Combining Ink With Watercolor: Essential Things to Consider

10/5/2020

Tips for Combining Ink With Watercolor Best Ink Pens and Bottles

A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.

As with all mixed-media art creation, it's incredibly important to consider how the mediums we're going to be using will be interacting and affecting each other throughout the art-making process, but also how the piece will hold up over time after the artwork has been completed.

By doing a bit of research, choosing the right art supplies, visualizing what results we're after, and planning the techniques/general strategy we'll be using before getting started with a new piece, we can ensure a smoother process and it'll be much more likely that we'll arrive at results we'll love.

Today, I'm incredibly pleased to share an article written for us by pen and ink expert K.T. Mehra. She is the founder of Goldspot Pens, a store based in New Jersey that is dedicated to selling not only beautiful, high-quality fountain pens, but also incredible inks, writing instruments and paper.

Alongside the hard work she does in her company, she's incredibly passionate about literature, history and, you guessed it...art!

Without much further ado, let's get into her helpful tips and recommendations for supplies.

Combining Ink With Watercolor:
Essential Things to Consider

by K.T. Mehra

Watercolor and ink work together beautifully, and this combination of mediums can certainly lead to a variety of amazing effects and styles.

Line work created with dark inks can be colored in with bright watercolor washes for very impactful, modern-looking pieces, but there's also so much room for exploration, creativity, and for artists to bring in their own personalities into the process.

To make it easier for artists just getting started with ink and watercolor, I’ve written a short list of must-know aspects to consider when choosing pens and inks to combine with watercolor. Afterwards, I'll be sharing my favorite options for both ink pens and bottled inks.

Before getting into anything else, when buying inks to combine with watercolor (whether in pen or bottled format), it's important always ask yourself the following four questions:

1. Is it waterproof?

The first and most important factor you want to consider is whether your ink is waterproof. This will determine whether it'll bleed or smudge when water is applied on top of the ink.

When working with watercolor, you'll need quality waterproof ink. This will allow your line work to stay clean and sharp as you apply paint over it. Most pens and inks will be labelled as 'waterproof', whether in pen form or bottled format.

2. Is it water-soluble?

You may come across inks and pens that state they are 'water-soluble'. You want to avoid these inks, as they are made with water and will run when combined with watercolor.

These can be used to create particular styles, but are not ideal for most cases when you're looking for a good ink or pen to use in combination with watercolor, as the ink will run and smudge, and very possible affect the vibrancy of your washes of color.

It's best to assume that any ink pen contains water-soluble ink and will not be ideal for use with watercolor unless its specifically states that it is waterproof. You also usually want to avoid any pen or ink that says it’s 'water-based'.

Line and wash tips for beginners and best pens

3. Is the ink pigmented?

Oftentimes it's not 100% clear whether the pen contains waterproof ink or not. One sign that the pen is most likely waterproof and usable with watercolor is if it includes the words 'pigment' or 'pigmented ink' on the pen or bottle.

Pigments are tiny particles of colored material that do not dissolve in water. In other words, they are rarely water-soluble or water-based, which makes them good for use with watercolor.

4. How long does it take to dry?

Another factor you want to consider is the ink’s drying time. If you apply watercolor too soon after drawing with ink, it's likely that some smudging will occur.

Most inks will dry after an hour or two, but to avoid this completely, you’ll want to wait 12 to 24 hours for the ink to fully dry and set into the paper.

If you don't want to wait this long for the ink to dry, make sure that to purchase a fast-drying ink. I'll recommend my favorite below, so keep on reading!

Are you supposed to do your ink line work before or after your watercolor washes?

This is a great question, and the answer is even better.

The truth is... either way works!

There are pros and cons to both methods, but it's ultimately up to you to experiment and determine what'll work best for you, making sure, of course, that you're taking precautions and allowing layers the necessary time to dry in between.

It depends on the artist's personal way of working and the outcome that he/she is going for.

A reason you might want to do your ink work before watercolor is that it allows you to focus on your line work and/or outlines first, establishing a type of preliminary sketch to work with. You're then able to begin applying watercolor washes and it's easier to stay inside the lines and have more control over where the color is applied.

Also, you'll likely find that the pen glides across your paper more smoothly when there's no paint on your paper yet, which can be a pro for many artists.

A reason you might want to do your ink work after your watercolor painting process is if you're looking for your line work to be very clear and visible.

Doing your line work after your washes also allows you to first freely paint with watercolor, creating abstract shapes and organic effects which can then serve as a guide or a type of underpainting for the line work that'll come later.

This technique is great for artists who love the looseness and interesting effects watercolor allows, and want the paint to be the primary creative force structuring the artwork.

It's also important to note that, when doing your ink work after your watercolor painting, you're also able to use water-soluble inks, as long as you've allowed your painting to dry for 24 hours.

