watercolor lessons ebook

Watercolor Instruction:

13 Step-by-StepWatercolor Lessons:

How to PaintLandscapes with

Watercolors

PRESENTS

ARTIST DAILY STEP-BY-STEP: WATERCOLOR INSTRUCTION www.artistdaily.com 2

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Colorado watercoloristJoseph Bohler painted ademonstration on aworking ranch outsideof Dubois, Wyoming.

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Jeanne DeHaan trulypainted the landscapefrom within thelandscape.

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Artist Chelley Lowderwas always accompaniedby her dog during theworkshop.

This may seem like impossibleadvice, or at least a good way toset yourself up for disappoint-

ment, but participants in Bohler’sworkshops can see firsthand how thisapproach works. With Bohler, it workssmoothly and gently.A few years ago, the painter taught in

Dubois, Wyoming, at the invitation ofthe Susan Kathleen Black Foundation fortheir annual weeklong workshop nearGrand Teton National Park, in Wyoming.Other artists joined the painting groupwith much dash and panache, but Bohlersat quietly in his black cowboy hat talk-ing with an acquaintance. The tone wasalready set. A few days later, he waspainting a demonstration at nearbyBrooks Lake, affably answering students’questions, commenting on the dogsfetching sticks thrown in the lake, andcreating a pretty good painting. (Bohlerended up entering this quick demo in aprestigious national exhibition.) It wasevident that what the instructor meant by“good attitude” was not limited to highexpectations for the finished piece. Hechatted with the students on a wide vari-ety of topics as he worked—from his

WatercolorInstruction: 13 Step-by-Step Watercolor Lessons: How to Paint Landscapes With Watercolors | by Bob Bahr

WATERCOLOR INSTRUCTION:

13 STEP-BY-STEP LESSONS




childhood experiences on a Montanaranch to the musical merits of the man-dolin. He answered questions about hiscolor mixtures and painting decisions ina casual tone and seemed to deeply enjoythe day, the company, and the setting. Bohler believes in being fully pres-

ent during a painting session. That’sone reason he prefers to work en pleinair, and why, although he is an avidmusic fan and skilled musician, henever wears headphones on-site. “Icouldn’t hear that dog splashing in thewater or those grasshoppers snappingtheir wings if I were wearing head-phones,” he points out. Bohler occa-sionally uses a microcassette taperecorder to capture the sound of wateror nearby horses, and he will scribblein a journal to note the smells, the tem-perature, or how he feels at thatmoment. He takes reference photos,but it’s clear he is in his element paint-ing outdoors. “It’s natural—everybodystarts out using photo reference. Butyou get the best possible information infront of you when you paint plein air,”he comments. “Once you can breakaway from using a photo, you are free.You feel like a bird leaving its nest.”Being physically present does infuse

the painting with life, but painting on-

site has its challenges—not the least ofwhich is all the information presentoutside of a reference photo. On-site,there are many distracting and enticingthings beyond the subject of your com-position. The artist recommends spend-ing some time “tasting the flavor” of alocation and looking around 360degrees before setting up. “Find yourspot, find the subject, focus in, and gofor it,” Bohler advises. “Don’t lookaround the whole time wondering aboutother views.” A glance at a few of hisfinished paintings shows how unclut-tered, organized, and condensed helikes his compositions to be. A look atthe reference photo for his demonstra-tion Bunkhouse on Horse Creek (page 96)illustrates how Bohler can accomplishthis even when the source material is abusy scene. How many artists couldhave resisted putting in the horses thatwere milling around in the pen behindthe red building? Or the challenge ofthe glass-paned plant box beside thedoor? Bohler, in contrast, barely sug-gested the complicated fence structureand eliminated the box, and the compo-sition reads much better for it.During the Wyoming workshop,

Bohler needed to remind several stu-dents that a good preliminary drawing

“I hope that painters start by having a goodattitude,” says Colorado watercoloristJoseph Bohler. “Decide that you’re goingto paint a masterpiece—or at least a prettygood painting—every time.”

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John P. Finley, a lifetimeresident of the area, paintedthe view of Brooks Lake.

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Workshop participantsshared Brooks Lake withsome fishermen.




