8 Watercolor Tips That Will Improve Your Painting

Watercolor is a beautiful style of art. With soft brushstrokes and the help of water to move the paint, this style of painting can create incredible masterpieces. However, everyone needs to start somewhere. Here are eight tips that can improve your painting and help you create art that lasts.

1.  Check Your Water

There are two things that create a beautiful watercolor piece: water and paint. That means that both need to be high quality. Some locations are known to have hard water. The calcium and other minerals in the water can affect the way your paint looks, so consider using distilled water or getting a water softener for your home.

Although paint from the dollar store is a great way to start out, consider buying better quality paints. Look for colors such as ultramarine blue or cadmium red to get the richest colors on your palette.

1.  Use the Right Brushes

Painting requires skill, but it also requires rational thinking. Get a wide range of brush tips and sizes so that you can paint every part of your picture with the right brush. Some things, such as tree branches, require smaller brushes with an angled brush. You’ll enjoy having bigger brushes, too, when doing large washes.

1.  Use Heavier Paper

One of the biggest mistakes rookies make is using the wrong paper. Printer paper easily curls and warps under the water. When painting, use paper that is primed for watercolor. Some paper measures the weight of one ream of paper. The heavier the paper, the better it is for watercolor. Try looking for paper that is labeled 140 lbs. or higher.

1.  Sketch It Out First

Now that you have the best of the basics, remember that the beginning stages are the most important. If you spend enough time measuring, sketching and planning, your end result can end up much more accurate. Feel free to lightly sketch the important parts of the painting in pencil. You can follow your outline until you create a foundation of paint to rely on. If the pencil marks are pretty dark, lightly erase them before painting, otherwise you won’t be able to remove them once paint has been applied.

1.  Paint Light to Dark

Unlike acrylic and oil painting, watercolor goes from light to dark. Instead of adding highlights, you’re painting in the lowlights. While this can be a little confusing at first, remember to keep your lightest parts protected as you apply the darker colors. Once you paint the darker colors, it’s a lot more difficult to undo.

1.  Be Patient

Watercolor painting takes time. Since most of the experience requires layering, you’ll have to wait in between each layer as the water dries. This is particularly important. If you paint over something that is still wet, you risk mixing colors or taking paint off the first layer. This type art is also a practice of patience.

1.  Learn Different Styles

As you develop your watercolor skills, take time to learn different techniques. The common styles of wet on wet and wet on dry can be useful for different types of paintings. As you expand your knowledge of these painting styles, you can easily find the best way to paint something.  Don’t hesitate to experiment new styles on your own and find what you like doing best. Watercolor doesn’t have to look realistic, there are many opportunities to throw in your own creativity and style.

1.  Get Additional Supplies

Although other supplies are not necessary, you may find some equipment makes painting easier or helps you develop your own style. Consider getting some masking fluid, which can help you cover light areas when doing a dark wash. Mediums and spray varnish can also alter the way the paint dries or stays on the canvas, similar to oil painting. It’s up to you to decide what you want in your artist corner.

As you learn more about the do’s and don’ts of watercolor practices, you can begin to develop your own skill and find new heights in watercolor painting. Get practicing today!