Following certain procedures regarding the development of a watercolor painting gives us greater control and expectation of its outcome. Consider these guidelines as you build this painting, and subsequent ones.
1. Set-up your materials so that you have paints squeezed out onto your palette, brushes accessible, 2 containers for water- 1 clean and 1 for mixing, paper towels, and any other tools you may need. You won’t want to get-up in the middle of a wash if things aren’t going well.
2. Begin with a light pencil sketch, done with H pencil or lighter. Lines should be just visible. Use a clean eraser to remove any excess lines before you begin (not after). You will be establishing the shapes and edges (not creating value or shadows). Spend as much time as you need to create a good sketch (it will pay off later).
3. Start to apply color, filling in one section at a time. Apply the palest washes first. Remember that you will be creating lighter colors by using less paint and more water- or simply the white of the paper (and not white paint). Dark colors, by contrast, have a higher concentration of pigment, often layered.
4. Let each layer dry before you begin to apply the next.
5. Generally, you should be working light to dark- so that you establish all of the tones in a light fashion at the start of the painting, and gradually work in darks.
6. Work the painting up together, starting with larger shapes and tones (using larger brushes), and saving small details, highlights, and accents for last (done w/small brushes).
7. The colors and tones in the painting will dry 20% lighter than how you applied them. Use this knowledge to your advantage and don’t be afraid to put down bright and deep colors.
8. In the background, try using a diluted wash for broad light areas, slightly darker for surfaces like the tabletop.
** more on basic procedure
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