Demonstration: Bunkhouse on Horse Creek

ReferenceBohler liked this building, but hethought the background was a bitbusy. “I’ll eliminate more than halfof the trees back there,” he told theworkshop participants. “I am goingfor the essence.” He purposelychose a busy scene that he wouldhave to simplify so the studentscould witness this concept.

Step 1The artist lightly sketched thecomposition using a 2B graphitepencil.

Step 2Bohler began with the center ofinterest: the building. He made sureto let plenty of pigment indicate thedarks under the eaves and usedbroken lines to show the edges ofthe logs. He laid in the sky first toavoid possibly lifting the tree-trunkcolor that would get painted later.

Step 3The trees on the right side wereadded using Prussian green andWinsor yellow. The mountains inthe distance were painted with ablue mixture. Bohler designed theforeground to lead the eye throughthe painting, not necessarily as anaccurate depiction of the scene.For similar reasons, he added afew imagined items and leanedthem against the front of thebuilding. He dabbed a bit ofdrybrush to suggest leaves and“to break up the clunkiness of it.”

Step 4 (left)Bohler colored in the white spots on the roof. “I had left them there incase I needed them,” he said, “but I don’t need them.” He dabbedsome dark areas with a clean, wet brush to lift pigment for highlights.Bohler reinforced the shadows under the eaves with ultramarine blueand permanent rose and touched in some sky holes in the trees usingcobalt blue. Note how much Bohler simplified the fence on the left.

Step 5 (right)Bohler added shadows undervegetation, painted in some darkaccents on the left with a mudcolor to emphasize various forms,and dragged some permanentrose along the top of the busheson the right with a drybrush toadd texture and color. “A mixtureof permanent rose and burntsienna is great for foliage in thispart of the country,” the artistpointed out. “It fits how muchbrown there is in the greens.”

THE COMPLETED PAINTING:

Bunkhouse on Horse Creek2007, watercolor, 16 x 21.Collection the artist.


is necessary for most watercolor suc-cess. Bohler’s underdrawings are care-ful and nuanced, even though they aremerely marking the basic shapes of ele-ments and the areas where lighted por-tions give way to shadows. His nextpiece of advice echoes the words ofmost workshop instructors: Use a bigbrush and get the big shapes down onthe surface. Bohler does this with a two-inch flat brush and very juicy washes oflight transparent watercolor. He maythen erase some of the darker graphitelines of the underdrawing. At this andevery step, the artist stresses that he isconcentrating on capturing the feel ofthe scene. “I’m not trying to put theworld in a 16"-x-21" painting,” Bohlerexplains. “Just the essence of the area.The big shapes can suggest it all.Students sometimes jump ahead andput in details with a little brush, withouthaving a good foundation underneath.”Bohler makes frequent use of the

drybrush technique, loading the flatbrush with fairly dry paint and lightlyscraping it over the texture of the paper,leaving highlights of the color thatstrongly suggest textures ranging fromthe surface of rocks to accents of coloron grasses to sunlit spots on water.These touches, along with a strongsense of composition and an uncannyability to use the unique traits of water-color to conjure a scene, suggest a high-ly controlled painting technique. So itseems like a miracle to witness Bohler’sdemeanor while painting. He exudesthe relaxed manner and calm, satisfied

air of a man lazily fishing. Don’t befooled. “I take painting very seriously,even though I am laid back aboutthings,” says the instructor. “It’s a joyfulexperience, but that doesn’t mean itisn’t serious. It’s a lot of hard work.”Bohler makes it look exceedingly

easy, but his tours during workshops tocheck the progress of the students founda few of them struggling to do what hecould achieve with a few deft strokes.The instructor would often ask permis-sion, then pick up the brush to demon-strate a concept. Sometimes Bohlerwould simply recommend that the work-shop participant dramatically change

course or start the painting again. Theemphasis was on using the workshop tolearn and to stretch—and, more thanwith many workshop instructors, tobecome acquainted with the teacher’sphilosophy on art. A handout that Bohler uses for

workshops states that “The life thatbegins when light meets form, and thetwo become one, is sacred to me.” Hegoes on to explain that he tries to paintwhat he loves, and that he has pro-gressed beyond painting strictly fromthe intellect to painting primarily fromthe heart. Bohler says this mindset hashim seeking out and depicting the



