64 Watercolor artist | APRIL 2019
Creativity Workshop
Dialing Up the Tone
It’s All in the Tone
While colors don’t
change dramatically
on a toned surface,
they do become
warmer, cooler
or duller based on
the tone. Top to
bottom: Canson
Mi-Teintes pastel
paper in eggshell,
champagne, fl annel
gray, steel gray;
Papeterie Saint-
Armand Canal
in grayToned Papers
Here are fi ve of my
go-to papers. Left
to right: Canson
Mi-Teintes pastel paper:
eggshell, champagne,
fl annel gray, steel gray;
Papeterie Saint-
Armand Canal in grayMaking the Mark
Here are a few of my
go-to implements
when adding white
or dimension to toned
paper. From upper left:
permanent white
gouache; Faber-Castell
white PITT pen; water-
based, extra fi ne white
Sharpie; Platinum carbon
black ink; Pilot Namiki
fountain pen; and brown
Stabilo pen.WHITE PAINT, MARKERS
AND PENS
When working on a toned paper,
things change drastically. Most nota-
bly, we have to rely on white paint or
markers for the whites, since the
painting surface isn’t white. I imagine
a few watercolorists are raising their
brows at the thought of adding white
to their work. My feeling, though, is
that if white was good enough for
Sargent, Homer and Turner, then
it’s good enough for me.
What’s the diff erence between
using gouache and a marker/pen on
toned paper? Th e white PITT by
Faber-Castell has a chunky tip and
covers well. For fi ne lines, I use a
water-based, extra-fi ne Sharpie. Both
of these are waterproof when dry,
which enables me to glaze over white
highlights without lifting the white.
Gouache, on the other hand,
remains water soluble. Painting over
an area with gouache will lift up.
I keep white gouache (not Chinese
white) in a small container with a
screw-on lid; it would dry out in a
palette. I often use gouache when
I want a soft, diff used white in the sky.
I add the white into a wet passage of
blue and move it around as necessary
with a brush. I also use it to cover a
large area, but I rarely use it to mix
with other colors.
Shake up your own watercolor
practice by experimenting with toned
paper. It will challenge your creativity
in the best ways possible.Artist and workshop teacher Brenda
Swenson (swensonsart.net) is the author
of Keeping a Watercolor Sketchbook
and Steps to Success in Watercolor
(Artist’s Library). Her paintings and
sketches have also been featured in a
number of competition art books,
including Splash 11, 12 , 14 and 19
(North Light Books), as well as many art
magazines. An active participant in the
arts community, Swenson has served on
the boards of directors for both National
Watercolor Society and Watercolor West.