Transparent Glass Objects In Watercolor - Strategies And Techniques

1. Welcome to the class: Glistening in the sunlight. The slick and crystal clear glass surface inspire the artist to capture captivating color through their art. Ever dreamed of capturing the mesmerizing realism of glass in your paintings? Let's delve into the art of replicating delicate transparency using watercolors. Unlock the secrets of magically creating lifelike glass with its intricate reflections and refractions in this immersive class. Hello, my name is Evgenia. And today we'll be exploring the enchanting world of painting glass in watercolor. Throughout this class, we'll delve into the intricacies of painting glass objects. Starting with foundational exercises designed to hone our skills in softening edges and strokes. We'll uncover the nuances of brush control, a crucial aspect when capturing the delicate essence of glass. Along the way, we'll explore fascinating methods such as employing sandpaper and watercolor pencils to add unique texture and depth to your artwork. Finally, we'll bring together all that we've learned to craft a monochrome masterpiece featuring a transparent glass bottle. Additionally, at the end of the class, you'll discover a helpful guide with step by step strategies for painting glass with these techniques. Even the most challenging glass object will no longer pose an issue. I've been professional artists for many years, focusing exclusively on watercolors. I've always been captivated by the magic of this medium. I started to paint when I was a child, but as I grew, I had no idea how to improve or how to create effect that I wanted. I didn't know any of the techniques or how to use them. Now I've taken part in exhibitions and been fortunate enough to win rewards from such highly regarded organizations as International Watercolor Society, HelvetArt, Light Space Time Art Show International and Royal Talens. Watercolor can be challenging to manage for those who start to use this medium. Which is why it's my intention to help you to enjoy water colors and to learn it in an easy and fun way. In the step by step lessons, you can see the hand and brush movements clearly from different points of view. We will explore versatile and fundamental watercolor techniques that you can use in all your paintings and sketches. Also, we will discuss the materials that will enhance your watercolor experience and will help you to enjoy the process greatly. If you find this class too easy or too difficult, you can choose from my different classes available for learning varied watercolor skills. The approach of my classes is to start with an easy wash. As we proceed with the painting step by step, we will add more details completing the artwork. If you have any struggles or difficulties along the way, you can start a discussion and I will read and respond to all your questions. Remember to hit the follow button next to the class title, just below the video. By doing so, you'll stay updated and be among the first to receive updates on my upcoming classes and exclusive giveaways. Also, you can see my latest free watercolor tips and tutorials by following me on Instagram and YouTube. Grab your paints and brushes and join me in this artistic adventure. Let's unlock the secrets of painting transparent glass together and bring our creations to life on paper. I can't wait to begin. 2. Your project: Before we begin with the class, I want to thank you for joining me today. Let's discuss our project. In the resources section you'll discover my completed painting as a helpful reference, along with pencil drawing that you can trace. You have the freedom to select your own object to paint or to closely follow my painting as a guide. Additionally, you'll find a reference photo and a selection of other images that can serve as inspiration for your very own artwork. It's a great pleasure for me to give my students feedback. After you put so much effort in your artwork, why not share it? You can do it by taking a photo of your painting and share it in the Student Project Gallery under the Project and Resources tab. I'd love to hear all about your painting process. If you had any difficulties or what was the most enjoyable part of the painting process, Upload your artwork by clicking Submit Project on the Project and Resources tab. Upload a cover image. It can be your artwork's photo, but it will be cropped. No worries. You can upload a full photo further. Share your thoughts about the class and your painting process. Under the field where you write, you can find three small icons. Click on the first one 'image' and upload your artwork. You can see your photo appearing under your text, Scroll the top and click on the button 'publish' to share your project. If you have any struggles or questions during the class, please start a discussion and I will be sure to answer your questions. I highly encourage you to explore the work of your fellow students in the student project gallery. Viewing other creations can be truly inspiring and also to receive support can be incredibly reassuring. Therefore, please consider engaging by liking and leaving comments on each other's projects. Join me in the next lesson to explore watercolor materials. 