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Bohler helped Joy Nguyenwith one of her first foraysinto watercolor painting.


things in life he finds beautiful—be it alandscape, a woman, or an old build-ing. “I’ve never worried about style ortechnique, or the fads that come andgo, but try to be consistent with quality,with my chosen interpretations ofnature and mankind.” Bohler’s work isdefinitely not faddish. In fact, it seemsto prefer the past to the trends of themoment. “I paint a lot of old things,”he says. “An old, leaning, weatheredbarn—all the textures and character ofit appeal to me. I grew up around oldstuff. I drove a team of horses—Toots

and Molly—when I was younger. So allof this is in me.” His story is furtherfleshed out when one considers thatthe name of his online gallery is Placesin Time, and that the music he coaxesout of any piano he sees is a mixture ofblues, ragtime, and boogie-woogie, witha trace of Hank Snow and Westernswing thrown in. This aesthetic drench-es his work, to the point that a land-scape he paints today, even with noman-made structures in it to date it,seems to hover in time, reinforcing theantiquity of the hills and the timeless-

ness of the forest. Even his choice ofmedium seems to evoke a place intime, and the endless cycles of nature.“I enjoy watercolor’s spontaneoussparkle and flirtatious nature as thepaint and water caress the paper sur-face and the creative process beginsand ends ... and begins again,” hewrites in the workshop handout.A quietness about his teaching and

painting reinforces this aura, which ismarked by another important trait:optimism. Bohler’s low-key naturecould be mistakenly interpreted as



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Bohler advised a student onhow to depict what could bean overwhelming vista.




Demonstration: Morning at Brooks Lake—Wyoming

ReferenceThe instructor said he chose this view partlybecause he liked how the dark trees on the rightwere set against the background bluff in sunlightand shadow. The focal point would be where thiscluster of dark trees cuts into the water.

Step 1His light, loose graphite sketch started with thehorizon line on the far shore. Next, he sketched inthe treeline on the right, and then drew the outlineof the mountains, taking care to mark areas ofwarm and cool colors. The artist made up anddrew a bush on the bottom left corner to keep theviewer’s eye from leaving the composition. Afterlooking over his work, Bohler decided to adjustthe painting a bit by emphasizing the verticalnature of the trees on the right.

Step 2With a flat two-inch brush, Bohler washed in thesky with cobalt blue. His brush was fully loaded,and the juicy wash ran down in a couple of placesto the horizon line, but Bohler quickly stopped itwith paper towel. He used the paper towel to pulloff the wash in areas of the sky to create clouds.The artist said he was thinking of the sky as the“quiet area” of the painting. He tilted his paintingso it would catch the full brunt of the sunlight anddry quickly so he could move on to the next step.

Step 3Bohler erased some of the darker graphite linesand then started in on the bluff in the middleright of the painting using a mixture ofultramarine blue with a touch of Indian red andpermanent rose. He varied the wash, mixing ina little raw sienna, but was careful to keep thebluffs cool because they were in shadow. Toreserve some lights, the artist dipped his brushin clean water and pulled some of the pigmentoff.

Step 4His attention turned next to the warm cliffs onthe left. Using a mixture of permanent rose, rawsienna, and a touch of cadmium red, hewashed in the basic shape of the cliffs, thenadded Winsor yellow and a bit more cadmiumred for brighter areas. Bohler allowed his brushto get drier as he worked, which resulted inheavier pigment and increased texture. A mix ofraw sienna and ultramarine blue reinforcedsome of the shadow areas on the cliffs. Hescrubbed out some areas to soften the edgesand to allow another color to go there later.

Step 5Prussian green with a touch of cadmium redcreated the tree color for the foothills on the right.A smaller brush allowed Bohler to indicate treeson the distant hills. He painted in the sunlitportion of the large pines on the left using Winsoryellow, Prussian green, and cadmium scarlet, thenmade a darker mixture to create the shadowedparts of the pines. The value range for the paintingwas now established with this darkest dark. Forveracity and variety, Bohler painted in some of thetrees killed by a pine beetle infestation usingIndian red and burnt sienna, mixing the bottoms ofthe trees in with the previously laid down green totie them into the landscape.




