Joseph’s Zbukvic’s “Watercolor Clock”

NOTE: Much of  this presented information and many of the included photos in this article are sourced from Joseph Zbukvic’s book “Mastering Atmosphere And Mood In Watercolor : The Critical Ingredients That Turn Paintings To Art ” published by North Light Books -1st print 2002, a readable electronic copy of this book is available from Internet Archive   – All Rights Are Reserved.

In his book, Joseph Zbukvic introduced a symbolic analogy for the relationships of water to paint ratios (thin to thick) and their application to the various paper moisture conditions that exist at different times during the painting process.  This set of analogies are presented as “A Watercolor Clock“. This analogy chooses a clock face as a visual diagram. The clock face represents an analogy of time relationships, but should not be confused with the concept as time of day, but rather the specific moment that occurs during the realtime of the painting process. 

The Watercolor Clock is a method of determining pigment-to-water ratio (thin to thick) as well as identifying the current moisture level of the paper (dry to wet). It is key to knowing what consistency of paint to use, at which instance in time, on what condition of wetness of paper exists, and when to use your paint for the desired painting effect. (hard/sharp, soft edge, lost and found edge, or dry brush etc.)

It is easy to tell the difference between wet or dry paper, however, when it comes to mixing varied consistencies of watercolor there is a tendency to mix something approximating the consistency of milk ( a half-tone wash that will move on the palette in a slower moving manner and will leave quite a coating of pigment behind ), and paint everything with it! Needless to say such a painting comes out lacking depth because everything has the same tonal value. 

As a painting progresses, it is important to select the physical quality of the pigment and what happens to it when we place it onto dry, damp, moist or wet paper. If you follow along the analogy of the Watercolor Clock, it will help to determine how to leave a particular brush mark or achieve that special effect.

The Watercolor Clock will tell you how to choose a particular paint effect.

This side of the clock represents the paper and it is divided into four different degrees of wetness dry, damp, moist and wet paper wetness and edges.

The determination is which pigment – water consistency is selected in order to get a specific effect.

This other side of the clock represents the palette with varying consistencies of watercolor mix: Tea, Coffee, Milk, Cream or Butter.

NOTE: “COLOR” (HUE) IS AN ACTUAL PIGMENT OR SET OF PIGMENTS; “CONSISTENCY” IS A DILUTED MIXTURE OF PIGMENTS WITH AN INCLUDED PERCENTAGE OF ADDITION OF WATER.

As we progress in our painting we have to make decisions : What happens when we place pigment onto the paper? How will we get broken edges or form those beautiful soft ones? When should we lift the pigment off? How should we get granulation? How do we blend colors? etc.

It’s all to do with timing. Knowing “when” to brush the particular “pigment consistency” onto the area of paper is the answer! This is where the watercolor clock comes in. It will tell you when to paint , which “pigment consistency” at that moment, as a choice in order to get a desired specific painting effect. (hard/sharp, soft edge, lost and found edge, or dry brush etc.)

PAPER WETNESS AND EDGES

Most painters are aware of dry or wet paper, but of course there is more to it than just that. Because the drying process of paper is continuously changing. It really cannot be divided into discrete conditions, in order to simplify things. Zbukvic’s symbolic clock is divided into two sections: paint and paper. At the realtime moment of the paper surfaced moisture, there are four potential stages of wetness.

DRY : Great for sharp, staccato paintings bristling with razor sharp edges. Obviously this stage will give you sharp edges with the ability to create positive and negative shapes. Broken edges are created if you move your brush quickly across the surface. This is the easiest stage to work on because it lasts forever, so you can take your time. Don’t let any mistakes dry because they cannot be disguised later.

DAMP: If you can handle it, this stage can provide you with wonderfully loose, impressionistic effects. This is a very dangerous time to paint anything, particularly if there is already a wash on the surface. It is very easy to create hard edge “explosions” ( back-runs, blooms, cauliflowers ) and the more we try to fix it the worse they get. However if you use CREAM or BUTTER consistency paint you can create lovely lost and found edge shapes, such as rocks and trees. Avoid using thinner washes at this stage because the pigment underneath is not quite dry and will lift off.

