Watercolor is a beautiful art form that has developed and grown tremendously over the years. The way in which watercolor pencils were first used was almost exclusively to create images on canvas. However, like any medium, there are a few things which can be useful to remember when beginning to use this type of drawing medium. By paying attention to a few important tips, you will find that working with watercolor is both fun and easy.
Watercolor is best handled using a small soft bristle brush. Since there is often a great deal of brush handle activity within the activity, it helps to get a soft, flexible brush that will give good leverage for smooth work and not cause stress to your wrist or arm. A bristle brush with rounded tips is a good choice but not essential. Paying attention to how your chosen watercolor pencils lay down the colors is an excellent way to make sure you use enough of them for a smooth finish.
Watercolor pencils have traditionally been sold in round or oval containers that have "S" shapes glued to the top. Although this is still the most common method of storing them, you can also purchase them in cylindrical "H" shapes, and even other shapes depending upon how you prefer to work. Remember that watercolor pencils come in a variety of colors, so you should make a conscious effort to choose the hue that will most appropriately lend to your project. A good rule of thumb is that your colors should complement one another rather than clash. If you are unsure as to what hues to use for a particular project, simply bring color samples with you or look through magazines and books until you find a color that you think will go with what you have come together. You can inquire more of these from Amazrock.
You should always be sure that your watercolor pencils dry quickly between coats. If you let them sit out between paintings, you may find that they are too brittle to use on your next attempt, especially if you have used a lot of them. When you see that the paint is still wet, take it from the oven or drying station, dry it on paper towels, and then use a single dry, soft brush to brush it dry. It is best to let each layer of paint dry for the amount of time suggested on the product label.
Some of the techniques you will want to use with watercolor pencils will depend upon what colors you have chosen to paint with. If you are using mainly dark colors, you will want to use watercolor paint brushes that have wide-spaced bristles. You will also want a canvas with ample drying space so that you can be fairly confident that the finished product will hold up for several years.
One of the great things about working with watercolor pencils is that the pigment is contained within the pencil itself, rather than in the medium that is used to create the final artwork. For example, oil paints have had to deal with pollution, acid rain, and the natural aging process that causes a gradual change in the color of the pigment over time. However, pencils contain natural pigments that react slightly to certain additives. This gives every colored pencil, the ability to produce different shade of color. For example, you can use a charcoal pencil to create black drawing lines, but if you use a waterbrush for shading, you can create shades of brown or gray. Visit the Amazrock page for more products.
