Tips & Tricks
Watercolour Techniques
Each of these techniques can be used individually or combined to create varied and dynamic watercolour artworks. Experimenting with them allows artists to develop a unique style and approach to watercolour painting.
1. Wet-on-Wet
Apply wet paint onto wet paper or a wet layer of paint. This technique creates soft edges and fluid blending as the colours spread and merge together.
2. Wet-on-Dry
Painting with wet paint on dry paper or a dry paint layer. This results in more defined edges and allows for the layering of colours without blending.
3. Dry Brush
Use a brush with minimal water and more pigment, and apply it to dry paper. It produces a textured, rough effect with visible brushstrokes.
4. Glazing
Apply thin, transparent layers of paint over a dry layer. Each glaze alters the hue or tone of the underlying colours, creating depth and richness.
5. Lifting Off
Removing or lightening paint from the paper using a damp brush, sponge, or tissue while the paint is still wet or even after it has dried. This technique can create highlights or correct mistakes.
6. Masking
Use masking fluid or tape to block areas of the paper before painting, preserving the white of the paper or previous layers of paint. After painting, the mask is removed to reveal crisp, untouched sections.
7. Salt Texture
Sprinkle salt onto wet paint creates a textured, speckled effect as the salt absorbs the pigment and pushes it away, leaving behind starburst patterns.
8. Splattering
Flick or splatter paint onto the paper using a brush. This can create a random, dynamic effect, often used for creating texture or a sense of movement.
9. Gradients/Washes
Flat Wash: Apply a consistent layer of colour across the paper with no variation in tone or hue.
Graded Wash: Gradually transition from a darker to a lighter shade by diluting the paint with water as you move across the paper.
Variegated Wash: Blend two or more colours together on the paper to create a gradient or seamless transition between hues.
10. Dropping In Colour
Dropp one colour into another while both are still wet, allows them to naturally blend and flow together, creating beautiful, organic transitions.
11. Scratching (Sgraffito)
Scratch into the wet paint with a pointed object, like a palette knife or the end of a brush. This technique reveals the white of the paper or layers beneath, adding texture and fine details.
12. Sponging
Use a sponge to apply paint, creating a textured, mottled effect. It’s often used for foliage, clouds, or background textures.
13. Back Runs (Blooming)
Create a “bloom” or cauliflower effect by adding more water or paint to a wet area. The additional moisture pushes the pigment outward, forming interesting patterns.
14. Scraping
Use a blade or credit card edge to scrape wet paint away, creating sharp lines, highlights, or textures.
15. Feathering
Gently drag the edge of a damp brush through wet paint to create soft, feathered edges that blend into the surrounding areas.
16. Stencil Technique
Use a stencil to block parts of the paper while applying paint, creating sharp, defined shapes or patterns.
17. Cling Film (Plastic Wrap)
Lay crinkled plastic wrap over wet paint and allow it to dry creating unique, organic textures as the paint pools and dries unevenly.
18. Blotting
Absorb the excess paint or water with a tissue, sponge, or dry brush to lighten areas or create soft textures.
19. Negative Painting
Paint around the subject to define its shape, rather than painting the subject itself. This technique emphasizes the contrast between the subject and the background.
20. Edge Softening
Soften the edges of a painted area by gently brushing the edge with clean water, creating a smooth transition.
21. Water Droplets
Drop water onto a wet or semi-wet wash to create light, textured spots as the water pushes the pigment aside.
22. Taping
Use painter’s tape to create sharp, clean edges. Paint is applied over the tape, and when removed, it leaves behind straight, unpainted lines.
These additional techniques offer even more possibilities for creating varied and textured watercolour paintings.
By experimenting with these methods, you can discover new ways to express your creativity and achieve different effects in your work.
23. Resist Technique
Use materials like wax, oil pastels, or crayons to create a resist effect. When the paint is applied over these areas, it resists the water and pigment, leaving the design underneath intact.
24. Alcohol Technique
Drop or brush rubbing alcohol onto wet watercolour creates unique, lighter spots and textured patterns as the alcohol repels the pigment.
25. Ghost Wash
Apply a very light, diluted wash of paint that almost disappears as it dries, creating a subtle, ghostly effect that’s useful for atmospheric elements like fog or shadows.
26. Watercolour Pencils
Use watercolour pencils to draw details, then add water to blend and soften the colours. This technique combines the precision of drawing with the fluidity of watercolour.
27. Decalcomania
Press a piece of paper or other material onto the wet paint and then lift it off, creating organic, random textures that can resemble natural forms like rocks or leaves.
28. Blowing
Blow air through a straw onto the wet paint to move and spread the paint in unpredictable ways. This technique can create branching, vein-like patterns.
29. Rubbing Alcohol Resist
Apply rubbing alcohol to specific areas before painting. When paint is applied, the alcohol repels it, creating interesting patterns and textures.
