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Welcome

Getting started is often the trickiest part of painting. Where do you

place that first mark on the page? What is the right technique for
your subject? If you struggle with these questions, then Lets Paint!
is the answer. Packed with simple-to-follow demonstrations of basic
techniques and ideas for painting colourful subjects, it is designed to
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Lets Paint!
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WITH THANKS TO

Hashim Akib, Rob Dudley and

Vic Bearcroft

MAIN COVER IMAGE

Contents

4
PAINT A BIRD WITH 50 BRUSHSTROKES

To start us off, Hashim Akib makes you think about how to make every mark count

6
HOW TO USE MASKING FLUID

A must-have for every watercolourists art box, as Rob Dudley explains

7
HOW TO MAKE A VARIEGATED WASH

Rob Dudley presents a simple step-by-step guide to this watercolour technique

PAINT A LANDSCAPE WITH BOLD COLOUR

Bored with mixing greens? Hashim Akib reveals a striking way with colour

10
HOW TO PAINT A WATERCOLOUR TIGER

We finish up with an in-depth masterclass from wildlife expert Vic Bearcroft

Taken from Vic Bearcrofts Drawing and

Painting Wild Animals (Search Press)

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3

how to paint portraits

Paint a bird

With 50
Brushstrokes
h im Akib
You will need

By Has

Brushes
2 Sky Flow; 2, 1, 1 and
short flat
Acrylics
Titanium White, Phthalo
Green, Coeruleum Blue, Deep
Violet, Yellow Ochre, Burnt
Sienna, Cadmium Yellow,
Olive Green, Cadmium Red
and Orange
Canvas
46x61cm (18x24)

I like to think of my brushstrokes as

a series of elite units of well-trained,
assertive marks. Each one is the
equivalent of 10 or 20 lazy, nervous
and tension-filled brushstrokes. If your
marks exude confidence so will your
paintings. Start to think that these
marks represent you and imagine how
you would want to come across.
This exercise should help create an
appreciation for the potency of each
and every brushstroke. Try adopting
this same technique to paint other
subject matter or raise the number of
strokes to paint more complex scenes.

I started with a base colour of Phthalo

Green, Coeruleum Blue and Titanium
White, which was added to soften the
tone. I scooped large unblended amounts
of Coeruleum Blue, Deep Violet, Phthalo
Green, a touch of Yellow Ochre and Burnt
Sienna with a 2 flat brush. Loading with
plenty of paint allowed me to produce a
longer, continuous brushstroke that causes
the colours to streak spontaneously across
the canvas. The first mark was an angled
L-shape with a couple of strokes either
side upside-down L-shape marks created
the back tail.

Using a clean 2 brush, I loaded Yellow

Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow,
a hint of Olive Green and Deep Violet to
block in light feathers on the back. It is
actually best to consider things such as
feathers and feet as marks, shapes, colour,
tints and tones rather than feeling the
pressure to paint them exactly as they are.

paint a bird with 50 brushstrokes

Adding a touch of Coeruleum Blue to

the Ochre mix, I applied a couple of
large strokes for the neck, while two other
marks described one foot.

A 1 brush loaded with Cadmium Red,

Orange and a tiny dab of Deep Violet
was used to fill in the head area. A couple
of strokes of Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna
and Deep Violet then bulked out the
main body.

Using a 1 flat, a combo of dark hues

including Deep Violet, Phthalo Green
and Burnt Sienna helped to describe the
line of patterns in the main body. Three
small marks using a brush with the
previous Yellow Ochre mix created the
other foot, followed by one brushstroke
for the eye and one for the beak. The
original Coeruleum Blue mix was used
to add length to the back tail.
By 25 brushstrokes, I was ready to apply
the lighter tints. Starting with the back of
the cockerel, I added White, Yellow Ochre
and Cadmium Yellow using a 1 brush
and blocked a couple of strokes in. A long
drag was used to highlight the neck and
three flicks lifted the tail.

With 20 brushstrokes left, I added tiny

shots of Coeruleum Blue and Olive
Green to the light mix and drew out the
top and back of the head.
Another few highlights in the body were
made, this time with less Titanium White
and added Burnt Sienna, to create more
variation in the body. More Coeruleum
Blue added a cooler edge to the shaded
neck, while cool tints of Coeruleum Blue,
Phthalo Green, Deep Violet and Titanium
White added to the body and back
balanced the warmer tints. Two highlights
on the feet and some delicate touches
of Cadmium Red and Titanium White
highlighted the face and crest to
complete the exercise.

