Watercolor Techniques Basics 101

Watercolor is one of my favorite mediums to paint with. It's very fluid but requires a lot of patience because the detail you can get with watercolor is amazing and you're working from light to dark so you have to think in those terms. For those new to watercolor I like to introduce them first to various techniques before diving right into painting. These techniques are good building blocks to working with watercolor.

Some of the techniques I like to cover may seem rudimentary at first but make a huge difference. For example, working with various brush sizes. Basic enough, right? Well, being able to work with various brush sizes makes a BIG difference in watercolors. So, I  ask the students to pick up a pack of various sized watercolor brushes and do an exercise with lines and fills and the amount of water picked up with the paint.  

Other techniques I like to introduce students to are finding a light source, textures, using sponges, lifting color, using salt, layering, watercolor washes, scumbling and more. If you're interested in learning more about watercolor techniques sign up for my 4-week online class here. Watercolor is a very rewarding medium to work with and basic techniques are key to creating a great piece of art.

Peace and Grace,
​Kelly