Advancing with Watercolor: Dawn to Dusk - Back Light

BACK LIGHT OR CONTRA JOUR

This week we look at a type of light that is popular amount artists. A Back lit subject is one where the light source is behind the subject, placing mush of the scene in shadow. Some of the reasons this type of lighting is popular is because it simplifies the information greatly - making it easier to paint. Another is the dramatic qualities back light present - placing the subject in shadow makes it darker and any remaining light a high contrast. A third is the mood that is often expressed in painting against the light.

ADVANCING WITH WATERCOLOR - COPYRIGHT © GARY TUCKER 2023 1

WHAT WILL YOU NEED THIS WEEK

For this class you will need a few small pieces of watercolor paper about 9 x 12 some masking tape a few good brushes and a the colors below. A spray bottle is very helpful and a board which you can use to attach your paper - this is because you will find yourself tilting the board in various direction to get the color to flow.

A Hairdryer is also helpful...

WHAT WILL WE DO THIS WEEK

Today in class we will start with a drill that touches on a technique we will use extensively throughout the series of class - wet into wet technique.

THIS WEEKS DRILL

This week we start by exercising a simple graded wash to better understand the tools and technique for creating this wash. Practicing this wash by itself will instill an ability to sense how the wash will dry = very important for the watercolorist. In the second exercise we use this wash to create the buildings in our project and see for ourselves how this graded wash can work to create depth in the shadoews and strength in the buildings

GRADED WASHES

There are some techniques that serve as the root of the watercolor language and one of them is the ability to apply washes effectively. To get to know these various techniques it is useful to practice them as drills without trying to emulate a subject. That is what will do to start our session

Basic washes are either flat washes or graded washes - washes that change in their course of being applied. We use the second far more than the first so let's start with some graded washes.

We start by selecting some scrap paper - a failed painting will do. Turn it over and tape it down to your board. We will subdivide this sheet into 4 quadrants so that we may try a single graded wash with one color - I am using Sepia

TODAYS PROJECT

In todays project of Back Light we look at a late day scene of a typical Italian Market place with the exception of the background - the fortress and church that rise above the small marketplace create a unique image and strong backdrop to the scene in front. The scene that interests us are the colored awnings and the figures moving in and out of the shadows. If you look closely you will note that I have eliminated the cars by the awnings and placed crowds on poeple or blobs in their place. I have also cleaned up the area around our central figures to make the view lass clutter and a little more direct. This also allows me to paint the shadows moving over the ground more fetching and dramatic.

THE PROCESS

We start with a more detailed drawing this week so take your time - perhaps before class to place the major shapes. After the drawing we place our first washes.

The project is done in several stages drying in between. In the second wash I create the graded wash of shadows behind the awnings and into the cast shadows below. Doing it in a single wash allows me to form my shapes with a little more flare and energy. Figures are place into the shadows as blobs and later given life through color and highlights - that always me to respect the shadows and keep them as dynamic elements

THE MATERIALS.

I am working on a sheet of Saunders 140 rough about 12 x 16. I have cropped the original photo to emulate these dimensions. I have taped the paper to a board that allows me to tilt the painting and then return it to a flat position.

I am using the colors of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cobalt turquoise and cad orange red along with some sepia. I keep a little Jaune Brilliant handy for highlights at the end. I use a couple of flats 1” and 2” a mop brush #10 and a good sabelette #12. The hairdryer a handful of paper towels, and a spray bottle help give me the illusion of control as I manipulate the bigger washes.
LETS GO!