3. Materials to enhance your painting experience: Let's discuss general watercolor materials and how they can enhance your watercolor painting experience. We'll begin with the drawing. I recommend using a soft pencil as it allows for easy erasure of pencil lines later in the process. Having both a regular eraser and a kneading eraser is valuable. The kneading eraser in particular plays a crucial role in softening the lines before you start painting. This preparation makes it simpler to erase the lines once your painting is complete. For watercolor paper, I recommend opting for thick paper with a weight of 300 GSM. While the best paper is typically 100% cotton. It's worth noting that there are variations, even within this category, based on different brands. The ideal approach is to experiment with various paper types and select the one that suits your preferences. It's important to know that you don't always need to use 100% cotton paper. Occasionally, it's enjoyable to experiment and learn on acid free paper made from cellulose or a blend of cellulose and cotton. This choice can be budget friendly while still providing you with the opportunity to explore various techniques. However, even in this case, I recommend choosing thick paper with a weight of 300 GSM to ensure a sturdy surface for your water color endeavors. To transfer a line drawing that you find in the resources tab, you can use an artist's graphite paper. It's important to use wax free graphite paper specifically as using carbon transfer paper is not suitable for transferring a drawing to watercolor paper. If you are interested in exploring three alternative methods for transferring a pencil drawing onto watercolor paper, I invite you to check out my other class, Dreamy Sunset Landscape in Watercolor, Mastering Wet Technique For beginners I stretch my paper using Graphics stretching watercolor paper artboard. To secure the paper, I use artist's tape. For more details on the various tape types for stretching the paper you can refer to my other class, Clear, transparent water with shells and starfish. Mastering drawing with water technique. Let's move to the watercolor supplies starting with brushes. I personally prefer using synthetic brushes because they are vegan. I appreciate the idea of not harming animals. Generally, it's often believed that the highest quality watercolor brushes are made from squirrel and sable hair. They are resilient and hold water and paint exceptionally well. However, modern high quality synthetic brushes have nearly identical capabilities to natural hair brushes. For example, Escoda offers a series of synthetic brushes called versatile, that possess the same qualities as natural Kolinsky sable brushes. Davinci brushes have the Colineo series. And Isabey offers the beautiful Isaqua series. In the exercise lesson, you'll learn more about specific brushes I use in this class. Ideally, you should have two water jars, one for washing your brush, and the other for obtaining clean water, for wetting your brushes, paper or watercolors. However, I must confess that I sometimes use just one jar. For convenience, I can concentrate on the process without worrying about which jar my brush goes into. Nevertheless, I always make it a point to change my water regularly to prevent mudding my color mixes. You can use either watercolor cakes or tubes for your painting. There are various watercolor brands available, and they offer both student grade and professional grade watercolors. Your choice between the two depends on your specific needs and budget. If you're just starting with watercolors or working on practice pieces, student grade paints can be a cost effective option. For the colors used in this class, you can refer to the color palette lesson. To paint water colors with ease it's a good idea to keep several paper tissues or a cotton cloth within reach. They're very useful for dabbing your brush or paper as needed and for thoroughly drying your brushes. If you want to truly enjoy watercolor painting experience, I recommend using a ceramic mixing palette. It can also be ceramic plate, plastic or metal palettes tend to disrupt the smooth laying of watercolor strokes, causing the paint to form separate drops and pulls. A ceramic surface is ideal for watercolor painting. Using a ceramic mixing palette will enhance your painting experience. The mixing process feels exceptionally smooth and creamy on ceramic. A natural or synthetic sponge, is essential for making adjustments to correct small mistakes in your painting. Additionally, for some artworks you may require a masking fluid, a white gel pen, or a fine acrylic marker or white gouache to add small details that can significantly enhance your piece. A spray bottle is also useful for evenly wetting your paint without creating water pools on it. Now that you've gained insights into general watercolor materials, let's move on to the next lesson. In the upcoming lesson, you'll engage in a couple of watercolor exercises to help you feel more at ease and boost your confidence. 