As an experienced art writer and creative consultant, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a wide range of artistic mediums and techniques over the years. In our 15 years installing… One area that continues to captivate me is the dynamic realm of experimental watercolour painting. The inherent unpredictability and expressive potential of this fluid medium make it a thrilling challenge for artists seeking to push the boundaries of their practice.
In this in-depth article, I’ll be guiding you through a series of experimental watercolour exercises designed to help you find a harmonious balance between artistic control and chance-driven discovery. Whether you’re a seasoned watercolourist or just beginning to delve into this captivating medium, these techniques will empower you to infuse your paintings with a sense of spontaneity and expressive vibrancy.
Embracing the Unexpected: Watercolour’s Delightful Unpredictability
Watercolour is often described as a medium that “has a mind of its own.” Unlike the more solid and controllable nature of acrylics or oils, watercolour paints react dynamically to the water, paper, and the artist’s every brushstroke. This inherent unpredictability can be both thrilling and daunting for painters, but it is precisely this quality that makes watercolour such a remarkable and versatile medium.
As Liz Steel eloquently shares, “Rather than doing a single sketch of a plate of vegetables (the exercise for this week), I had filled a double-page spread with small sketches of individual fruit and vegetables. In each sketch, I experimented with different types of washes – watery, juicy, and pasty – and I had a lot of fun combining washes of different wetness. I was particularly interested in getting various washes to merge – intentionally creating happy accidents.”
This embrace of serendipity is a crucial aspect of cultivating an expressive and dynamic watercolour practice. By learning to let go of rigid control and welcoming the medium’s unpredictable nature, artists can unlock a realm of creative possibilities and produce paintings that are truly alive with energy and spontaneity.
Experimental Watercolour Exercises: Balancing Control and Chance
Ready to dive into some liberating and enlightening watercolour experiments? Let’s explore a series of exercises that will challenge you to find the sweet spot between artistic control and the delightful element of chance.
Wet-on-Wet Washes: Orchestrating Colour Interactions
One of the most captivating aspects of watercolour is its ability to create seamless, flowing blends of colour. The wet-on-wet technique, where you apply pigment to a pre-wetted surface, allows you to harness this quality and foster unexpected colour interactions.
Begin by thoroughly wetting your paper with clean water, then drop in vibrant watercolour pigments and observe how they mingle and diffuse across the surface. Experiment with layering different hues, allowing them to bleed and merge organically. Pay attention to the way the paint behaves – how it pools, spreads, and dances across the paper.
Rather than trying to control the outcome, embrace the serendipitous nature of this process. Allow the watercolours to interact and create their own unique patterns and textures. You may be surprised by the captivating compositions that emerge from this seemingly chaotic process.
Controlled Splattering: Harnessing Chance for Expressive Marks
While the wet-on-wet technique embraces the unpredictable flow of watercolour, the controlled splattering exercise allows you to introduce a more deliberate element of chance into your painting process.
Start by mixing your watercolour paints to the desired consistency – slightly thicker than a standard wash. Dip a stiff bristle brush into the paint, then use your finger or a toothbrush to flick the pigment onto the paper, creating a dynamic array of splatters and drips.
Experiment with the force and direction of your splattering to create a range of mark-making effects. Try flicking the paint from different angles, varying the distance between the brush and the paper, and even exploring the use of stencils or other tools to guide the splattering patterns.
As you work, pay attention to the way the paint interacts with the surface, creating delightful surprises and unexpected textures. Embrace the unpredictable nature of this process and use the resulting splatters and drips to inform the direction of your composition.
Masking Fluid Revelations: Uncovering Hidden Wonders
Masking fluid, also known as frisket, is a versatile tool that can help you preserve the luminous white of your watercolour paper while exploring the medium’s expressive potential. In this exercise, we’ll use masking fluid to create a resist, allowing us to uncover captivating, chance-driven compositions.
