WATERCOLOR , ‘ | secrets An inside look at the techniques of award-winning Splash artists Rachel Rubin WolfWatercolor Scent: An Inside Look at the Techiquéa of ard: Winning Splosh arists Copyright © 2009 by Rachel Rubin Waa Manufactured in China, Al nghts reserved. No gartofthis book may be reproduced in any form er by any elecronicor mechanical means including infrratian storage and retnevsl systems wathaut permission in writing or the pubes exc ‘paceages in review Published by North Licht Baots, an imprint of Fe Mledkn, ne, 4700 Eaet Galbrath Road, Crernnat, Oh, 45236 (300) 289-0962. Ft Eaton media ate bymedia com ey 0 Saat DISTRIBUTED IN CANADA BY FRASER DIRECT 100 Arretrng Avenue Georgetoun, ON, Canacs L7GSS4 Tek 05) 677-4411 DISTREUTED IN THE UK AND EUROPE BY DAVID RCHARLES Brunel Howse, Newton Aboot, Devon, TOY2APL| England Tok (oa 1626 272000, Faw. (nA) 1626 272319 Email postmstrdasvandehasi eo uk DISTREUTED IN AUSTRALIA BY CAPRICORN LINK PO. Bix 708, S. Windsor NSW, 275 Astra Tok 102) 4577.2555 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data bin Woll Rachel Waterclor sects -aninklelock a the techniques of ennnd-ninnings Splash tate / by Rachel Rubin Wall — Tato cludes inden ISBN 9781-00061 1807 thardcower: ale pape!) 1. YasteteslorpaintingTeshrigue. Seah. Tie Tile isd loak atthe techniques of anard-warning Splash artists NO2420 RA 2007 751 422-deo2 Doaronaso Edited by Mary aurea Bos Designed by Wendy Bunning Predustioncocidinated by Matt Wagner ty a reviewer aa ray quate bret ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rachel Rubs Wolf isa freelance editor and artist She edits ‘nd swerites fine art books for North Light Books, snclird— ing the Splash series (The Best of Watercator) Steokes of Geniusseries (Te Bes of Drawingy The Best of Wildlie Are (editions 1 & 2); The Best of Portrait Painting; The Best ‘of Flower Painting 2: The Acrylic Painter’s Book of Styles, and Techniques: Painting Ships, Shoresand the Sea: and Paintinggthe Many Moods of Light Se has alto aeuired numerous fine art book projects and authors for Nort Light Booksand has contributed tw magazines suc as Fine Art ‘Connoisseur rd Wiklife Art Weeenor cn Mb angele Toh tom x om) BUDDING FEONY (BACK COVER ART) Son ¥ than ieecalorcn Lb Apr aleinissalnapee Metric Conversion Chart Toeomert @ mutiny by laches Coinimeters 254 Centimeters Inches oF Feet Centimeters 505 Centimeters: Feet ons Yards Meters 09 Meters: Yards uiROBIN BERRY Myparents were professional ists. When Twas, child my dad would lt me oft the loor otis sul with by newsprint padsand various pencils pens pastels and wetercolurs 3 Tevuld ‘makestutl Decades later, live in my ehilZhoud hate, have my parents art materials, and use that very room for my studlo, Thaveuleays though of myself asan artist and, likewise, been treated ike one. tr high school, my beloved English teacher framed snylirst serious watercalr and for three years Isat in aclassroam where my palatinghung and was treated as serlous art. Taday, my lies happily interwoven with elements from the pas: My' parents) be hes are mixed with ming, thelr furnisue ish use In ay sedi and leters rom that belaved teacher, stow my fiend, are regularly inmyemailinbax. A printf Razzle Dazzle (as seen in Sptash 10) hangs in ber home, Iwasa ponerfor twenty years, working exckashely in porcelain. Light ras may primary theene in clay and ny davorite subjects were birds an flowers. The things that inspire rie creatively have stayed the sane, though REDDISH EGRET BANCES Waterco in #4 ge Atthe IN, “Ding” Daring Na SPOTLIGHT THE BEAUTY OF A FLOWER mi subjects have expanded over the years. Tipste Greece France; Italy ana many ationsin the US, have filed my photo-referen ‘olurnesand sketchbooks wi enough material for several etme, [used to take my paints om trips, butove prefer to travel lightly andriake fall use of my camera, Along wich my computer Itisone ‘of my most valuable cools ‘Without a doubt, my most ceiling moment