4. Exercises part 1: fluidity of watercolor, softening the edges of the strokes and washes: We'll start with the fluidity exercise. For this, you'll only need one color, which you can freely select from your palette. Begin by moistening your watercolor slightly with a tiny drop of water. When you're ready, make a stroke with your brush. And observe how the color lays on the surface appearing opaque, similar to gouache. Repeat this process to experience and observe the opacity of watercolor. Next use the same color by directly from the tube, squeeze out a small amount of color and apply it with your brush. The water color will lay on the paper like a paste. Hold your brush horizontally and stroke it on the paper surface, creating a rough texture known as the dry brush technique. This effect can be achieved using water color from tubes or cakes. Now add more water to your water color on the palette. Notice how the color becomes lighter with increased water. Add a few drops of water, ensuring the color remains creamy on the palette without flowing when you turn it. Make another stroke loading your brush with more color to cover the surface evenly. Increase the amount of water in your mix, resulting in a much lighter tint, Create a new stroke to observe and feel the difference in texture with a more fluid water color. In the next experiment, we'll explore how water affects water color. Begin by painting a rectangular shape with an opaque color. Then rinse your brush and saturate it with water, applying it directly beneath the rectangle. Touch the edge of the rectangle with your wet brush and blend the color directly on the paper with water. Continue adding more water and applying it under your wash, observing how the color reacts and mixes with the water. Next rinse your brush and gently squeeze the bristles to diffuse the edge of the color on the paper. Stroke the lower part of the edge to blend it seamlessly into the paper, eliminating any visible edges. Finally, turn your paper and allow the color to flow downward noting how the water color behaves. Experiment with mixing the flowing streams. And use your brush to diffuse the color edges further into the paper. Well done! Let's move on to the second exercise and learn how to soften the edges of shapes and strokes on a fresh piece of paper. Begin by creating a circular shape using just one color. The shape has initially defined edges. What if we want to soften a portion of the edge into the paper? Make sure, you have a paper tissue or a dry cloth nearby. Rinse your brush and gently squeeze the bristles on the edge of the water jar. Stroke the edge gently and observe how the wet brush softens the color's edge. Let's repeat this process with a rectangle. Wash the brush and start by stroking the wet bristles on the dry paper next to the edge. Then touch the edge of the color, noticing how it flows into the wet area. You may notice a slightly colored area which could result in an outline edge as it dries. To prevent this, dab the area with the paper tissue to blend the edges seamlessly into the paper. Next, we'll repeat the process with a stroke just as before. Wash the brush and squeeze the bristles. Slightly stroke the wet brush along the edge to blur it. Dub the paper lightly with the tissue to ensure a seamless transition. Let's paint a circular shape but leave the middle unpainted as before. Squeeze the brush on the edge of the water jar and stroke the wet brush along the inward circle edge to soften it. If your brush feels too wet, dab it on the paper tissue. Stroke delicately along the edges, letting the hue seamlessly blend with the damp surface. These exercises require patients, make time for them periodically, to build confidence. Wet the inner circle with water for a smooth color transition. As we focused on the inner circle, our shape dried. Let's see if we can soften a dry watercolor wash. Stroke along the edge and some color may get wet, but the edge remains, the color from the dried area cannot flow freely to the wet area. You can add some color to the now wet paper on the edge, but it won't create a similar color transition. Finally, let's make the last stroke and soften it directly with water. Noting how we can create an uneven, artistic color transition. Extend the pigment into the wet area, allowing it to mingle on the paper. Finally, gently dab the nearly transparent edges with the tissue for a flawless transition. Fantastic work! Let's move on and create our first glass painting. 