: This technique is great for creating soft, blended effects that mimic the texture of fur or feathers. For instance, you can wet the area where you want to paint an animal’s fur, then drop in various colors to allow them to blend naturally.

  • Backgrounds: Use it for soft backgrounds that complement the animal, allowing the colors to flow and mix beautifully.

2. Wet-on-Dry

Technique: Here, you apply wet paint onto a dry surface. This creates sharper edges and more defined shapes.

Application for Animals:

  • Details and Features: Use this technique to paint the animal's eyes, nose, and other details that require precision. The defined edges help to make features stand out.

  • Layering Colors: It’s also useful for building up layers of color, such as creating depth in shadows or highlights on the animal’s body.

3. Layering

Technique: Layering involves applying multiple washes of paint, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next.

Application for Animals:

  • Depth and Dimension: Start with a light wash for the base color of the animal, then gradually add darker layers to create shadows and depth. This is especially effective for painting the contours of an animal's body.

  • Color Variation: Layering allows you to create complex colors, such as the various shades in a bird’s plumage or the subtle gradations in an animal’s coat.

4. Dry Brushing

Technique: This technique involves using a dry brush with very little water and paint to create a rough, textured effect.

Application for Animals:

  • Fur Texture: Dry brushing is perfect for adding texture to fur or feathers. Use a stiff brush to lightly drag paint over the surface, allowing the texture of the paper to show through.

  • Highlights: It can also be effective for adding fine highlights or details, such as the glint in an animal's eye or the fine hairs on their coat.

Tips for Painting Animals with Watercolor:

  • Study Reference Images: Look closely at the texture, color, and form of the animal you’re painting.

  • Practice Mixing Colors: Watercolors can create beautiful gradients; experiment with mixing colors to get the right shades.

  • Be Patient: Watercolor requires some drying time, so allow layers to dry before applying new ones to avoid unwanted blending.

Using these techniques in combination can yield stunning results in your animal paintings! Enjoy experimenting!



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