Demonstration: Morning at Brooks Lake—Wyoming

THE COMPLETED PAINTING:

Morning at BrooksLake—Wyoming2007, watercolor, 16 x 21.Collection the artist.

Step 6The artist next concentrated on the far shore, starting with a saturated lineof color for the vegetation closest to the lake’s edge, then switching to alighter, more watery mix of Prussian green and cadmium scarlet for thefoothills. Deft flicks of a drybrush created individual trees or clumps oftrees. The artist felt that some of the yellows in the cliffs needed to be toneddown, so he wet his brush, dabbed at the area, and pulled up the pigmentwith a paper towel. A yellow mixture with a touch of cadmium red served asa wash to block in the far shoreline and the foreground vegetation. “I’llcome back and add texture,” he assured the assembled students.

Step 7The artist blocked in the water using ultramarine blue with a touch ofburnt sienna. He mixed a darker, richer green for the foothill trees usingburnt sienna, Winsor yellow, and Prussian green, and drybrushed thismixture on the area to warm it up. After blocking in the foregroundbushes, he added dark browns to those areas. “Now the grass has reallycome alive,” observed Bohler. He added touches of color to theforeground hills “to get the essence of the area.” Blue shadows in thetrees on the right reinforced the light source. Texture on the far shorelineand darker water along the edge made the scene more convincing.

Step 8Dark twigs in the foreground bushes,darker shadows in the far-right cliffs,more color and detail in the upper left,and a bit of scumbled cadmium scarlethere and there finished the demonstration.




melancholy, but he feels it is betterdescribed as sensitivity. This is coupledwith positivity. “Attitude is such a bigpart of this,” he says. “You have to tryto do your best every day. You can neverthink, I’m going out to paint anotherdisaster today. You should say, ‘I wantto go out there and do my best.’ It’s allabout confidence.” Bohler may paint in watercolor, but

students of all media are welcome inhis workshops. “When students are

using a variety of media I teach notonly watercolor but good painting prin-ciples—such as values, composition,textures, and rhythm—that apply to allartists,” says the instructor. “My goal isto nudge each person to the next levelof artistic confidence and ability. If youlearn one or two important lessonsfrom this workshop, your energy willhave been well spent.” �

Bob Bahr is the managing editor of Workshop.

Joseph Bohler is a foundingmember of the NorthwestRendezvous; a life member ofthe Transparent WatercolorSociety of America; a signa-ture member of the AmericanWatercolor Society, theWatercolor USA HonorSociety, and the RockyMountain NationalWatermedia Society; and apeer-elected member of theNational Academy of WesternArt. The artist has been fea-tured in several books andmagazines, including Splash IIand Splash IV (both NorthLight Books, Cincinnati, Ohio)and his art is in the perma-nent collection of severalinstitutions. In the early1990s Bohler was commis-sioned to paint a portrait ofTex Ritter by the sons of thefamous actor and singer andby the National Cowboy &Western Heritage Museum, inOklahoma City. Bohler is alsoa gifted pianist and hasreleased two CDs. For moreinformation on Bohler, visitwww.placesintime.com.

About theArtist

http://www.artistdaily.com/wcpdf




How to PaintLandscapes

With Watercolors | by John Hulsey


Whenever I visit friends inColorado, it is understoodthat I will spend long days

hiking in the mountains because, as alandscape painter, I have work to do. Ifmy compassionate friends happen toforget, once they see me arriving withmy portable painting gear, they remem-ber that I suffer from a glorious obses-sion. Like most artists who paint enplein air, I live to be outdoors. This pas-sion for nature has led to the formationof societies, the launching of informa-tional Web sites, and the invention ofall kinds of ingenious, custom-made,lightweight painting gear.One of my indispensable pieces of

equipment is a painting sketchbook.Over the years, my sketchbooks havebecome a diary of my travels, a com-pact biography of my interests, and arecord of my artistic development.Some of the paintings are quick nota-tions of atmosphere and light, whileothers are finished pieces that could beremoved and framed. Perhaps the mostimportant attribute of these images istheir ability to transport me to themoment of inspiration. In this sensemy sketchbook paintings function asvisual mnemonic devices.The sketches are vital in part

because of the conditions under whichthey are created. When dealing withfleeting atmospheric effects, bad weath-er, or the constraints of traveling longdistances on foot, I am restricted tousing only my sketchbook. The com-pact size and light weight of the sketch-book makes it perfect for spontaneous



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My wife, Ann Trusty,took this photograph ofme painting aboveMoraine Park in RockyMountain National Parkin Colorado.

