Lesson 3 - The Variegated Wash
The format of this landscape paper is extra wide and appropriately called 'letterbox'. Though the full size picture is not large; only 10 x 4 inches, the extra width and low horizon combine to give a sense of open space. The complimentary colours of the sky stand out well against each other bringing a lovely light to the painting. The returning birds form a path leading the eye to the centre of interest, the trees. I've used a warm yellow here signifying the end of a fine spring day, the Prussian blue is much cooler bringing in the impending cold of the night with the possibility of frost as it is so clear.
Colours
Prussian Blue
Naples Yellow Deep
Cadmium Red
Brushes
Number 10 round
Number four Round
Step 1
A variegated wash is where two or more colours are applied; usually in bands, without waiting for the first colour to dry. Prepare a mixture each of Prussian blue and Naples yellow deep. Using the number ten brush apply a stroke of Prussian blue across the top of the page and add a little water for the second and more for the third. Just before half way rinse your brush and use the Naples yellow deep to continue down the rest of the page. The first stroke in yellow should just pick up the previous blue stroke as it did in lesson one, the flat wash. The two colours will only combine a little giving a subtle change, you should not end up with a big green streak across the sky.
Step 2
To give the impression of night drawing in and to balance the trees add a few streaks of Prussian blue to the top left hand of the sky.
Step 3
We now need a strong black to create the silhouettes. Mixing any three primaries together will produce black, the different combinations will result in a variety of blacks much livelier than the lamp black you may see offered for sale. Begin by strengthening the Prussian blue wash and then mix in the Naples yellow deep; creating a dark green, and very sparingly add cadmium red deep till you get a good dark black. Changing to a number four brush paint in the ground, the tree trunks and a few branches making them overlap a little and the fence posts which should not be too regular.
Step 4
Using the tip of the brush add foliage to the trees, don't overdo this and block out that lovely sky.
Step 5
Finally add the birds coming home to roost in the trees. Begin with the nearest and largest gradually making they smaller as you progress into the distance and at the same time add water to the mix so they are weaker in tone. A 'V' is all that is needed to depict a bird in this scene but you will find this mark more difficult to make as you get progressively smaller, simplify matters by making just a small line or a dot.
Copyright Jane Grainger 2004
