VISUAL TECHNIQUES 2

COLOR RENDERING MEDIA

MANGULAD, GERD ASHLEY P.
AR. RICHARD D. ABELLON Ill
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BS ARCHITECTURE – 1, 2202/2203

RSW PR-01: Rendering Media

THE COLOR PRESENTATION MEDIA

Water-Based Media

1.) Watercolor (Transparent)

One of the rendering media used as a basic architectural presentation technique is

watercolor. The use of watercolors dates back to the 18th century, when they first
appeared as thin-colored or transparent strokes that gave life to monotonous pen-and-
ink and pencil drawings on paper.

Properties

Watercolor paints requires water to do their work. They are originally dry pigment
particles powdered at 0.05 – 0.5 microns in size, which gave the paints an ability to
penetrate a type of paper at a rate that depends on their concentration and density in
a solution of water mixed with surfactant and binder. The surfactant allows water to be
soaked into watercolor papers, and the binder allows the water to soak into sized
watercolor papers. Watercolour papers differ from the other types of papers. Instead of
the standard wood pulp, it is made from pounded linen or cotton rags with a microscopic
web that makes it extremely absorbent. To control the level of absorbance, paper sizing
was introduced. It is applied to watercolor papers as a barrier that slows the rate of their
absorbance and diffusion of water. It is made possible because of the presence of
cellulose, an insoluble substance that comes from the plant cell walls and some
vegetable fibers.

Proper Use

Many techniques on how to apply the pigments on paper originated at that time,
and they are still in use today. This includes the wet-in-wet painting and the wet-on-dry
one. Wet-in-wet painting technique is done by loading the paintbrush with wet
watercolor paint and applying it onto water-saturated watercolor paper. The wet-on-dry
painting, however, is done by loading the same brush with wet watercolor paint and
applying it onto non-saturated or dry watercolor paper. The resulting appearance of the
applied watercolor paints may vary depending on how the techniques are executed.
Patterns such as dry-brush patterns, edge-darkening, intentional backruns, granulation
and separation of pigments, flow patterns, and color glazing are then produced out of
it.
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Figure 1. Watercolor Patterns

As shown in Figure 1, the dry-brush technique (a) produces an uneven colored

surface with holes and ragged edges. This is due to the dry bristles of the brush that can
only touch the highest points of the uneven watercolor paper. The next pattern, which is
produced by the edge-darkening technique (b), shows a stroke of watercolor paint with
an obvious darker lining on its edge. It is done using the wet-on-dry painting method. The
next pattern, intentional backruns (c), happens when a drop of water disturbs a damp,
even area of paint. This then draws branch-like patterns with the same dark edges.
Another pattern is produced due to the granulation and separation of pigments (e), and
it is a type where a stroke appears grainy as the color only highlights the peak and the
valleys of the paper. Granulation happens when the pigment particles settle into the
deep surfaces of the paper. Flocculation, on the other hand, happens when the pigment
particles settle into clumps because of some electrical effects. Flow patterns (e) are
another basic pattern that results from the wet-in-wet painting technique. The water-
saturated surface of the paper gives the applied paint freedom to flow, which makes it
appear smooth and slightly even. The last pattern (f) is produced by the method of color
glazing. It is done by layering thin strokes of paint over each other. Thus, it creates new
colors and gives a luminous and transparent effect on a watercolor painting.

2.) Tempera/Gouache/Acrylic (Opaque)

Figure 2. Tempera Paint Figure 3. Gouache Paint Figure 4. Acrylic Paint

Watercolors are frequently used for transparent or layered paintings. However, for
opaque artworks, paints such as tempera, gouache, and acrylic were the basic ones.
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Properties

Tempera, or poster paints, consist of colored pigments combined with a water-

soluble binding medium such as egg yolks. Gouache paints, on the other hand, are a
mixture of natural pigment, water, and a binding medium like gum arabic or dextrin.
Lastly, acrylic paints consist of pigments mixed with acrylic polymer emulsion and
plasticizers, silicone oils, defoamers, stabilizers, or metal soaps. Despite the varying
composition of the three, they still have things in common. They are all opaque paints
that are fast-drying, such as watercolor paints. When using these kinds of paints, a layer
is enough to make a color pop, unlike watercolor paints that still need a lot of layering to
achieve such an intensity of hues.

