Watercolor Basics Tutorial

Materials Needed

• Watercolor paper (140lb/300gsm)
• Watercolor paint set
• Round brushes (sizes 2, 6, and 10)
• Palette
• Water container
• Paper towels

Basic Techniques

1. Flat Wash

Create an even layer of color by:

1. Mix enough paint with water to cover your area
2. Start from the top, working in horizontal strokes
3. Keep a wet edge as you work down

2. Graduated Wash

Create a gradient effect by:

1. Start with a stronger mix of color
2. Gradually add more water as you work down
3. Keep edges wet to blend smoothly

3. Wet-on-Wet

Create soft, blended effects by:

1. Wet the paper first with clean water
2. Drop in colors while paper is still wet
3. Let colors blend naturally

Practice Exercise

Create a simple landscape using these techniques:

1. Use a graduated wash for the sky
2. Add wet-on-wet clouds
3. Create distant mountains with a flat wash
4. Add foreground details when dry

Tips for Success

• Always test colors on a scrap piece first
• Let layers dry completely before adding more
• Work from light to dark colors
• Don't overwork your painting