Gong Liu Chao Watercolor Still Life Basic Teaching

Author: Gong Liuchao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features:
The initial tempera painting evolved from opaque watercolor by adding white pigment to pure watercolor. Pure watercolor, on the other hand, completely relies on water to depict objects and express emotions. It can be said that water is the soul and essence of watercolor painting. Therefore, painting tempera also cannot be separated from water. During the tempera painting process, water not only serves to dilute colors and adjust their intensity but also, when using wet-on-wet techniques, helps the pigments to bleed, flow, and blend together. Especially when painting large areas of color, the success of wet-on-wet techniques largely depends on the artist's skill in handling water. To effectively use wet-on-wet techniques and achieve the best results with watercolor, the paper can be wetted with a brush or a spray bottle, allowing water to create a more perfect combination of color and technique.
Tempera painting is known as having a "powdery atmosphere" and "powdery taste." The term "powdery atmosphere" refers to improper use of white pigment, resulting in disordered light and shadow relationships and an overall pale, washed-out appearance. "Powdery taste," however, refers to the skillful utilization of the advantages of white pigment in tempera, creating rich and well-defined color relationships.
It is evident that to fully leverage the characteristics of tempera painting, the correct and reasonable use of white pigment is crucial. When painting, attention should be paid to the balance between wet and dry techniques and the charm of colors, striving to express the unique artistic appeal of tempera painting through rich artistic language.