was receiving my Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA) eters in the sumnier of 2006 and reeciving their highest award (Styledge) The ining was Rassle Dazzle also accepted for Splash 10, Tkwent on to receive the aden and Mary Pleissner Memorial Awanl atthe American Watercolor Society [feel asi Thave painted for fiteen ‘Years to ashiove this single painting, as its success hus come to repre sersteverything Thave worked fr, To have it eco has changed my ite aby my peers Alter thirty-five years asa working artist; my predaminane fol ingiegrotitle Even navy [still can't wait to getinto the studioand “make stall allow i1 PAINTING THE GLOW ON A FLOWER Whatever pint, my trae subject alvay light. Glowing and startling, light makes tne want ta shout in pale, “Look; the ight iscoming through the flawer's petal! make thisstatement by using drametic spotlight effect and warm, vid colors, inthe Initial stages. have to work fast before the paint dries, so my idea mustbe clearbetore ata, APPLY MASKING AND YELLOW Aterselecting arelerence photo, mask all whites anc hughights with Pebeo Brawing Gur and etary, then besin psunng the layer We the erie surace of the paper witha pure sexay bottle, Using Bind Stn) wash eras, saath and distribute the ws nh aur acreamy nterae min er fhe 3 yellow ta et gloss Ling the oe theatwe oh brush, gently move the paint araund the center area ofthe painting without respect ta the loner boundaries. MATERIALS ‘anche wh + PIGMENTS. Armmpahie + Auman low « Bean Mader + Pemanant Ocrge » Qunsendone Corl © Ouinscidare ose» Wireor Bue » Wing Cree OTHER SUPPLIES HE pare + PebeoErawng Gh tocthinah* mdcaophane ete >) ADD CORAL AND ROSE Poura creamy puddle ol coral ver the night sie, Mave the ig rect around with a2sach Strom} each brn, keeping moet ofthe yelloeareasfree ofthe coral Next, pura puddle afrase aver the left ‘ade and seread nat shown). Than ttt and meth bot, lloning pigments tan andilend, Oa natlet the panting dy yet POUR ON BLUE AND BLEND Pour Antierp Blue arcund the outside af the Hower the same anne as thereat afta bi the beards the ble point can run andi but avoid the ws allawed into some shaded areas ofthe flowerskoner petals, Shaul velo and arange center Theis ‘flan across inta the fais: the resultcen siry become encther shadow added ta your designSPRAY AND CONTINUE BLENDING With the basin a versal postion, spnte the panting ta met ‘any paint thathas started to dry, Continue ting and turing the pint- Ingunti the blending paint evers out Lay if, lean up the masked yous, ancl ty. CONTINUE LAYERING To DEEPEN THE COLORS 5 ‘The colors othe frat pour ightenconeederablyasthey dey Repei steps 4 ta deepenthe calor reed, pou mare coal crite ich seal he Boner anna oil andaie ‘hep sound wh fe wath brush Whan the center lana le the painting 6 EXPAND TO THE FULL PALETTE sng the full palette, cel range, Bromn Mackie, Winsor Ble and green, teimportant tokeep the slate glowing arcun the edge ‘ofthe lower. sopaint a warm yellow or orange nexttoit toestablch stheaiteralom 7 LAY IN THE DARKEST BACKGROUND VALUES Layin the dent unlues ofthe bskegraunt with 3 Tanck 28r fot Fret dompen the aea to be painted, then bruh inrich dees: [brown and then immediately deep Wirsor Blue, werlang fom the ‘camer touard the rose tapering ell before reaching the glow ercund ‘tho over. Repnat in each comer Use aha dryer to rake sure the peiting cry and stand tap for viewing, PAINT THE PETAL SHADOWS AND DEEPER VALUES Using oranges and ras bagin ta paint the subtle shadows seen ‘dough the petals. Nove that these shadows: are only sty larker than the local enlor ofthe petal but they hav dalinastad shape "Werking around and through the flower paint the deeper values ofthe ‘alae petals using various res anc several relatively large brushes Whenthe range al values looks bulanced, step back and viewit ‘through re cellaphane value teate viewer, The mutes the colon:s0 ‘thatthe design of lights and darsteapparent. Robin Berry "