I recently took time to write an email to Susan Harrison-Tustain, a watercolor artist who I admire for her detail work and control, concerning how she approaches different kinds of paintings using her unique priming method for watercolor paintings. I wanted to know if she used the same priming method for landscapes that she uses for her botanical studies. Briefly, Susan’s method involves first applying clear water to a section being worked on, allowing that to nearly dry, then applying a second layer of clear water. Care is taken to wet only the area to be painted, such as a leaf or petal, with sharply defined borders. When the area has lost the wet look but is still damp, she applies the color. If another glaze is desired on top (which most often it will be) allow the first glaze to completely dry first. Otherwise the new glaze will loosen the previous glaze.
This method allows for a uniform layer of color and enables the artist to apply graded glazes for nice uniform transition in t...

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