How to NOT OVERWORK Your Watercolors, by Liron Yanconsky on YouTube. 8 min 54 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 54 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Decide the exact shape, value and color of the area before you touch the paper. A quick plan stops you from fixing and reworking later.
Mix more paint than you think you need in the palette. Running short mid-shape forces you to stop and remix, which causes streaks.
Tilt the paper slightly on a board or easel so the wash can flow. A small angle helps the paint settle evenly.
Start with one simple shape, like a single leaf or block of sky. Load the brush and lay the color in one pass.
Work from one side of the shape to the other, or from the middle outward. Keep a wet edge so new paint joins the old without a hard line.
Leave the shape alone once the color is down. Resist going back in to smooth or correct it while it is still wet.
Move on to more complex shapes once the simple ones feel easy. Break each shape into clear sections and paint them in order.
Apply the same habits in a larger painting: plan the big shapes first, mix enough of each color, and paint section by section.
Tips and common mistakes
Avoid painting a border or frame around the shape first, since that traps you into filling the middle and causes overwork.
If a wash looks uneven while wet, let it dry fully before judging it. Most small flaws fade as the paper dries.
Keep a scrap sheet nearby to test color strength before committing to the painting.
Questions
Why does my watercolor turn muddy?
Usually you keep brushing over paint that is starting to dry, or you mix too many colors in one area. Lay the color once and let it dry.
How much paint should I mix?
Mix more than you expect to use for the shape. Extra paint in the palette is better than stopping halfway to remix.
Do I need special paper?
A heavier paper around 300gsm handles water better and buckles less. Lighter paper makes overworking more likely.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
