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COVER Let's Paint Issue2 v1.indd 1 19/12/2012 17:46

Sans titre-2 1 18/12/12 11:35Untitled-44 1 18/12/2012 10:43

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WITH THANKS TORob Dudley, Glyn Macey and Mark Meha� ey

MAIN COVER IMAGETaken from Glyn Macey’s Acrylics Unleashed (Search Press)

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4 HOW TO MAKE… A FLAT WASH

Deceptively simple yet hard to master, Rob Dudley explains this basic technique

6 HOW TO CREATE… A LAYER OF WASHESLearn how to combine layers of watercolour to vary colour and tone

8 HOW TO PAINT… SHAPES IN “CLOUDS”

Let chance marks be your guide in this demonstration by artist Mark Meha� ey

10 HOW TO PAINT… A POPPY FIELD

Glyn Macey shows you how to fi nd movement and colour in a simple landscape

Welcome to the second installment of our Let’s Paint! series. We’ve put together another selection of easy-to-follow painting demonstrations and simple techniques for you to try at home.

Let’s Paint! is designed to o� er a little gentle encouragement to artists when they are starting out, helping you to build your confi dence

with your brush. And if you have already mastered the techniques explained here, why not pass it on to a friend to try instead?

Hello!

Contents

If you like what Let’s Paint has to o� er then you can download Painting Made Easy from the Artists & Illustrators website ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Whether you are a keen beginner or an experienced artist, creating great paintings is always a tricky business.

Packed with step-by step demos and expert advice from the UK’s leading fi ne artists, Painting Made Easy has been designed to help you along at every step of the process, from choosing the right brushes to painting on location.

Packed with step-by step demos and expert advice from the UK’s leading fi ne artists,

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3 Contents.indd 3 19/12/2012 17:49

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1 The flat wash is, as the name implies, a wash with no gradation in tone or

colour. The colour is evenly applied across the painted surface, from top to bottom or side-to-side. On a sheet of stretched watercolour paper, define an area approximately the same size as a post card with masking tape. Mix up a sufficient quantity of colour before beginning painting – I’ve chosen to use artists’ quality French Ultramarine blue for this exercise.

3 Continue to bring the wash down the paper until it reaches the bottom.

Work quickly. Any excess colour at the bottom of the paper can be removed by lifting it off with a dry brush or mopped up by carefully using the corner of a sheet of kitchen roll.

2 Taking a fully loaded brush and with the board slightly sloping towards you,

on dry paper, begin to apply the wash to the top of the paper. As the board is slightly raised, a bead of colour will form along the leading edge of the wash and it is this bead of colour that the next full stroke of the brush should incorporate.

You will need• A sheet of Bockingford 130lb NOT surface watercolour paper• A size 10 kolinsky sable brush• A tube of French Ultramarine artists’ quality watercolour• A flat board

The importance of the watercolour wash cannot be overstated. It can be used to fill an entire sheet of paper or to pick out the smallest area of detail. It can be applied to unpainted areas, to a previously painted area; it can

be graduated, variegated or used to build up layers of tone or colour. It is an essential skill that the watercolour artist needs to practice.

When practicing, I would suggest that good quality materials are essential; if possible, use artists’ quality watercolours as these will give the most satisfying results. Pan colours are acceptable, however when painting larger areas I prefer to use tubes as I can mix a good pool of colour more quickly.

Mix colours in a palette that has deep wells; a saucer makes a good alternative if a palette is not available. Mix plenty of your chosen colour. It is

so difficult to mix more colour in the middle of painting, not only in terms of trying to match the colour and tone, but also to make it up quickly enough to avoid the waiting wash drying. It is far better to mix up too much paint rather than not enough.

Work with a brush that is large enough to hold sufficient paint. Too small a brush will require constant visits to the palette, which in turn is likely to result in a wash that looks streaky. Keep your mix clean by using clean water at all times. Use a minimum of two jars of water: one to clean the brushes in and the other to add to the wash.

A Flat WashHow to make…

By Rob Dudley

4 Rob Dudley.indd 4 19/12/2012 17:35

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HOW TO MAKE… A FLAT WASH

5 If the area painted is not too large, or it is a particularly ‘wet’ wash, I will often

lift and tilt the board to spread the colour more uniformly over the required area to ensure an even distribution of the wash.

4 At this point I will often lay the board fl at to allow equal drying time: if the

board is left at an angle, the top will dry faster than the bottom. The water will run down the slope taking the colour with it and will consequently dry more rapidly. This might result in an uneven wash, an unwanted drying line or a caulifl ower-like e� ect.

