For all of us there are times when we have a bit more to cover than our foundation will handles. A blemish, a dark spot, dark circles under the eyes. That’s when a good concealer comes in handy. Foundation is perfect for evening out skin tone and providing overall skin coverage. For those touch up spots a concealer is the answer.

There are a wide variety of concealers on the market. Some concealers are too pink, too dry, too hard to apply. Finding one that does the job for you may take some experimentation.
How to apply your concealer

1. Match your concealer to your skin tone, be sure it is no more than one shade lighter for the best results

2. For the best and most natural coverage apply your foundation first, then apply your concealer to the flaw areas and retouch foundation if needed.

3. Apply lightly,and add more as needed. Be sure it doesn’t look caked and and unnatural. Blend thouroughly.

4. If you have dry skin apply a light moisturizer prior to applying foundation and concealer.

5. Concealer is best applied with a small brush by dabbing. For around the eyes you can use your fingers.
Concealer Product Review

1. Cle de Peau Beaute is a stick concealer, which works terrific on dark circles. It’s perfect for removing dark circles and eliminates dark spots. A little dab goes a long way and it lasts all day. It doesn’t cake.

2. Dermablend Blemish Concealer is a stick concealer that works great on acne cover up. It doesn’t run or become oily and it doesn’t turn orange.

3. Max Factor Erace Concealer is a stick concealer that is both inexpensive and effective. It’s sheer enough for use around the eyes, yet substantial enough to hide imperfections on other parts of the face.

4. Crhistian Dior Anti Fatigue Concealer is a liquid concealer with a sponge applicator. Works great on eye circles, blemishes, and fades fine lines. It does not cake.

5. Iman Concealer is a liquid concealer with sponge applicator. It provides medium coverage. Works great on eye circles and small imperfections.

6. L’Oreal Visible Lift Line Minimizing Concealer is a tube cream concealer. Provides light to medium coverage and works well with yellow undertones. Doesn’t cake and lasts all day.

Of course there are plenty of other great products on the market but these were our top picks.

Flat Wash Technique – The flat wash technique is one of the more basic and common of the various techniques. The flat wash technique is usually used when large areas of the canvas need to be covered. You will want to lay out the watercolor wash evenly and uniformly. First you will need to dampen the area of your canvas where you will be applying the watercolor wash. Make certain to have an adequate amount of water and pigment available before your start. If you should have to stop for any reason, it will be difficult to match your layers.. It is better to have more than less available. The angle at which you apply the watercolor wash is important. If the angle is too steep your wash will run down the paper. If the angle is too level, then you wont have enough movement. Use a large brush for this technique and start your first stroke at the top of the paper. Continue applying the watercolor wash going down the paper, but alternate sides as you move down.

Glazing Technique – The glazing technique is when you apply a thin transparent color over a completed dry layer of color. This technique creates some very interesting blends of new color. You will need to use a non-staining, transparent color for this watercolor technique. You should use a soft brush and dont apply that much pressure.

Wet In Wet Technique – Wet in wet is simply applying a wet wash over a wet surface. You start by evenly wetting the paper with a brush or spray bottle. Have a sponge handy to absorb any excess water. You want your paper to be evenly saturated. Then apply your watercolor.

Dry Brush Technique – With the dry brush technique, your paper is completely dry. You then apply a fairly dry pigment with very little water to the paper.

The dry brush technique should only be used where you want to draw focus or create texture in your painting. Its always a good idea to use various watercolor brush techniques in a single painting. This results in a more interesting painting.

Lifting Off Technique – Artists use this technique when they want to remove watercolor from a certain area of the panting. It is usually done by first wetting the area that needs to be removed with a clean sponge and then absorbing the color with a tissue. If you find that the color does not come off right away, then let the water soak in a bit longer and try again. If you still are unable to remove the color, then dampen a bristle brush and gently scrub the area. You should use extreme care with this watercolor technique, as there is a risk you can damage the paper.

I hope this article on watercolor techniques has helped. Happy Painting!br
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