Terms used by instructors teaching Watercolor by Shanti Marie

By: Shanti Marie ( View Profile - Contact )

Terms used by instructors teaching Watercolor by Shanti Marie

Watercolor Terms     By Shanti Marie

Ground – Any surface that you paint on, usually paper but can be illustration board, gessoed paper or Masonite and now, canvas or clay bord.

Flat wash - applying pre-mixed, even value color to wet or dry ground.

Wet surface - there are many degrees of dampness, but an area freshly soaked with clear water will float the pigment and allow it to move freely over the ground. Wet refers to the shine still being on the surface of the paper.

Moist paper – Paper that has been completely wet,  but water no longer floats on surface, allow the water to sit for a minute but do not allow the shine to disappear before painting.

Damp surface - to get more control but retain softness, wet paper with sponge or brush, let water soak into paper until surface is not shinny and no longer wet but clearly damp.

Dry surface – No water used on the paper except the water in the brush as you paint. This will leave paint precisely where you put it, with well-defined edges.

Graded wash - applying color over a wet or dry ground where a change in value or color or both takes place.

Polychromatic wash - flat or graded wash in more than one color.

Analogous Wash - a wash with various colors, which are neighbors on the color wheel.    IE: Yellow ,Orange ,Red.

Glazing - applying diluted transparent washes over dry paint.

Wet-into-wet - applying wet paint onto wet surface, or into another color.

Charging color – Applying color directly into wet color usually of the opposite temperature but not mixing them but allowing them to merge on their own. Example: blue into brown.

Dry brush work - applying stokes of paint quickly with a very light touch so that the full brush does not apply paint but only a little paint is released and frequently skips across the paper or ground.

Lifting - to lighten a color or remove paint for a highlight or a mistake. Can be glazed over when dry.

Scraping - while paper is damp not wet, scrape off surface with a palette knife or flat brush handle to create a mark thru the moist paint

Sgraffito - scratching dry paint to reveal ground, often done with a razor.

Masking- to use masking fluid or tape or film to keep areas free of paint. Wax resist – also a method of masking… use white wax candle before painting for mottled effect, rub  a candle ( or crayon)over an area so it won't accept paint.

Water spotting - dropping clean water onto barely damp area of paint.

Spattering- to create texture, spatter paint onto wet or dry ground, use toothbrush, or tap loaded brush against another brush.

Salting - sprinkling salt onto wet paint; salt absorbs color while drying.

Soaping - for unique effects, rub soap loaded brush into wet paint.

Alcohol splatter – for a dot like effect spray alcohol into watercolor, gesso or ink.  The Alcohol creates rings or circular shapes when it pushed the water based media aside.

Sponging – Use a natural sea (or household) sponge for removing wet paint by dabbing a damp sponge into wet paint.  This creates texture and removes paint can also be used to apply paint in a natural manner.

Stretching paper – watercolor paper is secured by tape, staples or nails to a board or other support so that it will not buckle while painting.

Soften and edge - After paint has been applied to dry paper a damp brush is used along the edge of the stroke to soften the exterior line of color.

	About The Artist
	Shanti Marie ( View Profile - Contact ) ( 4 lessons, )