How to know each color in your travel palette.
T ravel paint palettes get messy real fast. When I close my palette up after using it, excess water swishes about inside, applying a film of gray and brown over each color.
On top of that, I never remember exactly which shade of blue is which, and which shade of yellow or orange or even sienna is which.
This becomes more of a problem while travel sketching, because I need to paint quickly, without testing color on a swatch.
I've slowly learned that the precise name of the pigment you are using, and even the brand, is important to know, especially when you are traveling and have just a small timeframe (and small, uncomfortable spaces) to paint. Often, you don't even have time to mix paint. You need to get it done with a single color.
I reference a smartphone photo to quickly find colors
I need while sketching on the road. I like using large waterpoof palettes, as I can open them up, get them wet and not worry too much about them leaking in the rest of my gear. Check out this palette by Martin Mijello.
In fact, memorizing the position of certain keystone colors is tremendously helpful while traveling. I've finally resolved this problem by doing this:
Label your pigments - use strips of sticky notes, masking tape or even place the palette on a grocery bag, and write the names of each pigment outside the palette. Take a smartphone photo of the palette, and keep the photo handy, either by printing it and taping it to the back of your palette, or just keeping the photo saved on your phone.
Best Colors for a Travel Watercolor Palette
Below are a few colors which could easily be mistaken for other colors in a palette. I give my reasons for needing each of these exact pigments, and why its important for me to label and memorize them. For me, these are the best, most essential pigments in my watercolor palette.
Pthalo Blue
There is really no replacement for this synthetic, chemical blue, which is sometimes called Helio Blue or Winsor Blue. It turns paper into vivid, daytime skies, immeasurably important in so many travel sketches.
Pthalo blue is often considered too intense and overpowering for many realistic paintings, but when you need to lay down color quickly while sketching on the side of a road or in a cafe, that surreal sky comes in handy. Link to Pthalo Blue
Indigo
If I had just one watercolor shade in my palette, this historical pigment, discovered in different cultures around the world, would be it. In fact, travel sketches with black liner pen and indigo watercolor look great. My Winsor & Newton Indigo is used for so many different travel sketching purposes, and I never tire of this versatile midnight blue, which can laid down dark and intense, or soft and pale. I use it to represent black, by adding burnt sienna, and I use it for shadows, and the edge of oceans. There is something about this specific pigment against white paper that is uniquely clean and crisp. Link to Indigo
FAQs
- You're Using the Wrong Paper. ...
- You're Using The Wrong Brush. ...
- You've Bought A Cheap Paint Set. ...
- You're Using Too Much Water. ...
- You're Not Letting the Layers Dry. ...
- You're Not Premixing Enough Paint. ...
- You're Overworking Your Painting.
First, swirl your brush in some clean water and mix it on your paint palette to get the paint wet. Then use your brush to spread the paint mixture on your watercolour paper. Add more paint as you need, and you're done! Watercolour paints are activated by water so you can spread them on the paper.
What is the best way to learn watercolor? ›
Color references help watercolor artists gain familiarity with their paints and brushes, which is useful for understanding and planning! One of the best ways to develop your color theory and mixing skills as well as your brush technique is to create color swatches (or even a color chart or wheel).
How to make a portable watercolor palette? ›
To make the paper palette we squirted thick dots of watercolors from tubes onto small squares of water color paper. These paint dots dry and can be wet again and mixed right on the paper. Slide extra squares of watercolor paper into a pocket inside the folder and add a little scrap of fabric for blotting.
What is the golden rule of watercolor? ›
There are two fundamental techniques in watercolor painting. You can't escape them… they are: Wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry. Together, these techniques form a golden rule that is unique to watercolors, and highlights the broad range of possibilities in watercolor painting.
What is the weakness of watercolor? ›
Weaknesses of watercolor paints
Firstly, watercolors can be unpredictable. Their fluid nature often results in the colors bleeding into each other, creating unexpected effects.
What is the secret to watercolor painting? ›
5 Pro Tips
When working with watercolor paints, you want to begin with the lighter colors and then work towards the darker ones. We do this because in watercolors, the white comes from the paper, not the paints. So due to the transparency of the paints, your light colors wont “pop” when painted over darker colors.
Which is easier to learn watercolor or acrylic? ›
Acrylic paints are more vibrant and opaque than watercolor paints. They're also more versatile, easier for beginners, more durable, have a longer working time, and are more durable.
What are the best colors to start with in watercolor? ›
You may be wondering what colors to start with, how many colors you need, or whether to go with tubes or pans. Choosing a palette is very personal – but you for sure need to include the primaries – yellow, red and blue. This will give you a foundation for mixing plenty of additional colors.
How do you display watercolor without a frame? ›
Pretty much anything that will provide the work with support and a way to attach hanging hardware to the back will work. I glue my work to Ampersand Gessobord (like this), but you could glue your watercolor to primed (and painted, if you like) canvas, Gatorboard, foamcore, hardwood painting panels, hardboard, MDF.
Because watercolour pigment is transparent when thinned with water, every preceding layer remains visible. Beginners might struggle with unintentionally darkening the tonal values of the painted areas as they add successive layers. Too many layers will take away the transparency and luminosity is lost.
How to correct mistakes in watercolour? ›
1. Correcting an error
- Runs:
- Bleeding: absorb surplus water with a sponge, then stump with a paper handkerchief or a rag.
- Contours: to soften a contour that is too strong, wet a cotton swab and stump the line.
- Small mistakes: cover them with opaque paint (gouache or white acrylic), allow to dry, then paint over them.
Watercolour paper warping occurs when the fibres in the paper absorb moisture unevenly, causing it to expand and contract in different places. The flat surface becomes warped and it dries stuck in this position. Let's imagine that when you paint on your paper, you're adding water to the top of it.
