| It is a good idea
to try out watercolors before you try oil paints.
This is because after you have worked with water
colors, working with oil paints seems much easier in
comparison. However, this does not mean that it is
difficult to work with watercolors either but the
one factor that renders watercolor painting more
difficult than painting with alternate media is that
the color tends to dry very quickly and hence you
cannot correct or alter your painting once the color
has been used.
Another reason that
it may be better to experiment with watercolors
before other you decide to purchase watercolor
paintings is because watercolors have a unique
transparent quality unlike other paints, which are
usually opaque. But both these points can be
addressed by carefully thinking about and planning
your project. Before you start a watercolor
painting, carefully decide where which color will be
and which areas will be left white.
And as any
watercolor painting classes teacher will tell you,
remember that the use of white space is very
important in watercolor art. One of the basic
watercolor painting techniques is to carefully avoid
the areas you have earmarked to remain white and
apply the colors of the lightest shades first,
before applying darker shades. One should also start
off with the area where color can be spread freely
and leave the more intricate details or patterns for
later.
Many artists prefer
to make small thumbnail sketches to begin with. This
helps you plan your painting and allows you the
option of changing certain elements before you get
started. This way the artist even has the option to
get an idea of what the final product will look
like. Accordingly, he or she can plan the coloring
of the project properly.
Dark colors are
often used in a modern watercolor painting to create
dramatic effect around the centre of the object. For
instance, in watercolor flower paintings, bright
colors may be used for the flowers and sharply
contrasting dark colors would be used around the
flowers to enhance their beauty. In the same way
landscape watercolor paintings are often enhanced by
using dramatic colors in the sky.
Although oil paints
are the usual medium of choice for many artists,
most great artists have also experimented with
watercolors. Original watercolor paintings of the
masters and even of upcoming artists should not be
deemed to have lower value than oil works. Just like
with oil paintings, the price of watercolor original
paintings is dictated by the theme and subject of
the art as well as the size of the painting and the
reputation of the artist. Naturally, the number of
such paintings that are actually available is also
important as with any art rarity raises the price.
One can find watercolor paintings for sale at
exhibitions at art galleries or can even find rare
works of watercolor art at auctions. Because of the
comparatively less durable medium used, watercolor
art must be encased in glass to maintain their
quality through time. |