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The completed sketch Idid overlooking MorainePark.


painting along a hiking trail. By work-ing quickly in a small format,I amforced to paint with an economy ofstrokes and a looseness of style thatbrings out the essence of my subject,without engaging in a lot of overthink-ing. This practice is essential to thedevelopment of my work. I use myfield sketches to create larger, more fin-ished paintings in the controlled envi-ronment of my studio, where the chal-lenge is to recreate the spontaneity ofthe sketches in the face of unlimitedtime and a dependable environment. Like most plein air painters, I paint

outdoors at home as well as on plannedexcursions. I cannot allow, nor would Iwish to have, an interruption in theconstant flow of my work. It is all tooeasy to lose one’s hand by not painting,even for a short while. This happenedto me recently after I injured my rightshoulder and could not work at an easelfor several weeks. The only thing thatsaved me was painting in my sketch-book. Once I was healed, it took meseveral more weeks to get enoughstrength, flow, and rhythm in mystrokes to create any larger finishedpiece. This experience reinforced mycommitment to keeping sketchbooks.

My Painting GearAs a direct result of limiting my equip-ment to the bare essentials, I radicallychanged the range and scope of my foot-powered painting trips. I used to carry ahalf-size French easel and a backpack ofsupplies, but the weight of that equip-ment limited me to sites within a fewhours’ walk of my car. To solve theweight problem, I used a bathroom scaleto measure the relative weight of eachpiece of my gear so I could reduce myburden to 25 pounds or less. I replaced



These are my basic supplies for painting on location: an11"-x-14" Canson cold-pressed watercolor sketchbook, acollapsible container for water, a John Pike Palette andlid, and an assortment of natural- and synthetic-hairbrushes that I wrap in the quiver lying on the rock.

The sketchbook pagethat served asreference for AcequiaMadre, New Mexico.


heavy equipment with lighter modelswithout sacrificing utility or perform-ance. At that time I had no choice but todesign and build my own. Today, theoptions are vast. There are a few smallcompanies dedicated to developing andmanufacturing lightweight paintingequipment for the plein air painter. Byexamining my thinking and approach topainting in the field, I was able to expandthe range of painting locations.I replaced my heavy half-size French

easel with a 10"-x-12" Maier pochadebox and an 8"-x-12" palm-sized box.Although they are principally for my oilwork, both boxes can be configured forwatercolor. The Maier boxes are amongthe best of plein air equipment, and Iuse nothing else when I work outsidein oil. They are composed of two ele-ments: the outer box of black walnut,which holds either canvas or panels inthe lid and provides space for brushes,thinner, and paints in the base; and thepainting palette, which fits inside thebox and lifts out and unfolds for use.The palette attaches to a lightweight tri-pod that is carried separately. I choose to paint in watercolor when

either my time is limited or extremeportability is required, for cross-countryhiking, for example. I use a small metalfolding palette that fits in my back pock-et and holds either 12 full pans or 24half pans of semimoist color, two smallbrushes, an 11"-x-14" Canson spiral-bound watercolor sketchbook, a graphitepencil, paper towels, and a small, col-lapsible plastic water container. For longer excursions, I use a day

pack, so I can also include a small quiverof extra brushes, a John Pike Palette, anda 12"-x-16" block of Arches paper. I canalso add my rain gear, lunch, camera,water purifier, and water—everything I



Acequia Madre, New Mexico, 2002,watercolor, 20 x 30.



