Learn to paint dolphins in watercolours. Seascape

Learn to paint beautiful seascape with drops of water

This course is about learning 2 main techniques in watercolours. You will learn how to draw dolphins, how to use fluid mask and then how paint water, and dolphins in the movement.

What you’ll learn

  • how to draw the dolphins in pencil.
  • how to apply reserving fluid.
  • how to work with wet-on-wet technique.
  • how to work with wet-on-wet technique.
  • learn how the highlight of dolphins work under the water and above water.

Course Content

  • Introduction –> 2 lectures • 8min.
  • Drawing and painting process –> 6 lectures • 1hr 19min.
  • Conclusion –> 1 lecture • 1min.

Learn to paint dolphins in watercolours. Seascape

Requirements

This course is about learning 2 main techniques in watercolours. You will learn how to draw dolphins, how to use fluid mask and then how paint water, and dolphins in the movement.

During this class you will learn:

how to draw the dolphins in pencil – this step is important as it will guide you throughout the whole process from applying fluid mask, till painting water and dolphins

how to apply the masking fluid, and why we use it in our works – Reserving fluid is a kind of rubber glue that can be used to cover individual parts of the paper. This layer will keep the surface free of paint, even if you paint with a lot of water. Masking fluid can be used when you need a clear boundary between the background and elements on it, or when you need to place small light details on a dark or colored background.

Since the masking fluid resembles a rubber glue in its texture, it sticks together the pile. I advise you to moisten the brush before starting work and run it several times over the bar of soap so that it forms a protective layer. After that, you can safely get to work! Remember to rinse your brush with warm water immediately after use. Another important point! Make sure your masking fluid is completely dry before you paint over watercolors. However, it is necessary to remove its layer only after the watercolor is completely dry.

how to apply the first washes with wet-on-wet technique – The “wet” technique, as a rule, involves working in one session, and if you work for several days, then each time you need to wet the sheet again. Glazing allows you to continue painting with watercolors without preparatory work.

– how to work on details with wet-on-dry technique to catch up the viewer eyes – Glazing allows you to make the colors deeper, as the watercolor lightens by several tones when it dries. It is important to remember that a new layer of paint should be applied only after the previous one has completely dried. Glazing makes the image more realistic due to the ability to work out the nuances of lighting and volume transfer.

 

For the drawing you will need a pencil with the hardness B or HB, and a kneadable art eraser. Try not to leave strong lines, as water and watercolours work as fixative, and will be difficult to erase the lines after you will paint.

In watercolours, if you do not have all 36 pans, use the colours you have. If you use any other blue colours as I mention, do not worry about. Try to experiment and follow along the techniques.

1. First step is about the drawing. You will have to draw both dolphins and drops of water.

2. Then you will apply reserving fluid. It will help you to preserve the white spaces on the paper. Specifically for the drops in water

3. You will wet the work and will have to create the base colour quick, as only working quick you will get beautiful transitions of blue colour.

4. Once the work is dried, you will intensify the work with colour, as wet-on-wet technique leaves a lighter colour of watercolour once it dries.

5. You will have to remove the fluid mask and to start working on dolphins. Both dolphins are grey in nature, but because one of those is under water, there will be more blue colours in its skin. The second one is above the water, and have natural light on the skin, what makes it more colourful and with warmer tones.

6. Last, but not least, you will have to adjust the details. Details are important as those catch up the viewer eyes.

Just use the steps I explain during the work and enjoy the process. Good luck!

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