Three-step Process

Using a refined method gives artist Catherine Hearding the framework for her paintings

- Catherine Hearding

I consider myself a traditionalist when it comes to watercolor. I prefer to work with transparent color and let the layers of color shine through. I use a three-step process to build my layers. When working with students, I introduce this process early on. It gives them a framework with which to work. So often, we get to the middle of a painting and feel stuck, or don’t think that it is going well. The problem is, with watercolor, the layers have to be built in order of their value, and the shapes and values have to be built before we can add detail, so the painting does not look as we expect it to. This process helps to move us through that stage and complete the painting.

I always start with a value study—a small pencil sketch, ink, marker or a larger monochrome watercolor sketch— that helps me sort out problems with composition and shapes. I can see the design and adjust if something is not working. Having put the shapes and values on paper, I have the composition and can focus on working with the paint. When designing, I look for good shapes that hold the viewer’s interest, a movement that carries them through the painting, and a strong abstract structure that holds the piece together.