Offering some watercolor window tips.

I have a watercolor commission in progress, and while I’m waiting for my window to dry, I thought I’d share something I’m often asked. When it comes to rendering windows, I’m happy to share what I’m doing. If I find a better way in the future, I’ll share that as well.

First, I draw out the window with mechanical pencil and ruler. Then I take a 005 Micron Black pen and use a ruler to trace over my pencil lines. I never use Black in watercolor; rather I mix varying amounts of Winsor Green and Alizarin Crimson until I get a rich black. The amount I mix for each window pane will vary, as more crimson will give a warm black, and more green will give a cold black. I place a blob of watercolor in the center of the window pane, then use a 4H pencil with a good sharp point to draw the water to the edges and corners of the pane. I let that dry. Then I move to the next, mix a new color, which will not be the same black as the other, but I think that is good. When finished, I can see a variety of dark, light, cool, warm across the spread of window panes.

Thanks for reading.

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