5. An easy glass painting - What makes glass look like glass ?: What gives glass its distinctive appearance? In this exploration, we unravel the secrets behind glass's transparent allure. The unique properties and characteristics that unmistakably define glass lie in its reflections. To paint glass, you have to study its lightest parts and observe the refractions in water. Studying the surface of glass is easier with a photo, simply print it out or use your phone or a tablet next to your painting. In the Resources tab, you'll find both the pencil drawing and the reference photo for this painting. I prepared a piece of colored paper beforehand. You can create it by wetting your paper and applying two darker tints, like Payne's gray and Blue, allowing the colors to mingle loosely. Then let your paper dry naturally, or use a hair dryer to speed up the process. Once your paper is completely dry, you can draw the glass directly on it. Alternatively, as we learned in the materials lesson, you can use one of the transferring methods to transfer the pencil drawing available in the resource sections of the class. We will use only one color- white for this study. It can be white, watercolor, white gouache, or even white pencil or pastel. Our objective is to examine the reflections, observing the subtle variations in tint. Some areas are light but not entirely white. We'll start in the areas that appear lighter than the background, but aren't bright white. When painting, use just a small amount of water to moisten the white color. On some papers, the underlying color may lift slightly, resulting in a blend with your background color. This is okay for our monochrome study. Begin with gentle strokes. Identify the areas that are relatively light but not entirely white. Color them accordingly. If you're using white color, run your brush bristles on the palette to ensure the white is slightly diluted with water. A well executed drawing is crucial for a successful glass painting. Take your time to study the intricate reflections and create a detailed drawing before you start painting. If you prefer not to print a photo, you can use an image from your phone or tablet for reference. With practice, you'll become adept at studying the glass object visually without needing a photo. The water surface is much lighter than the background. Let's supply a light color to it. Remember, watercolor tends to light up when it dries. You may need to add more white to the light areas to achieve the desired balance of tints. Begin by outlining the shape that will later be painted with a bright white hue, leaving the shadow areas untouched. Focus on lightening the water surface which is lighter than the background. Use broad strokes to spread the white across the entire water area within the glass. Sketching some lines to suggest reflections at the bottom of the glass. Gradually add more white to enhance the contrast between the reflection shapes. Maintain a relaxed grip on your brush and apply more white to the upper reflections with gentle horizontal strokes. Next, touch some white around the glass. Paint the table top surface slightly, leaving the paper unpainted in the shadow areas. Similar to the exercise soften the edge of the applied white with a wet brush, create a small area of light between the shadow in the brightest reflection. Next, cover the table surface with a mixture of white paint diluted slightly with water to add a touch of transparency. If you watercolor appear lighter than intended add more white. Switch to a fine brush and use an opaque white color to paint the brightest parts of the reflections. To create an opaque transparent color, use just a drop of water to wet the color or use color directly from a tube. Our first glass painting is beginning to take shape. Soften the edge of strokes as we did in the exercises to ensure a smooth transition. Paint small, intricate white reflections, and the brightest and largest one on the table, apply thick, opaque white for the brightest reflections. Add a couple of bold white strokes where the reflections are brightest. Then with a damp brush, gently soften the edges of the white wash to achieve a smoother transition. Adjust the tinted balance and add more transparent white to gray areas to ensure the dark background remains sufficiently darker in the shadows where it's left unpainted. Apply another layer of transparent white onto dry paper to brighten the water in the glass. Add a few additional small white reflections along the water edge and on the glass surface. Complete the glass painting by ensuring the brightest parts white and opaque enough. Congratulations with your first glass painting! 