Proper Use

Each type of opaque paint also uses different techniques and follows proper
methods of usage.

In tempera painting, since the paint used doesn’t blend well, you should work in
thin layers as tempera paints reflect the layers lying beneath them. It is a matter of
building up layers to achieve the right color and surface. Tempera painting best uses
panel boards instead of fiber paper. In terms of brushes, those that are soft-haired and
soft-bristled were the best option.

In gouache painting, you should also work with thin layers as it might create a
surface texture like acrylics and oils. Also, this type of paint cracks when dry. Gouache
paints are best suited to paper with the help of the same kinds of brushes used in other
watermedia.

In acrylic painting, you can work with thick layers, just as in oils. It can’t break when
dried since it is more durable than the other paints mentioned. In terms of application,
acrylics can be applied to multiple types of medium, such as paper, wood, glass, and
plastic, with the help of tools such as brushes and palette knives. Unlike gouache, you
cannot rework or reactivate the applied acrylic paint, although you can cover it with
another layer.

3.) Mixed Media (Water-Based)

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Figure 5. Mixed Media

Properties

Mixed media, as shown in Figure 5, is a type of artwork that combines different

media or materials into one piece. In this section, we only limit the used medium into wet
or water-based media. This includes the range of watercolor, tempera, gouache, and
acrylic paints in one paper.

Proper Use

When practicing mixed media, there are a lot of simple rules to follow for a
successful artwork. First, prepare the base of the artwork. When using water-resistant
paper, you must stretch it first before working, just to avoid physical distortion when the
painting is dry. Don’t start mixing too many media. At least limit the number of media
used in an artwork just to avoid visual confusion and visual fatigue. Don’t blend the paint
too much, especially when there are more than two different kinds of paint. Due to the
variety in composition, the artwork might be destroyed. In line with that, avoid using the
media haphazardly. Use each type of media the right way to avoid visual errors. In terms
of material maintenance, the brushes should be washed after each use, especially when
you use them for alternate types of paint. If not avoided, the brushes will surely be
destroyed due to the unwanted build-up of the different paints on their hairs or bristles.

Oil and Spirit-Based Color Media

1.) Oil and Canvas

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Figure 6. Oil Paints Figure 7. Canvas

Properties

Unlike watercolors, tempera, gouache, and acrylic paints, oil paints, as shown in
Figure 6, still stand out when producing richer strokes. Oil paints consist of colored
pigments as well as a liquid base such as oil. It may also have a mix of a solvent or thinner,
a drier, and an inert filler for better control. Oil paints produce the greatest effects of
gloss, transparency, and opacity unlike any other type of paint. Since oil paints have no
risk of cracking when dry and have a longer duration of drying, they can have thicker
opaque passages and more controlled transparent effects. This gives us the right variety
of colors and tones as there is a contrast between transparent shadow and opaque light.
With this, artworks with rich modulations of dark tones and tonal depth can be produced.
Unlike other watermedia, oil paints can be blended easily as they dry more slowly. Paint
stroke errors can also be redone with the use of rags and painting knives. Aside from
being blendable, oil paints are also flexible. This can produce artworks with a great
variety of textures, from thin to thick and from smooth to rough surfaces. This feature
made the use of flexible supports, such as canvas, possible in displaying such artworks. A
canvas is a type of fabric that is made up of plain-weaved cotton or linen treated with
PVC or gesso, which makes it water-resistant. The use of canvas in artworks originated in
Venice, as artists couldn’t use frescoes and wood panels because of the humidity of the
place. It was once known as sailcloth.

