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TATE Collection II: Singer Sargent Watercolour

Learn about John Singer Sargent’s wet-on-wet technique and other tips and tricks when using watercolour.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 1

Using a brush wet the paper in a square shape. Apply colour while the paper is still wet, allowing colour to disperse.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 2

Add less water to your paint and liberally paint a square of Ultramarine within the first square with your thicker paint. Allow to dry and apply a second coat.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 3

Follow the edge of the square using a medium brush with loose marks punctuating the edge. Finish with gestural guide lines around the blue square.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 4

Using Titanium White make an arrangement of shapes and gestural lines.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 5

Apply Lemon Yellow on top, allowing colours to create a glaze or new layer.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 6

Create more shapes using other colours, experiment with more loose marks. Observe how some colours are naturally more opaque than others.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 7

Add accents of other colours and marks.

tate winsor newton sargent watercolour

Step 8

Finish by adding bold, expressive gestural marks until you feel your painting is complete.