The line and wash watercolor technique is a fun way to create a different style of your artistic creativity.
Don’t worry if you aren’t very good at sketching, because it doesn’t have to be perfect. The lines don’t need to be straight unless you want them to.
I have also read that line and wash watercolor can also be referred to as Urban Sketching. That is pretty much my style.
Let’s talk about it!
A Quick Look At Line & Wash Beginnings
In the Renaissance Era (1400 – 1700), the line and wash technique was practiced. Early in the 15th century, a man named Cennino Cennini, wrote instructions of using a pen drawing with the paintbrush.
Renaissance-era artist Leonardo da Vinci, drew the image commonly known as the Vitruvian Man. It’s a study of the ideal proportions of the human form. It would be considered a pen and ink wash by our standards.
This became common use by the 16th century and was seen in the works of Rembrandt, Claude Lorrain, and several other Italian artists.
Fundamentals of Line and Wash Watercolor
Let’s Talk Line and Wash Watercolor
Line and wash watercolor is a technique that combines the use of ink or pen with watercolor paint. This style of painting involves using ink, pen, or pencil to create outlines or sketches, which are then filled in with watercolor paint.
The result is a beautiful and unique artwork that combines line drawing with the addition of watercolor.
One of the benefits of line and wash is that it allows you to create detailed artwork. The use of ink or pen (Micron Pens work best) allows you to create precise lines and details, while the watercolor paint adds depth and texture to your artwork.
Some artists draw their sketches with a pen first and then do the wash. If you are a skilled sketch artist, I say do it! Some artists do the wash first and then the pen, without prior sketching.
In this tutorial, we will be sketching in pencil first, doing our wash, and then going over it with the pen. This is the style that I do and teach.
Materials You Will Need
To get started with line and wash watercolor, you will need a few basics. These include:
- Watercolor paper – I prefer cold-pressed watercolor paper (Link paper)
- Watercolor paint – Any type will suffice. You can check out Unleash Your Creativity With These 5 Types Of Watercolor Paints.
- Pencil & Eraser – A light lead pencil is best.
- Ink or pen – Micron Pens are what I use.
- Watercolor Brushes – A #6 or #8 for the wash and a #2 if wanting detail, but you will be using a pen for that in reality.
Line and wash watercolor is a fun and creative technique that allows you to create unique artwork.
Sketching Techniques
Line Work Basics
When it comes to line work in line and wash watercolor, it’s important to start with a light sketch.
Remember, you can always go back and darken lines later, but if you start too dark, it can be difficult to erase or cover up mistakes.
Laurie’s Watercolor tip:
Use a pencil with a harder lead, such as an H or 2H, to create light, thin lines.
Another important part of line work is you need to pay attention to the direction and flow of your lines. This will help create movement in your sketches.
For example, if you’re sketching a tree, try to follow the lines of the branches and leaves in a natural way. Although, you can exaggerate them if you wish.
Incorporating Washes
Once you have your basic line work down, it’s time to start doing your washes.
Washes will add depth and dimension to your sketches, and help bring them to life. When creating washes, it’s important to keep in mind the amount of water you’re using.
Too much water can cause the colors to bleed and become muddy, while too little water can create harsh lines. Your colors should flow together.
To create a smooth wash, start by wetting the area with clean water. Then, add your color to the wet area and let it spread naturally.
If you want to create a gradient effect, add more water to one end of the area and less to the other, allowing the color to naturally blend from light to dark.
Every Artist Was First an Amateur
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Watercolor Application
When it comes to applying paint using the line and wash watercolor technique, there are a few key things you need to keep in mind.
Wash Techniques
Remember, a wash is a thin layer of color that is applied to the paper in a single, continuous stroke. To achieve a smooth wash, it’s important to use plenty of water and a larger brush. A #6 or #8 is fine.
To create a gradient wash, you will start by applying a thin layer of color at the top of the paper. Then, gradually add more pigment to the brush as you move down the paper. This will create a gradual transition from light to dark.
Another technique to try is the wet-on-wet wash. This involves applying wet paint to wet paper, which creates a soft, blended effect.
To achieve this, wet the paper first with a brush or spray bottle, then apply the paint.
