{"id":9582,"date":"2020-02-06T08:00:39","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T12:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/blog\/?p=9582"},"modified":"2020-02-02T14:59:24","modified_gmt":"2020-02-02T18:59:24","slug":"wet-into-wet-mixing-paint-on-the-canvas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/blog\/wet-into-wet-mixing-paint-on-the-canvas","title":{"rendered":"Wet into Wet – Mixing Paint on the Canvas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Wet<\/div>\n
There are many ways to make a painting. Most painters today pre-mix a range of colors on their palette at the beginning of a painting. Some painters start with a drawing while others forgo that step altogether. Some thin their paints with medium. <\/p>\n

So many decisions. All a person can do is try the many different approaches to painting to see what works for them.<\/p>\n

One technique all painters should try at some point is wet into wet<\/strong>. That is, intentionally mixing all colors on the canvas and none on a palette \u2013 essentially using the canvas as<\/em> a palette.<\/p>\n

Painting wet into wet has several benefits \u2013 speed, economy, variety and painterliness (yes, it is a word).<\/p>\n

It’s important to note that while this technique can be used with any painting medium, it works best with paints that dry slowly. Oils are obviously a great choice, but acrylics can also be used if a slow drying medium or “Open” acrylics are utilized. <\/p>\n

Now, let’s look at a few reasons why “wet into wet” may be attractive option for the artist.<\/p>\n

Speed<\/h2>\n

First, art is not a sport but it can be a race. When a window or the sun is the primary light source, then painting is a race against time. Colors and values<\/a> must be captured before<\/em> the light has a chance to change and it changes faster than one might imagine. Wet into wet painting saves time. Instead of starting a painting session by mixing colors on a palette, one begins by immediately applying paint to the canvas, thus saving a step. <\/p>\n

Speeding up the painting process gives us a better chance of capturing the fleeting effects of light across a form as we see it in the moment.<\/p>\n

Even when a painter uses artificial light or photographs, speeding up the painting process is still advantageous.<\/p>\n

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Economy<\/h2>\n

A small palette is easy to carry and, when painting wet into wet, a small palette will do since no space is required to mix colors<\/a>. That\u2019s good news for those that paint outdoors or on location. Doing so can make an artist feel like a pack-mule sometimes. Paints, solvents, and canvases are already cumbersome enough to carry without a big, heavy palette.<\/p>\n

If one is mixing on the canvas, then even a disposable plate is large enough to use and weighs next to nothing.<\/p>\n

Variety<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the greatest benefit to wet into wet painting is variety<\/em>. Variety is one of the principles of art<\/a> and a recurring theme found in nature.<\/p>\n

When mixing on a palette, colors are usually mixed thoroughly and completely. Mixing on a canvas adds variety by default because one is trying to mix colors while also creating and maintaining contours. Colors are sometimes less thoroughly mixed near the edges of those contours when mixed on the canvas. The results, intentional or otherwise, are areas of only partially mixed color, thus creating variety.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, when mixing on a canvas, one typically uses a brush instead of a palette knife. The motion of mixing paint with a brush also adds a variety of strokes to a painting\u2019s surface texture. This creates a feeling of energy and vigor when compared to a typical \u201cmix-on-a-palette painting\u201d which usually appears more controlled.<\/p>\n

Painterliness<\/h2>\n

Many artists do not need help \u201cloosening up\u201d and still other artists work in a tight, hard-edged fashion by choice. However, for artist that wants to loosen up but struggles to do so, then painting wet into wet can be a breakthrough technique. In the spirit of wet into wet painting, one may also try to begin painting without<\/em> a preliminary drawing.<\/div>\n

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A well defined drawing can unfortunately encourage the “coloring book effect”. That is, the inclination to simply fill in shapes with solid, homogenous colors and prevent these colors from mingling in any way. This is not how color and light works. <\/p>\n

See also:<\/strong> Expressive Brushstrokes with Acrylics<\/a><\/p>\n

Color and light bounce around a bit. If you place something green next to an object of another color, the green color is likely to reflect into the second object.<\/p>\n

Look at the images below. See how the color of the paper reflects back into the plaster hands. This effect has a better chance to happen incidentally when painting without an under drawing while using a wet into wet approach. This mingling of color actually feels more realistic and atmospheric.<\/p>\n

\"Color<\/p>\n

Painting Wet Into Wet<\/h2>\n

The following images and commentary chronicle the development of a wet into wet painting alongside the palette used for the art. The painting is based on the reference image directly below.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

The following image shows a palette and also a first few minutes of painting. The colors on the palette are listed clockwise:<\/p>\n