MOIST: Moist paper is probably my favorite time to create those ethereal, misty, atmospheric effects. You can recognize moist paper by its sheen and  the behavior of the pigment. Moist paper is a great time to get those soft, controlled edges for shapes in the mist or to create punchy darks with soft edges. The trouble with this stage is that it only lasts for a short time and as it dries it quickly becomes damp and dangerous. Whatever you need to paint in this manner you have to do it quickly and with the utmost economy of brushstrokes. The moist stage is a good time to lift off pigment using a dried out brush or paper towel. This is also your window of opportunity to model the paint in the manner you would work in an oil painting, to create soft passages of color and tone that melt luxuriously into each other.

WET: Wet paper is best for those rainy day paintings full of glossy, translucent reflections. During this stage you can mix colors on the paper by letting them run into each other- you can make graduated washes; achieve granulation; create soft, lost edge shapes and generally play with washes using thinner mixtures because CREAM and BUTTER washes will not bead or run. You can tilt the paper at different angles to make the pigment run in different directions. This is not a good time to create any controlled edge shapes and it is very difficult to achieve a feeling of anything solid. However this is watercolor at its best fluid, glossy and beautiful. You can explore the most amazing effects.

PIGMENT CONSISTENCY

This is the physical quality of the paint consistency, not its color.

TEA: Weak transparent colors are suitable for those gentle misty paintings. Think of a nice weak cup of English breakfast tea. No milk or cream. This is your weakest wash. If you lift your palette and tilt it from side to side, it will freely run and form a puddle in the corner of your palette. It will bead readily and spread easily. Great for luminous skies and other light areas in your painting. Perfect for soft wispy clouds or barely discernible shapes in the mist. It is rarely used to paint individual shapes unless they are surrounded by a darker value to define them. Because it’s very weak, it will dry much lighter in value than it appears on the palette. You cannot dry brush with it because it will hardly leave a mark.

COFFEE: Strong translucent colors are ideal for bright and happy paintings that are full of light. A good strong coffee has much more substance, as we learn every time we spill some. A wash of such consistency will leave behind quite a tone. If you do the tilt test with your palette, this mixture will also run freely, but will leave behind a thin film of pigment and will appear much darker than the tea wash. It will not lose much in intensity when it dries. Coffee consistency can be used for many shapes of reasonable presence. Painted on damp or moist paper you can create distant ranges, clouds, misty shapes or, for that matter, anything within your painting requiring one-quarter tone. In lighter key pictures the Coffee consistency can be a predominant wash and when contrasted with something much darker can provide most of the atmosphere. It is strong enough to create a contrast with white paper. It is perfect for backgrounds and gentle shading. It can be dry brushed to create wispy lines.

MILK: Great for pure color statements when creating strong, colorful images. This is your old-fashioned full cream variety, forget  this new trend of white colored water. Here we are talking about a half-tone wash that will move on the palette in a much slower manner and will leave quite a coating of pigment behind. Shapes painted with this mixture will be relatively solid in appearance. When a Milk wash dries it will hardly lose any of its strength and can be used for most landscapes in the middle distance and foreground. A Milk wash has to be handled carefully because it will quickly become muddy if brushed too much. It also creates a medium contrast against white paper and is probably one of the most frequently used washes. Over larger areas it will form those wonderful granulating effects and rich, yet transparent, colors. It can be dry brushed effectively.

CREAM: Fantastic for the strongest color notes in powerful, rich paintings. I am referring to a fairly runny variety, not thickened, rich cream. This mixture will move lazily on the palette, if at all. It should be sticky enough to completely cover the surface of the palette but runny enough too easily spread over the paper. Paint with this mix as you would with thin oil paint or gouache, because this mixture is too thick to bead. Cream mixes are generally reserved for large dark areas such as shadows, dark trees, rocks, dry branches and anything else of substance. Great for broken edges and foreground shapes. Still not strong enough for the darkest darks but will make light areas appear lighter and create great contrast with white paper. Cream is the best mix for dry brushing.