Proper Use

Even though oil paints are flexible, there are still possibilities for paint cracking if
you use it wrong. That’s why there are oil painting techniques that are needed to be
followed. The first technique in applying oil paints onto canvas is the fat over lean
technique. Oil paints are said to be made of colored pigments with a mixture of drying
oil, and the more oil it has, the fatter the paint is. Therefore, this slows the drying duration
of the paint. In this case, the top layer should be fatter than the layer beneath so that the
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layer below will dry faster, allowing the paint not to crack. Another method is the thick
over thin method, which has the same scenario with the fat over lean method.

2.) Other Solvents, Spirits, and Surfaces

Figure 8. Water Figure 9. Rubbing Alcohol Figure 10. Denatured Alcohol

Figure 11. Acetone Figure 12. Ammonia Solution Figure 13. Lacquer Thinner

Figure 14. Turpentine Figure 15. Odorless Mineral Spirits Figure 16. Essential Oils

Properties

In painting, solvents are used to thin paint and clean the brushes and other
materials used. Water is the number one solvent used in watercolor painting. It has the
ability to dissolve solutes such as colored pigments and other painting ingredients and
the ability to spread the colored pigments on paper at a desired opacity and intensity,
which is helpful for color control. It also washes off excess watercolor paint when it comes
to cleaning your brushes.

However, in more opaque paints like acrylic paints, solutions such as rubbing
alcohol are the most common. It is very effective in dried acrylic paint removal when it
comes to non-porous surfaces. Other solutions such as denatured alcohol, acetone,
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ammonia, and lacquer thinner are also used. Because it is a stronger solvent, denatured
alcohol can be used on plastic surfaces along with unvarnished and unpainted wood.
Another is acetone, which is used for firmer surfaces such as glass and metal. The next
one is the ammonia solution. It reacts well with non-porous surfaces such as metal, plastic,
and glass. The lacquer thinner comes last. It is also used for removing excess paint from
glass and metal surfaces.

While in oil painting, more complex solvents are used. One of those is turpentine.
It came from the tree sap that is secreted by conifer trees. Since the tree sap is an oleo-
resin, it results in it being toxic to humans. Thus, a substitute has been introduced, which is
odorless mineral spirits. Odorless mineral spirits are made from distilled petroleum. It is also
as toxic as turpentine, yet it has a less detectable odor. That’s why, for safety purposes,
essential oils became the best option, as they all came from organic materials. Originally,
they were classified as fixed, non-drying oils, drying oils, and essential oils, but for oil
painting, drying and essential oils are the ones that are needed. Drying oils are one of
the ingredients that make up an oil paint. Essential oils, on the other hand, have different
functions. They are used to improve control, adhesion, and permanence of the oil paint
strokes. They also have good evaporating and adhesion properties without the
abrasiveness of turpentine and odorless mineral spirits, which destroy the paint’s body.

Figure 17. Paper Figure 18. Canvas Figure 19. Wood and Composite Panels

Figure 20. Fabric Figure 21. Silk Figure 22. Metal Figure 23. Glass

Aside from solvents and spirits, different surfaces are also used in painting. The
standard ones are papers of different thicknesses. Papers are used in watercolors and
opaque paints as they have absorbent surfaces. Next to paper is canvas. It can be
unstretched, stretched, or commercially-made as boards. It is commonly used in flexible
types of paint, such as oil paints. For thick application of paints, wood and composite
panels are used, such as masonite, high-density fiber board (HDFB), and medium-density
fiber board (DBF). Other specific types of paint, such as textile paints, use patterned fabric
as painting surfaces. Some make use of silk for dye painting. Others use metal, glass, and
plastics.
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Figure 24. Types of Brushes

