Page 66 - Australian_How_To_Paint

DEMONSTRA TION

in-wet and I can obtain some lovely
soft edges. As the paper dries I can
then achieve some crisper edges where
needed. If the paper starts to dry out
around the edges, I just give it a spray
of water on the back which makes it
stretch and relax. I might also gently pat
it down with a towel to flatten it again.
This method is ideal: If it’s a hot
day, there is no need to pre-stretch
or tape the paper. It allows you a bit
more time for your painting process
and also you can achieve soft edges
easily. You must wipe up the paint from
around the edges of the paper though,
because you might find a back run
STEP FOUR could occur where you definitely don’t
want one! And if the edges are clean,
the painting can be float mounted.
I paint with my board at a 30
degree angle to allow the paint to
flow down the paper using gravity.

STEP TWO
Working quickly, I started with an
underpainting, wet-on-damp, starting
at the top left-hand corner of the
paper with a wash of Cerulean Blue,
leaving some small whites in the sky
for sparkle. I brought this wash down
to the middle ground. Next, I painted
in some Cobalt Blue Deep over the
first sky wash, to create a deeper layer
STEP FIVE over the top of the sky, allowing this
to blend and merge on the paper.

ARTIST’S HINTS AND TIPS

‡ 8VH DUWLVWV· TXDOLW\ PDWHULDOV ² EX\ Fiddling will create muddy colours. to a minimum – usually no more than
the best you can afford because ‡ /HDUQ WR REVHUYH DQG DEVRUE 7U\ three – because this will help to avoid
cheap materials will hinder your en plein air – this is a great way muddy colours. Make sure when
progress and frustrate you. to paint and will improve your glazing that the colour underneath is
‡ 3UDFWLFH RIWHQ EHFDXVH WKLV paintings, back in the studio. dry before applying more colour.
will build confidence. ‡ 6NHWFK DQG GUDZ DV RIWHQ DV \RX ‡ 5HPHPEHU WKDW ZDWHUFRORXU ZLOO
‡ 3ODQ \RXU SDLQWLQJ DQG VLPSOLI\ E\ can, because a good drawing assists dry approximately 10 per cent
removing unnecessary details. in creating a good painting. lighter, so make sure you get the
‡ +ROG \RXU EUXVK ZHOO EDFN GRZQ WKH ‡ 3XW RXW DQ DPSOH DPRXQW RI IUHVK correct tone first. Go and test your
handle – this will help to keep your pigments and make sure you mix colours on a scrap of paper, before
work from getting tight. Remember sufficient paint. Having to go back and you put them on your painting.
you are not painting a wall in your mix more paint, when your painting is ‡ $WWHQG D ZRUNVKRS ZLWK DQ DUWLVW \RX
home, so don’t cover all of the paper. starting to dry, is very undesirable … it admire. This will help you immensely
Leave some light areas on your will cause problems in washes drying in seeing how to paint and will also
paper, for some sparkle; once they unevenly and could create back runs. give you an idea of where you are
are gone, they are gone forever. ‡ 7R NHHS \RXU SDLQWLQJV IURP ORRNLQJ with your ability compared
‡ 3XW WKH SDLQW RQ DQG WKHQ OHDYH LW DORQH muddy, keep the number of washes to other students.

66 Australian How to Paint