Shaggy Ink Cap Mushroom Watercolor Tutorial: Easy Three Color Technique for Reluctant Artists

If you consider yourself a reluctant artist, this one is for you. With only three watercolor paints and two brushes, and a fun wet on wet technique, you can paint a sweet, shaggy little ink cap mushroom today.

Watch the Tutorial

Why This Watercolor Mushroom Painting Is Perfect for Beginners

This tutorial introduces a simple wet on wet blending technique, along with a bit of stippling, so it is a great next step once you feel comfortable with basic watercolor washes. Shaggy ink cap mushrooms have such a distinct, textured look, with little flakes and soft shading, that they are genuinely fun and quick to paint, with no pressure and no expectations required.

Watercolor Supplies You Will Need

Watercolor Paints (Three Colors Only)

• A warm yellow, such as New Gamboge
• A cool red, such as Quinacridone Rose
• A warm blue, such as French Ultramarine

Watercolor Brushes

• A round brush, size 3
• A round brush, size 10

Round brushes with a pointy tip work well here, since you will move between fine detail and softer, blended areas.

Watercolor Paper This tutorial uses a 5×7, 100% cotton watercolor block, glued on all four edges to prevent wrinkling while you paint. 100% cotton paper is highly recommended for the best results, no matter which size or brand you choose.

Step by Step: How to Paint a Shaggy Ink Cap Mushroom

Step 1: Premix Your Colors

Since this tutorial uses a wet on wet technique, it helps to mix all of your colors ahead of time so they are ready to go the moment you need them.

Light purple: Mix French Ultramarine and Quinacridone Rose to create a blue leaning purple, then add just a small dot of yellow to mute it slightly. Purple and yellow sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so a little yellow will soften the brightness without turning it gray, as long as you use it sparingly.

Dark purple: Mix the same blue and red combination again, this time with more pigment for a deeper, richer purple. Add a small dot of yellow here as well to keep it feeling muted and neutral rather than overly bright.

Warm brown: Mix New Gamboge with a touch of red to create a coral color, then add a small dot of blue until it shifts into a soft, light, creamy brown.

Step 2: Paint the Mushroom Cap

Using your light purple, paint a simple bell shape for the mushroom cap, keeping the color fairly light since you will be blending into it while it is still wet. Add a few small lines coming into the cap to suggest the flaking, shaggy texture the mushroom is named for.

Step 3: Blend in the Darker Purple

While the cap is still wet, load your brush with the darker purple and flick small strokes upward from the bottom of the cap. Because the first layer is still damp, the color will blend naturally on its own, adding depth and a bit of organic character. The exact placement does not need to be precise, nature is wonderfully versatile, and every mushroom looks a little different.

Step 4: Add the Warm Brown Accents

Clean your brush, then pick up your warm brown mixture and dab it onto the ends of the flaking lines and lightly across the cap itself. This helps the flaking texture feel like it wraps naturally around the whole mushroom rather than sitting only on one side. Blend gently so the color feels soft and subtle rather than sharp.

Step 5: Paint the Stem

Using your light purple again, paint a simple stem beneath the cap. The darker purple line where the cap meets the stem will naturally create separation between the two shapes, while still keeping the whole mushroom feeling cohesive.

Step 6: Mix and Stipple the Green Base

Mix New Gamboge and French Ultramarine to create a soft, blue leaning green, or adjust the ratio to whatever green feels right to you. Using a light touch, stipple this color at the base of your mushroom by lightly tapping the tip of your brush against the paper. This adds a bit of texture and gives the base a soft, ethereal feel. Depending on how much water is on your brush, the blue and yellow may separate slightly as they dry, which only adds to the natural, organic look.

Step 7: Add Hand Lettering

Clean your brush, pick up a bit of purple, and hand letter “shaggy ink cap” beneath your painting, in print, cursive, or your own personal script. This is meant to be a relaxed, low pressure finishing touch, not something that needs to be perfect.

A Note on Shaggy Ink Caps in the Wild

Shaggy ink caps are just one of many fascinating mushroom varieties you might spot growing in a nearby forest after a good rain. While most wild mushrooms are not meant for eating, and misidentifying one is a real risk worth avoiding, they are endlessly beautiful to simply observe, photograph, and try to identify. If you have ever come across a shaggy ink cap mushroom on a walk, it is worth pausing to notice the texture and shading that made this one such a fun little painting subject.

Tips for Practicing This Watercolor Technique

• Premix all of your colors before you begin so your wet on wet blending has time to work while the paper is still damp
• Keep your first layer of purple light, this gives the darker purple room to blend naturally rather than sitting flat on top
• Add yellow to your purple mixtures sparingly, since a little goes a long way in muting the brightness
• Let the stippling technique feel playful rather than precise, the texture is meant to look organic

Ready to Paint?

This is a sweet, quick, low pressure painting meant to help you relax and enjoy the process without worrying about getting every detail exactly right. If it turned out a little different than you expected, that is part of the fun. You do not need years of experience to create something lovely… you just need a little courage and a willingness to begin.

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