BUTTER: Not for the faint hearted! It is thick and sticky, like shoe polish. You cannot go any stronger or richer with your pigment than this! Quite simply, this is pure pigment with hardly any added water, virtually straight from the tube. It will stick to the palette like honey and should not move even if the palette is vertical. It makes the transparent washes appear more so and adds strength to a gentle medium. It serves as a foil to large areas of weak washes and can provide tremendous contrast when placed against lightest areas. Don’t dry brush it too much. It must also be used sparingly and directly or it will look dirty. Butter consistency pigment is good for solid color in small doses, such as stop-lights and small figures. It should be reserved for the very darkest darks when finishing your painting with those last magic touches.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR WATERCOLOR CLOCK TICK

All you have to do is pick up the correct pigment consistency with the appropriate brush and place it in the right place at the right time! Simple isn’t it? However two incredibly important elements are missing!

  1. HOW to pick up the pigment.
  2. HOW to brush it on.

USE BIG BRUSHES FOR BIG SHAPES AND SMALL BRUSHES FOR SMALL SHAPES

Don’t struggle trying to use a brush that’s “almost big enough”. Instead use a brush that’s “almost too big”. This is particularly true when you are applying major washes — you must use a decent size brush to be able to build up the bead of paint to take the wash down the paper. The opposite is true for small shapes. If you need just a small amount of pigment, for dry brushing or whatever, pick up the pigment with a small brush. Always use an appropriate brush for the size of the object you are painting and hold your brush correctly. That means holding it well back up the handle. Never hold your brush near the hairs except when you are getting into the tiny details and even then there should be a good inch left between your fingertips and the follicles.

BRUSHES FORM THE ARMS OF THE CLOCK BECAUSE THEY TRANSFER PIGMENT ONTO THE PAPER AT A GIVEN TIME

How we apply the mixture onto the paper is like handwriting and is just as individual. You must apply paint quickly! The quicker the better! Never dab, always stroke. Your brush should dance swiftly and elegantly across the paper just as if you were an expert ice skater. The bead can be compared to a necklace of large teardrops. It allows the paint mix to flow on the paper. If you do not paint with the bead you will end up with dry, dead looking watercolors. The bead is responsible for granulation, for gradual change of tone or color and large, flat, translucent areas in your painting. It is imperative to work with your paper on an angle of approximately 35 degrees. Never change the angle while you work! The angle of the board makes the paint run towards the bottom of the picture.

So there it is! Practice some washes with TEA, COFFEE and MILK, and leave some powerful marks with your CREAM and BUTTER. See what happens when you apply any of these mixtures at different times of wetness. You will acquire a range of brush marks which will become a visual language for your storytelling. You will never get to tell the story properly while you are struggling with the language.

SEEING THE WATERCOLOR CLOCK IN ACTION

Here are some Zbukvic’s painting examples:

 

 

 

As always, painting is the result of continuous practice. Understanding the symbolic analogy created by Joseph Zbukvic, gives a guidance to aid our practice as we grow as artists. As a watercolorist, as our process grows; the early steps are learning about moisture control at the base level. A huge step forward is to understand the various consistencies of pigments mixed with water to be associated in conjunction with the paper moisture condition at realtime as we applying paint. It is key to knowing what consistency of paint to be used on what level of wetness of paper and when to use it for the desired effect. Painting watercolor is all about moisture control, timing and sponges.

About Paint Consistency

Paint Consistency is the term often used for the ratio of water to pigment.  In mixing watercolor on the palette, we can mix up either lots of water compared to pigment or lots of pigment compared to water, or a range in-between.  The more water mixed to pigment ratio, the lighter the value and the more pigment mixed to water ratio, the darker the value. 

Joseph Zbukvic created a comparison of food-like fluids as a comparison to pigment to water mixture ratios: Tea, Coffee, Milk, Cream, and Butter.  Note: Joseph Zbukvic is one of the leading masters in the medium of watercolor painting and one of the most sought after teachers is the world. 