will need for a full day of hiking andpainting. Overnight camping requiresanother 30 pounds of survival gear andprovisions, but the painting equipmentremains essentially the same. I sacrificethe comfort of an easel for the savings inweight. It’s rarely a problem to find a flatsurface to work on, although as I getolder, I am beginning to see the value ofhaving a pair of kneepads!Compared to painting outdoors, I feel

that the studio environment can be dan-gerously tame and predictable. A fewseverely inclement days indoors are toler-able, but more than that and I begin tofeel like a caged animal. So, I keep myportable kit waiting at all times near thedoor, ready for any break in the weather.This is the beauty of having a well-equipped and lightweight painting kit.When the sun and the clouds begin theirmagnificent ballet, I grab my gear andrush out the door. Timing is everything.

A Day on Location“Let’s go!” I said to my wife, Ann. Thesun was starting to come up, and I want-ed to be well away from the UpperBeaver Meadows parking area beforethen. We had spent our first few days inRocky Mountain National Park gettingacclimated to the altitude and were readyfor a beautiful walk to our painting site.The Windy Gulch Trail we intended tofollow skirts the edge of an escarpmentand offers a fabulous aerial view ofMoraine Park. Our backpacks containedmostly painting gear, water, and lunch,so our hike would not be very strenuousand we could focus on painting. Ann and I have spent nearly 30 years

traveling and painting together. We areaccustomed to the early morning startsrequired to capture superior light and toavoid the frequent and dangerous after-



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My sketchbook studiesfor Waterfall, Colorado.

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Waterfall, Colorado, 2002, watercolor, 12 x 16.


noon electrical storms that occur in themountains during summer. We set off inthe chilly dawn and hiked until mid-morning. As we came around a deeplyshaded bend, the trail suddenly openedinto the dazzling light at the cliff edge.Below us spread the entire Moraine anda spectacular vista east to the ramparts ofthe Front Range—a perfect panorama forpainting. The weather conditions wereideal, and we arrived with plenty of time

to make detailed sketches. I rapidly deployed my gear on the

ground and walked back and forth a fewtimes, framing the scene with myhands while I searched for a challeng-ing composition. I settled on a rockperch to the left, which allowed me asweeping view and included the sugges-tion of a nearby spruce tree for scale. To begin, I sketched a light graphite

outline of the major masses in the scene.

The challenge was to re-create the illu-sion of vast distance and aerial perspec-tive on a small piece of paper. I analyzedeach set of strokes I would make, the col-ors I would need to mix, and the order inwhich those colors would be applied. Inessence, I prepainted the entire scene inmy mind, visualizing each move and thefinished result. Although it takes a fewminutes to complete an entire paintingin my imagination, the technique saves



My reference sketch forMoonrise Manhattan, Kansas.


me from wasting precious painting time.Also, since the strong sunlight and verydry air in the mountains conspire to dryout washes of color and the paints on thepalette, I find that working quickly andefficiently is essential to the success ofmy watercolor painting. Of course,sometimes my imagined painting faroutshines my painted results, but that’sjust part of the fun.Once I started painting, I worked furi-

ously, laying in washes from light to darkand applying staining colors and sedi-mentaries one over another until I builtup a softly layered image of color and

value. The dry air and wind caused someproblems when I tried to create any fluid-ity in my washes, so I shifted to a wet-on-dry technique. I saved all the details untilthe last few moments and painted themloosely but decisively. When I looked atmy watch, I couldn’t believe that nearlyan hour had passed since I began. It feltlike only moments. Such is the time-altering power of an intense focus!Although I was reasonably happy withmy results, I knew that it would takesome time before I could accuratelyassess the success of this painting. We rewarded our efforts with lunch

and stayed to admire the view, only pack-ing up our gear as a storm began todevelop on top of us. Our easy walkdownhill was filled with the satisfactionof a fine morning spent hiking and paint-ing in a spectacular place and the knowl-edge that we had preserved that memoryforever in our sketchbooks. Perhaps theselittle paintings will be developed into larg-er studio pieces, or perhaps they will sim-ply remain as they are—mementos of aspecific time and place. �

For more information on the artist, visitwww.johnhulsey.com.



Moonrise Manhattan, Kansas, 2002, watercolor,20 x 30.

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