Ecoline Liquid Watercolours - Project one

So how does one go about using Ecolines you ask. To begin with you have to know that this medium is a high quality concentrated liquid watercolour ink originally made for designers, graphic artists and illustrators. However many use it as an ink, as it behaves just like watercolour, as it is literally a liquid watercolour!

It is fast and versatile and can even be combined with other water based media, such as watercolours from tubes or pans, also acrylics, other inks, water-soluble pencils, and crayons, waxes and so many other media you may choose to paint with. 


My favourite paper to use with Ecoline watercolours is the whitest possible found on the market. Of course it has to be acid free as is with most watercolour paper available these days. I found that Daler Rowney have an excellent one ideal just for this reason; besides this it is 300grms a good weight and also with a slight grain as I prefer an almost flat surface to work on with these colours.

To start with I usually set up a quite a bold and vibrant still life to work from. If working indoors I will use a side spot light to create strong shadows and highlights that are easily distinguishable.
As for the drawing process I stick to the basic shapes and try not to put in too much detail after all the colours are the subject in this case.
I like to use a wax based pencil to map in any highlights that could get lost such as the edges of vases, plates even the fruit. I also put in the reflections on the fruit and  sometimes exaggerate some of these lighted areas.

On left you can observe that when I start painting I start from the background. In this case it is because I feel that the darker colours will help put the 'jigsaw' of colour together as I work round the subject that being the flowers in the jug and the fruit in the bowl. 
The colours in the jars of ecoline are vibrant and strong enough to be able to work almost directly from the bottles. I usually dip my brush into these jars picking up the colours I see in the subject and then let the water and brush do the rest as I start painting steadily round the subjects.

Ecolines do tend to dry very fast and sometimes working in the outdoors can be very frustrating to actually achieve the desired effect. Therefore in this case, I prefer take photographs of the subject and then work from them in the comfort of my study. Another factor that affects these delicate colours is temperature. If the weather is too hot again it not conducive to the medium - so I find myself opting to paint with Ecolines in Spring and Autumn when the local temperatures range between 17 to 21 degs. Again the winter light being dull and monochromatic also effects my mood so I tend to use traditional watercolour and darker colours during this season of prolonged bad weather. 

Coming back to technique I like to work fast and try to 'feel' the colours rather than over study them while working.


I also dab the paint on the paper when working on the flowers to create the petal effect. This I do without much precision. After all the end result is not meant to be photo realistic. The paint while still slightly wet is quite manageable where in it is easily over painted and can give a lovely wet in wet effect too. I also use both the tip and the 'body' of the brush while working to make use of the different colours that accumulate in the brush itself.




The technique I use is semi dry to a certain degree therefore I do not stretch the paper because of this. I find the colours react differently when the paper has been stretched and do not work the way I would like them to. Also the fact that the paper is quite thick helps to avoid having to do this.


Another point worthwhile mentioning is that the colours tend to run into each other rather easily and create their own part in the painting itself. I think these spontaneous reactions add another dimension to the finished work.
 On left the colours in the fruit and flowers were allowed to 'pour' into each other for just this result.


Leaving large areas of the paper exposed is also a very intrinsic part of painting in ecoline. The cool white light from the paper gives off a beautiful contrast with the bold and vibrant colours of the ecoline watercolours. This adds to the overall graphic structure of the finished painting.

Working in quick progression the picture begins to take shape and towards the end I find that I only need to add a few washes to blend in shadows and colours. The final finished painting is visible below and you can be a judge of whether the painting was completed successfully or not.  Always use a fixative spray to seal your work and preserve the picture in either a portfolio in a protective pocket or between acid free paper sheets. Or better still frame your picture and hang it up to enjoy it... of course not in a sun filled room as watercolours are very sensitive to light and will fade quickly. Oh and if possible use a UV protective glass with your frame.


Next blog on painting in Ecoline Liquid Watercolours will follow next month. Meantime check in from time to time as I will be posting my painting activities here online as I participate in open days out on location.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL 

Doranne Alden Caruana - dorart@hotmail.com