6. Exercises part 2: brush control, making a tint color palette: We'll start with a brush control exercise to loosen your hand. Take all around brush with a fine point, wet it thoroughly, and gently squeeze the bristles on the edge of the jar. Roll the bristles of your brush gently to pick up the color. Add a drop of water again. With your brush, almost horizontally, saturate the bristles with color by turning the brush around. Now let's talk about how to hold the brush. If you grip it firmly close to the bristles like a pen, you won't have full control over your strokes. Instead, align your brush with your stretched fingers so that it rests between your thumb and index finger, supported by your middle finger. Loosen your grip so you can turn the brush in all directions, even holding it horizontally to the paper surface if needed, and switch quickly between positions. Next, hold the brush perpendicular to the paper, touching it just with the tip, and make a hair thin line without applying any pressure. Slowly start to push your brush onto the paper so that all the bristles lie flat. Make a stroke, and then slowly lift the brush again without pressure to create another hair thin line. Repeat this process until you complete your first brush control line. Add just a drop of water to moisten the watercolor. In preparation for the next stroke, hold the brush almost perpendicular, not entirely, without applying any pressure on the bristles, paint a wavy line just with the tip of your brush. Then hold the brush perpendicular again and with pressure push the bristles to lie fully on the paper. Move the brush in this position to create a wavy line without lifting it. You'll notice when the brush has very little moisture on the bristles, it results in an interesting pattern known as dry brush on dry paper technique. Try this exercise with your other brushes to get a feel for the different strokes you can create and to loosen your hand, understanding the effects of pressure, or lack thereof, on the paper. Just as before, gently roll the bristles to saturate them with color. Holding the brush at an angle, hold the brush almost perpendicular, not entirely, without applying any pressure on the bristles. Paint a wavy line just with the tip of your brush. Then hold the brush perpendicular again and with pressure, push the bristles to lie fully on the paper. So this fine brush dries very quickly. I'm not able to complete my line without lifting the brush, but this will give you an idea of what you can create or not with different brushes. Next, hold the brush perpendicular to the paper touching it just with the tip and make a hair thin line without applying any pressure. Slowly start to push your brush onto the paper so that all the bristles lie flat. Make a stroke. And then slowly lift the brush again without pressure to create another hair thin line. As preparation for the next painting will create a tint palette using only one water color and water. In this demonstration, I'll use Indigo. Thoroughly saturate the bristles to create a thick, opaque color. Then put the color on your pallet, starting with the opaque color, and gradually adding water to create a gradient from dark to light. Now take the darkest color. Then after washing your brush, take a slightly lighter color. And continue this process to create tint swatches The lightest tint will have a lot of water in it and just a tiny drop of color. Now let's arrange the tints next to each other. We'll start with the darkest tint and then take a slightly lighter color from the palette touching the edge of the previous stroke. And continue until the tint line is complete. Let's move on to the next lesson and create a mosaic painting. 7. Mosaic Painting - Study the glass: Glass with all its reflections and refractions resembles a mosaic. To grasp the essence of every glass painting, let's create a mosaic of this glass bottle. To begin, study the reflections and draw them as shapes for your convenience. For this painting study, I have provided a pencil drawing that you can trace and follow along with this brief lesson. We'll start by taking a creamy dark tint with a fine brush and carefully painting the edges of the bottle. This serves as an excellent brush control exercise, allowing us to color the shapes and create long, thin lines. Take your time to carefully paint the opaque shapes, moving your hand slowly but decisively. For thin lines, apply almost no pressure. Try to relax your grip and enjoy the process. Take more paint and after completing the line switch to a larger round brush. Apply pressure to the bristles to color the area. Paint the bottom edge of the bottle and a small area on the right. Mix some color with water on your palette, as we did in the exercise part. And apply the color to the shape in a light tint. Hold your brush not overly firmly, and keep it far from the bristles to achieve better brush control. At this stage, it's important to let the painting dry. This is necessary as we are going to paint other shapes next to the painted ones. We don't want any color bleeding between the two different shapes. Continue by coloring in the shapes, noting the different tints, and trying to replicate them. By adjusting the amount of water or color to darker or lighter tints. When painting a line, use the techniques learned from the previous lessons. And draw a line with the tip of the brush without applying any pressure to prevent color mingling between shapes. Avoid painting a new shape next to the freshly painted one. Instead, dry the area first. Before painting a new shape, we will touch the table surface with a touch of color to study how it refracts in the bottle. Take a moment to notice how you hold the brush. Try aligning it with your stretched fingers and place it between your thumb and index finger. Relax your grip, hold the brush horizontally to the surface slightly, and color the table shapes. And congratulations on your second completed painting. 