Simple But Essential Steps to Paint Beautifully With Watercolours
We do offer Watercolour Workshops which are suitable for complete beginners as well as seasoned artists.
First and Foremost - Choose Good Quality Materials
If you need more information, you can read our post on picking the right supplies
Prepare Your Workspace
Set up a clean, flat surface where you can work comfortably.
Place two cups of clean water, your brushes, paper towel and palette nearby.
Tape down your paper ( using masking tape around the edges will also give it a neat border ).
Lightly Sketch Out Your Composition
Use an HB Pencil to mark where your shapes will be on the paper, keeping the marks light so they can be removed later.
Keep it simple - aim for just a basic layout rather than a full drawing, you can add detail with paint later.
Plan your White Space
Because watercolour is translucent ( see-through ) white paint has very little effect on white paper. Therefore to achieve nice bright areas we need to reserve the white of the paper. There are several ways to do this depending on your subject;
The simplest and often most effective way is : Keep the white areas unpainted. You may want to sketch out the white shapes and highlights to make sure you don’t forget and accidentally fill them with paint. Best for medium-large areas.
Create a wax resist using a white candle - rub or draw onto the paper. The areas where wax sticks will make the paper ‘waterproof’ resisting the paint from absorbing into that area. Once on, it can’t be removed. It can be difficult to see what marks you’re making as it’s transparent, but when done well, it’s very effective for texture and seascapes.
Masking Fluid : Usually white or green in colour, masking fluid is a rubbery substance which can be painted on to make areas of the paper temporarily waterproof. The fluid dries into a tacky film which can then be painted over - and rubbed off once the painting is dry. The advantage is, once removed you can paint onto those areas again. The disadvantages are slow drying time, and tearing or damage to the surface of the paper. Therefore we recommend it only for small highlights.
Mix Your Colours
For tube watercolours, squeeze out a small amount of paint onto your palette and gradually mix a little with water until you achieve the desired colour intensity. If using watercolour pans, wet your brush and lightly swirl it over the paint.
You can mix colors to create new ones. For example, mixing blue with yellow will give you green. Try different ratios to vary the shades of green. As a rule of thumb, use less of the darkest colour to achieve a balanced mix.
Use scrap paper to test your colours - remember watercolour paints dry lighter than they initially appear when wet.
Start By Painting Your Larger Areas With Light ‘Washes’
For a Light Wash: Start with a light wash for backgrounds or larger areas. Use a bigger brush and apply a thin layer of water first, followed by your mixed paint, allowing it to spread and create a soft, blended look.
To keep colours separate, make sure they don’t touch while they are both wet. Either allow ( dry ) space between sections, or allow time for a section to dry completely before adding another next to it.
Practice Control with Water
Controlling the ratio and flow of water is the key watercolour painting. Be mindful of how fast the paint is drying. Drying times can vary significantly, affected not only by your materials but also the ambient temperature and humidity. When used on wet paper, the paint will spread, creating soft edges. Conversely you will create crisp edges when painting onto dry areas of the paper. Rewetting the paper when it’s partially dry can create unexpected effects as the paint flows differently when wet meets partially dry, migrating to the edges. This is sometimes known as a ‘cauliflower’.
Try creating different tones by adjusting the water-to-paint ratio. You can make the paint lighter ( more transparent ) by adding more water, or darker ( less transparent ) by using less water. Using the paint undiluted though, can cause problems as it’s designed to be used with water. Neat pigment can dry with an unwanted shine and flaky thickness.
Layering :
Watercolours are transparent, so layering colours on top of one another is a key feature of this medium. Bear in mind that the colours will combine to make a new blend. Red on top of yellow may create orange. Blue on top of yellow may create green. This can be a fun feature as new colours are created and textures build up showing the layers beneath.
Try adding additional dabs of colour to very wet areas for soft blends.
For defined marks, allow the first layer to dry completely. Then you will be painting onto a dry surface agin, creating crisp marks on top of the layer below.
Lifting Out :
It is possible to lift out colour with a dry brush or paper towel if you want to lighten areas. This works particularly well in skies, by removing some colour to create lighter clouds. If you make a mistake and would like to remove colour from an area, using a corner of paper towel will suck up some colour. Note, the paint must still be wet for this to be effective, and the lighter area will not usually return to white, merely a lighter shade.
Creating Texture :
Salt : While the paint is still wet, sprinkle salt onto the surface. The crystals will absorb paint from the immediate area, creating a rough textured effect. The bigger the salt crystals, the bigger the marks. Coarse salt is a favourite. But you must wait some time for the paint to dry fully before removing the salt, or streaks will appear where the wet paint drags as it falls or is wiped away.
Finishing :
Spatter is a nice finishing touch. Add by tapping a paint-loaded brush above your work. But be mindful of your surroundings! You can also use a toothbrush loaded with fine paint to get a mist-like speckle, as the fine bristles release tiny droplets.
Watercolour dries fairly quickly, but do be patient and allow it to dry fully before removing masking fluid and tape. Peel the tape carefully away from your work to avoid tearing.