Watercolor Control for the Reluctant Artist

Welcome, friend! I’m Raeanna—an artist, a homeschooling mom of five, and a firm believer that art is for everyone. Yep, even you, stick-figure skeptics and “I-can’t-even-draw-a-circle” folks. If you’ve ever wanted to try watercolor but felt overwhelmed, today’s tutorial is a perfect place to start.

We’re going to unlock the most important (and most overlooked) watercolor technique: water control. And we’re doing it the easy way—one color, no fancy supplies, no pressure.

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🌊 Why Water Control Matters

Think of water as the engine behind watercolor—it decides how your pigment flows, how intense your color looks, and whether your mountains look majestic or…melty. Mastering this one skill will open up every dreamy wash and bold texture in your watercolor journey.

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🖌 Supplies You’ll Need

Don’t worry—no pro-level stash required! Here’s what I used (and love):

• Paint: Mei Lang “Pretty Excellent” student-grade palette – we’re using Prussian Blue (PB27)
  Amazon Link to Mei Liang Palette
• Paper: Paul Reubens Cold Press Watercolor Block (5×7)
  Amazon Link to Paul Reubens Watercolor Paper
• Brushes: Mimic Round Size 6 & Princeton Neptune Round Size 10 (or whatever you have!)
  Amazon Link to Mimic Brushes & Amazon Link to Princeton Neptune Brushes
• Other Essentials: A plate for mixing, a paper towel, water jar, and optional hair dryer
  
• (Bonus: A cozy cup of tea to sip while you paint)
  

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☕ Step One: The “Tea to Butter” Water Control Exercise

This is where the magic begins. We’ll play with paint thickness from watery tea to buttery thick, so you can feel how paint and water behave.

🎨 Paint Consistencies Breakdown:

1. Butter – Very little water, thick and sticky. Scrapes across the paper.
   
2. Heavy Cream – Still thick but flows more.
   
3. Milk – Medium opacity, smooth.
   
4. Coffee – Lighter and more translucent.
   
5. Tea – Barely-there pigment; super light wash.
   

🧪 Try It Yourself:

1. Wet your brush and swirl it in the paint until it’s sticky—this is butter. Lay down a streak.
   
2. Add a bit of water = heavy cream. Paint a new line.
   
3. Add more water = milk. Repeat.
   
4. Keep adding = coffee.
   
5. One last splash = tea.
   

Do this back and forth—light to dark, dark to light. You’re getting to know your paint, and that’s half the battle!

Joseph Zbukvic is well known for citing this technique in his book Mastering Atmosphere & Mood in Watercolor: The Critical Ingredients That Turn Paintings into Art. Feel free to check it out. That is not an affiliate link, I just thought it would be helpful in case you are interested.

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⛰ Step Two: Paint a Peaceful Mountainscape

Let’s put those new skills to work with a dreamy one-color mountain scene. Each layer gets closer and darker, just like the Blue Ridge Mountains I love here in North Carolina.

🗺 Layer by Layer:

1. Distant Mountains (Tea Layer)

• Use your large brush and very diluted paint.
  
• Paint soft rolling hills across the top of your paper.
  
• Let dry completely (hair dryer helps!).
  

2. Mid-Mountains (Coffee or Milk)

• Mix a bit darker paint.
  
• Paint another hill slightly lower on the page.
  
• Still soft, but more defined.
  

3. Near Mountains (Heavy Cream)

• Use thicker paint for contrast.
  
• Add more texture and detail with less water.
  

4. Foreground (Butter)

• Go thick and bold.
  
• Drag that pigment across for rich, dark values.
  
• Add rough textures to mimic trees or rocky ledges.
  

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💡 Tips for Success

• Dry Between Layers: This keeps each mountain separate and crisp.
  
• Brush Size Matters: Bigger brushes = smoother washes.
  
• Too Much Water? Dab your brush on a paper towel to fix it.
  
• Not Enough Paint? Dip back in and load that brush!
  
• Paper Curling? Watercolor blocks are your best friend—glued on all four sides so they stay flat.
  

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✂️ Bonus: How to Remove Your Painting from a Watercolor Block

Once your masterpiece is dry, find the little gap in the glued edge, slide in a palette knife or credit card, and gently slice around the edge. Voilà—freedom!

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🌄 Final Thoughts

And there you have it—your first watercolor mountain painting using just one color and five consistencies. By mastering water control, you’ve opened the door to beautiful landscapes, luminous skies, and endless creative possibilities.

Keep practicing this tea-to-butter method—it’s the foundation for everything to come. Remember, you don’t need fancy supplies or decades of experience. Just a brush, a little blue paint, and the willingness to try.

Thanks for painting with me—and until next time, let’s grow hope one brush stroke at a time.

Check out more Watercolor Tutorials here!