Joan Hansen is the Artist/Owner of
Creative Art & Design Studio and Joan Hansen Art
I’ve often heard people say they are hesitant to paint with watercolor because once something is painted, “you can’t make changes.” In this blog I will show you how versatile watercolor can be.
My Watercolor PaletteI set up my palette so that the warm tones are together, and the cool tones are together. There is a ridge down the center, which divides the two halves of the palette.
Creating Texture with Salt
In my painting, Autumn Bliss, I began by creating an abstract wash of color. First, the 300 lb watercolor paper was moistened with clear water. Next, I splashed on warm yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds with a round brush. Then I surrounded the warm tones with cool tones by splashing on blues, mauves, and greens. When the shine started to disappear, I sprinkled on some table salt. This was left to dry naturally. The salt absorbs some of the pigment creating a beautiful texture, which you may find in autumn leaves around this time of year.
In my painting, Autumn Bliss, I began by creating an abstract wash of color. First, the 300 lb watercolor paper was moistened with clear water. Next, I splashed on warm yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds with a round brush. Then I surrounded the warm tones with cool tones by splashing on blues, mauves, and greens. When the shine started to disappear, I sprinkled on some table salt. This was left to dry naturally. The salt absorbs some of the pigment creating a beautiful texture, which you may find in autumn leaves around this time of year.
Blocking Shapes with DarksAfter the painting was completely dry, I brushed off the salt and drew the shape of the autumn leaf with a pencil. Then, using three very dark tones of green, mauve, and blue, I blocked in the shape of the leaf by painting the negative space around it.
Lifting with StencilsNext, I created stencils by drawing several different shapes of leaves with a black permanent marker on a matte piece of .003 acetate. The acetate comes in a 9” x 12” tablet. The stencil was positioned on a piece of cardboard, and I cut out the shapes with an Exacto knife. I placed the stencil on the dry watercolor paper and, with an old toothbrush moistened with clear water; I brushed along the shape of the stencil to lift the color slightly. Patting the shape with a dry paper towel absorbed the moisture. When the color is lifted in this manner, it reveals muted shades of the first layer of color.
The veins in the leaf were lifted by painting a line with clear water, allowing the water to settle into the paper, and then scrubbing out the shape with a clean towel. And you thought watercolor was unforgiving! Go out in your backyard, pick some beautiful autumn leaves, and remember them forever with these fun watercolor techniques.
Keeping open edges allows the eye to move in and through the drawing freely. In the sketch you will notice a dot where I began and where I finished. Once I put the pen on the paper, I don't lift it until the drawing is finished. The image becomes a little distorted but I think that is part of its charm.
