Where Did That Wing Go?
Technique level: Advanced
Duration: ~45 minutes
Paper:
Kreatima aquarelle 25% cotton (maybe).
Colors:
– Transparent Gold Deep (W&N)
– Cerulean Blue, Chromium (DS)
– Winsor Violet (Dioxazine)(W&N)
Objective:
Master the balance of soft vs. sharp edges to create movement, depth, and light. This study focuses on painting a partially backlit leaf or a wing in motion – subjects where parts melt into light while others hold form.
Materials:
- Cold press or hot press paper
- Soft round brush (size 4-6), fine detail brush
- Transparent pigments: e.g., Cobalt Blue, Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine
- Spray bottle or extra clean water for softening edges
- Optional: kneaded eraser for lifting pencil after painting
Steps:
- Light Sketch:
Choose your subject – a curled leaf against the sky, or a wing caught mid-beat. Sketch it lightly. Identify where light floods in – that’s where you’ll lose the edge. Mark it mentally or with faint pencil dots. - Paint with Intention:
Start with a light base wash to block in major shapes. Keep edges soft from the start where you want forms to dissolve (like the top of a backlit leaf, or the trailing edge of a wing). - Sharpen Selectively:
Once dry, go back in with deeper value or darker pigment to define key edges – a vein in shadow, the leading edge of a wing, or where the leaf bends toward you.
Leave other areas unreinforced, or even re-wet and feather out edges to enhance the vanishing effect. - Use Water as an Eraser:
With a clean damp brush, soften edges by gently stroking or lifting the pigment while still damp. Alternatively, drop clean water into drying paint to blur and bleed the form outward. - Contrast the Edges:
A sharp line next to a faded one = visual dynamite. Emphasize this contrast for a feeling of motion, light flare, or depth.
Focus:
- Don’t try to define every edge. Realism is not about clarity – it’s about focus.
- Trust the eye to fill in what’s missing. If one edge is sharp, the mind will believe the shape is complete.
- Edges are storytelling tools: sharp = “look here,” soft = “feel this.”
Bonus Prompt:
After your first piece, try a monochrome version (just Indigo or Burnt Sienna) focusing only on edge control without being distracted by color.