There is a lot we can do with a little pigment and water

Each time you find a new technique you like, create a little sample and make a note of how you made it. These can be stored on cards or in a small sketchbook.

Assorted ways to experiment with your water colours.

A few of the wonderful ‘splosh’ themed drawings from the Scottish group

Today’s busy workshop in Devon was a relaxed and fun way to play with watercolour and inks, without the pressure of a final outcome. Experimenting with loose marks, wet on wet, bleeding and layering colours, adding salt, scratching with sticks, lifting with cotton buds and cotton wool, using neat liquid water colour and spray and later skooshing with an air blowing tool and adding an alcohol spray. Plenty of techniques to use at a later time and practice at home. But more importantly – allowing the freedom of spontaneity uncovers surprises; new ways of applying paints and materials we may never would have known.

Karrie

Air blowers are an inexpensive and fun way to get sploshy marks, push paint around and create texture. But they can become tricky if your hands are sore.

An alternative is a heat drier, specifically made for drying artwork. You can use a hairdryer. (But use caution as it is obviously a heat source and can burn and scorch materials and paper- use a cool setting )

Next time some of these backgrounds will maybe become something even more amazing!

Happy Playing! See you next time xx

Love Liz at the beach Hut xx