Watercolour is a notoriously challenging yet captivating medium, requiring a delicate balance of fluid control and spontaneous expression. In our 15 years installing… Among the most versatile and evocative techniques in the watercolourist’s arsenal are watercolour washes – broad, translucent layers of pigment that can conjure up breathtaking atmospheric effects, especially in landscape paintings.
Now, this might seem counterintuitive…
Whether you’re an emerging artist looking to expand your skills or an experienced painter seeking to refine your practice, mastering the art of watercolour washes is an essential step in developing a compelling, atmospheric landscape style. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the key principles and practical techniques for harnessing the power of watercolour washes to create evocative, softly-blended landscapes that capture the essence of natural light and form.
Watercolour Wash Fundamentals
At their core, watercolour washes are transparent layers of pigment applied wet-on-wet or wet-on-dry to build up depth, texture, and a sense of atmosphere. Unlike the precise, controlled brushwork of dry-brush techniques, washes rely on the fluid, unpredictable nature of watercolour to create soft, organic shapes and blended transitions.
The key to a successful watercolour wash lies in your ability to strategically control the paint’s movement and drying time. By adjusting factors like pigment dilution, brush handling, and paper absorbency, you can achieve a wide range of atmospheric effects – from delicate, hazy backgrounds to boldly contrasted foregrounds.
Wet-on-Wet Washes
One of the most essential watercolour wash techniques is the wet-on-wet approach, where you apply pigment to a pre-dampened surface. This allows the paint to flow and bleed organically, creating soft, diffused edges and seamless gradients.
To execute a wet-on-wet wash, start by thoroughly wetting your paper with clean water, either by spraying or using a large, flat brush. When the surface is evenly damp but not dripping, begin applying your paint, working quickly to take advantage of the paper’s receptive state. Gently tilting the surface can help guide the paint’s movement and create natural-looking effects.
Wet-on-wet washes are particularly effective for establishing atmospheric backgrounds, suggesting distant landforms, or capturing the ephemeral quality of mist and fog. By varying your pigment concentration and the degree of paper dampness, you can achieve a wide range of soft, hazy effects.
Wet-on-Dry Washes
In contrast to wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry washes involve applying paint to a completely dry surface. This technique allows for more control over the paint’s behaviour, enabling you to create sharper edges, harder transitions, and more defined forms.
To begin a wet-on-dry wash, start with a clean, dry sheet of watercolour paper. Mix your paint to the desired consistency, then use a large, soft brush to apply the pigment in broad, sweeping strokes. The paint will spread and blend on the dry surface, but maintain a more distinct shape compared to wet-on-wet washes.
Wet-on-dry techniques are well-suited for building up layers, adding definition to foreground elements, or creating crisp, architectural forms within your landscape composition. By strategically combining wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry washes, you can develop a rich, multi-dimensional painting.
Achieving Atmospheric Effects
One of the primary benefits of mastering watercolour washes is their ability to convey a profound sense of atmosphere and mood. Through thoughtful application of paint and an understanding of how water and pigment interact, you can create landscapes that feel alive with natural light, weather, and a captivating, ethereal quality.
Lighting and Shadows
Watercolour washes excel at suggesting the play of light and shadow across a landscape. By varying the concentration and transparency of your pigments, you can model forms, create depth, and evoke a specific time of day or weather condition.
For example, to capture the soft, diffused lighting of an overcast day, start with a wet-on-wet wash of diluted blue or grey pigment to establish the overall atmospheric tone. Then, gradually layer in more concentrated washes to suggest the darker shadow shapes and highlights that define the forms of your landscape.
Conversely, to depict the stark contrasts of a sunny day, begin with a wet-on-dry wash of warm, vibrant pigment for the sunlit areas, then selectively apply darker, more opaque washes to indicate shadows and receding forms.
Colour Gradients
The fluid, blending nature of watercolour washes lends itself beautifully to creating soft, atmospheric colour gradients – an essential tool for conveying depth and a sense of distance in landscape paintings.