TOP TIPinsert top tip here

please

Winter BeachWatercolour, 50x70cmIn this example, you can see how a quickly painted, freely applied wash produces a lovely clean sky. To achieve this fi nish, it was essential to have a su� cient pool of paint ready mixed – the e� ect would have been lost if more colour had to be mixed during painting.

6 If you are happy with the distribution of the colour, lay your board fl at and

allow the wash to dry undisturbed. Avoid the temptation to test the dryness with a fi nger. The wash will dry with a matt fi nish; any shine will indicate the continued presence of water and any testing is likely to result in an unsightly mark.

4 Rob Dudley.indd 5 19/12/2012 17:35

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You will need• A sheet of Bockingford 130lb NOT surface watercolour paper• A size 10 kolinsky sable brush• A tube of French Ultramarine artists’ quality watercolour• A flat board• Masking tape

One of the exciting characteristics of watercolour is its capacity to produce transparent washes. Many artists exploit this characteristic by building up layers of washes that will produce interesting tones and modulated colours, tones and colours that would be difficult if not impossible to produce in any other way.

Watercolour washes must be allowed to dry completely before any over painting is attempted. If a wash is applied before the previous wash is bone dry it is likely to result in unsightly drying marks or the dreaded ‘cauliflower’. This can be particularly apparent in wash that is meant to be uniform, flat and without blemish.

A completely dry wash will be ‘matt’ in appearance; any shine will indicate the presence of moisture meaning that the wash is still damp and any over painting should be avoided.

Low Tide, Mothecombe Watercolour, 50x70cm

A good example how the layering of watercolour washes creates lively,

interesting colours and variation in tone, particularly on the beach

and distant fields.

A Layer of WashesHow to create…

By Rob Dudley

6 Rob Dudley.indd 6 19/12/2012 17:36

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how to create… a layer of washes

1 On a sheet of pre-stretched and dry watercolour paper, I marked out a

rectangle in masking tape that was approximately 10cm by 15cm. Within this shape, I painted a flat wash, similar to the one in my demonstration on page 4. Leave the wash to dry.

5 Apply a second wash, starting about one third of the way up and using

the ready-mixed paint – this wash will represent my distant riverbank. Work quickly and avoid the temptation to ‘fiddle’. As part of this second layer, add another wash to the foreground – the near bank. Allow both to dry.

4 On a separate stretched piece of watercolour paper, mark out a

rectangle of masking tape, as before. Mix plenty of paint. The mix does not have to be too strong – the overlapping layers of colour will create different tones, not by the addition of more paint.

Apply the wash to the defined area. Don’t be too concerned if a few areas of paper are left unpainted; these little flecks of white paper add to the overall interest within the painting. Allow this first wash to completely dry.

3 Now add the third and final wash to the bottom third of the rectangle.

When this is completely dry, note how the layering of paint has created three different tones from one colour. Once you have mastered this, move onto step 4, where I will show you how this tonal layering can be used to create a very simple riverscape.

2 Starting a third of the way down the first wash, paint a second wash over

it, using the same paint mix. If the second wash is added before the first wash has dried, the effect will be lost. Again, allow to dry completely.

6 In the foreground, add the third and final wash over the near riverbank

that you created in the previous step. By doubling up the colour here, this third and final wash will create the strongest tone in the image.

Layering muLtipLe coLoursThe colour produced by layering one colour over another often produces interesting and sometimes unexpected effects. It is always useful for the artist to be aware of how different paint colours behave when they are layered. Time spent producing charts showing the colours that can be created by layering is seldom wasted.

6 Rob Dudley.indd 7 19/12/2012 17:37

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1 Do the UnDerpaintingUse a 1” flat brush to flood the paper

with clear water. Wait until the shine has just started to disappear, then brush on random strokes of Cobalt Blue, Quinacridone Rose, and a violet made from those two colours plus New Gamboge. Allow this to dry; use a hair dryer if you want it to dry quickly.

Take a long look at the result. Turn the paper in every direction. Do you see something? Part of something? Keep looking, and something will become evident to you. In my underpainting I saw a complicated bloom and abstracted leaves and stems with strong light coming from the right.

3 Bring oUt More DetailUsually, as one progresses from larger

to smaller shapes in a painting, one uses smaller brushes. In this painting, for a looser, unlaboured look, stay with a 1” flat as long as possible.

