Watercolour washes — Art, 7–10
A wash spreads watery paint across paper so a large area can have a soft, even colour. Art, 7–10 years.
What a wash does
A watercolour wash is a thin layer of paint mixed with plenty of water. You guide it across the paper while it is wet, and it leaves a broad area of gentle colour. One wash can look like sky, mist, water or a pale wall.
Why artists use washes
Painting a large area with a thick brushstroke can make it patchy or too dark. Artists needed a way to cover paper lightly and quickly, while keeping a feeling of air and light. Adding water makes the paint travel farther and gives the artist more control over its strength.
Making a blue sky
Put a little blue paint on your palette and add three brushfuls of water. Wet a strip of paper, then pull the blue from one edge to the other with overlapping strokes. Add one more brushful of water near the bottom, so the sky becomes paler as it descends.
The too-dry brush
A common mistake is trying to spread a wash with a nearly dry brush. It feels sensible because less water seems easier to control, but the paint stops travelling and leaves stripes or hard edges. If that happens, add water to the brush and soften the edge before it dries.
Washes beyond the exercise
Illustrators use washes for skies, distant hills and soft backgrounds in books. Designers may use them to test a colour before making a poster or card. The technique is useful when you want a surface to feel light rather than solid and heavy.
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