Begin by applying masking fluid to your paper in a variety of patterns, textures, and shapes. Let your creativity flow, using sponges, brushes, or even your fingers to create unique mark-making effects. Once the masking fluid has dried, apply a series of wet-on-wet washes, allowing the colours to mingle and flow across the surface.
As you gradually remove the masking fluid, you’ll be delighted to discover the intricate, unexpected shapes and patterns that have been revealed. These dynamic compositions, born from the interplay of your intentional masking and the watercolour’s unpredictable behaviour, can serve as the foundation for further exploration and refinement.
Mixing Media: Embracing the Uncontrolled
While watercolour is the primary focus of this exploration, incorporating other media can further expand the creative possibilities and infuse your paintings with a unique, expressive quality.
Try using pencils, pastels, or even found objects to introduce additional mark-making techniques into your watercolour compositions. Experiment with layering these materials over or under your watercolour washes, allowing the different textures and mediums to interact and create unexpected visual effects.
Karen Johnston shares her own journey with mixed media, noting, “I spent quite a bit of time, thinking about how to create a more measured approach to working with line only and no setup. I can work from one edge to the next, but that often leads to distortion, especially with my natural fast pace of working. So it was very helpful for me to explore ways that I could set out a drawing with a few key edges first.”
By embracing a multi-media approach, you can further relinquish control and harness the power of chance to produce paintings that are truly one-of-a-kind. The interplay of materials, textures, and unexpected interactions will breathe life into your watercolour works, transforming them into dynamic, expressive compositions.
Balancing Act: Guiding the Unpredictable
While the exercises we’ve explored so far have focused on embracing the uncontrolled aspects of watercolour, it’s important to remember that there is an inherent balance to be struck between artistic control and the medium’s delightful unpredictability.
As Liz Steel wisely advises, “Do the minimum you need to get you going – ‘Minimal setup’ is my golden rule!” This approach of using just enough structure to guide the process, while still leaving room for spontaneity, is key to harnessing the full expressive potential of watercolour.
In your own practice, experiment with different levels of control, from precisely measured setups to entirely freeform, gestural approaches. Pay attention to how the varying degrees of structure impact the overall feel and energy of your paintings. Striking the right balance will allow you to achieve a harmonious synthesis of your artistic vision and the medium’s inherent surprises.
Cultivating a Mindset of Exploration and Curiosity
Embracing the unpredictable nature of watercolour is not just a technical exercise – it’s a mindset shift that can unlock your creative potential and transform the way you approach your art practice.
As Gemma Schiebe discovered through her explorations in paint performance, “I learnt that being less controlled in my approach to creating artwork is a positive attribute and can also lead to successful outcomes. I have learnt that exploring the possibilities of art making is highly important and that actually an artist’s experimentation can be more of a success that a final culmination of that experimentation.”
Cultivate a spirit of curiosity and a willingness to experiment. Approach each watercolour session as an opportunity to discover, rather than a quest for a predetermined outcome. Be open to the unexpected, and allow your paintings to evolve organically, guided by the medium’s natural behaviours and your own intuitive responses.
Remember, the process of creating art can be just as rewarding – if not more so – than the final result. Embrace the journey, revel in the surprises, and let your watercolour paintings become a reflection of your artistic exploration and personal growth.
Conclusion: Unleashing the Expressive Power of Watercolour
In the ever-evolving world of art, the medium of watercolour continues to captivate and inspire artists who seek to push the boundaries of their creative expression. By embracing the medium’s inherent unpredictability and learning to strike a harmonious balance between control and chance, you can unlock a realm of expressive possibilities and produce paintings that are truly alive with energy and spontaneity.
Through the experimental watercolour exercises and mindset explorations outlined in this article, I hope you’ve gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the dynamic potential of this fluid, captivating medium. As you continue to explore and refine your watercolour practice, remember to stay curious, be open to the unexpected, and revel in the delightful surprises that await you on the paper.
Happy painting, and may your watercolour journeys be filled with boundless creativity and joyful discovery!
Statistic: Recent surveys show that 70% of emerging artists credit daily sketching with significant improvements in their art