Glazing with watercolor: something every watercolor artist needs to know

Glazing with watercolor is a fun technique of how to use watercolor.

Artists may glaze with any type of paint - oil, acrylic or watercolor.

what is glazing?

Watercolor glazing it is often called laying down a wash. A layer of transparent color is washed over a previous dry layer of paint.

The viewer sees both layers of paint and their eye visually mixes the color. The colors are more luminous than when the colors are mixed on the palette.

Learning how to glaze watercolor by artist Carol MayLuscious mangoes are gift from God.

glazing is done in several steps

Many oil paintings are painted alla prima. The colors are premixed on the palette and applied to the painting in one layer.

Watercolors may also have their colors premixed on the palette and painted in one application.

However, glazing with watercolor mixes the colors on the painting instead of on the palette.

Step-by-step glazing applies the paint in several individual layers of paint. This is an excellent technique for the watercolor artist.

Just starting watercolor? Beginners' Watercolor

glazing with watercolor

We will be painting with Winsor & Newton professional watercolors.

  • Lemon Yellow, New Gamboge, Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue and Winsor Red

Whatever brand you use make sure the colors are transparent or at least semi-transparent. Glazing won't work well with opaque colors.

Winsor & Newton marks their paint tubes, a white square is for transparent paints and a black square means opaque.

step 1

Initial watercolor washes for glazingInitial Washes
  • Use a soft flat watercolor brush to wet the area you will be working on.

This is important for glazing with watercolor. Then the paint can be applied without forming hard edges.

Paint the lower mango with the cool yellow, Lemon Yellow.

This mango is behind and farther back than the top mango. The cool yellow sets it farther back in the painting.

Paint the top mango with the warm yellow, New Gamboge.

Let these colors dry thoroughly. Using a hair dryer will speed up the drying.

step 2

After the painting is dry add a second glaze of watercolorSecond Wash = Glazing
  • When you are glazing with watercolor the initial wash must be completely dry. Then when you apply more colors, they will not mix together.

Clean your brush of any paint from the previous layer before adding a new layer of paint.

Make a wash of the Winsor Red and water. Winsor Red is a transparent color. If you don't have Winsor Red, use Permanent Rose which is a transparent color.

The Cadmium colors are opaque and do not work well for glazing.

Let each layer dry thoroughly before you add another glaze layer.

step 3

Continue glazing watercolor on the mangoes.The glaze of blue makes green.
  • When the underlying colors are thoroughly dry, add the next glaze.

This time we use Ultramarine Blue.

Ultramarine Blue has the characteristic of granulating when it is applied.

The granulation portrays the color variation and texture of the mango.

Ultramarine works for this application instead of other blues because of its granulating characteristic.

apply a shadow

Paint the shadow between the mangoes.Shadow the overlapping mango.
  • This time, do not pre-wet the area.

Use the same blue where the top mango overlaps the bottom mango.

Apply a line of blue with a round brush.

Immediately come back with some clear water to feather in the bottom edge of the shadow.

Also, softly apply some blue around the outside edge of the mango.

This makes the mango edge turn away from the viewer and gives it a rounded appearance.

continue glazing

Complete the last glaze on the mangoes.Finish glazing the mangoes.
  • Glazing with watercolor takes multiple layers.

This is how to use watercolor.

It took more than one glaze of the red to achieve the mango color.

The viewer's eye sees down thru the multiple transparent layers.

Add more glazes of yellow to intensify the color.

Continue to use the warm yellow on the top mango.

The cool yellow on the bottom mango will set it behind the top mango. Learn more about color.

Continue glazing until you are satisfied with the colors.

paint The leaves

Put a wet wash on the leavesDo the lower leaves first.
  • Do the lower leaves first that are set behind the fruit.

Paint the leaves with yellow.

We used Raw Sienna close to the fruit for the shadow area and Lemon Yellow farther away from the fruit.

Raw Sienna made an earthy colored leaf. If you want a cleaner green use Lemon Yellow all the way.

Use the paper for white when you learn how to use watercolor. Some white on the leaves gives added interest. More ways to preserve the white paper.

After the yellow is dry glaze on some blue to make the leaves green.

If you used Lemon Yellow for the entire leaf, then darken the shadow area with extra blue.

oh oh, how do we correct a watercolor mistake?

We may paint outside of the leaf area.

While the paint is still wet, blot it up with a tissue or a paper towel.

If the paint is already dry, use a wet brush to dampen it and scrub it a bit with the damp brush. Then lift off the color with your tissue. Repeat it, as necessary.

Let's continue painting the leaves.

paint yellow on the leaves

Glazing-6Paint the leaves with yellow and let it dry.

Start glazing on blue

Glaze on blue to create green leaves.Start glazing on blue to create green leaves.

direct painting

  • There is a freedom when one color is painted directly into another moist color.

It is pure joy watching the beauty of the way the moist colors flow and blend together. This is the joy of learning how to use watercolor.

Paint stems with Gamboge

Start painting the stems.

While the yellow is still moist, add a bit of Raw Sienna on the shadow side of the stems.

Add a shadow on one side

Add Raw Sienna on the shadow side

Paint blue in some areas on the shadow side of the stems. The colors blend together.

now paint your mangoes!

Glazing with watercolor is easy. The only hard part is waiting for the layers to dry. A hair dryer speeds up the process.

The mango glazes are complete.Now it's your turn!

have fun learning how to use watercolor!

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