Painting Shadows in Watercolor For Beginners by Deb Watson
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Painting shadows in watercolor can be tricky. Simplify the process by working on value and edges before adding color. By working wet on wet with a neutral color, you can paint the shadows and only concentrate on getting the values right. Once your values are in place with nice, soft edges, the color goes on top.
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---------------Materials---------------------------------
Paper: Painted on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed natural white paper.
Paint : I've switched to Qor brand watercolor by Golden - the orange was Transparent Pyrrole Orange
Brushes: My favorite wash brush is the Silver Black 3/4" oval - around $25 and it lasts a very long time (and no, I don't get kick backs)
Visit www.debwatson.org for the full online geranium lesson, or many other free how to paint watercolor lessons. Follow along for guided practice on watercolor techniques. Guided practice is excellent practice!
Like my video if this was helpful, or subscribe for more tips.
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------------------------------ * ABOUT DEB WATSON * ------------------------------------------
Deb Watson is a well known artist and teacher - she loves teaching and her goal is get more people painting!
Deb loved drawing even as a child, but her parents discouraged art as a waste of time. So Deb became a nurse. Even while working full time and raising a family, she still dabbled in art as a hobby. Deb was most interested in painting realistic watercolors, but no classes were available, so she taught herself, over many years of practice (and a lot of bad paintings.) When Deb's art began winning awards and selling, (her work has won hundreds of awards and been exhibited in juried exhibits and museums across the nation.) she turned to art part time, and then full time. Deb Watson enjoys teaching and painting watercolor from Lancaster Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband, one cat and a mischievous sheep dog named Edgar.
Thank you so much. Adding shadows was always my greatest frustration. Ruined so many paintings after working so hard on them. I tired your method and succeeded. Appreciate this so much.
You're welcome, Jan. It's heartwarming to hear that it helped. Thanks for posting.
Any color will work? I mean, if I paint the shadow blue then I put brown on top of that , it should work fine?
This was an "a-ha!" moment for me! Thank you so much for sharing this technique.🙋🏼♀️
Me too 👍🏻
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
I was like, I've been overthinking this but it's just actually that easy. Thank you!
Shadows can be easy, and I hope yours are a breeze after this.
Thank you!!! I was stumped over this. Can’t wait to try it out
Have fun! This works well for fabric, too. Paint the shadows, then paint the color.
I'm just starting painting and drawing and I'm not good at it but this channel has been so helpful i don't know what i would do without it, thank you so much!
Just finished and shadows looks amazing now!
Happy to help! Watch for more tips this winter - I'll be posting a lot more videos.
I tried this technique yesterday and it worked so well! Thank you for the tips; I can't wait to experiment with different colors !
That was incredible. You just blew my mind. Thank you! 😊👍
Thank you! We're doing shadows first on a lot of objects this session - from faces to lighthouses - it works!
@@DebWatson so excited to learn more
Great info. Thank you
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
Thank you! I love the way you teach!!
Thank you, Beth! That's so nice to hear!
Thank you! Been struggling with shadows & grey makes sense!
You're definitely not alone in struggling with shadows. Hope this helps.
Oh! Thank you!! That sounds doable!!
It is, Mandy! I hope it helps!
Such a lovely little tutorial :). Straight to the point, and very helpful! Thank you. Going to give this a try today, and check out some more of your videos.
Thank you so much!
This is a fantastic technique thankyou!! You make it look easy.
Glad it was helpful!
OMG. What a great way to do it. So clever 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
Beautiful tip love it!!! great job Deb
Shadows were very hard for me when I started painting, but this short cut worked well for me.
So "enlightening!" Thank you for this tip! I can't wait to try!
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
This is such a neat 'trick'. I've seen most paintings use glazing for shadows, but this works much better for me at my beginning stage. Thanks so much.
Glad it was helpful!
I am just beginning and this was wonderful advice to help me!
It works especially well if you're painting fabric - paint the shadows first and put the color over top when dry.
This was so usefull! I'm a beginner, thank you for sharing Deb!
Glad it was helpful!
I was searching youtube for info on choosing shadow colours in any medium. What a gem your video is(particularly being me being new to watercolour). Loved the “thirsty brush” term and using it for soft highlights is going to be really helpful. Thanks.
