Watercolour painting is a form of painting where watercolour is used as a medium. Watercolour is usually used in paper but it can also be used in bark papers, papyrus, vellum or leather, plastics, fabric, canvas and wood.
Golf Course Watercolour Painting
Watercolour paintings have been used in ancient times, dating back as far as cave paintings during the Palaeolithic Europe. It was also used in the Egyptian times but more commonly during the Middle Ages in Europe. There are some notable watercolour painters in this time such as Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), a German artist, who was among the pioneers of this form of painting while Hans Bol led a prestigious watercolour painting school in Germany.
Other famous and illustrious painters are:
- Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (Italian)
- Van Dyck (Flemish)
- Claude Lorrain (Italian)
- Paul Sandby (English)
- Thomas Girtin (English)
- Joseph Mallord William Turner (English)
- Louis Ducros (Swiss)
- William Trost Richards (American)
- Fidelia Bridges (American)
- Thomas Moran (American)
- Thomas Eakins (American)
- Henry Roderick Newman (American)
- John LaFarge (American)
- Winslow Homer (American)
- Eugene Delacroix (French)
- François Marius Granet (French)
- Henri-Joseph Harpignies (French)
- Honore Daumier (French)
The Flemish and Dutch painters are also known to use watercolour painting. Botanical artists are also known to be using this form of art where they depict wildlife and botanical illustrations and paintings. Mapmakers, surveyors, engineers and military officers also reputedly use watercolours because it is very useful in portraying Geology, fortifications, terrain and properties.
Watercolour is composed of four main ingredients: colourant, binders, additives and solvent. And since it uses water, the art is quite demanding which is unique on its own. Dealing with water in watercolour paintings requires anticipation on how water would react to the absorbency of the painting medium. While it is a difficult form of painting, it is just as exciting.
Here are some recommended websites that offer watercolour-painting materials:
- http://www.misterart.com – One of the largest and biggest on-line art store that offers all types of art supplies for both amateur and professional artists.
- http://www.doart.co.uk – An on-line art shop and a branch of Ward’s arts and crafts. They offer a wide variety of art supplies and items that you can choose from including watercolour.
- http://www.lainesworld.co.uk – An on-line art shop based in UK that offers top of the line art and craft supplies.