Whether you’re transitioning from a vivid foreground to a hazy background, or modelling the subtle shifts in tone across a distant mountain range, watercolour washes allow you to move seamlessly between hues and values. Experiment with wet-on-wet techniques to achieve effortless, organic blends, or use wet-on-dry methods for more controlled, linear gradients.
By paying close attention to the relationships between your colours and values, you can use watercolour washes to guide the viewer’s eye through the depth and dimensionality of your landscape composition.
Capturing Atmosphere
Perhaps the most captivating quality of watercolour washes is their ability to evoke the ephemeral, atmospheric conditions that define the natural world. From wispy clouds and billowing mist to the warm, golden glow of a setting sun, these fluid, translucent layers of paint can transport the viewer to a specific time and place.
To capture a sense of atmosphere in your landscape paintings, consider the ever-changing effects of weather, light, and season. Observe how fog obscures distant forms, how rain softens and diffuses edges, or how the quality of sunlight shifts throughout the day. Use watercolour washes to suggest these atmospheric phenomena, allowing the unpredictable nature of the medium to work in your favour.
By mastering the art of watercolour washes, you can imbue your landscape paintings with a palpable sense of mood and presence, inviting the viewer to pause and immerse themselves in the natural world you’ve so evocatively rendered.
Composing Atmospheric Landscapes
With a solid understanding of watercolour wash techniques under your belt, you can begin to thoughtfully compose landscape paintings that showcase your newfound skills. By considering the interplay of composition, colour, and texture, you can create works that are not only technically accomplished, but also deeply evocative and emotionally resonant.
Balancing Composition
Effective landscape composition is essential for guiding the viewer’s eye and establishing a sense of depth and atmosphere. When working with watercolour washes, pay close attention to the balance of soft, diffused shapes and harder, more defined forms.
Use wet-on-wet washes to establish distant, hazy elements like mountains or skies, then gradually introduce wet-on-dry washes to add definition and contrast to the foreground. This interplay of soft and sharp edges can create a compelling sense of depth and draw the viewer into the scene.
Additionally, consider how the placement of your focal points and compositional elements can enhance the atmospheric quality of your painting. Strategically positioned negative spaces, for example, can suggest the presence of mist or fog, while well-placed shadows can add a sense of dimensionality and drama.
Colour Harmony and Mood
Watercolour’s inherent fluidity and translucency make it an ideal medium for exploring harmonious colour relationships that evoke specific moods and atmospheres. By carefully selecting your palette and managing the interplay of hues, you can create landscape paintings that resonate with the viewer on an emotional level.
Experiment with analogous colour schemes to suggest a unified, cohesive atmosphere, or use complementary pairings to create a sense of dynamic tension. Pay close attention to the value relationships between your pigments, as well, to double-check that that your washes maintain a sense of depth and form.
Additionally, consider how the overall tone and temperature of your colour choices can influence the mood and atmosphere of your landscape. Cooler, muted palettes may evoke a sense of tranquility and introspection, while warmer, more vibrant hues can convey a feeling of energy and vitality.
Textural Exploration
The unique properties of watercolour washes allow you to explore a wide range of textural effects that can enhance the atmospheric quality of your landscape paintings. By incorporating techniques like dry-brush, sponging, and salt resist, you can introduce subtle variations in surface texture that suggest the organic, weathered nature of the natural world.
Experiment with the application of your washes, too, varying the speed, pressure, and directional strokes of your brush to create a sense of movement and energy. The unpredictable, fluid nature of watercolour washes can also lead to unexpected, serendipitous effects – embracing these happy accidents can lend your paintings a sense of authenticity and spontaneity.
Ultimately, mastering the art of watercolour washes is a journey of exploration, experimentation, and patience. By continually honing your skills and observation, you can unlock the medium’s vast potential for evoking atmosphere, mood, and a profound connection to the natural world. Explore the resources available at Pencil and Paint Muse for more insights and inspiration on developing your watercolour painting practice.
Example: Pencil Portrait Challenge 2024