Underpainting

Underpainting is a technique the old masters used to make expensive pigments more economical. A wash of red iron oxide was often applied before painting over it with transparent red madder. The iron oxide gave the madder depth and fewer layers were required to achieve good saturation. The same technique is applied to colored pencil for the same reason. Since colored pencil is applied in light layers, the goal of underpainting is to leave no harsh or visible lines. The lightest and most fluid wash is necessary to achieve this effect. Pan watercolor works very well for blocking in large areas like a background. Wetting the paper first helps to prevent lines. I think diluted liquid watercolor in a water brush would work really well. I have a small set of Neocolor II crayons and they are really vibrant. It doesn’t take much to get good saturation. Pencils work well for painting small areas, but they are more likely to leave lines. Use the side of the lead for applying as you would when layering colored pencil to prevent lines. Derwent Inktense isn’t used for underpainting because it dries on the surface of the paper rather than being absorbed into the paper and the binder is shellac which will dissolve with the application of most colored pencil solvents. I don’t recommend markers because you’ll be using the wrong type of paper. The quality of media you use is entirely up to you. Personally, I don’t think the quality or brand matters because you’ll be coloring over it. I recommend using a workable fixative over watercolor containing mica because the mica sits on top of the paper and layering colored pencil over it will cause it to move. Texture fixative is necessary if you want to use mica watercolor over colored pencil for a shimmery effect. So long as the media you choose works for you, that’s what you should use. As always, start with what you can afford while you’re learning.

I tested and compared all of the following brands and media using different solvents. I purchased everything cheap or open stock. I even tested my homemade watercolors. The paper I used is the Strathmore Paint Pad 100 Series. Different paper will give different results. I applied all of the pencils using the side of the lead. Using different pressure or applying multiple layers will also give different results. 

Watercolor Blending Comparison pdf

The watercolor blending comparison shows how watercolor travels with different solvents. Does the solvent fully dissolve the media? Do two colors blend to create a new color? Does the solvent dry quickly or slowly? How much solvent was necessary to achieve desirable coverage? Does the media leave harsh lines when it dries? 

The best solvents for each test are in bold red. 

Winsor & Newton Cotman Tubes

Colors tested: Cad Red Deep Hue and Cad Yellow Hue

Cotman, from the makers of Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors, offers a comparatively inexpensive selection of good-quality watercolors. The Cotman line includes both traditional pigments and reliable synthetic colors that replace some of the more rare and expensive pigments used in the Professional Watercolors.

Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors represent superb value and are compatible with acrylics and gouache to produce combinations of opacity and transparency. They have excellent tinting strength. $2.94 for 8 ml at Blick Art. The Cotman line is $10 cheaper than their professional line.

Winsor & Newton Cotman

Colors tested: Cad Red Deep Hue and Cad Yellow Hue

These high-quality yet affordable watercolor pans are lightfast and have excellent tinting strength. They also have good transparency and working properties. $4.19 ea at Blick Art. The Cotman line is $10 cheaper than their professional line.

Richeson Collegiate Semi Moist Metallic

Colors tested: Red and Yellow

This 21 set of Yasutomo pearlescent watercolors are available at walmart.com for $4.90 ea at Blick Art.

Sargent Art Watercolor Cakes

Colors tested: Red and Yellow

Sargent Art brings the convenience of tempera to the world of watercolor painting. These cakes are brilliant and are offered in an extensive range of colors, giving students lots of exciting creative possibilities. Set of 36 for $9.08 at Blick Art. 

Crayola Semi Moist Watercolor

Colors tested: Red and Yellow

Crayola Educational Watercolors are bright, economically priced watercolors in semi-moist oval pans are easy to apply to a wide range of surfaces. $8.51 at Blick Art. Refills are available at 6 per color for $3.23.

My homemade watercolor palette contains a variety of translucent paints from commercial tubes, gouache paints from pigment, metallic paints from mica, skin tones from makeup and special color blends. If you followed my DIY Watercolor tutorial, this is the perfect opportunity to test your watercolors.

Water Soluble Crayons

Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Crayons

Colors tested: Scarlet Red and Yellow

Neocolors are soft enough to smudge with your fingertips, yet much firmer than oil pastels. Scrape off one or more layers of color to create an engraved sgraffito effect. They can also be combined with Caran d’Ache Pablo Colored Pencils. Best of all, they’re watersoluble. Set of 84 for $122.24 at Blick Art. Individual crayons are $2.25 here.

