How to Create Striking Watercolors with Correct Value in your watercolor journal
For years, I didn't make progress
Color vs Value
Watercolor paints not only have properties of opaqueness vs. transparency but have differences in value. Value in visual art is the darkness or lightness of a color. As a beginning watercolorist, I didn't know that.
For years, I didn't make progress. Why was I getting mediocre results when I followed the rules? Capturing the image is easy. Finding the “lights” and “darks” in a painting is harder. Transparency in watercolor pigment is often taught as the essential quality of paint color. This is not true for the beginning artist. A beginner needs to work with paint colors that offer a wide range of value. By limiting my palette to only transparent colors, I was limiting my range of values. (There was no darkness or lights in my paintings)
The staining colors (pigments that stain the paper) have smaller molecules that tend to dig down into the paper, making them hard to remove. However, you get better dark values with these colors. Don't struggle with value any longer! There are many ways to gauge value:
1. Use a staining triad such as Alizarin Crimson, Prussian Blue, and Windsor Yellow. If you mix these three colors, you can get a variety of grays, and by using less water in the mix of paint with water, you will get darker shades. For a free download on familiar triads, sign up for my blog at watercolorjournal.com.
2. Use tools to gauge your values. Some people use a red/green filter. Others squint. There are also gray-scale and other value finders at art supply houses both online and retail.
3. Another good practice is to get a gray-scale of markers and make a rough sketch of what you are planning to paint. Add a few dark darks, some medium tones, and lights to your work. For a beginner, this may seem like a lot of work, but the results might surprise you.
This is not meant to be exhaustive as teaching of value but a bellwether in taking your art to the next level. I know it was for me. Have you given much thought to value in your watercolor paintings? Are there any colors or tools you use which have been invaluable to you?
Inspiration Scripture for today:
“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and confirm for us the work of our hands.…” Psalm 90: 17