Best way to create a watercolour gradient wash

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pattyedge

Contributing Member
Hi,

I wondered if anyone could share the bes way to create a gradient wash in watercolour. I ave fiddled with brush settings and pressure but can't seem to get a smoothe gradient. I can if Inuse my blending brush but wondered if there was a belter way? Thanks in advance.
 
Hi @pattyedge,

Tom Gallovich explains the step-by-step process of a graded wash in this video:


Hope this helps!
 
Thanks, sorry I didn't realise that we don't get notified of replies and have only just seen this.
 
I am a bit late on this topic but, if it's of some interest still, I can show a different approach.





Results may vary and not be as smooth but there is no need to use the blend brush







the process is really simple and open to experimentation and happy accidents.



Alessandro
 
Maybe you can share the process )
 
Oh sure, I just didn't know if anybody was interested.

it's just a matter of using the tilt feature of Rebelle and let 'nature', or physics, do their thing.

i use a brush with high wetness, obviously, pause the diffusion and apply the paint and let the two colors touch themselves, you could let them overlap completely or just a bit, it's up to you and this leads to various degrees of effects.

anyway the main ingredient is the tilt feature, a high amount of it makes the water naturally flow, so when you un-pause the diffusion the wash happens and the colors mix.

I am not on the pc now, so I will be more specific or even post a small video later.
 
Another element to consider is the visual settings you use, I personally have re-wet to 3/4 and absorbency to 7, but tweaking these parameters affects your results so play with them and see what happens.

as I said the washes done this way aren't as smooth as in the video from Gallovich but they appeal to me more, other people may feel differently.

Alessandro
 
Thank you very much, I did the same, but it didn't work like you did.
 
Sorry to hear that, stay tuned because I'll post a brief video about it.
 
Hoping this is helpul, here you can see my setting:







and here one of the infinite ways you could overlap your colours,



in the meantime i'll try to figure out how to post videos here.
 
Turns out I've made a (very) short YouTube video with a couple examples




I feel like it is such a simple process that the majority of people here know it, making me look like a bit of a fool..
 
Thank you, there are always newbies like me who will need this, unlike Galovich's dreary method (I don't want to offend anyone)
 
Whoa! Thanks so much, never thought of this. We really need somebody to teach us how to use Rebelle when it comes to loose watercolor/impressionistic. Thanks.
 
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