30. Soaking
Completely soak the paper in water before applying the paint. This allows for very soft, diffused effects and a high degree of blending, ideal for creating misty or foggy scenes.
31. Foam Brush
Use a foam brush to apply paint, which can create smoother washes and more uniform coverage, especially useful for large areas.
32. Monoprinting with Watercolour
Paint on a non-porous surface like glass or plastic, then press paper onto it to transfer the image. This creates a one-of-a-kind print with unique textures and effects.
33. Spattering with a Toothbrush
Use a toothbrush to flick small droplets of paint onto the paper, creating fine, consistent splatters that are useful for adding texture or a sense of depth.
34. Paper Towel Texture
Press a crumpled paper towel onto wet paint, lifting it off to create a varied texture, often used for clouds or foliage.
35. Wax Paper Texture
Lay wax paper over wet paint and allow it to dry. Once removed, the wax paper leaves behind interesting, organic textures.
36. Natural Textures
Press natural materials like leaves, flowers, or fabric onto wet paint to create unique textures and patterns that mimic natural forms.
37. Blending with a Sponge
Use a sponge to blend colours or soften edges, allowing smooth transitions and a more controlled texture.
38. Eraser Technique
Use a rubber eraser to lift off dry paint or create highlights by gently rubbing the surface of the paper.
39. Bubble Wrap Texture
Press bubble wrap onto wet paint to create a pattern of circles that can be used for backgrounds or abstract effects.
40. Spray Bottle Technique
Use a spray bottle to mist water over wet or dry paint, creating a diffused, splattered effect that can add texture or soften areas of the painting.
41. Watercolour Batik
A technique inspired by fabric batik, where wax is applied to areas of the paper to resist the paint. Multiple layers of wax and paint can be applied to build up a complex pattern. The wax is then removed to reveal the design.
42. Tissue Paper Technique
Press crumpled tissue paper onto wet paint and remove it to leave behind a textured, marbled effect. This can add interesting depth to backgrounds or abstract pieces.
43. Tape Texture
Apply tape to the paper in various patterns, paint over it, and then remove the tape to reveal clean, sharp lines or shapes. This technique is excellent for creating geometric patterns or structured designs.
44. Textured Paper
Use paper with a unique texture, like cold press or handmade paper, which interacts with the paint differently than smooth paper. The texture itself becomes part of the painting’s character.
45. Sponge Stippling
Use a sponge to dab on paint, creating a stippled effect that’s useful for foliage, textured surfaces, or abstract patterns.
46. Embossing with Watercolour
Use an embossing tool to create raised patterns on the paper before painting. The raised areas resist the paint, creating a subtle, textured effect.
47. Layering with Gesso
Apply a layer of gesso (a white acrylic primer) to the paper before painting. This creates a different surface that interacts with watercolours in unique ways, often allowing for more vibrant colours and easier lifting techniques.
48. Pouring
Pour diluted watercolour directly onto the paper, letting it flow and mix naturally. This creates abstract, fluid patterns and is often used for backgrounds or experimental pieces.
49. Pouring Multiple Colours
Pour multiple colours simultaneously onto the paper allowing them to merge and mix organically, creating unique and unpredictable patterns.
50. Carved Brush Strokes
Use a brush with bristles that have been altered (cut or frayed) to create distinct, textured strokes that differ from those made with a standard brush.
51. Layering with Gel Medium
Mix gel medium with watercolours to create a thicker, more textured application. This technique is often used to build up layers and create a more opaque, textured finish.
52. Ice Cubes
Apply watercolour on the paper and then use ice cubes to move the paint around. As the ice melts, it creates soft, unpredictable patterns.
53. Transfer Techniques
Transfer images or textures from one surface to another, such as using graphite paper to transfer a drawing onto watercolour paper before painting.
54. Diluting with a Palette Knife
Use a palette knife to apply and then scrape off excess watercolour, creating rough textures and uneven surfaces that add interest to a painting.
55. Natural Material Stamping
Use natural materials like leaves, flowers, or feathers dipped in paint to stamp patterns onto the paper, adding organic textures.
56. Freezer Paper Resist
Place a cut-out shape of freezer paper onto the painting surface and paint over it. Once dry, the freezer paper is removed to reveal a clean, unpainted shape.
57. Coffee Grounds or Tea Bags
Sprinkle used coffee grounds or place a damp tea bag onto wet paint. These materials absorb the pigment, leaving behind a textured, aged effect.
58. Paper Folding Technique
Fold the paper before painting, then apply colour over the folds. Once unfolded, the paint will have created a pattern along the creases, adding texture and interest.
59. Cut-Out Stencils
Create stencils from paper or other materials and use them to mask areas while painting, allowing for precise, repeated shapes or patterns.
60. Rubbing Technique
Rub a textured surface, like a leaf or textured fabric, under the paper with a dry brush or pencil to create a subtle, embossed pattern that can be painted over.
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