Watercolour for Beginners: Basic Brush Strokes to Practise

Before 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.

Watercolour TechniquesLouise De Masi15 January 2024Techniques, Technical Guides, Tutorial, Beginner Tips, Daily PracticeComment

Mastering Water Control in Watercolour Painting: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding 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.

Top Tips for Using Masking Fluid

When it comes to applying masking fluid, your imagination is the limit. You can use synthetic brushes, ruling pens, silicone brushes, toothbrushes for splattering effects, sponges, bamboo quills and even fountain pens. Each tool brings its own unique magic to the paper.

Watercolour Techniques, Art SuppliesLouise De Masi22 December 2023Supplies, Beginner Tips Comments

A Simplified Painting from a Detailed Subject

When 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.

4 Characteristics of Watercolour Paints

Opacity is influenced by the degree of dilution in watercolour paints. Water is used for diluting watercolour paint, and the extent of dilution directly impacts the tonal value of the paint colour. It's worth noting that transparent pigments, when applied to the paper at their full intensity (with minimal water added), can appear opaque. On the other hand, when water is used to thin down opaque pigments, they can show a more transparent quality.

How to Paint Lost and Found Edges in Watercolour

I 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.

Watercolour Techniques, Watercolour ProjectsLouise De Masi23 November 2023Techniques, Tutorial, Beginner TipsComment

How Do You Mix Black Watercolour Paint?

The 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.

The Benefits of Using a Limited Colour Palette

The 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.

Ampersand Aquabord Panels for Watercolour

Painting on Aquabord offers a unique experience compared to traditional watercolour paper. Watercolour paper encourages exploration and experimentation, striking a delicate balance between control and spontaneity. The paint dances over the wet paper, producing surprising and delightful effects.

However, painting on Aquabord requires a distinct and different approach. The clay surface is absorbent and it doesn't stay wet for long. When I use it, I have to change my normal painting method.

How to simplify a reference photo to make a line drawing for a painting.

When 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.

Help! My watercolour paper dries too fast when I work wet on wet.

To test both of these mediums, I took two glasses and used two pipettes. In one glass, I put 5 drops of gum arabic, and in the other, I added 5 drops of ox gall. Then, I painted rectangles of each solution in my watercolour diary, alongside a rectangle using just plain water. I watched them dry, and indeed, the rectangles with the mediums mixed into the water stayed wet longer than the rectangle with plain water. However, the difference in drying time was marginal. Nevertheless, I was still hopeful that these mediums would make a difference to blending and drying times when I was painting.

How to Blend Watercolour Paint

There 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.

Watercolour Techniques, Watercolour ProjectsLouise De Masi11 September 2023Techniques, Technical Guides, Tutorial, Beginner TipsComment

Wet on Wet, Wet on Dry, and Glazing. How do you know when to use each technique?

Unlike 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.

Watercolour Techniques, Watercolour ProjectsLouise De Masi6 September 2023Techniques, TutorialComment

How to Find Your Art Style

Your personal art style refers to the unique and distinctive way in which you express yourself through your work. It is your artistic voice. It is the result of your personal preferences, experiences, influences, and creative decisions. A personal art style encompasses your individual techniques, subject matter choices, colour palette, compositional preferences, and overall visual language. It is unique to you and it's a reflection of your personality and creative identity.

12 things you can do with a wet watercolour wash

Sometimes 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.

Watercolour TechniquesLouise De Masi14 August 2023Techniques, Beginner Tips Comments

Why is Painting in Watercolour so Challenging?

When 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.

7 Habits of Successful Artists

If you are like me, you probably frequently struggle with perfecting your technique, and there are times when your paintings may fall short of your expectations. Instead of throwing in the towel, persevere and strive for improvement. Don't give up easily and continue to push through your problems.

Motivational, Watercolour ProjectsLouise De Masi31 July 2023Tutorial Comments

Watercolour for Beginners: What you Need to Get Started

Painting in watercolour is magical! I became captivated by it in 2011, and my excitement for it has not waned since then.

With its delicate washes, amazing luminosity, and unpredictable nature, once watercolour has you in its spell there is no turning back. Every brush stroke becomes an adventure as you watch the wet paint dance over the paper. There is no other medium like it.

Getting Started, Watercolour Projects, Art SuppliesLouise De Masi20 July 2023Supplies, Beginner TipsComment

Watercolour Tips

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