52 Watercolor artist | APRIL 2020
purpose of brightening an area, I usually brush it with
a light wash of transparent color. Yellow is best for bright-
ness if it’s appropriate for your subject.
If the area still isn’t smooth enough after trying these
techniques, I add semiopaque or opaque paint to the fi n-
ishing color mixture for smoothness. I’ve often found
success in smoothing out a lifted or rough patch in areas
of skin washes by adding Naples yellow or cadmium yellow.
A little cadmium or cerulean in a mixture provides some
coverage and can still be considered transparent. I always
save opaque colors for use at the end of the painting pro-
cess and employ them only when needed. When I do use
them, I add them to a mixture for more subtlety. Once the
mixture is thick enough that it’s visible on the surface of
the paper, it’s no longer considered transparent.
Th e subject of watercolor transparency is a serious one
for purists. Personally, I believe that nothing can compare
to the luminosity of transparent watercolor, and I always
start with transparency in mind—but I’m not a purist.
Many artists recoil at the thought of using white paint,
believing it’s an unwritten rule not to be broken. I had a real
fear about using it and once confessed to some clients that
I had used a few touches of white on their commissioned
painting, afraid of their reactions. Th ey looked confusedand said they didn’t care. I learned from that experience
that I should do whatever it takes to make the best painting
possible and not place restrictions on myself. Th ere are just
a handful of societies in the U.S. that will only accept paint-
ings with purely transparent pigment. If the society allows
acrylic paint or mixed media, let the white paint fl y, but
always read the prospectus carefully to be sure.CAMERA READY
To show work on social media or to compete in a show,
paintings have to be photographed. Unfortunately, most
cameras exaggerate unwanted marks and texture. Th is
phenomenon also can be combatted with white paint—
a discovery I made after some experimentation. Th e photo
will look just as good as the real thing. I use a thin wash of
white paint over any area that needs smoothing and then
immediately wash over that with yellow while it’s still wet.
Th e yellow prevents any chalkiness caused by the opacity
of the white paint. If done carefully, the washes are almost
indiscernible.
Excess texture is a pitfall of trying to paint realistically
with watercolor. I tend to overexaggerate the wrinkles and
skin contours. I paint them the best that I can and then, at
second glance, they seem too pronounced. Th is is when it’s