My watercolor journey has begun at quite a convenient time as it coincided with an Introduction to Watercolour class this week in my EDCI 307A Elementary Classroom art course!
We began the afternoon by practicing brush strokes, including crosshatching, hatching, dry brush, wet brush, flat wash, and line brush, as well as special techniques, including the use of salt and rubbing alcohol on wet paint to create a splash effect, oil pastels to contrast with the watercolour paint, and finally the use of masking tape to create patterns of blank space.
Our wonderful instructor, Shruti Tandon, provided several examples and modeled the abovementioned techniques for us to observe and use depending on preference. Shruti has been teaching art for over 17 years now in grades ranging from elementary to international baccalaureate. Her rule of thumb is to never show your students your own personal examples because they are bound to want to replicate it. She explained that it is important to foster creativity and uniqueness among your students as opposed to training little human photocopiers! I thought that was a very good mindset to hold when designing your art.
Once we felt confident in our brush control, Shruti encouraged the class to explore the realm of abstract art. Oftentimes, abstract pieces reflect the emotions felt by the artist in the moment, based on colour choice and the energy or lack thereof in the artist’s brush strokes. For instance, the use of blues and greys is linked to expressions of sadness, grief, or gloom. You might notice these patterns of colours in pieces such as Paul Cezanne’s La Douleur.
I found my first official introduction to watercolour painting to be very therapeutic and entertaining, which made the 3 hour course fly by! Watercolour paint is such a lovely medium to use because the paint flows with the water you use, not with your brush. As opposed to acrylic or oil paint which is quite thick and relies exclusively on the movement of the artist’s brush, watercolour paint seems to have a mind of its own and flows in random directions due to its thin consistently. I quite like this quality because it makes the paint unpredictable and might take your painting in a different direction from your original plan! Carol Evans, a BC artist known for her watercolour seascapes, notes that “the watercolour is like a partner in the adventure”. I will link a great interview video with her down below.
