Watercolor 101: A Splashy Start

Dip Your Toes into Watercolor

Hey there, fellow artist! I’m excited that you’re here to explore the colorful world of watercolors with me. Welcome to our virtual art table, where we’re about to embark on an exciting journey together. If you’re new to watercolor painting or just looking to brush up on the basics, you’ve come to the right place.

Here we’re going to explore how water and pigment work together. It’s like a friendly chat over a cup of tea where I’ll share everything you need to know to start your watercolor adventure.

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Essential Watercolor Art Supplies

Brushes: Your Artistic Tools

Our first stop at the watercolor table is the brush station. Brushes are your artistic tools, and they come in various shapes and sizes. You don’t need a vast collection to begin. Here’s what you should know:

Types of Brushes

• Round Brushes: These are versatile, and suitable for various tasks.
• Flat Brushes: Ideal for broad strokes and covering larger areas.
• Detail Brushes: Perfect for intricate details.

Brush Care and Maintenance

Just like taking care of your gardening tools, it’s essential to look after your brushes. To keep them in excellent condition:

• Cleanse with Care: After each painting session, gently wash your brushes with mild soap and warm water.
• Shape Matters: Reshape the bristles when they’re still wet to maintain their form.
• Drying Upside Down: Hang your brushes bristle-side down to prevent water from seeping into the handle.

Paints: A Palette of Colors

Now, let’s talk about the stars of the show – your watercolor paints. Watercolors come in two primary forms: pans and tubes.

Types of Watercolor Paints

• Watercolor Pans: These are solid little cakes of paint found in a palette.
• Watercolor Tubes: These contain a more concentrated, liquid form of paint, perfect for mixing custom colors and larger artwork.

Choosing Quality Pigments

When selecting your colors, it’s best to invest in quality pigments. Quality over quantity is the key. Look for lightfast paints, meaning they won’t fade over time, ensuring your artwork retains its brilliance.

Paper: Your Canvas

Our canvas is equally important. Watercolor paper is specially designed to handle the watery nature of this medium.

Understanding Watercolor Paper Weight

Watercolor paper comes in various weights, expressed in pounds or grams per square meter (gsm). Lighter paper (around 90-140 lb or 190-300 gsm) is suitable for practice and sketching, while heavier paper (around 300 lb or 640 gsm) is better for finished artwork.

Paper Texture and Its Impact on Your Art

Paper texture can significantly affect your painting’s look and feel. There are two primary textures:

• Cold-Pressed: Offers a medium texture, versatile for various subjects.
• Hot-Pressed: Features a smoother surface, perfect for fine details.

Water: Your Vehicle

Water is how pigment gets activated. When watercolor pigments meet water it’s like love at first sight! They dance together in mysterious ways that cause all sorts of cool effects when you are painting with watercolor.

The 2 Jar Method

When painting with watercolors the best advice I have for you when it comes to water is to use 2 jars to keep your pigments vibrant. You can keep 1 jar for your clean water and 1 for your dirty water. An alternative option is to use 1 jar for warm colors and 1 jar for cool colors. It is up to you what will work best. The 2 jar method has been a lifesaver for me.

I also use hot water, it’s just a preference but seems to work well for me.

Setting Up Your Workspace

Creating Your Creative Haven

Creating a dedicated workspace is essential for your artistic endeavors. Set up a space where you can focus on your art without distractions. You don’t have to have an art studio to create art. If you are passionate about it, anywhere will do. With 5 children running around, I usually paint in my room, right on my bed. It’s not ideal but it’s peaceful, usually!

Proper Lighting for Painting

Good lighting is key to accurate color perception. Natural daylight or full-spectrum lighting is ideal, but if that’s not possible, invest in good-quality LED lights that mimic daylight.

The Magic of Palettes

An artist’s color palette holds the colors you’ll use to create your masterpiece. You can buy a palette or use a white ceramic plate or a plastic one to mix and store your paints. Choose whatever feels right for you. I keep my paints in a metal palette but I use a white dish for most of my mixing. It’s simple yet effective.

Watercolor Techniques: Your Creative Brushstrokes

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and talk about the exciting part – painting techniques and your first brushstrokes.

Wet-on-Wet

One of the most magical techniques in watercolor is the wet-on-wet. Wet-on-wet creates soft, blended colors. Here’s how to do it:

1. Wet the paper with a clean brush or a spray bottle.
2. Load your brush with paint and gently touch it to the wet paper.
3. Watch as the colors blend and create beautiful gradients.

Dry Brush

Dry brushing is similar to painting with other paint mediums. It creates a scratchy, textured effect. Here’s how:

1. Make sure your brush is almost dry with just a hint of paint.
2. Lightly and quickly drag it over dry paper to create texture.

Graded Wash

A graded wash creates a smooth transition of color. Here’s how:

1. Wet the paper slightly.
2. Load your brush with paint.
3. Start with a heavy concentration of paint at the top and gradually add water as you move down.

Splattering

Splattering adds a playful burst of color to your design. It’s a fun technique that adds energy to your artwork. Here’s how:

1. Load your brush with paint.
2. Hold the brush over your paper and tap it gently with another brush or your finger.

Salt Texture

Salt creates fascinating textures. Here’s how:

• While the paint is still wet, sprinkle table salt on your paper.
• Watch as the salt absorbs the paint and creates unique patterns.

Now You Know the Watercolor Basics

You have all the knowledge a beginner watercolor artist needs to put pigment to paper and create your first masterpiece!

• Dive Deeper into Advanced Water and Pigment Painting Techniques
• How to Make a Watercolor Palette as an Artist!
• Exploring Dynamic Water Color Paint: Which Brand to Choose?
• Unraveling Watercolor Paper: A Beginner Guide
• Navigate Negative Painting with Watercolor

Or create an Art Journal or Sketchbook out of a watercolor pad of paper and some string using the Coptic binding method!

I truly hope that this has been a helpful resource that inspires you to take a splash into the world of watercolor. I would love to know how your art is coming along!

I’d love for you to be my companion in this journey, join my newsletter, and let’s walk this journey together as we GROW HOPE!

Until we meet again,

Raeanna