Check out what I wrote about wash techniques in an earlier blog post.
Layering Colors
Layering colors is another important technique to try when using line and wash watercolor. This involves building up layers of color to create depth and dimension in your painting. Adding shadows where needed.
To achieve this, start by applying a thin layer of color to the paper. Then, once it’s dry, apply another layer of color on top. You can rinse and repeat this process as many times as you like to create the desired effect.
If you are impatient like me waiting for the paint to dry, use a hair dryer! If you have any other types of heat-drying devices like a heat gun for shrink wrap, be careful you don’t burn your paper!
Combining Elements
Balancing Line and Color
Let’s talk about balance and color. Too much of either can result in, well, an unbalanced painting.
One way to balance line and color is to use a limited color palette. By limiting yourself to a few colors, you can focus on creating a harmonious composition.
You don’t need a whole lot of different colors in line and wash watercolor. Just choose colors that make sense and work together.
I have seen some line and wash watercolor in greyscale and some that are so full of color. It is all the artist’s preference. That would be you!
Paint it however you like! Line and wash watercolor can be as relaxed or as detailed as you want it to be. The concept is painted with lines drawn around it. More like a mixed media. Combining two or more different elements into your art.
Just remember to keep a light touch in your original lines, if doing in pencil. It’s okay if you can see them through your paint, as you will be going over them with your Micron Pen. As a reminder though, pencil lines cannot be erased once the paint is over top of it.
The light touch of your pencil is mainly in case you need to erase a mistake. Not all mistakes are happy accidents as Bob Ross would say.
Creating Depth and Texture
We discussed layering washes of color to create a sense of depth and dimension. In addition, you can also use dry brush techniques to create texture and add detail to your painting. However, I rarely use dry brush in my line and wash.
Another way to create texture is to use different types of paper. Cold-pressed watercolor paper can add texture to your painting, while hot-pressed, smooth paper can create a more polished look.
Finishing Touches
Detailing with Pen
Once you have completed the watercolor portion of your artwork using the line and wash watercolor technique, it’s time to add some final details using your Micron Pen. This is where you can really make your artwork pop and add some extra interest.
Make sure you are using a fine-tipped pen and carefully outline certain areas of your painting to add definition and depth. You can also use the pen to add texture, such as crosshatching (like making a bunch of hashtags) or stippling (using small dots), to certain areas of the painting.
Be sure to use a light hand when adding these details as you don’t want to overpower the watercolor.
Crosshatching is great to use in areas where you want to create the illusion of shadows. I still like to paint the shadow in with my favorite ultramarine. You can crosshatch over that as well. I also have used crosshatching in windows.
Remember, lines do not have to be straight. For example, you may have a house or barn in your painting. The slant of the roof does not need to be a straight line, it can be curved or exaggerated.
Trees can have branches that are just wisps of lines and you can outline the shape of the top of the tree with squiggly lines.
Line and wash watercolor is so much fun to create. Sometimes it reminds me of a cartoon image, depending on what style is being created.
You can make a very detailed and beautiful line and wash painting, but I pretty much feel I am more of the Urban Sketch style of line and wash.
Finalizing the Composition
Now that you have added some final details with the pen, take a step back and evaluate the overall look of your painting.
Are there any areas that need more balance or interest? Are there any areas that need to be toned down? If it is anything like the above photo, that one one should have been toned down, but, I was still proud of it. I never painted horses before.
If necessary, you can add additional watercolor washes to certain areas to balance it out. You can also use a white gel pen to add highlights to certain areas, such as the edges of leaves or the tops of waves. In the above image case, I used some on the horse’s mane and tail.
I hesitated about posting that image above but decided that you need to see that you can still be proud of your work, even though it is less than perfect. We are all beginners once, and we must be kind to ourselves when we create our masterpieces. Be proud of what you create.
Coming soon will be a video tutorial on creating a line and wash watercolor along with a traceable template, so stay tuned!
Laurie’s Watercolor Tip:
If you started with a pencil outline, don’t forget to erase your pencil marks that may be showing when finished.
With a bit of practice, you will improve and look back and see how far you have come.
Stay Colorful, Stay Creative, and HAVE FUN!
~Laurie
