Tea is as old as the ages. Many cultures have very exacting tea ceremonies. Nothing fills the bill on a cold or rainy day like a cup of steaming, hot tea. Even without a specific, time-honored ritual, the enjoyment of tea is widespread and sure to bring good memories. For those wanting to express their feelings about tea visually, a colored drawing or watercolor is easy and fun to do.
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Planning Your Watercolor
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Brainstorm the word "tea." Jot ideas on paper as they occur. Do this fast and without editing or altering the words and phrases.
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Go on a hunt for tea and tea related objects. You will probably find many items around your own home. Gather things, put them on a table and study them for pure enjoyment. You might find the items bring out memories about the preparing and drinking of tea.
- Compare various shapes of cups and mugs. Do you have a tea pot? If not, research teapots and clip pictures for reference.
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Look at a cup by holding it in front of your eyes. It appears flat seen from that angle.
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Do a simple sketch of a cup. Using pencil, draw a small oval for the cup's mouth. Lightly add the lines for the cup's sides and another oval for the bottom of the cup.
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Check your ellipses. Try to make sure the cups, saucer, tea pot, etc. read as three-dimensional shapes. Ellipses are what a circle looks like in perspective.
- The mouth of the cup is, in actuality, a perfect circle, if you look down on it directly from above. If it is seen below your eye level, for example, when it is sitting on a table or other surface, the mouth and base of the cup will appear as ovals. On every object in your drawing, before painting check to see that ellipses make sense.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Sketching and Painting
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Sketch your design onto good watercolor paper. Use pencil, and refine the drawing. Erase bad lines. When you get the shapes the way you want them, stand up your paper, step back and view it from a distance. If alterations are needed, do them. Erase unnecessary lines.
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Prepare your watercolors. Plan your strategy. All types of watercolors work great for this type of light, airy subject. With pans of dry pigment, or sets of color, you can paint as lightly and delicately as you wish. Or, if you prefer, squeeze out colors from tubes of toothpaste-like pigment onto a palette. If the plan is to use more intense colors, remember to apply them with a light hand, but, perhaps use more dynamic strokes. Assemble brushes of various sizes and shapes, a water container and tissues to control the drips and flow.
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Paint your composition. There is no right or wrong place to begin. If you start with a white cup and/or teapot, the challenge will be to make it look white without using white paint. Do this by toning it lightly with gray.
- Mix up a watery gray wash and run strokes down the edges, outlining the objects. Immediately soften that stroke by running a brush full of plain water along the inner edge to make the paint fuzz out.
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4Complete your drawing. You might want to add a table runner or cloth as a soft contrast to the porcelain items. Think about the background. A tea box set on end is a good space filler, plus, the phrase on the box adds interest.
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Color the sketch with a light first coat. Work all over the page. When you are using one color and have it on your brush, use it in various other spots on the painting. This type of interweaving shades of any color will give unity to the finished piece. Work until you are satisfied. Stop and let the piece dry enough so you can stand it vertically. Prop it up and step back.Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Finishing Your Work of Art
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Finish the art work. Allow the piece to dry, then alter or add whatever else you wish. Hasten drying with a hairdryer if you desire. Keep a light hand with details. Watercolor artists are traditionally cautioned not to overwork things for good reason. Did you remember to include some goodies to serve with the tea?
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Hang your art work for all to enjoy. Display it near where you actually drink your tea. Now you can drink with your eyes as well as your mouth. How refreshing!Advertisement
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Tips
- The beauty of brainstorming and doing preliminary sketches if that ideas often generate other ideas. Welcome them. Jot down what you feel is important for use later, if not immediately.Thanks
- Take plenty of time with your drawing. A watercolor is often referred to as a colored drawing. The pencil lines will be less visible as paint goes on. Either leave the pencil lines or erase them. Either way is good. If you look at other watercolors, you will see it is a personal choice.Thanks
- A soft eraser is worth its weight in gold. Use it and as you sketch, keep in mind that you will want to be able to erase and edit your drawing as you go. So, try to devise a soft, sketchy method of drawing that doesn't dig into the paper and erases cleanly. Watercolor paper can be damaged with too much manipulation.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Watercolor paints, either a pan of primary and secondary colors or paint squeezed from tubes onto a palette
- Watercolor paper (pads provide a cardboard backing to support your work as you paint)
- Assortment of all purpose or watercolor brushes
- A water container
- Tissues for controlling the flow of paint
About this article
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