Watercolor Vs. Unicorn SPiT...

Above is the painting I will be using as reference throughout this post. I first painted this as an entry into the Coweta County Kiwanis Fair, which won 3rd place in the youth division of watercolor. The painting above is done with watercolors, on watercolor paper, using the Winsor and Newton paints. While I mainly use watercolor paper, there is also a type of board which can get the same effect. It is called an Aqua Board. They come in many different sizes, just as the paper does. However, because it is a board, I would like to explain the differences between the paper and the AquaBoard. First, let’s consider the budget. Paper can be less expensive in the long run because you get more paper in the pack, whereas the Aqua board is sold singly. You can spend as much as $15 for a nice pad of paper with 30 sheets, or you could buy one board for $5 or so. I tend to shop the sales, so your prices may be a little different. If you get 30 sheets for $15, you are really only spending $0.50 for each sheet. This is a better buy than 1 board at $5. Granted there are very specialized art stores that sell individual sheets of watercolor paper, but I tend to work with the packs of paper more often as they are more readily available. Now in terms of use and performance, the win might go to the board. As you continue to wet the board, it doesn’t ripple. The paper can do so if you don’t let it dry before adding each layer of color. Honestly, painting surface is personal preference, so it’s hard to truly say who wins the battle of value, and use. You will have to decide:-).

Normally for a painting such as this, I would draw a rough outline with a pencil very lightly. If you don’t do it lightly, then your pencil marks will show through the paint. Watercolor isn’t like acrylics where you can cover up everything with the paint. Watercolor tends to be somewhat translucent due to the water. Therefore, unless the look you are going for is dark lines, please draw lightly. The picture above was done as a rough drawing and some extra fine sharpie. I love combining pen and ink with watercolors, because I can help deepen the shadows with different pen techniques. My goal for the drawing was light, but also to enhance the finished painting with the use of the pen to create additional depth by darkening with the sharpie. From here I will show the final version of the painting again and then begin to share the comparison of the same design using Unicorn SPiT!

Do you see how the pen shows completely, but mainly deepens the shadows? That was my goal in this instance. Watercolor, if done right, can look a variety of different ways. Mine is, in my opinion, more organic than most watercolor. Most artists when working with watercolor let each color be its own, with less blending. I really enjoy allowing the water and the paper to interact in a pleasing way with the help of the watercolors. In my opinion, the best watercolor artists employ the use of color and pigment in many ways to look pleasing to the eye. Now to move on to the other product!

This painting is done with Unicorn SPiT, a product with which I love exploring the endless possibilities. As you can see it did come out a bit different, but still the same design. Unicorn Spit is, as I said earlier in this post, water-based, non-VOC, and Kid safe. One of the interesting aspects of the product is that it acts as a stain and glaze in one, so the color payoff, and three dimensional effect is mesmerizing! Not only that, it’s even therapeutic because of its Jasmine scent. One thing to always remember when using it- you must keep in mind not to look at its appearance once dry, because it dries to a chalky finish. Just trust yourself. It is when you apply an OIL BASED sealer that its beauty is revealed, returning it to what it was when it was wet. It will become very deep and dimensional! The reason you must seal with an oil based sealer is because it is a water-based product. If you use a water-based sealer, what do you think would happen? It would reactivate the Spit, mix all the colors up and make them look suspended, or smudge all your hard work. Been there, done that, so I’m making sure you don’t have to!

I am working on a piece of plywood sanded with 100 grit sandpaper to make it smooth. I applied a base coat of White Ning Unicorn SPiT. While I don’t have a picture of just the drawn part, I do have an early enough picture you can understand the process. This doesn’t have to be perfect because it’s only a rough outline, just a guide. The way you lay down the colors will be what makes or breaks this piece. The upside to it being water-based is, if you mess up, wash it off and start over! As you can see, I used the white and blues to shade, and then wet it with water to melt the colors together. Next you will see the (almost) final version before it is sealed, so you can see what I meant by how it changes when sealed.

Here is the final version before it is sealed. It is difficult to see in this picture, but it’s not as vibrant as it was when it was still freshly painted.

Left- Unicorn SPiT and the Right is Watercolor

When compared side by side, they do look like two different paintings! First, let’s talk about their similarities. First of all, I kept the same color scheme, as I love blues. Both products have some of the same colors, and you can mix up one that suits your work. On the watercolor side the colors are less vibrant, but are better blended. Although they are somewhat different, I made them the same way. I started with a drawing or pen, and painted it. I used water in both to melt the colors smoothly. Some of the difference may be the base material used to make it. I painted the watercolor on watercolor paper, versus the Unicorn SPiT which was done on wood. I know this affected the final product somewhat. However, I absolutely love the different looks you can achieve with these mediums. In fact, I bet if I had painted them both on watercolor paper, I would have gotten different results. I also primed the wood with white beforehand so I would have the white to help me blend more. I used diluted paint to blow the mane of the horse out at the end. I literally applied a small puddle of watered down gray SPiT in the neck area of the horse and blew hard through a straw to spread it because I wanted a fun effect in the background. I wanted some hint of texture to both paintings, and I got just that. The watercolor side looks like drips across the page, versus the Spit side to me looks kind of like marbled stone. I hope to be able to make more comparisons like these in the future. I really enjoy them both so much and would like to continue to compare some of the techniques, or even how to combine them into a piece.

If you have any questions feel free to ask, and leave a comment. You can also reach me by my Facebook page: Cavilyn Creations