Washes
There
are FLAT washes and
GRADUATED washes.
To
paint a flat wash means all the wash is the same colour consistency throughout.
Let’s use French Ultramarine. Mix enough paint to cover an A4 sheet of
watercolour paper. Dip your largest round brush into the paint, well load the
brush. With one stroke draw the brush across the paper from left to right or
opposite if you are left handed. When you reach the edge of the paper, reload
the brush again with paint. This time pick up the lower edge of the previous
stroke where a pool of runny paint as gathered and make your second stroke. Keep
repeating this procedure until you reach the bottom of the page. Try very hard
not to go into any previous stroke or you will have a deeper line of colour.
Following the completion of this wash we either use our hake brush wet and go
over the wash again using clean water. This will have the final effect of the
paint going deep into the surface of the paper, when dry gives a mottled effect
to the wash. Alternatively we can use the hake brush completely dry and go
overhead to foot of the wet wash. I have found this gives a much smoother wash.
Try both ways and see for yourself. While the wash is still wet have a go at
lifting out some clouds as practice.
