{"id":1594,"date":"2021-03-03T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/?p=1594"},"modified":"2021-03-02T10:33:11","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T15:33:11","slug":"watercolor-paintings-tips-and-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/watercolor-paintings-tips-and-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"Watercolor Paintings: Tips and Tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103107\/elena-mozhvilo-N8UG_AQcui0-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"watercolor paintings\" class=\"wp-image-1595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103107\/elena-mozhvilo-N8UG_AQcui0-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103107\/elena-mozhvilo-N8UG_AQcui0-unsplash-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Watercolor paintings depict beautiful landscapes and picturesque scenes. Their presence in the art world dates back to cave paintings of Palaeolithic Europe, continuing on to be used in Ancient Egyptian times and in the European Middle Ages. This medium is also present in East Asian art as well as Indian and Ethiopian painting traditions. Essentially, watercolor paintings are a universally used art form. In today\u2019s blog, we\u2019ll discuss exactly what watercoloring entails, and some tips and tricks for creating stunning paintings <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/things-to-draw-and-paint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">even as a beginner<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-is-watercolor\">What is Watercolor?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Watercolor paint consists of four principal ingredients:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>a pigment<\/li><li>a binder (such as gum arabic)\u00a0<\/li><li>an additive (like glycerin or honey) to alter the consistency, durability, or color of the pigment<\/li><li>a solvent (evaporating water) used to thin or dilute the paint for application<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It is the use of water as a solvent that deems a paint \u201cwatercolor\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-texture\">Texture<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike other paints, watercolors have a very transparent look to them. They can be buildable and become more opaque, but this comes down to the amount of water that is mixed with the paint.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-versatility\">Versatility<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Also through the use of water, artists are able to manipulate the paint to take on magnificent shapes and blends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"471\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103131\/elena-mozhvilo-vNjawaqWD5I-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103131\/elena-mozhvilo-vNjawaqWD5I-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103131\/elena-mozhvilo-vNjawaqWD5I-unsplash-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-tips-and-tricks-for-watercolor-paintings\">Tips and Tricks for Watercolor Paintings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some pointers for beginners who want to improve their paintings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-materials\">Materials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Poor quality materials can result in poor quality work, no matter what technique you\u2019re using.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><em>Paper. <\/em>Use watercolor paper. It is heavier in weight and has additives that allow it to absorb moisture. Thus allowing the color to have an even tone that doesn\u2019t pill or tear the paper.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Paint.<\/em> Use either tubes or pans \u2014 whatever is your preference \u2014 but try to buy high quality products. Remember with watercolor, a little can go a long way.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Brushes.<\/em> Having these key brushes will help you achieve different results. In no particular order they are: Spotter. Round. Flat. Mop. Liner. Fan.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Paper towels.<\/em> Use these to clean your brushes and dab your paper as you work.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Painting palette.<\/em> Very handy in mixing colors, adding water, and getting the right mix before adding to your painting.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Scratch paper. <\/em>A helpful test sheet to try out shades and water-to-paint ratios.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Masking or painter tape.<\/em> This will help to create clean edges to frame your painting.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-process\">Process<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Work from light to dark.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Lay down your light washes before working on the darker colors and shadows.<\/li><li>Have patience and allow areas to have time to dry. Use a hairdryer if you want to speed up the process.<\/li><li>Remember, because watercolor paint is so transparent, light colors won\u2019t show up if they\u2019re covered by dark colors.<\/li><li>Plan ahead what parts of the paper you want to leave unpainted.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Be aware of your water to paint ratio.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><em>Too much water<\/em> leads to colors that are too light. It also makes the paint a little harder to control.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Too little water<\/em> leads to thick colors that are stagnant, won\u2019t lay down properly, or cause visibility streaky brush strokes.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Large washes require more water.<\/em><\/li><li><em>Detail spots require less water.\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li>Remember to mix your colors on your palette and check them on your scratch paper before adding to your painting.\u00a0<\/li><li>Always wash your brushes well between washes.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Different Techniques.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><em>Wet on Dry.<\/em> This is applying wet paint to dry paper or dry areas of paint. This allows for more control and defined edges.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Wet on wet.<\/em> This is applying wet paint to wet paper or wet areas of paint. This creates fluid unpredictable strokes.\u00a0<\/li><li><em>Dry time.<\/em> This is the amount of time you leave before applying a paint on top of another color. Whether the paint is still wet or dried will determine whether or not the colors will run together and create a muddy effect.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mixing Paints<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Always mix more paint than you think you need. It can be rather difficult to create the exact shade again.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103150\/europeana-qs7z-_c3s-Y-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103150\/europeana-qs7z-_c3s-Y-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/03\/02103150\/europeana-qs7z-_c3s-Y-unsplash-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-why-use-watercolor\">Why Use Watercolor?&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You should consider using watercolor paints because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>They\u2019re less messy than other paints and easy to clean off surfaces and brushes.\u00a0<\/li><li>They dry quickly and are easy to work with.\u00a0<\/li><li>They are portable and don\u2019t leave much waste. It\u2019s easy to reuse paint that has dried on your palette.\u00a0<\/li><li>They create <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.gooroo.com\/courses\/drawing-ideas-6-how-to-draw-a-dog\/918\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">beautiful results<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Watercolor paintings depict beautiful landscapes and picturesque scenes. Their presence in the art world dates back to cave paintings of Palaeolithic Europe, continuing on to be used in Ancient Egyptian times and in the European Middle Ages. This medium is also present in East Asian art as well as Indian and Ethiopian painting traditions. Essentially, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":1595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2082,2058,9],"tags":[2087,2055,12,2232,2231],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v16.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to learn how to create beautiful watercolor paintings? Check out these tips and tricks on materials, techniques, and more!\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/watercolor-paintings-tips-and-tricks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Watercolor Paintings: Tips and Tricks - Gooroo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Want to learn how to create beautiful watercolor paintings? 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