AMAZING TRANSPARENCY

Art  Qlate commented on Facebook about, to use their term, amazing transparency.  They ask which brand of watercolors I use.

First of all, thanks to Art for their very kind comments.  The short answer is that I use Windsor and Newton 1/2 pans from their Artist series.  I summarized compact watercolor sets here and here.

My first reaction to Art’s comment is that there is nothing amazing about what I do or how I do it.  Anybody can do this.

Also, I am not any sort of watercolorist.  I don’t think that I could do a classic landscape type watercolor that anyone would want to look at to save my life.   I’ve taught myself to do these drawings.  I’ve learned from trial and error.  I never took a watercolor course.

Of course, I have no desire to do classic romantic watercolors;  that would be too representational and culturally repressive for my purposes.

To try to answer Art’s question, the ratio of pigment to water is a prime determinant of the transparency of the tone.  You can get a feel for this very quickly by drawing three 6 sided transparent cubes on a piece of paper. Then tone one of the sides of the first cube with color directly from the pan.  Then add in a bit of water and tone the same side of the second cube.  Then use the mixing areas on your set to add more water, and then tone the same side of the third cube.  Let the three tones dry for 5 minutes.

The result should be three colors of decreasing intensity.  Or if they are not decreasing, they should be of varying intensity.  Any of the three intensities will be suitable for Transparent Drawing.  Each of the intensities will have a slightly different effect.

Then, pick a different color, and apply color to a side of the cube which overlaps the first color.  Play with tonal intensity.  Let dry for 5 minutes.

With the two overlapping tones, you should start to see what Art calls amazing transparency.  And if you are adventurous, then keep toning the cubes to your satisfaction.

Writing this response to Art has made me realize that the very crucial component of this amazing transparency is the fact that we are drawing three dimensional, resolved forms.  If you were to simply draw a series of overlapping two dimensional shapes on a piece of paper and then applied watercolors, the effect would not be amazing.  The success of that exercise would indeed be according to one’s technique.  I can’t imagine a more boring activity.  Besides, we have eliminated 2d drawing.  2D drawing, begone!

The three dimensional forms that we are drawing promotes the transparency effect.  Parts of forms are seen in front of other parts.  The eye has fun understanding the forms.  The watercolor tones allows the eye to complete the form.  And whether you have the pigment to water ratio “just right” is completely irrelevant.  No matter what level of technique you bring, Transparent Drawing, simply, works.

You are free.