Aside from the three materials, brushes are also included in this scope. To achieve
better paintings, specific brush types are used, which vary according to form, size, and
bristle-type. The round brush is said to be the most common and versatile brush. It can be
used to create both broad and fine strokes, unlike flat brushes, which are only good for
making broad linear strokes. Other types of brushes include the mop brush, wash brush,
rigger brush, angled brush, filbert brush, cat’s tongue brush, fan brush, spotter brush, and
hake brush, which can be seen in Figure 24. Brushes can also have soft bristles that make
smooth paint strokes and stiff bristles for creating rough effects and thick layers of paint.
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In watercolor painting, all the mentioned brushes, with the wash and mop brush,
can be used, except for those that have hard bristles, as they may scratch the paper
surface that is being utilized. Watercolor brushes also use short-handled brushes, unlike in
acrylic and oil painting. In terms of acrylic and oil painting, all of the brushes can be used,
be they soft or stiff-bristled, because one of the goals of acrylic and oil painting is to build
up layers and create more defined textures. And in defining textures, palette knives are
also used.

Digital Color Media

Due to the advancement of technology, digital architectural rendering became

possible.

1.) Modeling Rendering By CADD

Figure 25. CADD Software

Computer-aided design, or computer-aided design and drafting, is another

rendering technique used in architectural presentations. It is all about engineering
architectural designs or the creation, modification, analysis, and optimization of designs
through computers. In terms of design, CADD software uses vector-based graphics to
produce accurate images. You can design in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-
dimensional (3D) spaces in it to have life-like results. In terms of the design output, CADD
software makes use of electronic files that have the ability to convey information such as
materials, processes, dimensions, and other architectural data. One of the most common
software programs used in architectural design is the AutoCAD software. It is an
application that has been developed with many features by Autodesk. They help every
professional with drafting, annotating, and designing 2D and 3D models with solids,
surfaces, and mesh objects.

2.) Photomontage and Post-Processing

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Figure 26. Photomontage and Post-processing

Other digital rendering techniques used by professionals are photomontage and

post-processing. In architectural presentations, photomontage is used. It is made possible
by combining different photographic elements with other types of media effects, which
are then used to alter a raw design. With the help of CGI and through the use of photo-
realistic surface materials and landscaping, a more realistic appearance of the raw
output of the design is produced. This is, therefore, a marketing strategy for architectural
designers as their architectural presentations are having their own personalities. Other
than that, a method called post-processing is used to achieve more accurate images of
the designs. It is useful for fixing errors during a long rendering and also for giving other
elements the right amount of details for better architectural visualization.

3.) Graphic Design

Aside from being shown or presented visually, architectural designs must also
communicate with the public. Architectural graphic design is a visual aid that speaks
about a design’s function, purpose, message, and narrative. In this field of work, it is
effective in explaining the existence of a building along with its characteristics such as its
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form, aesthetic, and function. Thus, it creates a strong connection between the design
and the user because of the details of interest that are shown.

Figure 27. Graphic Design

4.) Architectural Cinematics

It is a type of architectural presentation where a design is shown in motion. It

showcases the most realistic form of the design as it acts like a walkthrough of the entirety
of it. It prioritizes all spaces, whether enclosed or open. In terms of producing architectural
film presentations, thorough rendering is needed, as well as more equipped computer
systems that can handle heavy performances. In terms of rendering softwares, Lumion 10
is the most used. Lumion 10 includes realistic features and tools that quickly bring
architectural designs to life.

Example: https://youtu.be/oKY-ojtIK6c

5.) Virtual Media

Another type of digital architectural rendering and presentation method is virtual

media. Given that our generation has the most advanced technologies, it is expected
that virtual reality mechanisms have improved. Virtual reality is a form of media that brings
you from this reality to a virtual, made-up one. And due to how it performs, designers are
now taking advantage of it when it comes to presenting their design ideas in detail. For
now, the use of virtual media in presenting architectural designs is not yet relevant. But it
will surely give a great future to building professionals as it has the ability to bring each
user a view of a design with more depth.