Workshop: Create texture in watercolours

AUDREY BENJAMINSEN explores her watercolour process, from initial design to painting techniques, as she creates a golden mermaid full of luminous layers

Audrey Benjaminsen reveals how she creates a golden mermaid full of luminous layers in watercolours.

There’s much to be said about the power of shapes, textures and colour, and the wild variety of ways you can make them play together with watercolour. You can control the medium to an extent, but there’ll no doubt be unexpected opportunities and surprises.

I suspect this is why I love it for fantasy art; the material just suits the spirit of the subject matter. This workshop will show how you can take a simple sketch, and transform it into a fully imagined fantasy creature through the magic of watercolour.

You don’t always have to have a sketch to paint in watercolour, though. You can jump right in and draw your concept on the paper from your mind. I work both ways, but love the process of drawing my ideas, then designing, editing and planning a bit. All the big questions about shape, structure and colour are answered in my sketch and colour study, so I’m free to explore techniques while knowing everything is going to (hopefully!) turn out okay.

I’m drawn to the tangible world of traditional materials. It’s a marvel the range of techniques you can get from water, brushes and a small amount of pigment. I look at the work of Holbein and Alan Lee and am awestruck that it, too, is watercolour.

One of my favourite tools for building up intricate layers of washes is a Round Kolinsky sable hair brush. Nothing compares to its ability to retain water and shape. I’d also recommend using synthetic ones. They both have their own unique strengths, but one doesn’t require the hair of the Siberian weasel. (I mostly use synthetic for this workshop.)

Creature paintings are fun to make, and especially useful when developing a story. I approach a character by imagining bringing them into existence, thinking about what they would feel like, how they eat and so on. My interests in fashion, textiles and detail often influence my decisions. I’m known to befriend my paintings, and never feel alone when I’m truly immersed in the process. Audrey is a multimedia artist, freelance illustrator, and instructor based in Michigan. See more of her art www.ataudreybenjaminsen.com.

1 Arranging my workspace and painting materials

Before I start the painting, I set up my materials and workspace. I’ll be working on cold-pressed watercolour paper, and using a full spectrum of tube watercolours laid out in a tray. I currently prefer Grumbacher and Winsor & Newton. I’ll also use a kneaded eraser, paper towel, a variety of brushes, a pencil and water.

2 Use Photoshop to create colour schemes

To start, I create a sketch of my mermaid. I think a lot about silhouette and shapes as I draw because it’s such an integral part of a solid creature design. I also check how balanced the pose is, and indicate some basic facial features. A successful sketch will set me up for a good painting! Having a clear idea of where I’m going with my colour palette really helps me before painting. For this step, I add a layer digital colour in Photoshop to the sketch to give myself a direction. I chose golds and purples to start with complementary colours, and plan to add others as intuition calls.

3 Trace the sketch

Now it’s time to transfer the sketch on to tracing paper. I print out the sketch at the size of my paper (making sure the image is reversed!) Next, I put the tracing paper and sketch up to a light box (a bright window will also work), and secure the edges so it doesn’t slip. Then I trace and refine the design in graphite.

4 Transfer the graphite to the paper

Next, I transfer the tracing paper graphite side down on to the watercolour paper. It helps to tape it down so it doesn’t slide. I’ve had good luck rubbing the back with a heavy pair of scissors, but other tools work as well. When I pull back the tracing paper I have a nice, clean transfer of the design on to my new surface.

5 Start with the face

Faces are the most fun for me, so that’s where I start. I’m using a size 3/0, 1, and 3 Round brush (I also have one trusty sable hair brush) I use my tiniest brush to make careful liner marks over the eyes and nose, fill in the shape of the lips, then start to block in the hair.

6 Adding colour down the body

I continue to fill out the hair silhouette in light washes of violet, yellow and some olive green, leaving some of the white of the paper untouched for highlights. I continue down the torso with those colours along with some reds, taking a more linear approach because this area is a lighter value. Dabbing the fresh paint with a paper towel can help control the value.

7 Using wet-on-wet techniques

I then continue down the main section of the tail and the fins, wetting the parts where I want colour to go, but leaving the white of the paper for the brightest values. I brush some yellows into wet areas to start, then continue to add more reds, violet, and greens into the wet areas where the fins transition.

8 Using brushstrokes to create texture

I finish the base later of the fins by continuing the wet-on-wet technique through the bottom of the tail. I touch more reds, violet, and greens into this areas, since is the darker part of the design. The bottom of the tail has a rippled surface, so I make sure that the shapes of the highlights and strokes fit that texture.

9 Blocking in the fish and building up values

I paint the first fish starting with violet and yellow to block out the structure. Then I build up the darker values, and add some red for the eyes. I make sure this shape transitions with the mermaid’s hand and the bottom part of the spear, adding violet to the spear for colour harmony.

10 Painting blood and the mermaid’s hands

For the second fish I add some wet-on-wet technique for a little blood, and a mix of colours for the tie on the spear. For the hands, I add a light yellowish wash for the shape, and build up the knuckles and creases with warmer colours. When they’re dry, I add more linear marks.

11 Building up details

It’s time to get detailed! I use a small brush to add finer marks and strands into the mermaid’s hair, building up texture and getting the values to transition nicely behind her ears and face. I then give some more attention to her features, adding dimension to her cheeks, eyes, and lips with light washes, and blending with a wet brush.

12 Generating translucency on the mermaid’s tail

With warmer darker colours, I paint a second layer of linear strokes on to the fins. This adds the right texture and the look of translucence. Next, I add the scales on the tail with a variety of round and linear marks. (I looked at photos of betta fish to get them right) The scales will look more believable if they follow the form.

13 Blending with water

As with the other fins, I apply more linear strokes and values to the bottom of the tail as well. This adds dimension and texture, and makes for a more finished look. I also use water to blend in areas if needed.

14 Checking values and finishing touches

To finish, I paint in the remaining small details in the necklace, spear, and hands. Then, I do an overall check of the values structure to see of anything is off (I can paint in adjustments if needed) For a little fun, I splatter some paint lightly in the background by flicking my brush.