- In a watercolor rendering, the hand-drawn image becomes extremely important. It is a good idea for the artist to go through the preliminary drawing process and execute several detailed pencil sketches of the subject. This is done to gain familiarity with the object at hand and to learn how lighting changes over the course of a day. A new student should feel free to make as many of these pencil drawings as is necessary. Even professionals need to make several drawings before they begin painting.
- With most watercolor renderings, the final product begins with yet another pencil sketch. This time the drawing serves as a guideline for the painting process. Sometimes the drawn outline will remain barely visible except to the trained eyes of the artist, but more often than not the drawing combines with the paint and becomes an integral part of the finished rendering. In this case, it is the combination of the graphite and watercolor paint that makes for a realistic and dynamic watercolor rendering.
- In most type of renderings, the watercolor paint does not need be applied in wide, colorful bands of wet washes, as is practiced in more free-form styles of watercolor painting. Instead, more controlled wet washes are applied to the water-absorbent paper. With a rendering, the painter needs to closely observe the color of the subject matter, as well as the shadow areas. Close study of the actual color of these two areas are important in a watercolor rendering.
- Although watercolor renderings may at the onset seem like a rather dry and lifeless way of revealing architecture, a garden scene or a life portrait, it is up to the artist to make the final result appear dramatic to the viewer. A more expressionist style can be achieved by using a wetter mixture of watercolor or by using bolder and more striking brushstrokes. Also, don't forget that basic drawing can also be an interpretative art, so don't be afraid to explore new shapes and forms with the drawing process.
- Although the most common subject matter for a watercolor rendering is architecture, other types of scenes and images can be created through this exacting technique, such as landscapes, still lifes, life drawing, interior scenes and portraits. For those who like to push creative pursuits into new realms, the combination of pencil and watercolor can certainly be explored to produce abstract designs and colorful patterns. For another striking and dramatic possibility, try using an ink pen instead of a pencil. In fact, some fine architectural renderings are done with pen and watercolor instead of pencil.
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