When we left off the last post, I had just taped my soaking-wet watercolor paper to a sturdy piece of board and left it to dry. Here’s what happens next in my process.
(If you missed Part 1, you can read it here.)
At this point the paper will stay totally flat, no matter how much water or paint I put on the surface, which will keep the watercolor from pooling in the valleys of warped paper. I keep a variety of brush sizes available but will often paint an entire painting with only two brushes. My favorite is my trusty Winsor and Newton Series 7 (size 8.) I know these are awfully expensive, but adore this brush. I can paint incredibly fine lines or nice broad strokes with it, and it holds a ton of water. If I ever forget how great it is, I need only use a different brush for a few minutes and I’m quickly reminded. The other brush I’ll commonly use is a sable square wash for covering large areas with washes or gradients.
Sometimes I will pre-mix some color in little glass bowls if I need a lot. The three dishes below have the three main colors I used for the painting: French Ultramarine, Quinacridone Red, and a warm yellow that was a mixture of New Gamboge and Quinacridone Red. I will spend a lot of time testing out different color combinations on small scraps of paper to make sure I have the gamut right. I still keep my full palette handy for extra touches if needed and for color mixing.
Okay, ready for some painting already? Here we go!
