Lunar Black and Lunar Blue create textures that resemble water, barnacles, shadows, and the rough skin of marine mammals. Instead of fighting watercolor’s natural tendency to separate and granulate, I used those characteristics to suggest movement beneath the ocean surface.

Purchase this original image HERE

There is absolutely nothing wrong with photorealism. Painting realistically requires keen observation, strong drawing skills, and complete control of the medium. It is an impressive skill set.

But when I paint watercolors, I want them to look like watercolors.

I want to see blossoms.

I want to see granulation.

I want to see the texture of the paper.

Those are the things that excite me about this medium. If I wanted every painting to be perfectly smooth and controlled, there are other mediums that do that very well. Watercolor is unique because it occasionally has a mind of its own.

For this whale painting, I decided to lean into those qualities rather than fight them.

I reached for two of my favorite texture-producing paints: Daniel Smith Lunar Black and Daniel Smith Lunar Blue. Both are famous for their heavy granulation and ability to create fascinating textures as they dry. These aren’t colors I use when I want a perfectly smooth wash. They are colors I use when I want watercolor to do something interesting.

And boy, do they deliver.

One thing that surprises many painters is that these colors are not particularly good at creating blossoms. If intentional blooms are your goal, there are better choices. What Lunar Black and Lunar Blue do exceptionally well, however, is move.

Add plenty of water.

Then add a little more.

Drop additional water into the wet wash, tilt the paper, and watch what happens.

Purchase the original painting and fine art prints HERE

The pigments separate, drift, settle into the texture of the paper, and create effects that would be nearly impossible to paint by hand. The result is a whale that feels alive, fluid, and perfectly suited to the unpredictable nature of watercolor.

Sometimes the best thing an artist can do is stop trying to control every little detail and let the paint participate in the process.

This whale painting is a good example of that philosophy.

Purchase original painting HERE

If you’d like to see the entire process from start to finish, including all the happy accidents, you can watch the full-length tutorial on my YouTube channel. You’ll also find dozens of additional watercolor tutorials covering pouring techniques, blossoms, granulation, color mixing, and many other ways to let watercolor be watercolor.

Confused by Color Separation? Granulation? Blossoming? Watch this video to learn more:

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Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA

Ryan Fox Painting

www.ryanfoxpainting.com

(919) 645-8345