Tea – This is the lightest mix and so has mostly water with little pigment.  However, you should have enough pigment to see the color.  When mixing a puddle on your palette, the paint should flow easily and drain down on a slight incline angle. Think of good steeped tea.  Watery.

Coffee – The next stage is coffee.  Just as coffee has a thicker consistency than tea, there should be more pigment mixed to water but still enough water to flow on your palette down on a slight incline angle.  Washes are best done with “tea” or “coffee” because there is enough water for the paint to flow and produce a “bead” (where the water collects at the bottom of your stroke).

Milk – Next we are getting even more pigment to water.  The paint puddle doesn’t flow on the palette down on a slight incline angle. There is a liquid-like shimmer movement. Think of how milk has more “body” to it than coffee does. That is usually 50% or greater of a mix of pigment with water.

Cream – Now we are getting a really rich color.  Pigment mixed with just a little water. This is usually no more than 10 -15% or less water mixed with pigment. It should not flow on your palette at all and not shimmer.  This is where most of your darkest darks should come from. 

Butter – This is basically straight out of the paint tube.  Hardly any water and maybe no water at all.  This mix should be used sparingly.  Most painters use this consistency for highlights with white-like watercolor pigments or Gouache.  Small areas where you want a splash of bright, opaque colors. 

Below, we see a comparison of pigment mixes sampled on dry paper.

Water – pigment mixes are not discrete but actually ranges in value.  In a future post, I will introduce Joseph Zbukvic’s concept of The Watercolor Clock, it’s about time.

About Value Scales

What is a value scale in watercolor painting?” A value scale shows the full range of a hue’s lightest to darkest tones. ( Hue: It basically refers to a color’s position on the color wheel. Red, blue, green, yellow, orange etc, these are all different colors.)  In watercolor painting, adding more water into a pigment lightens the mixed value, whereas using less water in a mix causes the pigment to remain darker.

The water to pigment ratio controls your value scales as you paint. A value is a range of lightness to darkness on a scale from white to black. White is lightest and black is darkest. In between scale values become darker in percentages. White is 0% and black is 100%. The middle scale value is the 50% tone of darkness. ( Tone in art simply refers to how light or dark a color is. ) The lightness to darkness of a hue is relative, but can be compared to a value scale of grays.

Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. A light value is pale and transparent, and a dark value is rich, deep and opaque. Therefore, we get a value in watercolor by adding more or less water to the water-pigment ratio mixture. A thick mixture of a lot of paint with a little percentage of water will give you a dark value.

Values : lights, mid-tones, and dark tones are critical in creating visual dimensions for a painting.  Color is an addition to painting, but values are much more important. Colors without various values present a flat painting, a spectrum of light to dark value shapes even in a monochrome gray scale provides three-dimensional life. Foreground, Mid-ground, Background.

In my next posting, I will introduce a concept of “pigment – water ratio consistency” and a very important symbolic analogy.

About Watercolor Paper

Watercolor paper is perhaps the most significant aspect of watercolor painting even more so than the watercolor paints.  Therefore, it is appropriate to discuss watercolor paper to better understand how it is made and their properties.

Watercolor paper is a special type of paper made with cellulose. The cellulose can be derived from many sources but typically watercolor papers are made from the cellulose derived from cotton and/or wood pulp. Cotton is much stronger than wood pulp and is also pH neutral, meaning it is naturally acid free.  Watercolor paper with more cotton content therefore is better for its strength and acid free properties. 

Better quality watercolor paper is made of cotton fibers or cotton linters. These organic fibers are turned into a pulp, which is then placed into the paper making machine, pressed flat, dried, and turned into sheets. So what’s the difference between cotton fibers and cotton linters. Cotton fibers are extracted from cotton material and are long and much stronger. Cotton linters, however, are short fibers that are still attached to the seeds after initial processing and not as strong. Linen rag has long, thin fibers which interlock with the cotton fibers, increasing the paper’s strength. This makes the paper particularly robust and resistant to repeated reworking of paint on the surface. The cotton pulp is extracted from the leftover scraps of cotton fabrics or recycled cotton rags. It is then ground into a pulp and converted into a cotton paper. The higher the grade of the paper, the more cotton fibers it contains. The best paper for watercolor is 100% cotton fiber. 

