Blog Archives - Studio Art Honors I

Expressive Color Narrative

1/4/2023

Click here for the project description.

Watercolor Composition : Variety of Techniques

1/3/2023

Aida Gachago, Class of 2020

Project:
On a piece of watercolor paper, create a design that considers the Principles of Art, and use that to experiment with different mark-making using watercolors. Apply your understanding of Unity, Emphasis, Balance, Harmony, and Variety in the design.

What you will need:

Watercolor set (pan or tubes)
Watercolor palette / plastic watercolor pan (for color mixing)
Two cups of water (one for cleaning brushes, one for adding to and mixing colors)
Sable brushes
Paper towel
Watercolor paper
Pencil (HB)
(Salt)
(Crayons)
(Artist's tape, or masking tape)

Objectives:

Learn to control the watercolor medium to mix a wide range of specific colors.
Develop skill with watercolor to paint both larger areas and small details.
Create depth using atmospheric perspective through color shifts -- More vibrant, and usually warmer, as the objects are closer to you; less saturated, less intense, and cooler as they move away.
Learn to paint gradations/transitions of color
Experiment with the medium

Process:

For inspiration on your composition, look at the work of abstract painters Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky.
Create a drawing/design in light pencil line that is composed of at least 20 closed organic and geometric shapes. Compose the image by applying what you know about the Principles of Art, specifically Unity, Emphasis, Balance, Harmony, and Variety.
Then, paint the design using watercolor so that it includes:

At least 10 mixed colors (Colors not straight from the tubes, but mixed together.)
Washes
Smooth, flat color swatches with crisp edges
Pale colors
Intense colors
Gradations of dark to light
Gradations of one color changing to another
Lines, both thin and broad
Points, dashes, and other marks
Layers of colors (painting transparent colors over dry colors)
All other basic techniques described in this handout (Burlington access only)

If you can't fit all these techniques into a single design, create a second design to try out the remaining techniques.