How to Approach Watercolor Painting As a Beginner

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Lay a sheet of watercolor paper out on a table.

   Draw some very simple design on it with light pencil marks.
   
   A square or circle is a good idea.
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   Step 2: Put a small dab of any color of watercolor onto the white palette plate.

   , If there is too much water in the brush, dab it on the towel to soak up the excess, or lightly shake the excess out of the brush. , Don't use too much — just enough to make the watercolor liquid. , Next, paint this inside the shape drawn on your paper.
   
   If the paint is too thick, and stays in one place, dip your brush into the water again and add a little more water to the paint on the paper.
   
   Keep experimenting with different amounts of water versus paint mixtures to get a feel for just the right amount of water versus paint you desire.
   
   If you want a "dry brush" look, you will use less water on your brush versus the amount of paint.
   
   If you want a very wet flowing look, you will want more water versus paint.
   
   Fill in the shape with color on your paper. ,, Using a big brush or a sponge, get it wet all over.
   
   Then try painting into that with different colors.
   
   As the paper dries, observe the different ways the paint reacts with how much water there is on the paper. , Colors mingle with each other on the paper easily and some colors migrate more than others.
   
   Try laying down stripes of blue, then a stripe of yellow or gold next to it, then a stripe of red after the gold when it's very wet.
   
   You'll see the mixtures your colors create as they form a smooth gradation. , Now your strokes will still be soft edged but a little more defined.
   
   Once the color's down, let it dry completely and then add details wet on dry. , Mix some sky blue.
   
   Mark some hills and a tree in your sketch lines.
   
   First paint them in loosely wet in wet.
   
   Then start adding some large details wet on damp.
   
   Finally add all the smallest details with wet on dry when it's completely dry. , Hold the back of your hand over the painting, but do not touch it.
   
   It takes a little practice to really feel the dampness this way, but touching your painting could damage it or leave skin oils on it.
   
   Don't remove the tape around the edges until it's completely flat and dry.
   
   The tape is what's keeping the paper flat or flattening it out again when it bubbles up. , It's a little more expensive but very convenient for a beginner. , Then shake salt in it before it dries.
   
   You'll get some beautiful effects that you can use to make snowflakes in the sky or lichen on rocks. ,, Anything you mask with masking tape will stay clean and white. , Paint around or mask anything you need to keep white.
   
   Getting used to "negative painting" like this will also help you get more accurate outlines to objects than trying to draw the object itself.
   
   Try drawing just the shape of the space around the cup exactly and the shape of the space within the handle instead of drawing the cup.
   
   You'll see a big difference in accuracy! , Once a watercolor mark or area is completely dry, mix a thin wash of another color and paint over it quickly.
   
   It will change the color and, if you do it carefully, won't disturb the details you painted under it.
   
   A light gold glaze on sunlit areas in a landscape can make the sunlight look much richer. , Watch videos on YouTube and other places to get ideas for watercolor techniques.
   
   Then paint something you really like.
   
   A good type of painting that translates well to watercolor is Sumi-E or Japanese ink painting — those strokes and techniques are just as beautiful in watercolor.
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   Step 3: Get your brush lightly wet.

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   Step 4: Drop a couple of drops of water (from your paintbrush) onto the dab of watercolor that you have on your palette plate.

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   Step 5: Dip your brush into the watercolor liquid on your palette

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   Step 6: and lift a small amount of color onto your brush.

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   Step 7: Let the picture dry.

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   Step 8: Take a piece of watercolor paper

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   Step 9: tape down the edges firmly on a drawing board.

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    Step 10: You can get a very smooth background light color by going wet into wet.

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    Step 11: Try letting it dry until the sheen is gone but the paper is still damp.

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    Step 12: Use a very simple subject at first that has broad areas of color.

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    Step 13: You can tell when the paper is completely dry because it will no longer feel cool.

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    Step 14: You can use a watercolor block that's gummed on all four sides like the top of a writing pad instead of taping your paper down.

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    Step 15: Try using a big wash — lots of light color — in an area.

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    Step 16: Try drawing on the paper with a white colored pencil

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    Step 17: wax crayon or candle end to see the lines show up when you watercolor over them.

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    Step 18: Try cutting out shapes in masking tape and painting inside those shapes to get exact shapes.

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    Step 19: Always paint watercolor paintings by painting the dark areas first and paint around the light areas.

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    Step 20: Try "glazing."

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    Step 21: Read books and articles on watercolor and try the ideas in them.

Detailed Guide

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