For many years now, I have used the under wash as a natural part of my painting process. Having originally worked in oil and acrylic on canvas, I never thought of this way of starting a painting as being unusual.
I have been noticing more and more in my classes that this approach and the thought process that accompanies it, is proving itself to be unnatural and difficult. This month and next month, I will try to explain this painting process and give examples to show why I think that it adds a richness and depth to watercolor.
I start my watercolors by wetting the entire surface of the paper. The first color application can be a flat wash, a gradated wash or a variegated wash as seen in the tip page of MARCH 2005. Sometimes, texture is added into this wet application. Each different type of application will be determined by what my concept is for the final work.
To create a glow in the final color:
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as flat, side- by- side washes. Permanent Rose has been painted on top of the dry washes. The look of the final color is affected by the under wash.
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as flat, side-by-side washes. Cobalt Blue has been painted on top of the dry washes. The under wash has changed the look of the Cobalt Blue.
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as gradated washes. Permanent Rose has been painted over the top of the dry washes. The under wash has created a variety of changes in the Permanent Rose.
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as gradated washes. Cobalt Blue has been painted over the dry washes. The gradated under wash has changed the look of the blue.
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as a variegated wash. Permanent Rose has been painted over the dry wash. The variations in color and value in the variegated wash have affected the appearance of the wash of Permanent Rose.
Aureolin and Gamboge have been applied as a variegated wash. Cobalt Blue has been painted over the dry wash. The Cobalt Blue has been affected by the variegated under wash.
Each of these first applications or under washes present a different effect in the final color. I find that these under washes add a visual depth to the colors.
If I am working with a color that is a mix, I separate out the colors within the mix. As an example:
Violet
permanent rose
ultramarine blue
Violet is a mix of a cool red and a warm blue. By taking each of the colors in the mix and applying one of them to the paper as an under wash, I can alter the appearance of the final color.
Permanent Rose + Violet
Ultramarine Blue + Violet
Burnt Sienna can be made with a mix of a warm yellow and a cool red.
A stripe of the Burnt Sienna mix has been laid across the two colors in the Burnt Sienna mix.
Look at some of your favorite mixes and try the above exercises. You will find a visual depth has been added to the color.
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