A handheld paper mold is made of two separate parts – the mold and the deckle. The mold is covered in a metal mesh (usually a bronze mesh, which is flexible and non-tarnishing), while the deckle is a removable wooden frame which sits on top of the mold and creates the edge of the paper. A deckle edge is an irregular edge which occurs when the paper stock goes between the mold and the deckle. Because handmade sheets are individually formed, they are the only papers that have four genuine deckle edges, one of the most beautiful characteristics of handmade paper.

Each sheet is formed by dipping the mold and deckle into a vat of the paper stock.  As water drains through the mesh it leaves a mat of fibers on the face of the mold. The sheet, while still in the mold and deckle, is lifted onto a vacuum bed which removes some of the excess water. The sheets are then couched (sandwiched) between wet woolen felts and pressed with a hydraulic press to remove more water. After couching and pressing, the sheets still contain around 50% water and they are hung to dry.

When mold made watercolor paper is dried it is either pressed using a press or a roller is rolled on it.  The paper with maximum surface roughness or texture is called ‘Rough’. This is generally rolled or pressed between a felt cloth. Rough paper is additionally pressed using a mechanical press with finer grains or rolled with a roller covered with felt cloth of finer texture then what is used to dry Rough paper. This is called ‘Cold Pressed’ ( in some places it’s called ‘Not’ ).  When paper is additionally dried from a smoother heated roller surface the finish is called ‘Hot Pressed’. 

 

Surface Texture

“Rough” watercolor paper is loosely compressed, which means, just like it’s called, it has a very rough surface. The rough watercolor paper is great for landscape painting and wet on wet as well as glazing techniques. It allows the pigment to penetrate deep into the paper, resulting in more vibrant colors with each additional layer application.

“Cold-pressed”, moderately rough surface and allows an excellent water absorbance and pigment penetration. This paper is excellent for various painting techniques, including wet on wet as well as dry on dry. Cold press is ideal for landscaping as well as finer detailing. It is the most popular among the majority of watercolor painters.  

“Hot-pressed” watercolor paper is very compressed during the making process, resulting in a very smooth surface. Hot pressed paper won’t work well with wet on wet and glazing techniques. Not much pigment will seep into the paper, and will just sit on the surface. It is, however, great for dry on dry fine detailing techniques, inking, and calligraphy. It is also great for gouache painting.

Sizing

Sizing is an additive used to alter the absorbent qualities of paper. Watercolor paper absorbs paint directly into the fibers faster without sizing. Traditional sizing uses gelatin, but plant-based and synthetic sizing are also commonly used. Sizing can be applied internally, externally, or sometimes both. Sizing is a key ingredient in the production of watercolor paper. Paper is a naturally highly absorbent material, and the addition of a sizing agent makes the paper partially water-resistant. As well as containing an internal synthetic sizing watercolor paper is sized externally by pulling sheets by hand through a tub of hot gelatin. This allows wet paint to be moved around on the surface and remain vibrant and crisp when dry. It is ideal for lifting techniques because the color does not saturate the fibers of the paper and is more easily removed. External sizing also increases the surface strength of the paper, allowing it to withstand more vigorous painting techniques, like scrubbing and reworking of the paint.

Weight

Completed watercolor paper is normally in sheets of full imperial size 22” X 30 “.  It is stacked in a ream of 500 sheets. The term called pound per ream or just Lb. is defined as the weight in pounds of 500 sheets. Thicker watercolor paper can withstand rough use, buckling and bending due to the effect of water. Hence watercolor paper is normally specified according to its thickness as the weight of a 1 x 1 meter of paper in grams using a term called Grams per Square Meter or GSM or in terms of reams weighed in pounds, #. Watercolor paper is normally found in one of three thickness weights: 90#, 140# or 300#. 

