Watercolour Tips

Watercolour tips and techniques to help you improve your painting skills.

Welcome to Louise De Masi’s Watercolour Tips Blog, your ultimate resource for mastering the art of watercolour painting.

Dive into expert advice, step-by-step tutorials, answers to common questions and creative techniques to elevate your artistry. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, Louise’s insightful posts cover everything from basic brushwork to advanced colour blending. Discover how to choose the best materials, perfect your painting skills, and find inspiration for your next masterpiece.

Join our community of passionate artists and unleash your creativity with Louise De Masi’s professional watercolour tips.

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Blog Post Index

How to Find Your Painting Style

How to Find Your Painting Style

When you watch my tutorials, I want you to think of them as a jumping-off point. Don’t feel like you need to replicate every step exactly. Instead, start experimenting by making small changes. For instance, you could swap out the colours I use and choose a palette that resonates with you.

If I’m painting a bird, maybe you’ll add your own background - a loose wash of colour or some foliage to give it your unique flair. Another idea is to combine techniques or elements from different tutorials to create something entirely your own.

Getting Started, Watercolour How toLouise De Masi2 January 2025Artistic growth, BenefitsComment

How to Paint Florals in Watercolour

How to Paint Florals in Watercolour

I always begin my floral paintings with a wet-on-wet technique for the initial wash, embracing the unpredictability and softness it brings. This stage is about capturing the ephemeral qualities of petals- their delicacy and the gentle interplay of light and shadow. I wet the paper first, allowing the paint to flow freely, blending seamlessly into the damp surface. Sometimes, I paint each petal individually, while other times I apply a wash over the entire flower at once. It depends on the flower and the level of colour or value variation within each petal.

Watercolour Subjects, Watercolour How toLouise De Masi17 December 2024Techniques, Technical Guides, Beginner TipsComment

The Importance of Using a High-Quality Watercolour Journal

The Importance of Using a High-Quality Watercolour Journal

I love using watercolour sketchbooks for small studies. They’re perfect for experimenting with colours and working out compositions before committing to a larger painting. These quick studies not only help me refine my ideas but also build my confidence, knowing I’ve tested my approach beforehand. A journal becomes a safe space to explore and make mistakes without pressure.

Art Supplies, Watercolour How toLouise De Masi10 December 2024Technical Guides, Supplies, Artistic growth Comments

Master Watercolour Painting with my Online Tutorials

Master Watercolour Painting with my Online Tutorials

In my videos, I take you behind the scenes of my painting process. You’ll see how I carefully select a subject photo - whether it’s a delicate flower, a majestic animal, or a simple object that tells a story. I explain how to choose colours that bring harmony and life to your paintings, sharing tips on colour mixing that will build your confidence with every palette you create.

I provide a clean and accurate line drawing with each tutorial, ensuring a strong foundation for the painting. No detail is too small, and nothing is hidden. I want you to see and understand every step, from the initial inspiration to the final brushstroke. I share a full video, that lets you recreate the tutorial, while learning all the elements needed to bring your artistic vision to life. Not only that, but I believe in sharing my knowledge openly so that you can learn and grow as an artist.

Motivational, Getting StartedLouise De Masi4 December 2024Artistic growth, Daily PracticeComment

Watercolour Christmas Cards

Watercolour Christmas Cards

With patience and practice, these baubles can become stunning centrepieces for your holiday cards.

Creating your own watercolour Christmas cards is a joyful way to celebrate the season and share your creativity with loved ones. Whether you paint a single bauble or an entire festive arrangement, your handmade card is sure to bring a smile to anyone who receives it.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi22 November 2024Tutorial, Technical GuidesComment

Pen and Watercolour

Pen and Watercolour

One of the great things about line and wash is its versatility, but choosing the right surface is key to letting both your ink lines and watercolour washes come to life. In my experience, a few surfaces work best, each bringing out different qualities in the technique. Opt for white paper to really let the transparency of your watercolour art supplies shine.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi15 November 2024Technical Guides, Techniques Comments

Exploring Composition in Paintings

Exploring Composition in Paintings

You’ve probably heard of the rule of thirds - it’s a common compositional guideline that divides your canvas into a grid of nine equal parts, with two horizontal and two vertical lines. You might’ve noticed this grid when using the camera on your phone. The idea is to place your key elements along these lines or at their intersections to create a more balanced, engaging composition.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi8 November 2024Tutorial, Technical GuidesComment

10 Common Watercolour Mistakes and How to Fix Them

10 Common Watercolour Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Watercolour’s transparency is what makes it so beautiful, but it’s also where the challenge lies. If you don’t allow each layer to dry completely before adding the next, you can disturb the underlying colours, causing them to mix in ways you didn’t intend. This can lead to muddy colours in your painting, where the vibrancy of the colours is lost.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi3 November 2024Beginner Tips, Technical GuidesComment

Experimenting with Salt in Watercolour Painting

Experimenting with Salt in Watercolour Painting

Different types of salt can produce different results. Coarse sea salt, with its larger crystals, tends to create bold, dramatic textures, while table salt results in smaller, more delicate starbursts.

