Watercolor Painting On the Go
ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE ways to begin watercolor painting is to work outdoors, when the weather is nice and the light is good. Working outdoors is also great because nature is a fabulous subject for beginners to paint. Unlike trying to paint, say, a family portrait, or a picture of your friend, a landscape is a forgiving subject: even if you aren’t able to capture the rolling hills and colorful flowers perfectly, your painting can still resemble an outdoors scene. (And you can always call it “impressionistic” if it doesn’t!) Here is what you’ll need in your traveling watercolor kit.
Brushes
Bring an assortment of round and flat watercolor brushes in a variety of sizes (0, 2, 4, 8, 12). Best brands: Winsor Newton Sceptre Gold, Robert Simmons, Grumbacher. Synthetic sable is an economical, long-lasting alternative to the more expensive pure sable bristles.
A flat bamboo mat that can be rolled up and tied with a ribbon or string. Weave a piece of white elastic band through the lower third of the mat and insert brushes. Roll up and tie!
Make sure the mixing area is large enough, and that there’s a good range of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, yellow ochre, burnt sienna).
Two plastic collapsible water containers (they look like Chinese lanterns), or plastic jars—one for clean water and one for dirty.
If you’re not near a water fountain or a restroom with a sink, bring your own bottled water.
TIPS
Never leave your watercolor brush standing in water—it will ruin the bristles. Instead, keep the brushes on your bamboo mat. Let them dry in the air.
Clean your brushes before adding a new color (especially when changing from dark to light hues).
If you wish to work on a separate sheet of paper rather than a block, use watercolor masking tape to secure all sides and edges of the paper on a board. Not doing so will allow air to get underneath and buckle the paper.
Do not overwork your painting! Wait for an area to completely dry before adding more water or pigment. Too much water can break down the fibers in the paper and make it look too “scrubbed.” As with so many things in life, less is more.
Less water will give you a more opaque, darker color. More water will yield a more transparent, lighter color.
Lightly sketch your landscape or seascape in pencil before starting—you can always erase pencils marks, once the paper is completely dry, with a kneaded eraser. Darker, heavier lines are more difficult to remove.
GREAT WATERCOLOR ARTISTS TO CHECK OUT
Beatrix Potter (19th-mid 20th century British watercolorist)
Sara Midda (contemporary British watercolorist and designer)
Winslow Homer (American, 19th-20th centuries)
Andrew Wyeth (American, 20th century)
John Singer Sargent (American, 19th-early 20th century)
Charles Demuth (American, early 20th century)
Carl Larsson (Swedish illustrator, late 19th-early 20th centuries)
Charles Reid (contemporary American watercolorist)
J.M.W. Turner (British, 19th century)
Albrecht Durer (German, Northern Renaissance)
Phansakdi Chakkaphak (contemporary Thai botanical watercolorist)
Charles Rennie MacIntosh (Scottish, late 19th century)