The Expressive Figure: The Expressive Figure 4_8

The Expressive Figure

Expressive Figure Assignment

Color Progression in the Figure

Watercolor

Materials:

Brush of Choice:

Watercolor Paint/ Cadmium Yellow Light/ Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Cerulean Blue
Paper Towel/Sponge

Concept: Color progression for the Figure.

Complexion

Put on the palette a dollop of Cadmium Red and Yellow Ochre.

Dip your brush into the water, give it a shake and then dip into the red.. Make a swatch about

an inch square. Dip the brush again into the water, shake off and repeat with the Yellow Ochre.

Immediately draw the wet ochre brush over the lower section of the still wet red swatch.

Both colors should be wet enough to flood together. Clean your brush, shake off excess water and create several zig-zag strokes, down and away from the swatches. Carry the mixture down a few inches. If the mixture is too red, work some of the Ochre into the mix. Likewise, if the mixture is too yellow, add some red. Pay close attention to the degree of wetness. If too wet, the color is thin. If too dry, the color is dark.

Repeat the previous procedure only this time add Cerulean Blue. Create a swatch of the blue just

below the Yellow Ochre. Go through the steps of creating a progression with the zig zag strokes.

Pick up some Cerulean with a clean wet brush( be sure to shake off excess water) and pull into Red/Yellow mixture. Do not brush the blue around. Let the paper,paint, and water do all the work.

Warm and Cool washes.

MIx a puddle of Cadmium Red Light and Yellow Ochre as before. Make sure the mixture

is not too red or too yellow. Start at the head and wash this tone down toward the upper back.

Rinse the brush and shake off. Load some diluted Cerulean blue into the brush and wash into the warm wash down to the pelvis. Rinse the brush and shake off. LOad some more of the WARM mixture and continue massing in the rest of the figure. Finally, add a touch of diluted Cadmium red on the feet and hands.

Let the Paper, Paint, and Water do all the work !

Select at least three figures and paint with a warm and cool wash.