Thank you, RaeRae, I hope your painting goes smoothly
Love this idea.
Thank you, Kelly! 😊
Thank you for speaking slowly!!! ❤️ Kisses from Brazil !🇧🇷
You're welcome, Juliana! Stay safe.
Great lesson!!! I hope to find more of your tutorials.
Check out my watercolor youtube channel - ua-cam.com/users/DebiWatsonWatercolorvideos
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
I wondered if a technique like this would work because this is how I work in every other medium. I'm glad to see it does. Thank you!
You're welcome - thanks for commenting!
Brilliant !! Thank you for sharing... Love and Peace, Catherine
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
Crikey! Why did I not know this? Thank you Deb.
Well thanks this will work for me too
Thanks a lot ❤ i was really struggling with shadows
Shadows can be difficult when you're dealing with color. Painting them with a neutral gray first makes it easier.
Love this, it makes so much sense to me....
Thanks 🎨
Thank you, Nancy. Shading will give you realism in your pictures but it can be confusing when you throw color in the mix, too.
Thank you
This is a great tip for beginners thanks so much for sharing..
Glad it was helpful! Shadows often trip painters up so this can make painting easier.
Thanks
What an incredible vid. So very helpful Deb. Can't wait to try it. Thank you so much!
Thanks 👍🙏
Welcome 👍
thank you for your wonderful art and tutorial! still helping people for years to come 👍
My pleasure 😊
Thanks, you LEGEND!
You're welcome - happy painting!
What a great tip! Thanks so much for sharing. Up to nowI‘ve always layered my colors until they looked „shadowy“ (or muddy, for that matter...). I‘ll definetyl try your method.
This is such useful and important tip for us beginners! Thank you....
The easier and more fun watercolor is, the more you'll paint, and the better your art will turn out. That's why I love teaching - it's rewarding for me to see the results.
I wanna do this! Great tip
You should, Cynthia! It can make painting easier and more fun.
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
Excellent lesson.
Thank you! Painting is one thing, but teaching is another - a lot of practice helps.
This is a great video! Definitely was an ah ha! Like the other girl said. I never could get shadows right until now
Sometimes just getting the color right can be too much, so this can make it simple
it was too hard to make shadow for me. thank you so much for the tips
You are so welcome! Thanks for commenting.
Wow, I’ve learned something super good. Your videos are informative. Thank you!
This was so informative. Thankyou
You are so welcome!
Wonderful!! Thank you!!
Thank you too! I'll be sharing lots of easy techniques in Feb.
Thanks so much, I've been having difficulty with shadows. I can't wait to try this method!
You're very welcome. It helps you learn about values, also, which is extremely valuable with any kind of art.
Oh my, I am loving your teaching
Thank you, Norma!
My sentiments exactly Sharon! Thanks Deb for taking the guessing work out. I sure do appreciate it.
Thank you so much for this tip!
You are so welcome!
Wonderful. Thanks.
Thank you too!
WOW! WOW! WOW! Awesome. Easy. Wonderful. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Jennifer! Thank you for posting.
Wow! Thank you.
You're welcome!
Amazing strict. Thank you so much🥰
You're so welcome!
Oh thx so much for sharing such a clever technique. I always enjoy and learn from your tutorials. 🥰💕🐶💕😷🥰
You're welcome, Alicia. Shadows colors can be hard in secondary colors like orange and green.
Excellent! Thanks!
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful.
That's great! Thank you so much. 💕🌺
You are so welcome, Robin. Hope it helps your painting.
@@DebWatson 😊
Great method...thank you!!!
You're welcome, Karen. Glad it helps.
Excellent!
Many thanks!
So functional thanks. ❤👍🙏
You're welcome 😊
So so clever 😀
Thank you, Rebecca.
Excellent video, thankyou
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks, very helpful!
You are welcome! I love your name.
What a great tutorial Deb! Thank you!
You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful.
thank you so much, I have been struggling with shadows for so long!
You're not alone, most of my students have problems with shadows, but they're slowly getting better. Just keep going.
Thank you so much! This is so helpful🥺
You are welcome, Sara! Happy painting!
Thank you. Brilliant tip.
You're welcome, Michele! I know I make it look easy, but it works well, especially with colors difficult to shade, like reds.