Mix slightly stronger washes of the same colors you used in step 2. Move to the lower right of the painting and define some of the leaf and stem shapes. Occasionally let one side of a stroke define a shape negatively while the other side of that same stroke becomes a positive edge for another shape.

Move back to the top of the painting, which should be dry by now, and use an even stronger, darker wash to redefine some of the leaf shapes. Create one stem by painting around it; add another stem by painting it in. Allow all of this to dry.

2 Begin to Define the SUBject

Mix slightly darker versions of the colours you used in step 1. With a 1” flat, cut in around the large bloom that will be the focal area. The underpainting here is a strong Quinacridone Rose, so make that mixture only slightly darker than in the previous step.

As you work to the right, the underpainting changes to a violet made with Cobalt Blue and Quinacridone Rose; switch wash colours as you go. Define the edges of the leaves and stems. Switch to the lower-right corner and define that area with washes of New Gamboge and a violet mixture. Allow all of this to dry completely.

How to paint…Shapes in “clouds”

By Mark MehaffeyLet’s just say I’m over 50, but I still love to watch clouds. I have fun imagining all sorts of creatures, faces and objects in them as they go by.

In this project, you’ll find shapes within “clouds” of paint. Specifically, you’ll do an underpainting of light-value washes, then look for shapes in that underpainting. Whatever you see in the paint clouds will be the subject of your painting. You’ll use negative painting to reveal shapes.

8 Mark Mehaffey.indd 8 19/12/2012 17:37

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HOW TO PAINT… SHAPES IN “CLOUDS”

5 ADD THE DRAMAUse a ½” fl at to directly paint more

petals within the bloom. The petals on the left are away from the light and should be quite dark. As you move toward the right side, make the petals lighter. As in step 4, vary the temperatures of the reds. Continue around to the light side of the bloom, adding petal shapes. Directly paint a couple of leaves. Also add an accent of stronger Cobalt Blue to the edge of the fl ower to help pull the viewer’s eye away from the bull’s-eye created by the circular center of the bloom.

4 SEE THE BLOOM, PAINT THE BLOOM

Switch to a ¾” fl at. Mix strong puddles of Quinacridone Rose and Winsor Red on your palette. Begin on the left edge of the focal area, the bloom, and paint the small shapes that form the petals. As in step 3, use one stroke to paint one side of a petal and defi ne the negative space around another petal. Vary the temperature of your reds: let some of the petals lean toward cooler Quinacridone Rose, and let other petals lean toward warmer Winsor Red. As you move to the right within the bloom, let the values get dramatically lighter. This will create the illusion of light coming from the right.

ÚYou will need• Watercolours

Cobalt Blue, New Gamboge, Quinacridone Rose and Winsor Red

• Paper140lb (300gsm) cold-pressed, stretched 56x38cm watercolour paper

• Brushes½” (12mm), ¾” (19mm) and 1” (25mm) fl at brushes

TOP TIPinsert top tip here

please

This is an extract from Creative Workshop

Watercolor & Acrylic by Mark Meha­ ey,

published by North Light Books,

RRP £16.99. northlightshop.co m

Final paintingClouds to Flower, watercolour on

cold-pressed paper, 56x38cm

8 Mark Mehaffey.indd 9 19/12/2012 17:38

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how to paint… a poppy field

How to paint…A Poppy Field

You will need• Paper

Rough watercolour paper, 76 x 56cm

• Acrylic paintsTitanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Medium, Phthalo Turquoise, Cadmium Yellow Medium

• BrushesSize 8 short flat/bright, Size 2 filbert

• Conté sticksGreen, orange

• 4B pencil • Painting board and easel • Masking tape• Red-brown watersoluble pencil• Blue pencil • Sponge

By Glyn MaceyFor this painting I chose a beautiful field of poppies, which sway in the breeze on their long willowy stems creating patterns almost like the waves on the ocean. Flowers help to create a lot of movement in a painting, and a great way to understand that movement is to get amongst the action.

Capturing movement is not easy but applying loose areas of paint with sponges and rags helps to realise the transient nature of movement. When using such unconventional methods to apply paint, accidents will occur. These accidents can be happy accidents that fill you with joy and create painting magic or simply accidents that do not work! Fear not, acrylics are so versatile that even ‘naughty accidents’ can be brought under control by over-painting or simply wiping the offending marks away with a wet sponge.

