How to Use Watercolor Brushes

Brush up on your brushwork! Experiment with a variety of brush strokes to develop your own painting style.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fan Watercolor Paintbrushes
• Flat Watercolor Paintbrushes
• Round Watercolor Paintbrushes
• Watercolor Blocks
• Watercolor Brush Cleaners
• Watercolor Brush Holders
• Watercolor Paintbrushes
• Watercolor Paints
• Watercolor Paper

1. Dampen your brush by dipping it in water.

2. Dip your brush in paint. The amount of paint on your brush will affect the texture of your line.

3. Use a wetter brush to make smoother lines and an almost-dry brush to make scratchier lines.

4. Hold your brush vertically with just the tip touching the paper to make fine lines. Apply more pressure to make thicker lines.

5. Hold the brush on its side and use the whole body of the brush to paint lines.

6. Practice both straight and wavy strokes.

7. Try small wrist movements as well as strokes using your whole arm.

8. Use the tip or the body of the brush to make dabbed strokes.

9. Experiment on dry and damp paper. Strokes on dry paper will stay sharp and clear, while those on wet paper will spread and soften.

10. Experiment with flat, round and fan brushes.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the largest brush practical for each area of your painting.
• Avoid dipping a brush into paint past the ferrule, which is the metal band used to fasten the bristles to the handle.
• After using brushes, wash them in lukewarm water and brush cleaner or soap (not detergent). Reshape the brush tips and store them in a brush holder.

on 7/14/2006 Never leave your brushes in your pots of water when painting for long, as it will damage the brushes tip and cause it to bend to one side.

on 11/22/2005 When painting a sky, it is essential to work quickly. When the shine has gone off the paint add another color. If you add color too soon, you will get leakage. Add color too late, and you will get a hard edge. Adding color when the shine has gone off the paint will create soft natural clouds. Use a large brush, similar to a household brush used for painting windows.

on 11/22/2005 When you are painting, be sure to clean your brushes often. This way you don't get a brown instead of a red. When you are finished painting, use a squirt of washing liquid and plenty of warm water to clean your brushes. Be sure to clean the washing liquid from the brushes thoroughly.