It’s fun experimenting with both to see what kinds of patterns they produce on your watercolour paper.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi25 October 2024Tutorial, Technical GuidesComment

Exploring Colour Mixing with My Schmincke Watercolour Set

Exploring Colour Mixing with My Schmincke Watercolour Set

Colour mixing is essential for any artist because it offers flexibility, enabling you to achieve unique tones and adjust the vibrancy or mood of your work. Whether you're painting landscapes, portraits, or still lifes, the ability to create custom shades gives you more control over your composition and allows for a greater level of depth and harmony in your artwork. It also teaches you how colours interact, deepening your understanding of pigments and how they behave on paper.

Watercolour How to, Art SuppliesLouise De Masi21 October 2024Tutorial, Technical Guides Comments

My 5 Top Tips for Beginner Watercolour Painters

My 5 Top Tips for Beginner Watercolour Painters

When you're starting out, it's tempting to buy the cheapest supplies available – after all, you’re just experimenting, right? But here's the thing: quality materials can make all the difference in how your artwork turns out and, more importantly, in how you feel while painting.

Getting StartedLouise De Masi18 October 2024Technical Guides, TechniquesComment

Ideas For Setting Up a Watercolour Palette

Ideas For Setting Up a Watercolour Palette

Every artist’s needs are different, and customising your palette for specific projects or styles can enhance your workflow. For example, you might create a separate palette for landscapes, focusing on earthy tones and a wider range of greens, while a portrait palette could include more colours for skin tones and lots of subtle neutrals.

Watercolour How to, Getting Started, Art SuppliesLouise De Masi17 October 2024Painting space, SuppliesComment

Fixative for Watercolour

Fixative for Watercolour

Sealing a watercolour painting can be an excellent way to protect it from environmental factors, especially if you plan to display it without glass. When a painting isn’t framed behind glass, it is more vulnerable to moisture, smudging, and dirt.

Applying a protective sealer or workable fixative creates a barrier over the surface, adding extra durability to your artwork. For those who like to give their pieces a modern, glass-free look, sealing is essential.

Watercolour How to, Art SuppliesLouise De Masi10 October 2024Tutorial, Techniques, SuppliesComment

Exploring Watercolour Washes

Exploring Watercolour Washes

The choice of watercolour brush can significantly influence the outcome of your washes. A larger mop brush is ideal for laying down a flat wash, as it holds a considerable amount of water and paint, allowing for smooth, even coverage. When applying a graded wash, a smaller round brush can give you more control as you gradually change the intensity of the colour.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi27 September 2024Tutorial, Technical GuidesComment

How to Transfer Sketches Using the Grid Method

How to Transfer Sketches Using the Grid Method

Draw the Grid: Connect the marks with straight lines, running both horizontally and vertically across the entire surface of your sketch. Be sure to keep your lines light; you want them to be visible but not overpowering. If you’re concerned about the lines showing through, use a lightbox or tape your paper to a window to keep the lines faint.

Some artists also use diagonal lines to help maintain proportional accuracy when transferring more complex images.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi16 September 2024Tutorial, Technical Guides Comments

Transferring Your Sketch to Watercolour Paper

Transferring Your Sketch to Watercolour Paper

One of the most exciting parts of starting a new watercolour piece is getting your sketch ready on the paper. But transferring that sketch, aka tracing a drawing, can be a bit tricky, especially when you want to preserve the delicacy of your watercolour paper.

There are several methods to do this, and today, we’ll explore some popular techniques, discuss which pencils work best, and answer the age-old question: is it “cheating”?

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi13 September 2024Tutorial, Technical Guides Comments

Watercolour is the Hardest Medium to Paint With

Watercolour is the Hardest Medium to Paint With

If you enjoy living on the edge, watercolour has you covered. One rogue drop of painting water can send your entire painting into a tailspin of panic. Accidentally drip painting water onto your almost-finished piece? Say goodbye to those crisp lines and hello to unplanned chaos.

It’s like the art equivalent of stepping on a LEGO – sudden, unexpected, and excruciatingly painful. The only difference is, you can’t just toss the painting in the bin… or can you?

Watercolour How to, MotivationalLouise De Masi5 September 2024Technical Guides, Benefits Comments

Painting a Portrait on an Aquabord Panel

Painting a Portrait on an Aquabord Panel

When working on Aquabord panels, just like with watercolour paper, it's important to wait until the paint is completely dry before adding more layers, or things can get messy. Washes on Aquabord often dry patchy, but I’ve learned not to worry too much about that since they can be smoothed out with a damp brush once fully dry.

Watercolour How toLouise De Masi2 September 2024Tutorial, Technical Guides, SuppliesComment