Final Note

Watercolor paper absorbs water, but it is not continuous, it is partitioned so that the sponge characteristics of adjacent surface areas are independent. Moisture flows from greater moisture saturation to lesser moisture saturation between sponge areas. The key to control in watercolor painting is to regulate the differences in moisture saturation between your sponges. You can think of a piece of watercolor paper as an almost infinite number of adjacent sponge areas. Therefore, understanding watercolor paper and the differences of choices of products is very significant and the choice of watercolor paper will effect successful painting.  

About Brushes Part 2 : Application

Don’t think of your brush as if it is a broom to be used for sweeping paint from side to side. Unlike a brush being used for house painting, watercolor brushes rarely are used to stroke paint back and forth over the same surface area. The fewer strokes the better ( Less is More ). Watercolor is a transparent media and each layer of paint shows through the subsequent additional layers. The primary role of the watercolor brush is as an applicator, transferring paint from your palette to your paper.

In part 1, we discussed the moisture characteristics of watercolor brushes, in part 2, we want to explore the various watercolor brush types their sizes and application characteristics. The pros and cons related to the selection of brush types during painting. In other words, which brush might best be used and when you might want to use it in the creation of a painting.

Brush types are typically organized by the shape of the bristle end of the brush, the brush head. Brush heads get their individual shapes based on the end contour of the brush’s ferrule in conjunction with the makeup and composition of the bristles used, individual bristle characteristic shapes, bristle lengths, as well as the bristle mixtures (natural & synthetic mixes) and bristle mix densities ( actual number of hairs used to make up the brush head ).

The main brush types typically used for watercolor painting are Rounds, Flats, Riggers and Liners, Mops and Quills, and Wash brushes. There are also other brushes that are variations of these main types that are used for very specific specialty purposes which we will address as appropriate.

Various Sizes Of Round Brushes

Round brushes will have a round contour ferrule end at the heel that forms the brush head into a round configuration that normally comes to a point at the brush tip. Round brushes come in a variety of sizes often numerically designated from 0000 to 50. The brush’s size essentially describes the diameter of the brush head at the ferrule contour. Unfortunately, brush sizes vary among manufacturers. This means that a size 12 brush with one brand may not be the same as another brand’s size 12 brush. Basically manufacturers have their own sizing definitions so brush sizes are not universal. Brush sizes of a single brand will normally relate to the other sizes of that same brand, so relative sizes will be consistent by manufacturer. To add to the size confusion, manufacturers sometimes use millimeter designations as well as sometimes designations in inches or fractions of inches.

The Round brush is the most versatile shape and is normally recommended for watercolor beginners as their first brushes. Round brushes are good for drawing as well as laying down washes.

Various Sizes Of Flat Brushes

Flat brushes will have a flattened oval shaped contour ferrule at the heel of the brush head. In general, the brush head takes a rectangular flattened shape with its tip coming to a broad sharp edge as opposed to the pointed tip of a round brush.  Flat brush heads come in varying lengths as well as widths. There are numerous variations of Flat brushes that vary by their bristle lengths  as well the ending edge shape of their brush tip. Examples of Flat brush variations are :

Bright – is a type of flat with short bristles best suited for short controlled strokes
Angular (shader) – a flat whose tip edge is cut at an angle as opposed to being a straight edge.
Sword or Dagger – Similar to an angled brush but with varying length bristles that form a flat sharp pointed edge that resembles a knife shape.

Filbert – a flat brush whose point is oval shaped instead of squared off.
Cat’s Tongue – Similar to filbert but with a more pointed tip.

Fan – Long, flattened bristles whose tip is shaped like a spread open fan.

Riggers and Liners – these specialty brushes are a variation on the Round shape brush. These type brushes have longer bristles than regular Rounds. The Riggers come to a point and are primarily used to paint very long thin lines. Traditionally, the term Rigger comes from the fact that these brushes were originally designed to paint detailed sailing ship rigging lines. They are very useful for rendering tree branches and for detailing. Liners are similar to Riggers in being long haired rounds but instead of being pointed they have a squared tip like a Flat. They are excellent detail painting brushes.

