Gong Liuchao on Watercolor Landscape Sketching Art

Author: Gong Liuzhao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-01
Features: The painting method of watercolor sketching varies from person to person—whether to paint thinly, thickly, or a combination of both, etc. This depends on individual habits and experience. However, regardless of the approach, the key is to fully showcase the characteristics of watercolor. What are the characteristics of watercolor? This needs to be compared with oil painting and watercolor. Watercolor is a painting style that falls between oil painting and watercolor. It combines some of the strengths of both, but also has many shortcomings compared to them. Compared to oil painting, it lacks the thickness and richness of color. Compared to watercolor, it lacks transparency and the sense of ink and water bleeding that watercolor often has. However, the bright, saturated, and vibrant colors of watercolor, a certain degree of breathability, and the free and effortless brushwork are its defining features, which oil painting and watercolor cannot replace. Precisely for this reason, watercolor is appreciated and accepted by both the refined and the masses. Making watercolor sketches truly embody the essence and characteristics of watercolor is not an easy task. It requires long-term practice in watercolor sketching and continuous accumulation of experience. The thin painting method of watercolor also needs to be measured—too thin, and it will not only fail to achieve the transparency of watercolor but may also make the composition, losing the expected luster of watercolor. To truly create high-quality artistic works with watercolor, simply showcasing its characteristics in the painting is not enough. The artist must also possess a certain level of cultural and artistic cultivation. I have been painting watercolor for a considerable amount of time, but I still often encounter moments where I can't continue. This is not primarily due to a lack of skill but rather a deficiency in concepts and overall cultivation.