Faber Castel Gelatos

Colors tested: Red Cherry and Lemon Yellow

Faber Castell Gelatos are a new type of water soluble crayon made of gel. They are creamy, compact pigment sticks that glide easily onto paper, canvas, wood, and more. Infused with brilliant color, they can be used dry, or dissolved with water to create watercolor effects. Stamping with Gelatos Colors is easy, too. Just apply color to a stamp and apply the stamp to your surface, or apply a field of color and use a stamp to remove it! These acid-free , odorless, lightfast pigment sticks work wonderfully on flocked papers and embellishments, too, to create works of art that last. Their twist-up design keeps hands clean. Available in brights, iridescents, metallics, pastels and translucents. They are purchased in sets like the  Dolce II set of 33 for $46.41from Blick Art. Sets of 4 are $10.45. Sets of 15 are $24.66. There are a total of 52 colors available open stock for $2.45 each from Faber Castell.

Crayola Pearlescent Cream Sticks

Colors tested: Red and Golden Yellow

Crayola Signature Pearlescent Cream Sticks have a smooth formula that makes them perfect for both fine art and craft projects. These versatile art tools work especially well for edging, large area shading, and creating watercolor effects. They can be used dry — or you can add a bit of water for blending. They can be used on a variety of surfaces such as construction paper and painting canvases, even foam board.

The sticks have a creamy texture that helps them glide across surfaces, and the colors show up especially well on dark surfaces where their shimmer and shine really pop. $14.69 at Blick Art.

Pencils

Derwent Watercolor

Colors tested: Crimson Lake and Deep Cadmium

These professional-quality watersoluble pencils offer the freedom to switch from drawing to painting in an instant, with no change in tools. Use them to shade on dry paper, then quickly wash over with brush and water to get a blending effect. Derwent Watercolor Pencils can be used on wetted paper for intensified colors with softened edges, or wet the pencil first to create rich, textured lines. This is the 72 count set of Derwent Watercolor for $98.99 at Blick Art. Individual pencils are $1.64 here.

This is the Professional Aquarel Artist Water Soluble 72 count set for $33.53 on eBay. This is the set that I own and work with. It could be a dupe for Derwent Watercolor because the pencils are nearly identical.

Faber Castel Albrecht Dürer

Colors tested: Deep Scarlet Red and Dark Cad Yellow

Albrecht Dürer pencils contain the highest quality pigments for unsurpassed lightfastness. Color laydown is buttery smooth, and blending is effortless when wet. Color effects become permanent when dry. Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils are part of a unique color matching system that encompasses all Faber-Castell art and graphic products. Match the color index numbers of any two Faber-Castell products for color compatibility. Use them with other Faber-Castell pencils and drawing products in mixed media projects. This is the Faber Castel Albrecht Dürer set of 120 for $64.15 at Blick Art. Individual pencils are $2.34 here.

Cretacolor Monolith Woodless

Colors tested: Perm Red Dark and Perm Dark Yellow

Cretacolor's Aquamonolith Watercolor Pencils are woodless pencils from Austria. They're colored pencils made of pigments and binders wrapped in a thin layer of lacquer. Paint both fine lines and big surfaces with these unique aquarell colored pencils. This is the Cretacolor Monolith Woodless pencil set of 72 for $159.18 at Blick Art. Individual pencils are $2.60 here.

Derwent Graphitint Pencils

Colors tested: Meadow and Ocean Blue

Derwent Graphitint Pencils combine the character of a watersoluble graphite pencil with a hint of color. These exciting new drawing pencils are soft and smooth, and can be blended to produce an endless array of soft hues. Add water and the color becomes more vibrant. Colors can be modified or removed with a soft eraser or a brush and clean water. This is the Derwent set of 24 for $36.13 at Blick Art. Individual pencils are $2.99. These colors are muted rather than bright. There is no yellow. 

Derwent Water Soluble Graphite Pencils

Colors tested: 2B and 8B

Derwent Water Soluble Graphite Pencils are slim sticks of pure artist-quality graphite combined with premium clays, graphitone can enhance your next drawing project. Use it like a usual pencil for excellent detail or unwrap the easy to peel paper and set the graphitone on its side for broad strokes. Because it is watersoluble, graphitone can be used for line and wash drawings. The set of 4 (2B-8B) for $6.29 at Blick Art. Individual pencils are $2.79.

Water brushes aren't necessary, but they are convenient. Fill them with either water or diluted liquid watercolor. A six brush set sells for $8.99 on eBay.