8. Exercises part 3: bleeding technique, sandpaper and watercolor pencils: For this series of small exercises, we will need two or three different colors. You are completely free to choose your favorite colors. Begin by moistening the first color and painting a shape, dry it thoroughly, and then wet the second color. Apply it by touching the edge of the previous shape. Since the previous shape is dry, there will be no color bleeding. As the second shape dries, paint one more shape under it. This resemble the painting mosaic from the previous lesson. The aim of this lesson is to learn how to create artistic effects using the color bleeding technique instead of drying the third shape. Begin by painting a new one in a different color, touching the edges of the second and third shapes where the previous shape was wet, the red color flows into it, mingling with the green in an unexpected pattern. This creates an artistic and visually appealing effect, which can be used when painting backgrounds or when aiming to create an artistic touch in your artworks. Let's try this technique once more. Paint a shape that is saturated with color but not overly watery. Then take another color, and holding the bristles horizontally, touch the edge of the previous shape with just the tip of the brush. Move your brush downward without touching the shape. Then move it back up and tight the edge again. Afterward, continue coloring the shape without touching the bleeding color, allowing it to create its own magical, unexpected pattern. Now, we will test the same technique, but with overly wet water color stains. Create a shape and add more water to it, so that it becomes very watery. Then take another color, and as before touch the edge, then not, then touch again. Move your brush to the right to color the surface without touching the bleeding color. Allow it to spread freely. Notice how quickly the watery paint flows into the new one, creating small streams of color. Now that the exercises are completely dry, we can experiment with another handy technique- lifting on dry paper. On student grade cellulose paper it's easier than on cotton paper. You can use different brushes to lift, wet the brush, dab it on the tissue, and rub it on the colored surface. Try using another brush. If you notice your lifted shape is too wet, dab directly with the tissue. Make different shapes and lines to experiment. Lifting with flat brushes can lift very fine, thin lines. Using sand paper on watercolor paper can create interesting effects by altering the texture of the paper surface. Experiment with different grades of sand paper to achieve varying levels of texture and effects. You can fold the sand paper and create light lines in your painting by rubbing the surface. This creates a texture that is difficult to replicate with just a brush. Always test the sand paper on a small inconspicuous area of your painting before applying it more broadly to ensure the desired result. Additionally, you can rub the paper flatly with sand paper leaving light marks. This technique works well for creating high lights on rough surfaces or adding he textures to objects. The next technique that truly picks interest is using watercolor pencils to create artistic splatters. Let's give it a try. Begin by wetting a round brush, then take a watercolor pencil and dip it briefly in water. Dampen the tip by stroking the wet brush over it. Lightly dab the pencil on a tissue to activate it, and gently squeeze the bristles of the brush on the edge of the water jar. Tap the brush a few times on the graphite to create splatters. Experiment with different effects by varying the distance between the pencil and the paper. Try holding the pencil close to the paper for fine splatters or higher above the paper for larger splatters. Now let's try using another color without dipping the graphite in water. You'll find that it works just as effectively when you simply moisten it with your brush. For a further variation, try using a brush with more water to see how it affects the splatters. 