Ultimate guide to water control - beginner's watercolor tips, by Kristin Van Leuven on YouTube. 6 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Set out two jars of water, one for rinsing your brush and one that stays clean for mixing. Keep a paper towel beside your palette for blotting.
Wet a size 2 round brush in the clean jar, then pick up pigment and mix it on the palette. Add water a little at a time until the puddle looks even.
Test the mix on scrap cold press paper. For a pale wash you want it thin like milk; for stronger colour, aim for the consistency of coffee.
Blot the brush on the palette rim or paper towel before it touches the paper. A dripping brush floods the surface and leaves hard blooms.
For wet on wet, brush clean water over the paper and wait until the shine dulls to a soft sheen. Drop or drag colour into the damp surface and let it spread.
For crisp edges, paint wet on dry: load the brush, touch it down once and lift without scrubbing back and forth.
Let each layer dry completely before adding the next. Damp paper lifts the layer underneath and muddies the colour.
Rinse the brush well between colours and change the rinse water once it turns cloudy, so muddy water does not dull your mixes.
Tips and common mistakes
If paint floods outward, your brush held too much water; blot it and paint again.
Keep the brush damp rather than soaked, and never scrub the paper or the surface will pill.
Artist grade cold press paper such as Arches handles water better than thin student paper.
Brush masking fluid over areas you want to keep white, and let it dry fully before painting near it.
Questions
How do I know if my brush has too much water?
Test it on scrap paper first. If the paint spreads fast and pale well beyond where you placed it, blot the brush on a paper towel and try again.
Why does my watercolour look patchy?
Patchiness usually comes from painting into half dry paper or from uneven water on the surface. Wet the area evenly and let it dry before the next layer.
Do I need special water?
Ordinary tap water is fine for most watercolour work. Keep a separate clean jar for mixing so rinsing does not dirty it.
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.
