Painting Digital Watercolour Trees Lesson One - Coniferous Trees on a Shoreline

 

 

I've written this lesson in a PowerPoint format. Parts of this technique have been written about at other times in this blog, but I am working on presenting the information in a more organized fashion.

 

This started out on a much smaller document, but the final painting ended up being 15. 25 x 11.5 inches 100 dpi. The important number for you is 100 dpi becaue the brushes will work with the settings I have indicated with this size of document. I used to paint at much higher resolutions thinking it would make my work clearer, when in fact most of the brushes work much better at 100 -100 dpi.

 

I use John Derry's Watercolour Brushes. They are available for purchase on his website at

 John Derry's Brushes and Instructional Video

 

Many of the authentic watercolour 'looks' in my paintings rely on this brush dab with the jagged realistic edges. It can be squeezed and the angle can be changed to give it many different looks. The opacity and size can be easily changed and depending on which Method and subcategory of method you have chosen in the General Brush Controls.  The different options here are what gives the brush it's main properties. I highly recommend you purchase these brushes, as John's very detailed Captured Dab (which he apparently painted in Photoshop) is in my humble opinion, essential for an authentic and realistic watercolour painting. Think of how much real brushes cost and it will seem like a really good deal! You'll get fourteen brushes that can be altered to create tons more (customized for your work).

Painting Digital Watercolour Trees Lesson One - Coniferous Trees on a Shoreline