Transparency is one of the qualities that makes watercolour so wonderfully luminous, and in this tutorial we’ll explore how to keep that precious light shining through your painting. I’ll explain what we mean by opaque and transparent colour, both when choosing your paints and when applying them to the paper. Then we’ll use glazing to see how additional layers increase depth, saturation and value, while gradually reducing the amount of white paper showing through. You’ll see how adding water creates lighter, more transparent colour and why repeatedly layering strong paint can sometimes make a painting feel darker and heavier than you intended. The real secret is learning to protect your light. Keep it for as long as you can and those fresh, glowing watercolour effects will have a wonderful chance to shine.