Acetone dries rapidly without residue. I like Cutex Spa Formula. It may be used in place of water when using water soluble media.

Denatured Alcohol is pure ethanol that contains methanol to make it poisonous so people won’t drink it. It may be used in place of water when using water soluble media.

 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is 1% water. Try it with watercolor for more control and less water absorption. 99% alcohol is hard to find on shelves. I get mine from eBay for $8.95/8 oz.

Aqueous Ammonia is Ammonium Hydroxide in water. Use it in place of water or use it to make your water more alkaline to retain your paper’s acid free quality. Never mix ammonia with vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and ammonia is alkaline; they cancel each other out.

3% Hydrogen Peroxide is a mild optic brightener. It may bleach out erased color and whiten the paper where you use it. It is pH neutral and will not damage the paper. Never combine peroxide with ammonia or vinegar!

Ox Gall is the bile from cow bladders. It is a mixture containing cholesterol, lecithin, taurocholic acid, and glycocholic acid. It is a surface tension breaker that allows water to penetrate cotton. It is pH neutral. Ox gall was mixed with wine or grain alcohol and used by traditional watercolor artists to improve paint flow. It's hard to find real ox gall, but I found some on Etsy.

 

 Flow medium or Synthetic ox gall is used to increase the fluidity of watercolor. $9.68 at Blick Art. Synthetic ox gall is sold to watercolor artists because modern watercolor is synthetic. It is used in fabric marbling because real ox gall doesn't work with acrylic. Synthetic ox gall is the non foaming surfactant, lauryl amine oxide. It's available on eBay for $9.25/8 oz.

 

Triton X-100 (Polyethylene glycol octylphenyl ether) is a non foaming surfactant that reduces the surface tension of aqueous solutions. It is used as a wetting agent to pre disperse pigments and force them to mix with water and water soluble solutions. It's available on eBay for $18.00/4 oz. When used as a watercolor Blending medium, it slows the drying of watercolors allowing more time for blending techniques. For maximum effect, dilute watercolors with it. A 2 oz. bottle is $5.66 at Blick Art.

Gum Arabic is a binder for watercolor. It will revert back to resin over time. When used as a painting medium, it increases watercolor brilliancy, gloss, and transparency, giving greater depth to each color. It slows down the drying time of paint, and can also be used for controlling spread when painting wet-on-wet. $6.15 at Blick Ar

Hand Sanitizer is made of alcohol and a gelling agent. The brand doesn’t matter so long as it doesn’t contain any additives or dye. This is about controlling how far the paint travels while evaporating quickly.

Aloe Gel is made of aloe, water and a gelling agent. The brand doesn’t matter so long as it doesn’t contain any additives or dye. This is about controlling how far the paint travels while evaporating quickly.

Vinegar is 5% Acetic Acid and 95% water. It has a pH of 2.5. Vinegar will break down the fibers of wood pulp and cotton. Your paper will no longer be acid free if you use it and therefore, you’re artwork will not be archival quality. It will also prevent the synthetic binder from adhering the paint to the paper. Why use it then? It may be useful for achieving certain effects. Play with it and see what happens. This is all about experimentation. The old masters used acidic materials. Egg yolks are acidic. Wine is acidic. Wood is acidic. Iron gall ink is acidic. Animal hide (parchment) is acidic. The level of acid varies with each medium. Do not mix ammonia with with acidic liquids. You can mix baking soda with them to make them more alkaline.

Wine has a general pH of 3 with light wines being more acidic than dark wines. The experiment here is about how the wine color stains the paper and alters the shade or tint of the watercolor.

Coffee has a general pH of 4.5-6.0 with dark roasts being less acidic than light roasts. The experiment here is about how the coffee stains the paper and alters the shade or tint of the watercolor.

Black Tea has a general pH of 4.9-5.5, just slightly higher than coffee. The experiment here is about how the tea stains the paper and alters the shade or tint of the watercolor.

Gum Arabic powder $7.15/0.25 lb at Kama Pigment. Add gum Arabic powder to wine, coffee and tea to bind it to the paper when using it as a watercolor.

Wine can be boiled down to a syrup because of the sugar present in the alcohol. However, sugar must be added to coffee and tea in order to reduce it down to a syrup. Once a syrupy consistency is obtained, remove it from heat and transfer to a pinch bowl. Add just enough gum Arabic powder to make a thick paste. You can use it as you would tube paint or pour it into a pan and dry it.