Rigger (left)  Liner (right)

Mops and Quills are similar large load/charge holding capacity brushes. They are often talked about as if they are the same type of brush. But they are not the same in their makeup and construction or application. Mops are constructed similar to Rounds in that they have round contoured ferrules at their heel to form the brush head. Unlike most typical Rounds, Mops have significantly more hair density forming big reservoir bellies for holding large charges of paint. In general Mops don’t point like regular Rounds which is where they get their Mop name. Quills are normally constructed with exposed wire wrapped around the brush handle to form a round brush head instead of using a typical round contoured ferrule. Quill brush heads have significant hair density to form big reservoir bellies for holding large charges of paint similar to Mops but the brush head points at the tip more like a regular Round. Mop brushes are designed to hold plenty of water / pigment for the purpose of painting over large areas easily. They are excellent for painting skies. They are often used similarly to Wash brushes for wetting paper to facilitate wet techniques. Mop brushes do not need a sharp point because they are not meant for painting details. Quills, on the other hand, can cover large areas of paper , carry a large charge and also can produce detailed strokes similar to a regular Round making Quills more versatile than Mops. .

Various Sizes Of Quills

Wash  brushes are a variation of a Flat brush that are designed to have big reservoir bellies for holding large charges of paint or water. They are used to get broad area coverage for laying down washes and for wetting large areas of paper to support wet techniques. Wash brushes often vary by the width of the brush head usually expressed in inches and by the length and density of the hairs used to form the brush head. A Hake in an Asian developed Flat Wash brush. Hakes typically have wide, flat handles with long bristle heads usually using course goat hairs that are attached to the handle by wire or threads.  They are unusually versatile brushes designed for big washes as well as a wide range of varying strokes. Using a Hake is a bit of an acquired skill and they certainly are not for everyone. Hakes were made popular by the British watercolor painter Ron Ranson who used them almost exclusively.

Choices For Application

A minimal brush set for watercolor painting might consist of a couple of Rounds sizes 8 and 12, a couple of Flats sizes 1″ and 1/2″ , a 2″ Wash brush and a size 3 or 4 Rigger. There is very little that is needed beyond these brushes. For working on larger size paintings, typically 1/2 sheets ( 15 x 22 ) or full sheets (30 x 22), the addition of a large size Quill ( 8 to 14) as well as larger Flats or Washes may be desirable. Liners are excellent for doing work on animals or figures that are added to a landscape.

Brush Care

Brand new brushes need to be “conditioned” prior to being used for painting.  New brushes are shipped with a solution of gum arabic (glue) on them that is used to shape and protect the brush head in transit. You’ll need to dip a new brush in clean water and swish it around to remove the gum arabic sizing before the brush head can be used. Once the sizing is gone, reshape the brush head with your fingers and leave it to dry on a flat surface. Various manufacturers use varying amounts of glue so some brushes will require more rinsing / cleaning than others.

Brush care Do’s

Store your brushes in a clean, dry area.
Clean your brushes after every painting session.
After cleaning, reshape the bristles to an appropriate shape with your fingers.
After cleaning, leave the brush to dry on a flat surface so water does not trickle into ferrule and handle which can cause the wood to expand loosening the adhesive and/or crack the ferrule. Hanging the brush with the brush head facing down is an excellent way to dry brushes.

Brush care Don’ts

Never leave your brushes bristle end down in your water containers. If left for long periods of time, the water will cause the wood to expand in the handle and loosen the ferrule. The hair on the brush will also become damaged as it will “bend” the point leaving it in a permanent distorted state.
Do not use your watercolor brushes for acrylic, oil, ink, or any type of paint other than watercolor paint.

Here’s a tip: When painting, use your older or cheaper brushes to activate or mix the paint with water on your palette and save your more expensive brushes for the actual painting. This will preserve your nicer brushes longer and prevent them from being worn down by constant abrasive mixing.

In a future article on brushes I plan to discuss brush marks and strokes with a focus on which brush types are best used, although most brush marks can be produced by almost any type of brush some types are easier to use.