Why did you choose watercolors over other media?

I started painting when my children were very little, and we live in a tiny house. I was painting in 20 minute stretches at best, on our kitchen table (and I still am). So I needed a media that:

• could be contained in a small box

• could be taken out and put away quickly

• wasn’t messy or staining

• didn’t involve solvents

• could be rewetted easily

• could be used on a small scale

Watercolor was the obvious choice (along with colored pencils at first), and since I still live in a very small space without a studio, I’ve had to stick with it! I also like that it’s delicate and meticulous (although it doesn’t have to be).

Do you sketch with a pencil first?

Yes, I always start with a pencil sketch, and then I go over it with ink. I could use only pencil, but once you add watercolor over graphite, the graphite sets into the page and becomes almost impossible to erase. I’d rather have nice solid lines around my drawings. I haven’t seen many watercolor artists draw this way before applying paint but I like it.

When creating a watercolor illustration, do you start with the ink or with the watercolor?

I always start with the ink, because my watercolor style is precise and detailed. I like to have clear ink lines in place before I start painting, rather than light pencil lines or nothing at all. I use waterproof ink or pens so that my lines don’t bleed or disappear once I add watercolor.

Artists who start with the watercolor and then add the lines tend to have a looser style, which is also beautiful but not really me.

How long to you typically spend on a watercolor piece?

This really depends on the size and complexity of the piece. But a piece like the blueberries (below left) probably took 2.5 hours to complete, the cotton plant (center) about 8 hours and the apple brandy (right) about 25 hours. This also explains how I price my pieces.

How do you make your watercolor paintings look so transparent?

It’s both a question of materials and technique. First of all, I use mostly transparent colors: some hues are more opaque than others, depending on the pigment used to make them. You can see this when you use the watercolor, but you can also check on transparency before buying paints. You can find all the information for each color on a company’s paint chart. On Winsor & Newton’s chart for instance, each color is described, and I’ve highlighted the transparency rating for three colors:

Here we have a transparent, a semi-transparent and an opaque color. With the transparent color, you’ll see the white of the paper shine through your paint, whereas with the opaque color, you’ll see less of it, and you’ll probably also see the pigment itself in the form of tiny granules.

As far as technique is concerned, I apply very light layers of color, and try not to mix too many colors together. I keep my water and palette clean, and I use high quality watercolor paper (more on that further down).

Can I use regular paper for watercolor since watercolor paper is so expensive?

No, unfortunately regular paper will buckle, maybe even tear if it’s too thin. In addition, you won’t get the full intensity of color or the granulating effect of the paint on regular paper. Good watercolor paper is made of 100% cotton rag and it’s thick (around 300g/m² or more). It’s also sized (covered in gelatin): this “gelatin size” helps reduce the paper’s absorbency so that the colors stay on the surface and appear much brighter. Even cheaper watercolor paper is not always the best idea, and a good watercolor paper will make a huge difference in how your art looks.

What is the best store for watercolor art supplies?

I live in the US, and I usually order online from DickBlick.com, or go to our local Jerry’s Artarama store. They have everything you might need, including specialized supplies. Michael’s also has common art supplies, but the selection may be more limited.

If you have a local independent art store, make sure to support them too!

Do you prefer watercolor pencils, watercolor paints in pans or in tubes?

I’ve only used watercolor pencils a few times. They’re practical as you don’t have to have lots of water or brushes on hand, but don’t hold enough pigment to do the kind of work that I do, and they can leave streaks. I started with watercolor pans, and now I tend to buy tubes and fill my own pans, but there’s not much difference.

What watercolor paints and supplies do you use?

I started with this small set of Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolors. This is a well-priced, beginner set: they’re good paints, although not professional quality, which is fine when you’re starting out.

Now I use mostly Winsor & Newton watercolor paints, but I also have a few Daniel Smith paints. I always purchase the professional version of the brand I’m using, because it’s more pigmented (more color), more lightfast (lasts longer once on paper) and has a better texture. It’s also more expensive, but at some point it becomes well worth it. When using the professional version, I really haven’t found much of a difference in quality between brands. What will differ between brands is the kind of pigment(s) each company uses to create a single color, and the kind of binder (honey or gum Arabic usually). There will be slight variations in viscosity (more viscous with honey), durability, lightfastness, and transparency.