@@DebWatson I am definitely going to try it.
¡THANK YOU, SO MUCH!
You are welcome! It may seem odd to paint something in black and white at first, but it's a very useful technique with realism. When you separate the color from the value, you only need to concentrate on one thing at a time and usually with better results.
Thank you so much this explains a lot 😊
You're very welcome, hope it makes painting easier.
@@DebWatson def helps. This watercolour thing isn’t easy 🤣🤣but I love it
Thanks for the great tip
You bet, Dolores! I'm trying to post a lot of them.
Another brilliant video! I've been struggling with using red/orange to shadow greens. This is what I'm going to do for a while until I get more advanced for most of my shading for awhile. I love the highlights tip too.
Use a quinacridone based red to darken greens - quinacridone red or magenta will work well. Cadmium or Pyrrole Reds will tend to turn brown or muddy. Perylene green is actually a black that is excellent and easy to use for dark greens - sold by Daniel Smith brand.
@@DebWatson Thank you for the tip!
wow this is awesome
Thank you so much! Many students have issues with painting shadows, but it doesn't have to be hard.
That's a very good Technic. I will try it out next time when I show shadow.
Please do!
Thank you so much, im a complete newbie with watercolour and have found it very difficult to understand the placement of light and shadows. This is very helpful.
Thank YOU for posting! Shadows are confusing, each is individual and you have to spend time looking at it to see how the color and value change, but they can also be beautiful all by themselves.
I love so much what the way you are painting! Thank you♡
Thank you so much 😀
Fantastic! So simple and gives me hope!
You can do amazing things with watercolor - just keep painting.
Amazing thank you so much
Doing the shading first works especially well for colors difficult to mix darker values , like orange and green.
Ty thats really helpfull. 😊
You're welcome! Lots of my lessons include painting shadows - it can be difficult or easy.
Hello how're you doing hope you're safe due to the covid 19 pandemic?
So on point and practical tips too. Thank you. 🥰👍🏻😊
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you!
You're welcome, Hope! Painting in black and white first can help with getting the values right, too.
@@DebWatson that is a great idea!
Great tips!!! What a difference! thanks 😜
Thanks very helpful
Adding shading adds reality to your subjects, and it doesn't have to be hard. Thanks for posting.
Awesome
Thank you! Shadows make realism and the easiest way is often the best.
thank you
You're welcome - hope your painting turns out great.
Thank youuu so muchhhhh❤❤❤❤❤
You are very welcome, and thank you for taking the time to comment! It's always appreciated.
❤️❤️❤️❤️Thank you
You're welcome! Happy Painting.
This was a brilliant video! Thank you so much! You made it look so easy. 🙂
Glad it was helpful! Years of practice makes it look easy, so I try to make practicing fun and interesting so you'll do more of it.
This is such a helpful video. Excellent. Really great.
Thank you so much!
Oh my... Magic!
Hope you give it a try.
Great technique ! Thank you for sharing
Love it! So simple. Thank you.
Thanks for posting, Cheryl. I like techniques that are simple and easy.
Ah if only I watched this before I started painting😂oh well, there's always next time xD thank you for making this video!💖
We never stop learning! Thanks for commenting, Grace.
Very good.Thansk very much
Thanks, Cristina! Shadows make your paintings look much more realistic, so they're worth the trouble.
@@DebWatson Thnaks so much,
thanks alot
Most welcome - hope your shadows are great.
Good to know. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this great tip
This is amazing! Thank you!
Thank uuuuu
You're welcome!
Great way, what color can I use to make silver . like a needle , I'm painting a pin cushion , a spool of thread. and the needle thanks so much Deb. I love watching you paint.
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Thanks so much for this tip as I have struggled for years with shadows. I usually put the shadow on over the dry color and then I have a problem with the color lifting. I will try this technique it looks great. I did a painting where it was a stone house with a blue door and a there was a small shadow cast from a shrub that went across the stone color of the house onto the blue door. Would you use this same technique for going across two colors? Thanks so much for your great tutorials.
This was a revelation for me!! I just happened upon this, and have watched several more. These are great. My only ask is a little more info under “more”. What type of paper you’re using, mostly. Cold or hot press, weight. Thanks.
Hi Marilyn, that is a great suggestion! I'll add that now.
Thanks so much!