Free Watercolor Lessons & Techniques
"No Damage Highlights"
By Vera Dennen
As an established artist I receive many questions from beginning or intermediate watercolorists who have become frustrated by one step or another. How to deal with a large wash, when and where to add shadows, how to simulate texture such as tree bark, and many more undertakings which can prove daunting to solve on ones own.
One frequently asked question seems to be: “Is there a way to lift dried, unwanted paint without destroying the painting?” Many have already purchased a “scrubber” from one of the many popular art supply resources on line, or tried other methods only to have their paper excessively pill, or worse, leave a hole straight through their painting.
I discovered long ago the perils of making a hole in my expensive sheet of paper and wrecking the painting I was trying rescue . . . my frustration grew causing an intensified search for the perfect answer. Today I am pleased to report with all confidence that “Yes, there is a way to breath life into previously dried paint without ruining your painting . . . and a simply way too.
Lifting highlights from background of ”Lotus Galore” by Vera Dennen
Purchase a nice stiff-bristled brush at any art supply source (commonly used for painting on fabric) and a sheet of blank plastic normally used to create stencils. Neither item is expensive, but become invaluable when purchased together.
While this brush is available in several shapes and sizes, I like the flat brushes, sometimes sold in sets of three. The narrow width comes in handy for the variety of nooks and crannies found in most paintings. If you are one who works in detail, this size will be valuable for lifting highlights in tall or vertical foliage (as pictured above) or less significant areas of background.
Different sizes can be used for dealing with odd that occasionally seem to befall even the most practiced painter (a nice splotch of purple right across a pink cheek) . . . which has gone unnoticed, and was allowed to dry overnight. A touch of clear water will begin to loosen the spot before gently rubbing with a damp fabric brush to lift the whole splatter. The vast majority of can be removed leaving only the slightest trace ruffled of paper. [Note: a soft paper may pill no matter how much care you have taken.]
But suppose the unwanted splash fell heedlessly onto a light colored eyeball instead, an area too small for the width of a brush? Not to worry, simply lay your clear plastic sheet over your painting and draw the shape needing attention. Now you have an exact pattern of what you need to correct. Cut the shape out with a small pair of nail scissors by first piercing the center with a sharp point and you have created your new plastic guard.
Once your stencil is cut, place it flat on the paper and hold in place while brushing with dampened bristles. You need to work quickly, keeping the moisture that may seep under the plastic from loosening other paint. Scrub down to clean paper and blot with a paper towel . . . you can now recapture the damaged eye.
By using a stencil you can wipe out unwanted color, bring highlights back to a single petal, or recapture whites. As a matter of fact, the use of a plastic guard comes in handy to reshape and highlight in a great many ways. Perhaps more detail is needed to add drama and personality to a partially finished Iris. No worries, the raggedy edges of an Iris or Peony are perfect for the use of a stencil. Example: a typical flower stencil would be cut jagged along a softly curved line, with a multitude of tattered peaks to depict the ruffled edge of a blossom.
Ruffled line stencil guard cut from clear plastic.
Below, I have begun the process of revising a partly finished Iris by using a stencil to reshape some edges. First I picked the sections that I wanted to ruffle and scrubbed them down to clean paper, blotting often, then allowed it to thoroughly dry. A black bracket indicates ruffled edges, while a red bracket marks portions left untouched.
Demonstration of “Yellow Iris”
A smooth edge indicates where a petal has folded-under and will show on the opposite side. Here a ruffled-fold appears in the uppermost center petal. Modeling will begin by blending a wash of Gold along freshly scrubbed edges, a much deeper color than the New Gamboge or Aureolin already applied. Notice the hint of reflected green.