Step-by-Step Water Color Painting

Watercolors can be painted anywhere.

Watercolor is known for its spontaneous quality, but becoming familiar with watercolor techniques and materials requires time and discipline.To get the most out of each painting session, watercolorists should take artist Katherine Chang Liu's advice: "Enjoy the process, and don't treat each painting as a product. Remove all expectations from the work." After all, each completed painting brings you one step closer to mastering the wet world of watercolor.

Things You'll Need

• Palette with wells
• Script brush
• Round brush with pointed tip
• Square wash brush
• Pre-stretched sheet of watercolor paper
• Masking tape
• Cotton balls
• Two large cups
• Masking fluid
• Old toothbrush
• Several small containers (baby food jars)
• Pad of drawing paper
• Carbon paper
• Ball-point pen
• Old paintbrush
• Hairdryer
• Gessoed plywood board
• # 2 pencil
• Artist-grade watercolor tube paints

Instructions

Step-By-Step Watercolor

1. 

   A little paint goes a long way.

   Work out a sketch in pencil on the sheet of drawing paper. Tape carbon paper to the back of the drawing, with the powdery side down. Tape both sheets to the watercolor sheet, with the sketch facing up. Trace the drawing with a ballpoint pen onto the watercolor sheet. Remove the sketch and the carbon paper. Tape the watercolor sheet to the gessoed board. Paint masking fluid with an old brush onto any areas which will remain white. Clean the brush immediately. Dry masking fluid with the hairdryer. Fill two cups with rinse water. Squeeze out tiny blobs of paint onto the palette center.

2. 

   Begin at the top of the paper.

   Mix paint with about 2 tbsp. water in small jars. Consistency should resemble 2 percent milk. Beginning with the largest areas, generously cover with water, using the square wash brush. Pour watercolor into one edge of the wet area. Tilt back and forth to prevent runs, until the area is covered with an even coat of color.
   To create clouds or lighten up color, gently tamp cotton ball onto the poured surface just before it is completely dry. Thoroughly dry the area with a hairdryer once the color is fairly even, with no drips.
   To paint smaller areas, drip in paint with a round brush. Sprinkle small amounts of table salt onto wet but even color to achieve the effect of foliage. Allow paint to air-dry.

3. 

   Gravity is the watercolorist's helper.

   For a deeper tint or to change the base color, gently cover the entire area with water and paint a wash (as described in step 2) as needed, drying between applications.
   To achieve a graded wash (with varied intensity of color), angle the painting at about 30 degrees and dribble a small amount of diluted paint onto the top of a moistened section. Tilt from side to side. Absorb any excess color with a dry brush. Dry with the hairdryer.

4. 

   Speckles over an uneven wash produce interesting textures.

   Gently rub off all masking fluid. Smooth any undesirably harsh edges with a damp brush. Dry with a hairdryer. Mix paints with water in palette wells, using the round brush. Cover everything except the area to be painted with some scrap papers.
   To make speckles, dip an old toothbrush into the diluted paint, aim and spatter using a thumb or finger, or tap a loaded paintbrush against another paintbrush handle. Less water makes smaller speckles.
   For grass, weeds or wood grain, stroke with a toothbrush or a script brush dipped into barely diluted paint.
   Before painting detail work such as eyes, soak up excess water near the ferrule (opposite end of the tip) of the script brush.
   Add extra sparkles (scraffito) by scratching through paint to the white of the paper. Scrape with the sharp end of the wash brush.

5. 

   Choose an acid-free mat and frame to enhance the painting.

   Finish by carefully removing the masking tape from the completely dried painting. Sign and date the painting.

Tips & Warnings

• Steady the painting hand (to create details or straight lines) by supporting the hand with the pinky finger, anchoring the hand with the base of the palm, or by resting a wrist on the opposite arm.

• To avoid muddy colors, mix cool and warm or cool and cool, but avoid mixing warms.

• Test colors on scraps of watercolor paper before applying to the painting.

• Test for dryness with the back of the hand, once the paper is no longer shiny. Wet paper is feels cool to the touch.

• Absorb any excess color with a dry brush.

• Don't worry about buckling. Once the painting is completely dry, just lightly dampen the back of the paper and set it under a weighted board overnight.

• Brush lightly so as not to bruise or scrape the paper.

• Do not soak brushes in the rinse water.

References

• Watercolor Painting: Step-by-Step Painting: Blue Window
• Artist Daily: Masters: 20 Great Watercolor Teachers Offer Their Best Recommendation

Resources

• Watercolor Painting: Tips and Techniques Tutorials
• Artist Daily: Learn the Key to Lifelike Watercolor