Category: Tone

The importance of tone when watercolor painting. Applies to all forms of visual art.

Under-painting in watercolor, its importance

When painting with watercolors in my style, the under-painting (initial wash), is very important as it holds a painting together. The under-painting must be tonally correct or the painting will never look quite right.

When I am painting a landscape, at the under-painting stage, the scene should already look like a landscape. The sky and ground should be obvious. In this way, all I need to then do is add the objects that sit on the ground. Continue reading “Under-painting in watercolor, its importance”

How to Paint Watercolor Paintings

A watercolor painting usually progresses in the following manner:

  • Large shapes to small shapes
  • Wet on wet to wet on dry (could also be read as from soft edges to hard edges)
  • Light tones (more water in a mix) to dark tones (less water in a mix)
  • Cool colors (distance) to warm colours (closer to the viewer)

All four groups move along at a similar pace at about the same time.

Watercolor Painting Progression Chart
Watercolor Painting Progression Chart

 

The above is meant as a general guide only not as a rule.

Happy painting,

Joe Cartwright

Painting skies

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Tone of the Sky

The sky is usually the lightest part of your painting – better too light than too dark.

If you paint your sky to strong a tone then you will have to paint other parts of your painting even stronger which will reduce the transparency of your painting i.e. if it your paint has to go on too thick to retain its correct tonal relationship amongst its various parts.

This is a simple and maybe obvious point but it is still very important.

Happy painting,

Joe Cartwright