Definition of
Watercolor
The etymology of watercolor leads us to watercolor, a word of the Italian language. A watercolor is a paint which is reflected on a cardboard or a paperwhose colors are diluted in water. The concept also allows referring to the colors used in this type of painting and this class of artistic technique in general.
Historians believe that watercolor arose a century before Christ in China, when the role began to be developed. The Arabs, during the XII centuryled the production of paper from Asia to Europe and so, with the timethe watercolor is installed in the Old continent. Thus, among European artists, the technique of watercolor succeeded fresco. The German Albrecht Dürer and the italian Raffaello Santi They were some of the pioneers of watercolor in that region.
- colors of a watercolor
- Tips to get started in this technique
- watercolor, pencil and paper
colors of a watercolor
The watercolor paintings are made with different pigments that are agglutinated, generally, with gum arabic. Water is a very important component in this technique since, according to the quantity used, more or less transparent colors are obtained. The type of paper also affects the result of the work. Artists often choose paper based on texture and tension, taking their work plan into account.
For its part, gum arabic is a sticky and amorphous substance that certain plants exude and that when it comes into contact with the air it becomes hard. Although it is not soluble in alcohol, it is in water, and it is used as a thickener in the pharmaceutical and gastronomic industries. In the case of cooking, it is ideal for giving elasticity to certain dishes and desserts, such as marzipan and jelly beans, although it also serves to give the texture Suitable for certain drinks.
The watercolor is based on the washed that the artist applies. With a cloth, a sponge or a brush, it is possible to add or remove water, achieving greater or lesser transparency. Sometimes, a great transparency of the paint is sought so that the paper bring light.
It can serve you: Acrylic
Tips to get started in this technique
watercolor is a material especially versatile, and this can result in the first experience being very gratifying or very frustrating, since it all depends on the objectives we set ourselves and the way we approach the technique.
One piece of advice that teachers often give their students is not to think so much about the results they want to obtain, but rather let yourself go and enjoy each step; besides, we should never pretend to make a masterpiece right off the bat. That is why it is important to arm yourself with patience and approach learning with perseveranceknowing in advance that it will take many tests to get a satisfactory product.
See also: Impatient
watercolor, pencil and paper
Regarding the medium, it is recommended to use a sheet of paper of considerable thickness. The first step is to make a sketch in pencil, without pressing too much, so that it is possible to make as many corrections as we want. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, we should not seek perfection or aim for a high degree of complexity: few elements, simple and shockingIt is a good starting point.
Once we have the pencil design ready, it is time to prepare and apply the watercolor. Ideally, place a small amount on the palette, slightly moisten the Brush and dilute the paint with a few droplets of water, until reaching the appropriate thickness for handling. Throughout the process, we will have to let the sheet dry, to be able to work in several layers, among other things.
Follow: Pencil