Why I like watercolor? Well, why not? It is a challenging and idiosyncratic medium that is as much fun as difficult to get the nuances right. Water is the main element that controls every mark, value of every pigment and the neatness or blending potential of every edge. So, learning to control the amount of water in your brush is key to creating better watercolor art. It is simple enough to be used by kids yet tough to be mastered. Let us explore a few defining qualities of watercolor as an art medium.
5 Reasons I Prefer Watercolor as a Medium of Expression
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Innate Brilliance:
Watercolor is a luminous medium. The white of paper shining through transparence of this pigment adds to the overall effect of artworks. John Clapp put it very succinctly when he said that watercolors give a feeling of wearing cotton clothes on a hot summer day. It is the clarity and breathable lightness of watercolors that appeal to me most. Also, you have a choice to go heavier with layers piling up or stay minimalistically brilliant with ideas conveyed through a few brush strokes.
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Immediacy:
The quick process with minimum waiting time for paint to dry and the need to work fast suits me quite well. Though art being one of my passions, I get very little time to actually relish it. Being a freelance writer and full-time mom, the time-window for artistic expression gets really squeezed. On top of that, I don’t like to wait. So, you can see how expressing myself creatively through watercolors fits like a glove. However, at some point I would surely like to try my hands at advanced acrylic and oil paint…that sure is in my bucket list.
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Versatile:
Though at first glance watercolor might not seem to be so, it is quite a versatile medium. It works well for mixed media creations binding all the elements effectively together. It can accommodate oil paint and acrylic as easily as ink and pastels. Also, watercolor does the job with equal ease whether used for tightly structured elements or a more fluid construction. It can be used as easily to bring out minute details as for a general feel of the scene.
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Medium with a Character:
Watercolor requires planning in advance. But even when you plan everything out, you have to keep space for the unpredictability of this medium. Because of this, there is a uniqueness about each watercolor artwork that cannot be recreated exactly. Not planning the gradient and wait-time between each layer may result in a washed-out pastel look, unintentional bleeding or muddy colors. Watercolor is an unforgiving medium and mistakes are mostly irreversible. So, it forces you to be prepared, focused and aware of the process. Also, it requires a certain level of discipline and order that really does appeal to my mild OCD 🙂 .
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Less After-work and Economic:
I find the clean-up process after creating art as one of the least appealing parts of the process. However, watercolors being one of the least messy mediums, requires just a bit of water and paper towels to do the job. Even if you forget to wash your brushes, you just have to wash them in water the next time you use. But, it is a good practice to clean them up and store them properly so as not to compromise shape of these soft bristles. Being so less messy, they are ideal for fieldwork with easy transportation of materials. Also, very little paint is wasted because you can always add some water to your palette and use it for your next creation. Watercolors have a long shelf life. Even if they dry up in tubes or bottles, adding a bit of water always does the trick. Well, they are ‘water’ colors! 🙂 These qualities make this medium quite an economic one even if good artist grade paints do cost a bit on the higher side.
The suitability of each medium depends on your style as well as personality. It also sometimes depends on the emotions or ambience you are trying to present through your artwork. Like other painting media, watercolor too has it’s pros and cons. It has the power to evoke the feel of a scene as much through minute details as through a loose rendition of the scene.
I would much like to know what other fellow enthusiasts feel about this medium. So, what other qualities of watercolor as a medium speak to you?