10 Glyn Macey.indd 10 19/12/2012 17:39

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HOW TO PAINT… A POPPY FIELD

4 Tear a sponge into a point and pick up Cadmium Red Medium. Use it to block in the main poppies in the foreground, then

dilute the paint slightly to suggest the mass of poppies on the horizon. This gives the colour a lighter tint and helps to create a sense of distance. It may seem odd to use the red now, but using it over the clean white paper gives the best vibrancy.

3 Make a dilute mix of Titanium White and Ultramarine Blue. Pick up the mix on the sponge and use long horizontal strokes

to apply it to the sky, working from the top down to slightly below the horizon.

2 Use a damp household sponge to gently rub the watersoluble pencil

grid from the sky area.1 Make a grid of 10cm squares using a red-brown watersoluble

pencil, then lightly sketch the main shapes on to the watercolour paper using a blue pencil. Next, secure the paper to the board using masking tape and place it on your easel.

TOP TIPTaking the sky

colour below the horizon creates

tonal unity across the painting.

TOP TIPUsing the edge and point

of a sponge allows you more control to get stronger

defi nition. You can also dance other parts of the sponge over

the surface to give looser, lighter touches. I call this technique ‘fairy fi ngers’!

10 Glyn Macey.indd 11 19/12/2012 17:39

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how to paint… a poppy field

9 Still using the size 8 short flat/bright with the dilute green mix, press the

brush on to the edges of the central poppy and twist it to create an area of shadow.

8 Add a touch of Ultramarine Blue to the green mix to darken it slightly, and

use the size 8 short flat/bright to create shadow areas around the foreground. Use the paint fairly dilute, so that it runs and drips, but do not over-dilute or you will lose the strength of colour.

7 Use the edge of the sponge to run in lines of undiluted green fairly

randomly to the foreground to suggest grass and flower stems. Use areas where paint has dripped down the painting to your advantage, reinforcing them to help suggest areas of shadow.

6 Use a fresh piece of sponge to apply gestural, calligraphic strokes of the green to the foreground. Bigger, more energetic

strokes make things seem closer to you, helping to reinforce the sense of distance.

5 Add a little Phthalo Turquoise to Cadmium Yellow Medium to create a bright green. Use a size 8 short flat/bright to apply a

slightly diluted mix to the background. This allows the blue paint below to show through, creating an optical mix and giving greater clarity of colour.

10 Glyn Macey.indd 12 19/12/2012 17:39

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HOW TO PAINT… A POPPY FIELD

13 Develop the darks in the foreground with the same mix, applying the mix with shorter, more controlled strokes.12 Make more of the dark green mix (Cadmium Yellow Medium,

Phthalo Turquoise and Ultramarine Blue). Use the size 8 short fl at/bright to establish the dark area in the background, scrubbing the colour in undiluted. As the paint runs out, turn the brush side-on and use a dry brush technique to suggest foliage – the paint will pick out the surface texture of the paper (see inset).

11 Spatter the very dilute green mix (a little Phthalo Turquoise, Cadmium Yellow Medium and Ultramarine Blue) over the

background fi eld.10 Repeat the process on the other large poppies in the

foreground, then use the green mix – very diluted – to add light glazing touches to the background poppies.

10 Glyn Macey.indd 13 19/12/2012 17:39

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HOW TO PAINT… A POPPY FIELD

17 Allow the painting to dry thoroughly, then draw the sharp edge of a green

Conté stick (see inset) to add some vertical strokes in the central foreground.

16 Still using neat Cadmium Red Medium, break up the line between the back of the poppy fi eld and the dark

background by applying dots and dashes with the size 2 fi lbert.

15 Use Cadmium Red Medium neat from the tube to suggest the poppies in the background. Suggest the distance by

making only small marks using the edge and corners of a fresh size 8 short fl at brush.

14 Still using the same dark mix, use a size 2 fi lbert to pick out the chimney pots on the building in the top

right-hand corner.

This article features in Acrylics Unleashed by Glyn Macey, published by Search Press,

RRP £14.99. www.searchpress.com

10 Glyn Macey.indd 14 19/12/2012 17:40

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HOW TO PAINT… A POPPY FIELD

19 Darken the lower left foreground with the dilute dark green mix and the size 8 short fl at/bright, then scrape out some

stems below the poppy using the back of the brush to fi nish.18 Pick out some highlights on the poppies using the orange

Conté stick.

The fi nished painting

10 Glyn Macey.indd 15 19/12/2012 17:40

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