Modern watercolor tube paint is a versatile and popular medium for creating beautiful, transparent artworks. Unlike traditional watercolors that come in pans or cakes, tube watercolors are in a paste-like form that can be squeezed directly from the tube. This allows artists to work with a larger quantity of paint and mix their colors more freely.
Key Features of Modern Watercolor Tube Paint:
Pigments: Watercolor paints are made from finely ground pigments mixed with a binder (usually gum arabic) and water. The pigments give the paint its color, while the binder helps the paint stick to the paper.
Transparency: Watercolor paints are known for their transparency, which allows the underlying paper to show through, creating a luminous, soft effect.
Texture: The paint is typically smooth and creamy right out of the tube, and it can be thinned with water to create different effects, from soft washes to more intense, concentrated colors.
Drying Time: Watercolor paint dries relatively quickly, which can be useful for layering but requires a bit of speed when working on certain techniques.
How to Work with Modern Watercolor Tube Paint in Relation to Contemporary Sumi Painting
While Sumi painting traditionally uses ink, modern watercolor can be an exciting medium to explore in contemporary Sumi painting. Combining the fluid, expressive nature of Sumi techniques with watercolor’s transparency and range of colors can create beautiful, unique effects. Here’s how to work with watercolor tube paint in a Sumi-inspired context:
1. Preparing the Paint:
Sumi Ink: Sumi ink is typically ground on an ink stone and mixed with water to achieve the desired consistency, allowing for a range of values from dark to light.
Watercolor Paint: Watercolor tube paint is already in a paste form, but it’s important to mix it with water to achieve the right consistency for painting.
Tip: Squeeze a small amount of watercolor out of the tube and add water gradually to create a consistency that suits your technique. For Sumi-inspired work, you can aim for a more fluid, wash-like consistency to mimic ink washes.
2. Brush Techniques:
Sumi Painting: Traditional Sumi painting relies on controlled brushwork, where pressure on the brush determines the thickness or lightness of the stroke. The brush is typically used to create both fine, delicate lines and bold, expressive marks.
Watercolor Brushwork: Modern watercolor painting also uses brushes, but because of watercolor’s fluid nature, brushwork can create both soft, blended washes and more defined, controlled lines.
Tip: For a contemporary Sumi effect, use a watercolor brush (preferably a round or flat one) and try using varying pressure, just as you would in traditional Sumi painting. Watercolor’s ability to blend seamlessly allows for soft transitions between tones, similar to ink wash in Sumi.
3. Layering and Washes:
Sumi Painting: In traditional Sumi painting, washes of ink are often applied to create subtle gradations of dark to light tones, and the work may involve layering ink to build up depth and texture.
Watercolor Layering: Watercolors are also used in layers, with the first layer providing the base color and subsequent layers adding depth and texture. Watercolor's transparency allows for the underlying layers to show through, which can create depth in the artwork.
Tip: Use watercolor to mimic the layered effect of ink washes. Start with light washes and gradually build up darker tones, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next.
4. Color Use in Sumi-Inspired Watercolor Painting:
Traditional Sumi Ink: Traditional Sumi painting typically uses black ink or sometimes colored inks, with a focus on the expressive power of brushstrokes rather than on vivid color.
Watercolor: Watercolor paints offer a wide range of colors, so using them in Sumi-inspired art allows for more vibrant and varied expression.
Tip: While Sumi painting traditionally focuses on shades of black and gray, you can use watercolor to add subtle or bold colors to your work. To maintain the feel of Sumi, use muted or earthy tones and allow them to blend into soft washes rather than using bright, flat colors.
5. Combining Sumi and Watercolor:
Contrast in Media: Combining Sumi ink and watercolor in contemporary Sumi painting can create interesting contrasts between the deep, rich lines of ink and the fluid, transparent washes of watercolor.
Tip: Start by creating your outline and main strokes with Sumi ink or a dark watercolor. Then, use lighter watercolor washes to create depth, soft backgrounds, or shading effects. The key is to allow the two mediums to interact and complement each other.
Summary:
Watercolor tube paint is a creamy, fluid paint that can be mixed with water to create a range of transparent effects.
To work with watercolor in a Sumi-inspired style, mix the paint with water to achieve a wash-like consistency and use varied brush techniques for fluid, expressive strokes.
Layering and gradients can be achieved by building up multiple transparent layers of watercolor, similar to the ink washes in Sumi painting.
Color in watercolor can add a new dimension to modern Sumi work, so focus on soft, muted tones for a harmonious blend of both mediums.
By blending modern watercolor with the traditional techniques of Sumi painting, you can create rich, dynamic works of art that incorporate both the fluidity of ink and the vibrant possibilities of color.
