Watercolor illustration: Koi fishes

Learn to paint colorful watercolor Koi fishes in transparent water
What you'll learn
  • How to put moving objects together in a composition
  • To use several photo references in your work
  • To apply the contrasting color schemes
  • How to choose color and tone
  • To combine basic watercolor techniques
  • The technique of working wet-on-wet in several layers
  • How to paint voluminous colorful fishes.
  • To make painting of clear water and stony bottom
 
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Course description

Sometimes even five minutes spent alone with nature is enough to encourage creativity. But then, how to transfer your impressions and photos with watercolors into vivid and spectacular illustrations?

In this watercolor drawing course you will find the answer to this question and will learn how to split complex subject into easy stages and paint voluminous bright Koi carps and stony bottom of a transparent pond.

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Requirements

The materials used for this work:

Paper:
- Cotton watercolor paper Arches, texture Grain Torchon (Rough), 300 gsm
The watercolor is made on a 38x28 cm sheet.
For this work the cotton watercolor paper with Fin texture (Cold pressed) is better suited, including any other brand, with a density of at least 200 gsm (better - 300 gsm).
- Cellulose and cotton paper of any density for exercises, color tests and sketches.

In this lesson, sheets of thin cellulose drawing paper (for sketches and drafts) and cotton watercolor paper Fabriano, Grain fin texture with a density of 300 gsm (for exercises) were used.

Brushes:
- Wide flat goat brush
- Squirrel brush with a pointed tip, 10 mm (can be replaced with a squirrel-mix or squirrel imitation)
- Round synthetic brushes, 2-4 mm (any round resilient) with a small pointed tip will fit.

Watercolor paints:
You can use paints of similar colors from any manufacturer in tubes or pans, but before you start don't forget to check which colors your paints give when mixed with each other.
- Phthalocyanine Turquoise (Sennelier 341)
- Orange Sennelier (Sennelier 641)
- Red French Vermilion (Sennelier 675)
- Payne's Grey (Sennelier 703)
- Blue Sennelier (Sennelier 399)
- Deep ultramarine blue (Sennelier 315)
- Naples Yellow (Sennelier 566) - not much, you can do without it.
Indigo, indanthrene blue, emerald, etc. may also be suitable for this painting.

Other:
- Pulverizer (with small drops)
- Plastic tablet, size 30x40 cm
- HB pencil and erasers: regular and soft
- Paper towels
- Paper adhesive tape
- Plastic Palette
- Water

 

Music: bensound.com

Content
  • Materials
    Materials
    03:04
  • Composition
    Composition
    05:58
  • Drawing
    Drawing
    08:39
  • Color scheme
    Color scheme
    04:05
  • Painting fishes. Step 1
    Painting fishes. Step 1
    09:10
  • Painting fishes. Step 2
    Painting fishes. Step 2
    08:58
  • Painting fishes. Step 3
    Painting fishes. Step 3
    10:26
  • Painting fishes. Step 4
    Painting fishes. Step 4
    07:35
  • Practicing water and stones
    Practicing water and stones
    07:41
  • Water. Step 1
    Water. Step 1
    05:30
  • Water. Step 2
    Water. Step 2
    09:11
  • Water. Step 3
    Water. Step 3
    13:28
  • Painting fishes. Details
    Painting fishes. Details
    12:21
  • Water. Step 4
    Water. Step 4
    12:57
  • Shadows
    Shadows
    08:34
  • Conclusion
    Conclusion
    00:54
Students' works on this course
Maria Smirnova
Maria Smirnova
Watercolor artist and tutor
Maria is a passionate watercolorist, author of watercolor courses, video lesson’s creator, participant of different competitions and exhibitions. Her paintings can be found all around the world from the USA to Malaysia.  
This course includes:
  • Languages :
    en, de, ru
  • Subtitles :
    en, de
  • Content :
    16 lessons
  • Duration :
    2h 9m
  • Level :
    Beginner
  • Updated :
    2022-02-04
€13
€19
€19
€32
€27
€39
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