Scumbling Watercolor Painting Technique
Article by Vladimir London, Watercolor Academy tutor
The scumbling method is another way of applying spattered spots and marks on an artwork surface.
Sketch by Vladimir London, Watercolor Academy tutor
It is based on the dry-brush principle. However, unlike in the dry-brush method, even less paint is loaded on the brush. Marks are made by lightly touching and rubbing in circular motion with a semi-dry brush in small areas of an artwork, not with swift gliding strokes. The aim here is not to fill the surface evenly with color, but to make impressionistic patchy marks.
Both lighter and darker colors can be used for scumbling, although you may find that darker-pigmented thick paints work better for this purpose.
The main advantage of the watercolor medium is in wet flows of paint. Hence, the scumbling method must be used sporadically and overdoing it may spoil the artwork look.
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