18.9.13

Everyone Can Be Water Color Artists

By Cecile Ingram


Throughout the ages there has been one medium that has endured in the art world. From the cave paintings to the modern day art world this medium has been largely unchanged. The cave painters would mix pigment from the ground with water, and their modern counterparts still do the same, without having to dig out their own pigments. Welcome to the world of water color artists.

Despite it being a popular form of art, it is very difficult to become a master of. For many their first experience will have been gained as a child, sat at a newspaper covered table. Wielding a brush in one hand whilst sat in front of a paint set, a book and a jam jar full of water. Those basic requirements are still the same today, whether it be a child painting or a professional.

This is possibly why it has proved to be such an enduring medium. Just consider the monks as they created their illustrated manuscripts, these were made using the same medium. Even most of those who people consider to be the old masters of the art world have also used and explored this medium.

It really has a global reach, but it is a simple matter to spot the regional variations. No-one will be able to mistake the paintings of Asian influence with those from Europe. For a while there was a wane in its popularity, although nowadays it is possible to find art classes anywhere in the country.

The methods of teaching are many and varied, some use CDs and books which removes the need to actually use a teacher. Others try to learn from programs on the Internet. By this means they can study the techniques over and over again until they understand them. It all seems so different to how it used to be.

Once it was considered to be a suitable pastime for the nobility. They would engage painters of the day to provide instruction to themselves. Others would form into small clubs and experiment amongst themselves. Those who preferred to experiment in solitude would carry their equipment to remote areas where they could paint undisturbed.

Many feel that it was the English during the 18th Century who raised the form to a new level. It has to be said that the style was certainly more popular within the British Isles than on the continent. There are various names put forward as being the spark that lit the fire of popularity within the British Isles. Some will say that it started with a man called Sandby, others will indicate that it was Turner.

For many there are still the aspirations to reach those dizzy heights, although any reason to replicate what see before them in paint is a worthwhile ambition. The medium is not limited solely to the realism which many associate with water color artists. It can also be used to create abstract works amongst others. The limited essential equipment really does create an art form that everyman can attempt and enjoy, and it is all available at such an affordable price.




About the Author: