Color Color VocabularyVocabulary

•Hue: The name of a color•Intensity: The brightness of

a color•Value: The darkness or

lightness of a color

• Tint: A color mixed with white, in watercolor it is a color diluted with water.

• Shade: A color mixed with black or a complement

• Primary : Red, Blue and Yellow. All colors can be made using these 3 colors

• Secondary: Orange, Green and Violet

• Intermediate: A primary +secondary color

Always say the primary first, for example Blue-green.

Complementary ColorsComplementary Colors• Colors across from each other on the

color wheel , when mixed together they make brown.

•Blue + Orange•Red + Green•Yellow + Violet

The Color WheelThe Color Wheel• Primary + Secondary + Tertiary

Yellow

Red

Blue

Yellow

Red

Blue

violet

green

orange

Water Color TechniquesWater Color Techniques• Washes

The most basic watercolor technique is the • flat wash. 1) Wet the area of paper you want to

cover with the wash, 2) mix sufficient pigment to easily fill the entire area. 3) Apply the pigment in slightly overlapping horizontal bands from the top down.

• A variation on the basic wash is the graded wash. Use the same steps as in the flat wash HOWEVER, you must slightly dilute the pigment with more water for each horizontal stroke. The result is a wash that fades out gradually and evenly

• **TIP: Allow the wash to air dry or use a hairdryer before attempting to paint over it.

•Wet in Wet Wet in wet is simply the process of applying pigment to wet paper. The results will vary depending on how wet the paper is. The wet in wet technique can be applied over existing washes (existing washes should be dry). 1) Wet the paper and paint into the dampness. The soft marks made by painting wet in wet are great for subtle regions of your painting.

• Dry Brush Dry brush is the almost the opposite watercolor technique to wet in wet. 1) Load brush with pigment (and not too much water) and drag over completely dry paper. This produces very crisp and hard edges.

• Lifting OffMost watercolor pigment can be

dissolved and lifted off. Some colors WILL stain (blues, reds). 1) Wet the area to be removed with a brush and clean water; 2) blot the pigment away with a tissue. Do NOT scrub the paper, you must blot. Lifting is not intended to return your paper to its original white state.