Six Important Factors of Watercolor…
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved painting with watercolor. Back then I just went with my gut and let the paints mix and play however they wanted on the paper.
And honestly? That is a lovely way to paint. But it also got frustrating. Some days my paints seemed to behave for me, and other days they well… didn’t. That was hardest when I had a certain look in my head and couldn’t get there.
What I didn’t know back then is that there are six things going on inside your paints. I didn’t start unlocking them until I was around thirty. I call them paint personalities – because once you know them, your colors stop feeling random and start feeling like they have preferences.
Here they are: transparency versus opacity, granulating versus non-granulating, staining versus non-staining, pure pigment versus multi-pigment, mixability (I call it surfers versus sinkers), and lightfastness.
Six factors. And knowing them can dramatically change how you view your paints.
1. Transparency vs. Opacity
Transparent Watercolors: These are perhaps the most commonly known factor when it comes to watercolor. What makes watercolor so special when compared to other paint mediums (such as oil and acrylic) is that watercolor has the ability to “dye” the paper with color yet still allow the white of the paper to shine through. These are called transparent colors and give watercolor its luminous appearance. They are also ideal for glazing since they allow the colors below to shine through.
Opaque Watercolors: On the other hand, opaque colors tend to leave a chalky appearance and create a heavier, flatter look on the paper. They often contain more pigment and/or additives. These colors are great for correcting mistakes by layering over other colors. A common form of opaque watercolor is known as gouache.
Transparency is the one people ask me about most, so I gave it its own post – including a simple test you can run at home to check any paint in your palette. Read The Difference Between Transparent and Opaque Watercolors for the full breakdown.
2. Granulation vs. Non-Granulating
Granulating Watercolors: Another factor to consider when painting with watercolor is granulation. Granulating watercolors refer to a type of paint that creates a texture or grain-like effect as it dries. This happens because pigment particles are larger or heavier, causing them to settle on the paper surface in an uneven texture. This can create mottled or speckled-like textures, which are great for creating natural or organic appearances in paintings. Some examples of this technique could be seen when painting sand or rocks. Using granulating colors gives the effect of splotchy patterns without much effort.
Non-Granulating Watercolors: Are my favorites to work with – since they produce little to no grain in your washes. These paints are great for creating smooth and even watercolor washes on your paper. As a result, these paints are extremely predictable when wanting to achieve smooth flat layers of color in a painting.
3. Staining vs. Non-Staining
Staining Watercolors: are awesome for creating under-paintings (or the first layers of colors on your paper). Since they are extremely staining and thus hard to remove, these colors are great for glazing over. Thus, these colors are great for building up dramatic layers of color without lifting the color underneath.
Non-Staining Watercolors: are great for correcting mistakes – since they often lift easily with a clean wet brush. They are also great for lifting dried paint – to create subtle highlights.
4. Pure Pigment vs. Multi-Pigment
Pure Pigment Watercolors: are paints made with a single pigment rather than an assortment of different pigments. This means each color is made of one compound pigment (such as PY37 is Pigment Yellow number 37 – which is also Cadmium Yellow.). What makes pure pigments so great? Well, they are easier to control and predict how they will behave in mixtures. They also tend to create brighter colors when mixed with other pure pigments. And often have a better tracking rate when it comes to lightfastness (we will get to this a little later).
Multi-Pigment Watercolors: are paints made with two or more pigments, so they come in a wide variety of colors but tend to appear a bit more dull in appearance. Two of my favorite multi-pigment watercolors are Shell Pink from Holbein and Jaune Brilliant No.2 also from Holbein. These two colors are the perfect mixtures for pink and peach hues on animals’ noses or cheeks.
5. Mixability (Surfers vs. Sinkers)
Mixability with Watercolors: This is a factor that I came up with myself. I often refer to it as “surfers or sinkers.” These colors can only really be found through lots of testing and exploratory play.
Surfers: Surfer colors tend to “surf” along the surface of the page and burst out in dramatic wet on wet explosions.
Sinkers: On the other hand, tend to sink and almost anchor themselves onto the paper.
Using Them Together: Surfers and Sinkers are my favorite way to harness some control with watercolor especially when working wet on wet. Sinker colors often create walls of color that keep surfer colors back. Whereas, surfers are great for creating blossoms and blooms for those abstract textures watercolor is known for.
6. Lightfastness
Lightfast Watercolors: are paints that do not fade or discolor when exposed to long periods of light. These colors are known to “stand the test of time” and thus can last for fifty to a hundred years without changing. Keep in mind, that some pigments are more light-fast than others. So it’s not just manufacturing but pigments themselves can also play a factor in lightfastness.
Non-Lightfast Watercolors: are paints that DO fade or discolor when exposed to light. These may not fade immediately – but usually fade within 2 months to 2 years. Opera Rose is a common non-lightfast color that does fade over time when exposed to sunlight.
In Summary…
If you want more control over your watercolors, it’s best to familiarize yourself with their unique properties and thus start to understand their individual personalities. As a quick review, the six factors you need to consider when working with watercolor are…
- Transparency vs. Opacity
- Granulation vs. Non-Granulating
- Staining vs. Non-Staining
- Pure Pigment vs. Multi-Pigment
- Mixability (Surfers vs. Sinkers)
- Lightfastness