The History of Watercolor Artists

Watercolor Paints

"Pure" watercolor consists of transparent paint, color washes, and highlights created by the lack of paint or faint white tones. The art of watercolor began with the early Egyptians, who used other types of paint diluted to suggest transparency. Very finely ground pigment was mixed with arabic gum, a water-soluble binder, which creates a light varnish, making colors appear brighter with more luster. Other substances such as glycerine and sugar syrup were added to the water. Glycerine slowed drying time, offering additional brilliance to the paint. Sugar syrup made the paint flow smoothly.

Early Watercolor

Watercolor Wash

During medieval times watercolor illustrators created manuscripts and small paintings. Opaque watercolor paintings became backdrops for gold leaf. Gouache, or the adding of white pigment, became common among watercolor artists. German landscape artist Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), one of the first Europeans to fully recognize the capabilities of watercolor painting in large scale. Watercolor washes highlighted these paintings. In 1585 Sir Walter Raleigh led an expedition to North America. John White, an English draftsman on the expedition, created watercolor wash scenes of the newly discovered landscape in North Carolina, using a full range of colors in clean washes. He is said to be the father of English watercolor painting.

Further Developments

Artist Brushes

Watercolor in America became known as "English art." However, two centuries later, in the 1700s, watercolor artists in America recognized the full function of watercolor painting. New styles emerged. Thin washes built color, each layer dried before applying the next. Gouache became more popular. In a manner similar to the process of offset printing, the English poet and visual artist William Blake (1757-1827) applied watercolor to glass, porcelain, or glazed paper. He then created a print base on his watercolor paper, which was then painted over with opaque paint for embellishment.

A New Step for Watercolor Artists

Watercolors

J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) developed the wet-on-wet method, allowing the paint to flow freely in the direction of his brush. Dry brush strokes were also combined over the dried backgrounds, creating contrast. Small opaque areas highlighted the paintings. As with John White earlier, watercolor was used strictly for quick renditions or sketches. By the Victorian era in England, watercolor became a popular medium for the general population of artists. John Everett Millais (1829-1896) realized he could create replicas of his oil paintings in watercolor easily and increased the demand of watercolor paintings with the general public. Watercolor artists experimented with color contrasts created by the layered paint and found the ability to create natural occurrences, such as mist or rainbows.

American Artists

The Civil War: A New Subject for Watercolors

In the nineteenth century American artists used watercolors for focusing on social issues, such as Homer Winslow's illustrations depicting the reality of the Civil War. Although realism in America took some time to gain public support, artists such as Thomas Eakins (1844-1916) extended Homer's tradition of realistic watercolors by painting subjects as they really were, not how the subjects wished to appear.

Halftone Printing of Watercolors

Halftones

The invention of halftone printing in the nineteenth century made watercolor ideal for reproduction in full color. The texture of the watercolor paper enhanced the composition. Watercolor paintings could now be reproduced and printed easily and cheaply; therefore, artists gained a wider audience because more people could experience their work.

References

• "The Artist's Manual"; Stan Smith and Prof. H. F. Ten Holt ; 1980
• American Masters- PBS Thomas Eakins

Resources

• Watercolor information
• Art Information
• Studio Chalkboard