Welcome to my watercolour painting tips page! You've stumbled upon my secret lair where I share my top-secret tips for mastering the art of watercolour. Just kidding, it's not a secret lair, but it is the perfect place for you to brush up on your painting skills (pun intended). As a professional watercolour artist, I'll be sharing all the juicy details on how to create stunning watercolour masterpieces. So whether you are a beginner or a seasoned watercolour artist, go and grab a cup of tea, your brushes and your paints, and let's create some magic together!
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There are two effective methods to achieve soft edges in watercolour painting. The first is the wet-on-wet technique, where you are applying paint to wet paper. This method allows the paint to spread across the moist surface, naturally creating a soft edge as it disperses. You can apply this technique to paper that's visibly wet and shiny or to paper that's merely damp, after the initial sheen has faded.
Read MoreIn my studio, surrounded by brushes, pigments, painting materials and light that inspires my work, the choice of paper is paramount. The watercolour paper surface and the used sizing will greatly affect the outcome. I've found that artist-quality papers, like Arches, offer a balance that complements the lifting technique beautifully.
Read MoreOne thing most watercolour artists try to avoid is making mud when they mix colours.
Muddy colours appear lifeless or lacking in vibrancy. To avoid making dull colours it's best to use transparent colours when you mix paint.
Opaque pigments, because they are heavier and denser, tend to become dull and lifeless when you mix with them, particularly when you mix two or more opaque pigments together. If you need to mix with an opaque pigment - pair it with a transparent pigment to avoid a thick and heavy mixture.
Read MoreIt's important to store your watercolour brushes well to maintain their shape, preserve the bristles, and extend their lifespan.
I used to store my brushes upright in containers but when we built my studio I included some narrow drawers to be built into the cabinetry.
I now store my brushes in the drawers. I bought some PVC multi purpose cupboard protector rolls and I cut them to fit inside the drawers. The liner stops the brushes from rolling around when I open and shut the drawers.
Read MoreBefore you start practicing there are several factors that can affect the outcome and quality of your brush strokes in watercolour painting.
Be aware of how much water you have mixed into your paint mixture. Thicker paint may result in more textured strokes, while thinner paint creates smoother, more translucent effects. When you are practicing brush strokes like those demonstrated in this blog post, you want the paint brush to glide over the paper so your paint mixture needs to be fluid and not too thick.
Read MoreUnderstanding the amount of water on your brush and its interplay with the paper is vital. Watercolour techniques like dry-on-dry, wet-on-dry, wet-on-wet, and dry-on-wet are not just techniques; they are the essence of watercolour painting. Each watercolour method allows for a different expression of water and pigment, and mastering these can elevate your art.
Many beginners may not use enough water on their paper. The brush should glide effortlessly over the paper for most techniques, except for dry brushing. Adjusting the water level in the paint mixture or in your brush, can help achieve the right flow.
Read MoreWhen I paint, I don't want to replicate the photo, I want to create an original piece of art.
There's a lot of information in my reference photo. The background is really busy and the Cockatoo has a lot of feather detail so I recognised the need to simplify to achieve a successful painting.
The photograph created the initial spark for the painting but it is merely a starting point to help convey the essence of the scene.
Read MoreI refer to a lost edge as an edge that is absent. A lost edge is painted by allowing the adjacent colours or values to blend or bleed into one another. In the Leucadendron painting below I have obscured the edges of some of the bracts and leaves by making the background colour the same colour as the subject.
Read MoreThe pre-mixed blacks appear a bit dull and uninspiring compared to the black I mixed myself. There's just something about the personally mixed hue that adds a touch of life to it. It's subtle, but it makes a difference.
When you mix blacks you can also adjust the temperature of the colour which will add some life to your paintings. Because you are mixing colours together, you are in control of the ratios. If you want a cool black, mix more of the cool colour you are using. If you want a warm black use a bit more of the warm colour you are mixing with.
Read MoreThe goal of using a limited palette is to achieve color harmony, simplify the decision-making process, and gain better control over the interaction of colors in a painting. You use a limited palette to create balanced, cohesive, and visually pleasing paintings.
It's important to note that a limited palette is not 'limiting'. Hazel Soan emphasises that working with a limited palette doesn't confine your creativity; instead, it sets you free. It empowers you to paint fearlessly, secure in the knowledge that your colors will harmonise effortlessly.
Read MoreWhen creating drawings for watercolour paintings, you need to select and include essential information while omitting unnecessary details. Planning plays a crucial role in guiding these decisions it serves as a roadmap, allowing you to make informed decisions about what to emphasise in your line drawing.
Begin your painting process by carefully choosing your reference material, prioritising clear focal points and well-defined shapes that will translate effectively into your drawing.
Read MoreThere are a few different watercolour techniques you can use on both a wet surface, and on a dry surface.
Get yourself a 100% cotton watercolour journal and spend some time practicing all of the blending techniques I have described below.
Read MoreUnlike the wet-on-dry method, glazing is a technique that allows you to adjust the colour and tone of an existing area without altering its underlying details.
Glazing adds richness and complexity to your watercolour painting by modifying the colour and creating subtle variations, making it a valuable technique for achieving depth and complexity in your artwork.
Read MoreSometimes blooms can be a problem on a painting. For example, if you were painting a clear sky you don't want a bloom to appear on the drying wash. As the drying process advances, you'll notice the paper reaches a certain point where it is no longer entirely wet but not entirely dry either. This 'drying point' is crucial in avoiding blooms. When you reach this stage, resist the urge to continue working in the same area. Instead, shift your focus to other parts of the painting that require attention. Working elsewhere during this stage helps prevent accidental blooms.
Read MoreWhen working wet on wet, the fluidity of watercolour paint is one of its characteristics that makes it so appealing to use. Some artists say that a watercolour painting often paints itself. This is because of the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of working with watercolor. It captures the idea that watercolor, due to its unique properties, can sometimes lead to unexpected and beautiful results that may seem to emerge organically, almost as if guided by the medium itself.
Read MoreWhen you mix colours it’s a good idea to start with the lighter colour or the colour that has the lighter value.
For example, if you want to mix green, it’s best to start with yellow and mix blue into it gradually until you reach your desired colour, rather than the other way around where you start with blue and mix yellow into it. Blue has a darker value than yellow- it is more dominant than yellow.
Doing it this way will reduce paint wastage.
Read MoreIt's called negative painting because it refers to the technique of painting or utilising the area of negative space around a subject. You are effectively, painting the negative spaces in order to leave the positive shapes.
Negative spaces on a painting are those empty areas that surround your subject. The positive spaces or positive shapes, are the subject itself.
Read MoreCharging can be used to create interesting textures and visual effects in watercolour paintings. By manipulating the wet paint or water, you can create patterns, ripples, and organic shapes, adding depth and visual interest to your artwork.
When I paint initial washes on a subject I like to add interest by dropping in another unexpected colour as I did here on this Rooster painting.
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