Watercolour
Step by Step Demonstrations
'Sheep in
the Snow / Sleights'
The
recent heavy snowfalls in our village inspired this painting of
sheep, huddled together on the edge of a field.
The distant moors provided a wonderful backdrop to the subject.
Crisp,
bright light created dramatic 'highlights' and shadows full of 'warm'
and 'cool' colour combinations. |
|
Materials
Used:
Paper:
'Saunders Waterford / Extra White', 140lb NOT.
Paints:
' Winsor and Newton' Artist's quality, 14ml tubes in the following
colours:
Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean, Ultramarine
Blue, Permanent Magenta and Burnt Seinna.
Brushes:
Nos. 2, 4, 8, 10 Sables and a No 2 'Pro Arte' Rigger.
Masking
Fluid
Step
1:
The
drawing was undertaken using a 2B pencil. Next, all the relevant
highlights were 'masked out' using traditional, 'Rowney' Masking
Fluid.
Initial
washes using the following pure colours were then prepared:
Cobalt
Blue, Cobalt Violet and Raw Sienna. It may help to have a weak and
strong mix of each. These three colours are the basic primaries
upon which the entire painting is based.
Further
washes of; Raw Sienna plus Cabalt Violet, Raw Umber plus Cobalt
Violet, Cobalt Blue plus Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue plus Permanent
Magenta and a touch of Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna,
finally, Burnt Sienna plus Ultramarine Blue.
The paper was
then wet over its entirety. |
|
Step
2:
The
paint was then added to the damp paper, using predominantly 'pure'
colours, and a few of the 'lighter' mixes, allowing the pigments
to mix & diffuse on the paper.
The paper
was then left to dry completely before the next stage.
|
|
Step
3:
Some
of the masking fluid was removed from the distant fields. (Note;
A clean finger is essential for this process and the paper must
be thoroughly dry).
The
distant fields can now be painted using mixes of; Cobalt Blue plus
Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue plus Permanent Magenta and a touch of
Raw Sienna. Care was taken not to over detail this area, allowing
some of the first wash to remain in tact. The washes used were delicately
applied, making sure that the under painting was not disturbed.
Washes
of; Raw Sienna plus Cabalt Violet, Raw Umber plus Cobalt Violet,
Cobalt Blue plus Cobalt Violet were applied to the sheep.
Washes
of; Raw Umber plus Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue plus Permanent Magenta
and a touch of Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna were
applied to the Hawthorn bushes.
All the above
washes were applied to dry paper, but using a 'wet into wet' method
which retains the soft, atmospheric feel to the painting. |
|
Step
4:
All
the remaining masking fluid was removed and some of the resultant
'hard' edges, softened with a damp brush.
Final
washes were added to the foreground using the three primary colours,
retaining some of the initial atmospheric washes.
Final
details to the sheep and bushes were undertaken using; Cobalt Blue
plus Permanent Magenta and a touch of Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue
and Burnt Sienna, finally, Burnt Sienna plus Ultramarine Blue.
Pay
particular attention to all 'edges'. A combination of lost and found
edges ensure that the mood and atmosphere are retained. |
|
|