Page 440 - (DK) The Ultimate Visual Dictionary 2nd Ed.

THE VISUAL AR TS
Watercolor GUM ARABIC

WATERCOLOR PAINT IS MADE OF GROUND PIGMENT mixed with a water soluble
binding medium, usually gum arabic. It is usually applied to paper using soft
hair brushes such as sable, goat hair, squirrel, and synthetic brushes.
Watercolors are often diluted and applied as overlaying washes (thin,
transparent layers) to build up depth of color. Washes can be laid in a
variety of ways to create a range of different effects. For example, a
wet-in-wet wash can be achieved by laying a wash on top of another wet
wash. The two washes blend together to give a fused effect. Sponges are used Natural sap from
to modify washes by soaking up paint so that areas of pigment are lightened acacia tree
or removed from the paper. Watercolors can also be applied undiluted—a
technique known as dry brush—to create a broken-color effect. Watercolors are
generally transparent and allow light to reflect from the surface of the paper through
the layers of paint to give a luminous effect. They can be thickened and made opaque NATURAL SPONGE
by adding body color (Chinese white).
Soft red
ANATOMY OF A SABLE BRUSH sable hair Toe (tip)

Wooden handle
Hair trimmed
SOFT HAIR BRUSHES and cemented
into ferrule
Hair tied with
ROUND SABLE BRUSH (NO. 6)
Round clove hitch knot
ferrule

ROUND SABLE BRUSH (NO. 1) TUBES OF
WATERCOLOR PAINT

WINSOR GREEN
SYNTHETIC WASH BRUSH

PORTABLE BOX OF
WATERCOLOR PAINTS CADMIUM YELLOW
SQUIRREL MOP
WASH BRUSH
Painted color swatch
Pan of watercolor
Chinese white
paint
Lid can be used for
mixing colors

LARGE GOAT HAKE
WASH BRUSH

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