Exploring Mediums: Watercolors

Let's explore watercolor in various forms!

Watercolor paints are made by mixing finely ground pigments with water-soluble binders. This allows for transparent layers. It's well known for its versatility, since you can control the color intensity by adjusting the water-to-pigment ratio. Watercolor has a quick drying time and its pretty portable. However, because of the medium's transparency, it can be challenging to make corrections.

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Watercolor Types, Brands, and Prices

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Watercolor Pans

Windsor & Newton - Available at Blick for $25.42

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Watercolors Tubes

Winsor & Newton - Available at Michael's for $39.99

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Surface Types and Prices

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Watercolor Paper

Amazon Basics Watercolor Pad - Available on Amazon for $8.50

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Mixed Media Paper

Canson XL Mix Media Pad - Available at Michaels for $8.49 (REG. price $16.99)

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Mixed Media Paper

Arches Cold Press Watercolor Pad - Available on Amazon for $21.79

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Medium Exploration

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Windsor & Newton Watercolor Pans:

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Windsor & Newton Watercolor Tubes:

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Techniques and Uses

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Techniques

• Wet-on-wet

• Wet-on-dry

• Dry brush

• Glazing

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Uses

• Illustration

• Landscape painting

• Portrait studies

• Sketching & journals

• Design concepts

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Additional Techniques

• Watercolor + ink: outline with pen for definition

• Watercolor + colored pencil: add texture and detail

• Watercolor + gouache: layered opaque highlights

• Watercolor + collage: paint over paper or photo layers

• Watercolor + salt: crystal textures in wet paint

• Watercolor + plastic wrap: wrinkled abstract textures

• Watercolor + alcohol: floral blooms and organic effects

• Watercolor + masking fluid: preserve white areas

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Activity Exploration

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Reflection:

Trying Winsor & Newton watercolor pans and tubes helped me see how the mediums work differently. The pans were easier to control and felt good for beginners. The tubes had brighter color and made it easy to paint more boldly. In an art classroom, students could choose which one feels best for them to use. This experiment showed me how important it is for students to test materials hands-on.