How to Blend Watercolors

Watercolor paints are the least expensive of the fine art paints; so oftentimes, students and new painters learn to paint using watercolors. Once you learn to blend your watercolors, you can make your paintings look as if they were done by a pro. Here are some ways you can blend two or more watercolors.

Things You'll Need

• Artist's pallet with wells
• Pallet knife
• Watercolor paper
• Colors you want to blend together
• Art sponge
• Watercolor paint brush

Instructions

Blend a New Color

1. Start with your pallet. You will use the pallet to blend a completely new color. This method of blending keeps your paper from getting muddy with other colors.

2. Put paint of each of the colors you want to blend into different wells on your pallet. Make sure they are not touching yet. You want to be able to control how much each color is represented in your final color.

3. Wet the end of a pallet knife with water. This will help you to pick up small amounts of paint without lifting more than you want.

4. Add the amount of each color you want into a pallet well. Place all of the colors in the same well this time.

5. Stir the colors together with the pallet knife. If the colors are too thick to blend just yet, add a drop of water at a time until your paint is the right thickness.

Blend Colors to Make Transitions

1. Take a damp sponge, and use it to moisten your watercolor paper. Your paper will need to have some water on it so that you can blend your watercolors directly on your paper, creating transitions.

2. Put each of the paint colors you want to blend into different wells in your art pallet. Take your brush and add a little water to each well, until your watercolors are loose, yet thick.

3. Start blending. Dip your brush in one well and apply the paint to your paper. To get your colors to blend, all you have to do is apply the second color to your paper and have the colors overlap. The water on your paper and the water in your paint will do the blending for you.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding water to paper may cause it to curl. You can prevent curling by using art tape or masking tape to tape along the edges of your paper.