How to use

Masking Fluid
Masking fluid allows watercolourists to preserve
areas of unpainted paper from the application of
a wash. When removed from the paper, the
reserved white areas are revealed. By protecting
the paper in this manner, it allows for a looser,
freer application of colour, as you dont have to
paint around the whites in order to keep them.

On dry paper, I often use a variety

of tools to put the masking fluid on
the paper, including a colour shaper,
an old brush caked with masking fluid
and a dip pen. Remember to avoid
using your favourite sable brush to
apply the masking fluid, as the
chances of the masking fluid drying
on it are very high rendering the
brush useless and suitable only for the
application of masking fluid!

By b Du d l ey
Ro

Allow the masking fluid to

completely dry. Touch it carefully;
if a small amount comes off, it is still
too wet to apply a wash.

Here I have used two colours:

Ultramarine Blue and Burnt
Sienna. I freely washed these over the
masked areas.

When this wash was completely

dry, I removed some of the
masking fluid off by gently rubbing it.
Note how protected areas of the
paper are revealed in pristine white.

However, you dont have to stop

there. I mixed a darker version of
the two colours and painted these
below some of the masked areas, like
shadows. As before, when completely
dry, I removed the masking fluid from
the whole area, adding a few touches
of colour to the preserved areas here
and there, creating a rocky foreshore
or the edge of a muddy estuary. Dont
forget you can also use the masking
fluid to protect previously painted
areas before adding more colours.

The variegated wash offers the

watercolourist a great opportunity
to fully exploit the unique ability of
the medium to produce exciting,
interesting and sometimes
unexpected, random ways to blend
and mix colour. It is one of the
watercolourists most useful washes.
They are often used for skies,
seascapes and botanical backgrounds
indeed, anywhere the artist chooses
to introduce a degree of spontaneity
and chance into the work.

Final painting

How to make

A Variegated BWash
y
y
e
l
d
u
D
b
o
R

Typically a variegated wash will

contain at least two colours, which
are applied separately to damp paper,
where they will bleed and merge
creating even more colours and tones.
Working on stretched watercolour
paper, begin by dampening the
surface with clean water.

Have your chosen colours already

mixed in sufficient quantities; you
dont want to run out midway through
the painting. Be bold with the
strength of colour because the
dampness of the paper will dilute the
strength of the colour as it dries.

5
3

Work quickly and with confidence

when applying the colour. Resist
the temptation to fiddle, let the
colours do their own thing.

Stand back and watch paint dry!

Now, I mean this quite literally
watch the paint dry and see how the
colours mix and alter as they touch
one another.

I will often add other details to an

exercise to see how I might use the
technique in future paintings. Here the
variegated wash reminded me of a
powerful sunset so using a mix of
Ultramarine Blue and some Burnt
Sienna, I added some trees and
bushes to create the effect of a
silhouetted hedgerow.

how to paint portraits

Paint a landscape

With
bold
colour
b
i
k
A
By Has h im
1

This tree is located next to the banks of the River Stour in

Suffolk and it is one of my favourite places to visit. There is
a collection of four or five amazing trees there, each with
their own unique features this one was hollowed out in
the centre, with spiralling branches reaching skywards.
When faced with a choice of interesting views,
composition is everything. I decided to position the main
trunk to the left of my picture so that the branches would
create dramatic diagonals leading you in. Even the downed
trees behind nicely fill what could otherwise be a void in
the painting. Composition is something to consider and
finalise before you start painting to avoid headaches later
on. With the scene sorted, Im ready to paint!

You will need

Brushes
2 Sky Flow; 2, 1, 1 and short flat
Acrylics
Titanium White, Phthalo Green, Coeruleum Blue,
Deep Violet, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium
Yellow, Olive Green, Cadmium Red, Process
Magenta, Process Cyan, Sap Green and Lemon
Yellow
Canvas
46x61cm (18x24)

I started with a base colour of Cadmium Red mixed with

Titanium White. This should contrast well with the mass of
greens that will dominate the final painting. Spending no more
than five to 10 minutes, I roughly sketched the scene.
My first marks tend to be blocky so I used a 2 flat brush. Yellow
Ochre, Phthalo Green, Coeruleum Blue, Sap Green, Olive Green,
Burnt Sienna and Deep Violet were loaded on to the brush and
dragged from the trunk upwards. Particularly at the beginning
of a painting, I hardly ever blend or mix the paint first. Instead,
I simply scoop up the various colours from the palette and apply
them, which creates spontaneous, exciting combinations.
It sounds easy but judging quantities takes practice.

