Watercolor Tips

You’re hiking in beautiful Switzerland, the weather is perfect, the view is majestic - especially that friendly goat. You want to remember this moment, so you pull out your painting kit, and settle into the soft grass for a lovely hour of savoring and saving the landscape through art. This moment sounds absolutely ideal, and yet there is one element in it that could move this dream to a nightmare quickly, and it’s not the goat. Or the grass… unless you have allergies. When yo

Watercolor is beautiful, expressive, and... sometimes frustrating. The good news is that improvement doesn’t come from buying more supplies or having “natural talent.” It comes from understanding a few key habits and practicing them consistently. Here are eight practical ways to grow your watercolor skills. Learn to control your water Water is the real medium in watercolor. Practice mixing different water-to-paint ratios (often described as tea, milk, and cream). Lighter wash

Walking into an art supply store as a beginner watercolor painter can feel overwhelming. The options are endless, the price tags vary widely, and it’s hard to know what you really need versus what’s just clever marketing. The good news? You need a lot less than you think. Here are ten things beginners commonly buy that they’d be better off skipping if your goal is to truly learn the skill of painting with watercolors. Links in this post will take you directly to the products

There’s no shortage of advice on what you “need” to start watercolor painting—different paper types and weights, spiral pads versus blocks, tubes versus pans, and an endless array of brushes in mysterious sizes. It’s enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed, whether you’re just starting out or picking the craft back up again. So what do you actually need as a beginner? The honest answer is: it depends. Your goals as a painter matter far more than any universal supply list. Are

Starting out as a painter is exciting—and a little overwhelming. Whether you’re working in watercolor, acrylic, or mixed media, the habits you build early will shape your skills, confidence, and even your ability to earn income from your art. If you’re a new painter, these 7 practices will help you grow creatively, stay healthy, and set a strong foundation for the long haul. 1. Paint Regularly (Consistency Beats Talent) You don’t need to paint every day, but you do need consi

Color is one of the most powerful tools you have as a watercolor painter. It shapes mood, directs attention, creates depth, and helps tell a story. Even the simplest subject can feel expressive and alive when color is used intentionally. If you’re new to watercolor, understanding color theory will immediately improve your paintings. Let’s break it down in a simple, practical way. Why Color Matters Color does more than make a painting “pretty.” It helps you: Establish mood and

Watercolor painting can be magical—but it’s also easy to make mistakes. The good news? Most “oops” moments can be fixed or even turned into something beautiful. If you’re looking for ways to improve your watercolor painting outcomes, here’s a simple guide to help you correct common watercolor mishaps. 1. Unwanted Edges or Blooms Sometimes water flows into a drying area, creating hard lines or “cauliflower” blooms. Fix it: Let the paper dry completely before touching it. Re-we

If you’re learning watercolor, one of the simplest but most powerful ways to set yourself up well is by making color swatches of your palette. Artists of all levels, from beginners to experienced painters, use swatches to understand color behavior, improve mixing, and speed up their workflow. Here are the benefits of creating color swatches... Understand Your Colors Better Every watercolor brand and pigment behaves differently. Making swatches lets you see: • True color on pa

Water is an essential “tool” in watercolor painting. It’s used to dilute paint, control transparency , create washes , blend colors, and lift or soften edges. How much water you use—and when—has just as much impact on a painting as the pigment itself. In this post, we will only be talking about water as a supply, this is not a comprehensive guide to using water in watercolor painting! We'll cover the topics listed about in future posts, today let's look at it's place in our