Free Watercolor Lessons & Techniques

"An Idea for Your Skies Edition 1 Vol. I "

By Robert & Sharon Long

The problem: Paint a sky which moves from blue to a yellow sun without getting green. Begin by choosing a blue and red from your palette which will produce a pleasing purple. Wet and get ready enough of these two colors for the area you plan to paint but do not mix them together. Now choose a yellow which, combined with the red you are using will make an orange you like. Wet this yellow and get some of it out into a well. These pigments should be in a thick consistency if you want strong colors and good values. I accomplish this by using a bristle brush to break up my pigments and by using a minimum of water. With your pigments prepared, it is time to wet the area of your paper which the sky will occupy. Use an appropriately large brush and be sure your wet your paper thoroughly. You are more likely to wet too little than too much. Pick up any excess pooling of water with a thirsty brush technique.

We are ready to paint! On the side opposite where you want your sun to be begin with your blue. If you want a white cloud or two avoid those areas with your blue. It is best you don’t take your blue much more than halfway across your sky area. At this pint with a clean brush deliver some red to the paper in the edge of your blue to produce purple. Increasing the red and decreasing the blue will make your purple redder. Now drop out the blue and deliver some yellow which will combine with your red to make orange. Taking our the red will leave you with the yellow. In the yellow part of the sky the sun will be white. Simply wait until your sky is dry, then wet and blot out your sun.

Painting this sky will help us remember the color wheel or the colors in the rainbow. You’ll notice that as we progress from blue to yellow we move through the colors in that order. I hope you’ve enjoyed this first edition of “Watercolor Tips”. Visit us again soon.

If you have questions email us at rlwatercolor71@aol.com.

Enjoy painting!

Robert and Sharon