More of the cooler hues were added to the areas adjacent

to the shadows, while Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Olive
Green were added for lighter areas. The branches were also
painted in with the edge of the 2 flat brush using a relaxed and
loose motion. The hollow of the tree is the darkest area and
a large shot of Process Magenta is added to Deep Violet and
Phthalo Green to lift the tone. Coeruleum Blue is included and
used to punctuate other dark sections.

paint a landscape with bold colour

Using a clean 2 brush, I introduced Sap Green, Olive,

Coeruleum Blue and a touch of Yellow Ochre in the midground for the field. Long horizontal strokes were dragged from
left to right. Similar greens were used to block in the leaves in the
tree. I angled the brush to create a combination of varying brush
marks, avoiding anything too consistent.

Once Id exhausted all the colour on my brush, Titanium White

could be added to Lemon Yellow, Phthalo Green and Olive
Green to lighten the green fields in the background. I then added
more Coeruleum Blue to diminish the brightness of the white, so
I could graduate from the lighter greens to a darker tone in the
foreground. Soft green tints were also applied to the leaves
at this stage.

5
5

As more white is introduced, it is best to pre-mix colour and

try the blends out on a mixing tray to avoid white streaks or
unwanted extreme highlights.
Process Cyan is a lovely rich blue and, when softened with
white, it is perfect for creating a subtle lines of trees in the far
horizon with a 1 brush. Pockets of the same tint were also used
in the sky, between the branches and leaves.
Prior to this, the foreground was blocked in with a 1 flat
loaded with White, Deep Violet, Coeruleum Blue, Sap Green,
Burnt Sienna, Olive Green and Yellow Ochre.
That same combination of colours (albeit with varying amounts
of white) was used to create form in the trunk and some of the
branches. At this stage, more concentration is required to pick out
subtle variation of hues within the detailed areas, perhaps more
greens with certain marks, or more Deep Violet and Burnt Sienna
with others.

The final stages were quite dramatic and required the most
controlled brushstrokes using a 1 and brushes. Titanium
White and Lemon Yellow were applied to the sky area in delicate,
blocky strokes these condensed together to form a unified tint.
Process Cyan was also added to cool the tint in certain place and
I was also keen to leave some of the base colour showing through
for contrast.
Deep Violet, Coeruleum Blue and Phthalo Green were used to
define certain tones while variations of Titanium White, Yellow
Ochre, Burnt Sienna and the two greens were used to lift out the
highlights and pick out the smaller twigs and branches.

how to paint a tiger

How to paint

A Watercolour
Tiger
f
t
o
r
c
r
a
e
B
c
By Vi

Now we are going to paint probably the most iconic and

favourite of all big cats: the tiger. Most of us love painting
tigers because of their distinctive stripe pattern and
colouration anywhere from pale ivory through to redorange. The stripe pattern in each tiger is unique, almost
like a fingerprint; and the Siberian tiger has the palest coat,
being white under the belly.
Before we begin the painting, lets think a little about
composition. Whether you are sketching from life or
taking reference photographs, try to consider how
you can position your subject to create an interesting
composition. Below are two examples of the same tiger in
different poses. Which do you think will make for the more
interesting painting?

10

If you chose composition two, congratulations; this is

the one that I opted for. The first composition is quite
flat and static, producing the kind of painting you might
find in a Victorian encyclopaedia on wild animals. The
second composition, on the other hand, shows movement
and life. This is also an example of the classic diagonal
composition, enhanced further by the portrait aspect
of the paper.
Rather than paint the tiger on white paper, we are
going to create some drama in the painting with a paintspattering effect in the background, using very warm
colours to suggest a hot environment.

how to paint a tiger

You will need

Paper
300gsm (140lb) NOT surface
watercolour paper, 30x42cm
Watercolour paints
Burnt Sienna, Vermilion,
Cadmium Orange, Spectrum
Yellow, Burnt Umber, Mars
Black and Sap Green
Brushes
Size 10 round, 15mm ()
short flat, 5mm (1 8) short
flat, size 6 round, size 4 round,
7mm () round
Drawing board
Masking tape
2B pencil
Masking fluid and old brush

Having decided to use the second

reference photograph for the painting,
we need to translate this into a basic shape
sketch. Secure your watercolour paper to
the board with masking tape and sketch in
the tiger as shown with a 2B pencil.

