Lesson 5. Before the Storm Copy

In this class we are going to play with different types of washes, using wet-on-wet technique. You will be practicing how to use paints with the GRANULATING effect and your imagination to capture the abstract landscape on your paper.

PAINT WITH GRANULATING EFFECT

The granulating effect occurs because the pigments used in granulating paints have different densities or particle sizes. As the paint dries, the heavier or larger particles settle in the tooth of the paper, while the lighter or smaller particles remain on the surface, resulting in a granular or speckled pattern.

The Effect of Granulation in Watercolours

There is always a lot of discussion around granulation in watercolour: all watercolour artists know that some colours have a greater tendency to naturally granulate than others. But not all of them know what causes granulation and how it can be used in paintings. 

Granulation is the visibly clear appearance of pigment particles in an uneven texture on the paper. Sounds complicated? Simply put, the nature of this phenomenon lies in the name itself: according to the dictionary, granulation is the formation of grains of a substance. In the case of watercolours, this substance is a pigment, and certain pigments tend to granulate, i.e. to form small dots and/or groups of flakes that are visually noticeable on paper.

What causes Granulation in Watercolours? The Nature of the pigment is the most important factor in the formation of granulation in watercolour. There are groups of pigments that have a natural tendency to granulate because they are heavier. 

These are:
Ultramarines
Cobalts (including Ceruleans)
Earth tones
Blacks

An example of Ultramarine watercolour granulating

 Most earth pigments are now made with synthetic rather than natural pigments. Synthetic iron oxides, like Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber, granulate differently between brands with some granulating heavily and others hardly granulating at all. Many genuine mineral pigments produce dramatic granulating effects due to their larger pigment particle size. 

Ultramarine blue, PB29, is usually a granulating pigment but some versions are very finely milled which reduces granulation. Many professional watercolour manufacturers offer both French Ultramarine and Ultramarine Blue. Of the two, French Ultramarine granulates more readily. Granulation of Ultramarine Pink varies greatly across brands.
 
Of the black pigments, Ivory Black and Mars Black usually granulate strong. Lamp Black generally does not produce any granulating effect.

In this class there are two exercises where you will try unique watercolour paint by ROCKWELL. Please watch the video tutorials first and then discover more about self-evolving mineral watercolour paint from the ROCKWELL company www.rockwellart.com

REFERENCES

There are no specific references for this class. You will be using your imagination to capture an abstract landscape on your paper.

These references are only for your inspiration.

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Practical exercises

For the practical exercises please prepare 4-5 watercolour sheets.

You will use brushes, sponges, palette knife, spray bottle, nano-mister, charcoal pencil and acrylic marker.

You will need to cover your working table to protect it from pigment runs. You might want to wear gloves.

And, of course, you will need lots of paper towels.

Exercise # 1. Watercolour painting “Before the Storm“

Colour Palette for the exercise # 1:

• Watercolour paint
• Indigo, Grambusher
• Dusk Yellow, Van Gogh
• Green Gold, Daniel Smith – optional
• Shadow Violet, Daniel Smith – optional
• Sea sponge
• Nano Mister

As you can see in the photo the granulating effect of the paint DUSK YELLOW by Van Gogh is very strong. On the left photo you can see clean wash of each paint (undisturbed, untiled, unsprayed, dried horizontally). On the right photo you can see how the paint behaves when mixed with each other when you actively spraying with water and rotating the paper.

• DS – Daniel Smith
• VG – Van Gogh

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Exercise # 2. Watercolour painting “House at Dusk“

Colour Palette for the exercise # 2:

• Watercolour paint
• Lapis Brown, Rockwell
• Cosmic Sound, Rockwell
• Charcoal pencil, black
• Acrylic marker, white

• Sea sponge
• Nano Mister
• Craft knife
• Palette knife

This is the first exercise in this course using magical self-evolving mineral watercolour paints from ROCKWELL. This exercise is based on the special effects created by the self-evolving abilities of these products.

www.rockwellart.ca

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The practice process is all about pushing the limits of believing in your ability that you can do what you have not done before. I am sure by this class you have learned a few new tricks and techniques of how to paint fast and fearless in the loose watercolour style. Now, it is time to learn how to get absolutely loose in the watercolour “lake” of mixed mineral pigments.

Please watch the video first, then practice your paintings. Do not try to copy the same composition as me. Allow your palette knife to create your own story and let your imagination flow with it. Have fun!

Please watch this short video about how to get from total fiasco to masterpiece in 10 minutes.

Pre-history. When I was editing this video at first I decided to keep only the “good” part of the painting process. But now, I am thinking that it is perfect video tutorial to rounding out the course with the advice DO NOT GIVE UP! If you remember the first lesson of this course where I encourage you to continue painting and do not stop even you feel you painting is close to failure.

DO NOT GIVE UP! Take a deep breath, count till five, take a new piece a paper and start over. It will work out, eventually.

Exercise # 3. Watercolour painting “Spring Forest“

Colour Palette for the exercise # 3:

• Watercolour paint Lumigreen Brown, Rockwell
• Acrylic marker, white
• Charcoal pencil, black
• Charcoal pencil, white
• Crayon, white (optional)
• Craft knife
• Palette knife
• Sea sponge
• Nano Mister

In this video tutorial we will create the illusion of a Spring Forest using all tricks and techniques we have already practiced in the previous exercise. Please watch the video first, then practice your painting as many times as your want. I am sure every time you will create absolutely different scenes.

This is the beauty of the palette knife loose painting!

Student’s work

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