THE GRANULATED WASH

FIRM FOUNDATION!

Many painters in watercolours are aware that some colours occasionally dry unevenly-in a series of blobs of solid colour which gives a mottled effect-but few know exactly why! Nor do they know how to control the unevenness, that is to say, to cause it or avoid it at will. This is one of the most fascinating and least understood branches of watercolour technique. To those who are looking for extensions of power over the medium, the results will have all the wonder of the revelation of a deep secret.

Take a piece of heavy coarse grained paper such as arches 300 lb., mount on thick cardboard, and fix it firmly to a drawing board so that it will not warp in the slightest degree. An absolutely plane surface is essential.

First give it a wash of vermillion or pale orange, weakening towards the top of the paper. Leave till quite dry, mix a considerable quantity of cerulean blue in a palette tray–about twice as much as would be required for an ordinary flat wash.

Place the drawing board at a slope of about 15° with the table. Take a large wide brush capable of holding a deal of colour; charge it fully and draw it across the top of the paper so lightly that the hairs scarcely touch the paper. Add a brushful of water in the saucer and extend the wash by another stroke. Repeat the process as quickly as possible till the paper is completely covered.

Immediately after this is done lift the board to an angle of about 60°; when the wash begins to run down; then tilt the board in the opposite direction and the wash will run back. Do this several times and note how the pigment separates into solid spots leaving spaces of clean, or almost clean, paper between, while the water has separated from the pigment. When the pigment does not move with the water let the water drain off, place the board at the same angle as when the wash was painted, and leave to dry. You can assist the water draining from the paper with paper towels or elephant ear sponges. 

 

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