James Pedersen

Watercolor Painter

Step-by Step

Step 1: A pleasing pattern of white Aspen trunks are defined by painting the negative background shapes. Warm transparent yellow, reds and blues are used.

Step 2: A second layer of Aspen trunks are created by painting around them as well as the initial group of trunks. Two positive tree shapes are suggest in the central area of the painting. I used the same palette as in step 1.

Step 3: Middle and mid-dark values were applied to adjust the existing forest aspens and to create depth in the forest areas. Forest shadows were created and limbs were defined in the positive tree shapes created in step 2. I used ultramarine blue as a darkening agent with my yellows and reds.

Step 4: Details were added to a few of the aspens and in the foreground bushes. Dark shapes were painted at the base of the most distant central trees to give impact and to define distant tree trunks (negative shape painting again). The suggestion of a distant mountain was added.

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Watercolor Demonstration Step-by Step #1

Topic: Layering

What is negative shape painting? Put simply, using this technique, the traditional watercolor painter denies his or herself the use of white paint, and thus cannot directly paint a light or white subject. To paint that subject, he must paint around it , or in other words, paint the negative shapes behind the subject. This seems arduous, but, with time, is no more difficult than directly painting a subject. There are distinct advantages to negative shape painting. First, white paint deadens chroma when added to any color. Pure watercolor does not include the use of this paint and is thus capable of producing the most chromatic and beautiful light value passages. Second, when an artist is painting negative shapes he is in right-brain mode, and thus benefiting from his or her best hand-eye coordination. Finally, when dealing with negative shapes from the very beginning, the artist must make global design decisions at the best possible time; from the start. The following demonstration illustrates negative shape painting as a dominant technique in all steps.