Water Color Adventure for fun.

In my previous blogs, ' This too shall  pass' and ' Rare Species' I have amply established the fact that, 'Art' is not just for artists taking it up professionally to make money, but, I can't stress enough, how important it is for everyone to take it up as a hobby as it is so much fun and also relaxes each and everyone. 

Reading my previous blogs, my sister who is an Anaesthetist in Birmingham,  said, she has recently moved in a new house and has taken up decorating and painting walls and furniture on herself. She finds painting furniture so relaxing and calming as it not only keep her worries aside while she is at it but also freshen her up to take up another long and stressful hospital working day. Infact she got her 8 year old son involved painting the walls which not only keeps him busy but also takes care of his anxiety. Now they enjoy painting and decorating the house as a family activity.

Another cousin of mine, who is a busy corporate big wig at some MNC, and also a single mother of a teenager said she has found her calm in knitting. During lockdown with all her busy 'work from home schedule 'she  managed to knitt a couple of colorful caps, scarves and stoles for herself and her daughter with wool. What a way to creatively destress !! She has promised to make one for me too soon after all this chaos is over and she can travel. I hope she keeps her promise.

So now,  let's get on with our business as how to get started!! 

With a lot of thought and research, I have come up with my first program, 

Water Color Adventure', 

This program is not only easy to handle but super fun for anyone of any age.

Water color medium is the first medium I used when I was a young kid as it was the cheapest and easily available at the nearest stationery shop. Over the years and even after graduating from a prestigious Art college I still go back to them just to have some fun while creating. Infact, whenever I take out my water colors, I am surprised how versatile they are. They don't need to always be lovely washes, although that is certainly a fun way to use them.

So, put on your water color armour, cause we are going to have some FUN.

Here' a quick list of supplies required.

Water color paints ( cake or tubes)

Paper or any sketch box 

Paint brushes

Tissue paper

Plastic wrap or poly bag

Water container for water and cleaning brushes.

There are hundreds of techniques which I can teach but today we will take up a few which everyone can do without stressing oneself more.

1) plastic wrap on wet paint

Lets warm up with the easiest one.

Apply water first on the paper with a thick brush and before it dries add any color from your palatte and let it spread itself on the water. This is the typical water color technique. Now lay plastic wrap down over an area of wet water color and reposition some areas with your fingers, adding in some pleats. Let the paint dry before you remove the plastic wrap. Doesn't it look amazing with all the textures created. I see some microscopic  patterns!!

2) Blobs of colors

This is also a very simple technique 'making of water color blob patterns.'

Using the previous method, first make circles of just water with thick brush on paper. Now before the water dries take any color pigment from the palette and just place brush on any water blob. Color spreads automatically in that blob and believe me it's very therapeutic. U can add more colors or just one color in each blob depanding on what effect you like. Let the colors flow on their own and do not try to mix them. Do the same in all water circles and see a wonderful painting appearing. 

 

3) The Dab technique

 Take a paper towel/ tissue, moisten it slightly with water and than bunch it up. Dab it into some wet watercolor, then dab on to your paper. It creates amazing textured patterns on paper. After it dries, they look good as it is, but my creative mind sees so much in it and want to capture it.  I could see leaves in the previous one and felt like making Koi fishes in the second one as it looked like a pond to me. Just play and have fun.

Infact when done, just open the tissue u just used to dab and it also looks like a marble painting.

I am surely going to use this one somewhere. 

4) Lifting and texturing

You can achieve some good textures in watercolors by 'lifting' areas of paint away right after you lay them down.

I use same paper towels for this which I used earlier or sponges, anything absorbent. 

This also created some patterns and textures from areas color was lifted which I developed as floral patterns. So much can be created using this technique, it is limitless.

Water color is really fun and relaxing and I can go on and on using so many more techniques. 

But for first session these 4 techniques can keep anyone busy for quite sometime and help you relax.

I love to paint flowers and nature in a conventional way and I maintain a water color doodle journal. Sharing a few for inspiration.

Enjoy the adventure!!!

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