The repetition of the flat wash. The more watercolor washes you can experience the stronger painter you will become.

 The Flash Wash Design:

 

Take a 11 x 15 watercolor paper -1/4 sheet and create a design of your choice. 

This could be elements of ocean design, planets, animal life, desert, western, musical instruments, 

fish, vegetables, leaves and flowers.  

Take a shape and repeat it three times in different sizes being sure to overlap the designs. Take multiple lines and draw through each shape. This could be straight line, curved line, circle shapes and repeated design shapes. 

Every-time you come to a new shape paint it a different hue, value, and saturation. 

Leave a third of the paper white to introduce leaving whites in design.  

Examples below. 

 

 

Brush work on a variety of washes.

 Using a variety of brush stokes to create these botanical designs on a variety of washes is a great way to introduce brush stroke to watercolor. Brush strokes may be thick, thin, vertical, horizontal and of course diagonal. Brush strokes may also create organic or geometric shapes. 

There are four basic washes in watercolor

 Wash one and five. 

The Flat Wash. 

Wash two. 

The Variegated Wash. 

Wash three and four 

The Graded Wash which I believe are upside down. Start dark to light.  

 

 

 

Value studies are very powerful in directing the color study.

Value studies clarify and create and fast read taking out many errors before beginning a painting. 

I believe even though I am an educator that having a coach is so important. 

Tiger woods had a coach. 

Scott Christensen has a great on-line course that has been coaching my direction. 

My drawing and studies below really direct a good piece of art work.  

Line drawing to find placement is critical for good design. Value drawings with 4 values sets a painter up for success

 Learning new limited watercolor palettes.

 1. Top left. Nickel Azo Yellow. Permanent Alizarin Crimson. Phthalo Blue. All Staining pigments. 

 2. Bottom left. Permanent Yellow Deep. Transparent Orange. Naphtha Red. Cobalt Blue.  

 3. Top Right.  Transparent Brilliant Orange. Yellow Ocher. Burnt Sienna. Cobalt Teal. 

 4. Bottom Right. Azo Yellow. Permanent Rose. Cobalt Blue.  A soft delicate triad. 

Painting title: St Anthony Idaho Tetons.
Gouache has a great versatility in preparing studies for larger paintings  

The above 5x7 Painting was created with just four gouache pigments. Cadmium yellow pale, Venetian Red, Cobalt blue and Titanium White. 

Beginning with a line drawing for placement and moving to value studies is a great support before starting the color study.