Splish Splash - Help me!

sly · Nov 9, 2008

How do I stop spashing all over the paper? I like the uneven look of the brush marks and don't want to use a mask, but I always end up with these drip and spash marks that I didn't intend. Usually it is only a couple - this is particularly bad example.
I use a Richeson brush, fairly wide - 2 1/2 inch I think. I brush slowly and deliberately. I try to be careful, but seldom have a splash free paper. Any suggestions?

blaze-on · Nov 9, 2008

You don't really "brush"...you drag the brush with little or no pressure one way, then the next and so forth...

and nice image...reminds me of Mt. Ranier NP...Avenue of the giants or something like that..

Ian Leake · Nov 9, 2008

It looks like you're flicking the bristles as you lift the brush. Are you brushing too hard? You hardly need any pressure from the brush to get an even coating (try listening to the sound it makes while you brush - it tells you a lot about what's going on between the bristles, the emulsion and the paper).

michael9793 · Nov 9, 2008

I use a glass rod and get great boarders and use less materials. I always get a more even spread with a rod too.

mike

Akki14 · Nov 9, 2008

That's cute actually May I suggest you practice on some cheap watercolour paper with another brush and some watercolours? I think I've never had this problem because I have quite a few years of watercolour painting in my past. If you look up watercolour techniques, look up how to do a "wash" because that's essentially what you need for coating purposes - a dry wash rather than a wet one usually but I guess it depends on your process and how humidified your paper is.
I wonder if you're possibly using too much liquid? Try gently pressing the brush against the side of the jar (if that's how you work, not sure if you use a pipette/eyedropper directly on the paper or not) so it's not so sopping and dripping wet with solution.

maezabeth · Nov 9, 2008

Have you tried using a sponge brush. I agree with what everyone has said. Apply less pressure and use less solution.

phaedrus · Nov 9, 2008

I use a glass rod and lay down a bead of the emulsion at it's side with a syringe.

JBrunner · Nov 9, 2008

Those marks are from the bristles flicking emulsion. Don't bend the bristles as much and don't brush "through". Instead keep the brush at near the same angle as you pull it over the paper, and then lift it up before reversing.

Akki14 · Nov 10, 2008

Maybe these pages can help you?
http://www.watercolorpainting.com/watercolorpainting/flatwash.htm
http://www.watercolorpainting.com/brush_exercise_bands.htm - this is suppose to be practice for flat washes.

It's actually quite a good beginners site, I had forgotten some of the more interesting things you can do to watercolours (like the salt technique... though I'm sure that won't work very well for our processes, it can be quite pretty, also the plastic wrap thing can look like broken ice)
http://www.watercolorpainting.com/watercolor-tutorials.htm has the other techniques

Splish Splash - Help me!

sly

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