9. Painting a realistic glass bottle: As always, let's begin by softening the dark pencil lines with a kneading eraser. This step will make it easier to erase the pencil lines once the painting is finished. If you've drawn very delicate light lines, you can skip this step. For this particular painting, you will need basic watercolor brushes, some round brushes with fine tips, and some fine brushes similar to the previous Mosaic Study. We will use only one color. In my case, I'll be using indigo. Start by color in the top of the bottle with a dark, opaque, and creamy color. Remember to use light pressure for thin lines and enough pressure for painting large areas. You can switch to a round brush to cover large areas more quickly. Then with the rigger brush, paint an unbroken line, add some creamy dark color farther down, wet your brush and soften the edge somewhat. As we did in the exercise to achieve a lighter tint without allowing the previous wash to dry completely. Add another light wash touching the previous one, add some drops of darker tints for a seamless transition, Wash the brush a little and stretch the color. With a wet brush move the bristles in a colored, still somewhat wet area to create a lightly tinted area within it. Color the reflection light and define the edge of the bottle. You may choose to touch or not, to touch the previous area to create some color bleeding as we did in the previous lesson. First, apply pressure on your round brush to color light area. Then switch the brush position to draw a thin line without pressure. Using the tip of the brush, create some dark areas. Paint the belly of the bottle touching the previous areas for some color bleeding paint around the reflections. Wet the brush and soften the edge to make it blurry and diffused on the white paper. Rub gently with the wet brush to further soften the edges. You can also touch the edge with a wet brush and let the water color work its magic. Use pressure on the bristles to draw a dark edge of the bottle, paint the bottom of the bottle, leaving a thin white reflection close to the edge. And add some droplets of darker tints in the still wet area to create texture. Add some darker strokes to still damp paper around the reflections to accentuate them. Let's enhance the reflections by drawing some darker lines using just the tip of your brush and touching the paper very lightly. With a fine brush and a bit of middle tint, paint some darker areas in the reflections. It's a good idea to study the reflection before you start painting and hold your reference photo by hand. Now let's paint the refraction of the table in the bottle with a very light tint. Add some touches in the largest reflection. Soften the edges with a wet brush and dab the edge of the area with a tissue. To ensure a seamless transition, draw a line in a still damp refraction. When the area is dry, rub it with a damp brush on the edge to soften it. Note that the process may be different on different papers, I use Arches cotton paper, which makes it more difficult to do. On cellulose paper, the paint would lift more easily after gently rubbing. Dab the area with the tissue. Let's move on to the next lesson. 10. Painting the background: The background will enhance the appearance of the bottle. Let's paint some loose areas. Hold the brush far from the tip. Relax your grip. Begin by defining the edge. Wash your brush. And soften the edges of the previous strokes by mingling them with water. Move your brush quickly to cover a large area with moisture. Define the upper edge. Cover the large area with a watery mix. Then add some darker tint and with only the tip of the brush paint around the bottleneck. As you move lower, cover the area with quick wet strokes, all the way to the table. Add some loose strokes in the wet area, mingle them in it, and paint around the bottle. Add some color stains on the wet paper. Take the same color of water color pencil as your monochrome painting. And some artistic splatters. Holding the brush horizontally cover the table surface. Add a darker tint directly touching the previous wash. Take your time to paint around the bottle with precise brush strokes, do the same on the other side. Take a lighter tint and complete the table surface. Stroke the bristles horizontally on the surface, as the brush gets dry, it will leave unpainted area that look interesting and uneven. With the tip of the brush paint dark lines in the table texture, some of them will get blurry and some not due to paper wetness. Create a dark shadow that is just a bit lighter than the edge of the bottle. With a damp brush stroke under the shadow, touching it in some places for a nice bleeding effect. Stretch the color and adjust the details. Add some lines in the table texture, add some fine splatters to enhance the texture. We will paint the finishing touches on dry paper for the fine details. Some lines to define the edge. A darker area in the bottom of the bottle. Rub with a damp brush on the surface to lift some color on dry paper. Then dab it with a tissue to prevent water from spreading further. I like to use an old Filbert brush. It's a good idea to have one dedicated for this kind of work. Add some darker tint to make more difference between this area and the one inside of it. As the inner one is not 100% white, color it with water and a drop of color. I add a darker tint to accent the inner area of reflection. Color the bottom reflection and a light tint as well. Create a darker area on the left to give an illusion of disappearing refraction of the table. Paint the area darker to visually divide the areas. When your artwork is absolutely dry, we can use sandpaper. This area of the bottle has a very uneven mosaic of reflections. We will add a few sandpaper effects on it. Congratulations on completing your glass artwork. 