What are eco-friendly options for watercolor art supplies? (paint, brushes and paper)

Well, painting (in oils, acrylic or watercolor) is never completely eco-friendly, because of some of the toxic pigments, solvents and additives included in their formulation, and because of the processes used in making paint and paper (water usage for instance). But there are ways to be more eco-friendly (and cruelty-free, which is related).

You don’t need to use solvents when painting in watercolor, so that’s a good start, and also one of the reasons I chose this medium. But many of the pigments in watercolors and other types of paint are toxic (cadmium for example). The good news is that some companies have started selling less- or non-toxic versions of their paints: for instance, cadmium-free reds, oranges and yellows are now readily available. However, some watercolors do contain ox gall or honey, so if you prefer to avoid any animal-derived ingredients, check what’s in each paint (vegan options exist!).

As far as paintbrushes are concerned, the best are supposed to be natural-hair brushes (“natural” as in “animal”), and sable hair in particular for watercolor brushes. But for those who prefer not to use brushes made from animal hair (like me), synthetic brushes perform very well, and are cheaper!

Paper is never eco-friendly, no way around this one. The only thing I can recommend is using it sparingly, as the precious material that it is. And for artists who prefer cruelty-free supplies with no animal-derived ingredients, I’ve just bought a new “vegan-friendly” watercolor paper by Fabriano. It’s the Artistico “Enhanced” watercolor paper, with vegan sizing. I tried the extra-white cold pressed version and it’s very nice. In this case, the gelatin size used to reduce the absorbency of watercolor paper is synthetic, not made from skin, bones and animal tissue—the usual ingredients in regular sizing. Several other brands offer synthetic sizing too. But careful: there may still be animal products used in making the paper, such as the wool felt blankets used to give the paper surface its texture.

Do you recommend watercolor art workshops?

Well, art workshops in general are expensive, so I’ve never had the chance to take one myself, although I’d love to. But if you can afford it and have the time, yes, of course! You can learn from a professional artist, you can learn from other artists and students, and they offer a fun and relaxed atmosphere in which to make friends or find mentors.

What are some of the common mistakes that beginner watercolor artists make?

I’ll make a quick list, and please know that everyone does this, even when they’re no longer a beginner!

• using poor quality materials (paint and paper especially)

• using too much saturated color on your first application: opt for repeated layers of very light washes

• not letting the paper dry between layers: be patient! (or use a hairdryer)

• adding too much or too little water

• stopping early because you think it’s not looking good (this is probably the biggest mistake)

Why is watercolor considered so difficult?

I’ve never tried oils, and only a little acrylic and gouache, but I think watercolor is difficult because it’s unforgiving. Once the color is on, it can’t be corrected by painting over. You have to plan your piece very carefully right from the beginning. If something in your painting is white, you need to leave the paper blank from the very first layer, and work from light to dark. With other paint media, you tend to work in any order, and you can add layers of paint in any color as you go.

How can I make high-quality prints of my watercolor art?

You can print at home or use a professional printing service. To print at home, you need an high end professional printer. This can be costly, and I’ve found that they often jam or break down. But it also gives you a lot of flexibility.

Finding a professional printing service is not easy, because you have to shop around, and send for trial prints to check on the printer’s quality and service. But once you find a good one, you can forget about buying ink for your own printer or getting it repaired frequently. It also enables you to print larger formats (9” x 12” and beyond). I think the highest quality print is called a Giclée print, which is pigment based, uses more colors, is higher quality and lasts longer.

Can you draw “watercolor art” with digital tools?

Yes, you can, and the tools are getting better and better. I don’t think it really looks like watercolor, but it’s a good approximation, and the process or “feel” of it is also getting closer. In Adobe Photoshop, Procreate and Adobe Fresco, you can use digital paintbrushes that mimic the feel of a water-filled brush, the aqueous mixing of colors and even the blooming effect which you get with watercolor. It’s fun and impressive, but again not quite like the real thing!

Do you create illustrations for tattoos?

No, I don’t. I know “Watercolor tattoos” are a big thing right now: the ink looks like watercolor. I wouldn’t mind someone using one of my designs as a tattoo, just as long as they ask me first, and give me credit. Contact me (infrench@gmail.com) if interested.

Can anyone learn to paint with watercolors?

Yes, absolutely!