Use masking fluid and an old size 6

round brush to cover the smaller or
harder-to-reach areas. Allow to dry.

Lay in a wash of Burnt Sienna over the

whole background with a size 10 round
brush. Do not worry about being neat
loose, haphazard strokes will add vibrancy.

Cover the bulk of the tiger with pieces

of low-tack masking tape.

While the wash is drying, prepare wells

of Vermilion, Cadmium Orange and
Spectrum Yellow. Load a 15mm () short
flat brush with dilute Vermilion. Hold the
brush approximately 1520cm from the
surface and draw your finger across the
bristles to spatter the surface.

11

HOW TO PAINT A TIGER

10

Repeat the spattering with Cadmium

Orange and Spectrum Yellow. Keep
the paint dilute so that it springs from the
brush in a loose spray.

Use a clean finger to gently rub away

the masking fluid. Do not be too
vigorous or you risk taking off the surface
of the paper.

12

While the paint is still wet, spatter

more Vermilion below the tiger.

Switch to the 5mm ( 1 8 ) short flat

and paint the tiger with a warm coat
of Cadmium Orange, avoiding the lighter
areas of the face (see inset). Use a clean,
wet brush to feather the colour into the
lighter-tinted areas of the fur.

Allow the paint to dry completely, then

carefully remove the masking tape.

11

Allow to dry thoroughly, then glaze

Burnt Sienna over the orange in
the stripes for the darker tones. Begin
to suggest texture by cutting out basic
shapes, such as the tigers ruff, using the
blade of the brush. Note the darker area
running down the centre of the
tigers head.

HOW TO PAINT A TIGER

12

Prepare Burnt Umber, making it

slightly less dilute than the previous
washes. Begin to sketch in the dark areas
of the face using the size 6 round brush.
Keep the detail fairly loose, as this Burnt
Umber provides a soft base for the
later darker tones. Use short,
light strokes to suggest the fur.

13

Lay in the same Burnt Umber strokes

over the rest of the tiger. Soften any
strokes that are too dark or harsh with a
damp brush before they dry.

14

Use a clean, damp brush to lift some

of the dry darker tones and draw
them subtly across the other areas to
soften the colour. Use short strokes to
reinforce the texture of the fur.

TOP TIP

The paint is used nearly

undiluted for strength
here. If the brush starts
to drag, add a touch
of water so it flows
smoothly.

15

Switch to the size 4 round brush and

use a nearly undiluted mix of Burnt
Umber and Mars Black to strengthen the
tone of the dark areas on the face with
tiny strokes.

16

Clean and wet your brush and use it

to gently soften and feather the very
dark strokes on the face.

17

Using a slightly weaker mix of Burnt

Umber and Mars Black, paint in and
soften tiny strokes across the rest of the
head. For heavily textured areas, such as
the ruff, use the side of the brush.

13

HOW TO PAINT A TIGER

18

Paint in the other dark stripes. The

greatest tonal contrast should be at
the focal point in the foreground (the face,
where the clean white of the paper and
near-black strokes lie), so as you work into
the background, use more Burnt Umber
and less Mars Black in increasingly
dilute mixes.

21

Switch to the 7mm () round and

glaze areas that need to be knocked
back with dilute Burnt Umber, such as the
foreleg on the left-hand side, the rear leg,
tail, the back, hindquarters and behind
the ruff.

14

19

Paint the tigers eyes with Spectrum

Yellow (see inset), then lay on Sap
Green, leaving some yellow at the bottom
to show the area of the eye unshaded by
the eyelid.

22

Make any final changes you feel are

necessary to finish, such as muting
the foreleg on the right-hand side with a
dilute glaze of Burnt Sienna.

20

Dilute the very dark mix of Burnt

Umber and Mars Black and use it to
add the shadows that the eyelids cast on
the eyes.

This article features in Drawing and

Painting Wild Animals by Vic Bearcroft,
published by Search Press, RRP 14.99.
To order your copy
at the special offer
price of 12.99 with
free UK P&P, simply
call Search Press
on (01892) 510850
and quote A&I
Magazine. www.
searchpress.com

how to paint a tiger

The finished painting

15

on

la
in
EE NGK Ma
I
U
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er
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