11. Strategies guide step-by-step for painting glass: In this lesson, you'll receive a helpful guide for painting glass objects successfully. Even the most complex ones will no longer pose an issue when you follow these handy steps. Print out a photo of the glass object you wish to paint. Study the reflections closely. Observing the intricate mosaic of different shapes and refraction that give the glass its distinctive appearance. After completing your drawing use kneading eraser to gently soften any pencil line that appear too dark. Mask all small intricate reflections with a masking fluid to preserve their brightness while you paint over them later. Thoroughly wet the surface of the glass. Apply water color stains loosely and allow them to blend together to create a base color for your glass object. Add darker shades where necessary avoiding intricate details at this stage. Allow the painting to dry thoroughly or use a hair drier to speed up the drying process. Paint the mosaic of reflections. Paying attention to small variations in tints and shades and accentuating the darkest areas. Take your time and keep the reference image close at hand. Paint the background with shadows and light reflections cast by the glass onto the surface. Optionally, consider enhancing the painting with artistic touches such as adding color splatters to create additional texture. Remove the masking fluid to reveal the intricate bright white reflections. Paint some fine details with a very fine brush. If you observe the your background is too light, paint a darker shadow to achieve the desired contrast. Dry the painting thoroughly. Consider enhancing the painting by adding fine white details using a white pen or white gouache. Optionally use sand paper to create a glass like texture. 12. Concluding the class - What we have learned in a nutshell: In conclusion, our journey through the world of watercolor glass painting has been a delightful exploration of both technique and artistry. We began by understanding the diverse nature of watercolor, from its ability to create opaque thick textures to its transparent fluidity. Through exercises focused on softening edges and mastering brush control, we gained insights into the nuances of painting glass objects. Our first painting, using only white water color on toned paper, challenge us to discern the intricate play of reflection that give glass its unique appearance. As we progressed, we honed our skills through exercises in brush control and color palette creation. Culminating in the mesmerizing mosaic technique, which allowed us to capture the intricate patterns of light and shadow dancing across glass surfaces. Through experimentation with bleeding technique and unconventional tools like sand paper and watercolor pencils, we discovered new avenues for artistic expression. Finally, we brought together all that we had learned to create a stunning monochrome artwork featuring a transparent glass bottle where every stroke and wash came together to evoke the delicate beauty of glass. I hope the short but enriching journey has not only sparked your creativity, but also equipped you with valuable strategies. If you enjoyed the class, I would be really grateful for getting your review on it. Remember, the journey of artistic discovery is endless, and I encourage you to continue exploring and refining your skills. I hope to see your artwork after you put so much hard work in it. And I love to hear all about your painting process. If you had any difficulties or what was the most enjoyable part of the painting process. Share your artwork in the Student Project gallery by clicking on Submit Project under the Project and Resources Tab. Every piece of art, no matter the level represents time, effort, and personal expression. But most importantly, it's a part of your artistic journey. It's a visual record of your growth as an artist. If you have any questions, I'm happy to respond and to help. Just post your thoughts in a discussion thread. If you prefer to share your artwork on Instagram, please tag me @magical.watercolor. I would love to see your painting. Skillshare would also love to see the artworks of my students. Please tag them as well @skillshare. Remember to hit the follow button next to the class title, just below the video. By doing so, you'll stay updated and be the first to know when I introduce a new class or announce a giveaway. Thank you for joining me on this artistic adventure and I look forward to seeing the beautiful creation that emerge from your new found expertise in painting glass.