Types of Washes: The Basic Techniques

photo credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TdJA1P-nY

Wet on Wet

This technique is one of the most basic ones and is really good to use when trying to create a blurry or moody effect. 

Steps:

1. Use a spray bottle and wet your surface (or simply a brush! Just make sure area is wet!) with just water.

2. Simply paint over top of area and the paint should look like its going outward.

Wet on Dry

Wet on dry is another basic technique. It is used when you want a hard or sharp edge on your painting. 

Steps:

1. Make sure paper is dry!

2. Put moisture into brush so that paint will flow when out on the paper but not to wet that the color behind it comes up!

Dry Brush

The total opposite of wet on wet. This technique is mostly dry paint on a dry surface. Use this way when making objects in the foreground.

Steps:

1. Dip brush directly into paint and continue to paint normally on a dry background.

Dry on Wet

The exact same as dry brush only the surface is wet. Use when trying to make a texture.

Steps:

1. Make sure background is wet!

2. Dip brush directly into paint and continue to paint.

Flat Wash

The first technique you should ever learn in watercolor (you probably have done it). A flat wash is a even layer of color. Use for anything you need to fill in,

Steps:

1. Wet brush with water and paint.

2. Move brush across paper with equal pressure and evenness throughout.

Graded Wash

A step up from the flat wash! As the name states - this gradually lightens in saturation with each stoke. Use for anything.

Steps:

1. Use moderate amount or water and paint to start.

2. Have high amount of pigment and with each stoke, add more water to brush for a lighter hue. (Do opposite it you want to go light to dark)

Variegated Wash (1 & 2)

This wash allows you a paint something that changes color (ex: a s sky). Done right, a color will shift from one to another, combining when they meet. 

Steps:

1. *Make sure you keep paper angled and keep up with clean water*

2. Begin at top of where you want it and make a stoke with one color (repeat twice or more depending on what you are painting). 

3. Rinse and pick up a new color.

4. Paint so it touches the last stroke you made (make sure it is still wet so it blends!).

5. Finish with the last color you use.