Have fun, explore and get creative with your process!

Ink and watercolor can and should be used in new ways that give your pieces a unique personality and character. I'd recommend exploring both sequences and analyzing which results you like best.

A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.

Best Waterproof Pens For Use With Watercolor

Now that we’ve covered the basic things to consider when searching for an ink pen or bottled ink to use in combination with watercolor paint, let’s look at the best waterproof pens available (in no particular order).

Uni-Ball Signo Gelstick Pen

The Uni-Ball Signo is a great beginner-friendly option. It's affordable and one of the best ink pens for use with watercolor. It's waterproof, fade-proof, and is able to create smooth, thin lines. It also doesn’t leave stop and start marks at the end of long lines and marks like most gel pens do.

*Most Affordable *Best Gel Pen

Sakura Pigma Micron Series

If you’re looking for a slightly more professional fineliner pen, the Sakura Pigma Micron is a great option, and it's one our favorite fineliner pens for use with watercolor. The Sakura Pigma Micron draws smooth, thin, and very consistent lines that can really help bring together watercolor pieces.

Artists around the world swear by the Pigma Micron for its precise and professional line work.

*Best Fineliner Pen

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

Using disposable pens can definitely become expensive because they have to be replaced after a relatively short period of time, especially when using them for drawing/sketching purposes.

We recommend, as an alternative, using a fountain pen and filling it with your own ink. This allow us to use our own choice of ink at an affordable price and we can continue filling up the pen when the ink runs out. As long as we take care of the pen, it'll last for years.

If you are looking to invest in a fountain pen, Lamy Safari is the best option for beginners and is relatively affordable for a quality, reusable fountain pen.

*Best Beginner-Friendly Fountain Pen *Most Affordable

Uni-Ball Impact Gel Pen

The Impact Uni-ball pen is a slightly more expensive gel pen option that works wonderfully with watercolors. Go with this waterproof pen if you're looking to incorporate thicker, bolder outlines or marks into your watercolor paintings.

This pen draws fairly wide lines. So if you are looking to do very detailed work, you will need a large canvas or paper, which may be a drawback of the impact gel pen for some artists.

Fudenosuke Brush Pen

Another interesting option is using a brush pen alongside watercolors! The Fudenosuke pen by Tombow is perfect for use with watercolor, as it is waterproof, and produces beautiful drawings with a lot of line-weight variation.

Brush pens allow for varying thicknesses of lines/marks via changing the pressure and angle we're using. If you aren’t looking for a this kind of variation in your line work, as well as organic transitions between thin and thick lines, a brush pen may not be for you.

This pen also requires practice and a certain level of control, which may be a drawback for some artists.

*Best Brush Pen

Kaweco Pen

If the thought of a fountain pen caught your attention, the Kaweco brand is famous for their superior quality fountain pens.

Winsor and Newton Fineliner

This is another beautiful and unique option for a high-quality fineliner that works great with watercolor. Winsor and Newton provide a great lineup of fineliners that are waterproof and come in many sizes and colors. I can’t recommend them enough!

The Unipin Fine Line

The Unipin Fine Line is a great and fun-to-use waterproof pen, but it does have some drawbacks. I love this pen and it’s definitely worth a buy. Unfortunately, when using an eraser on the Unipin Fine Line, the ink fades and blurs a bit.

This is a fantastic option if you do not plan on using any pencil markings that you’re thinking of erasing later in the process.

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen

If you are looking for something a little different, the Pentel Pocket Pen is a really neat option. This pen was created for writing expressive Japanese calligraphy. It has a very sensitive felt-tip that's able to create plenty of variation when it comes to line width.

This may be a negative for new artists, but it does allow more control for experienced artists that are used to brush pens.

Faber-Castell Assorted Pens

Faber-Castell has an awesome pack of eight waterproof pens which offers and assortment of different types and sizes. They call these their Pitt Artist Pens, and the cool thing about this pack is that you get four fineliners and four brush pens in almost every size.

There are better ink pens to use with watercolor on this list, but the Faber-Castell Artist Pens are waterproof and do work well with watercolor. The main benefit of buying this pen set is primarily the variety offered, which allows the artist to explore amongst them.

*Most Variety

A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.

Best Bottled Ink For Use With Watercolor

If you’re looking for the absolute best supplies to use for your ink and watercolor pieces, buying your own ink bottle along with a fountain pen or dip pen is going to provide you a custom experience and might just be the way to go.

Next, I’ll reveal my top ten picks in terms of the best bottled inks out there.

Platinum Carbon Ink

Probably my favorite ink to use with watercolor is the Platinum Carbon ink. It's a beautiful natural black textured ink that comes in a lovely little glass bottle. This permanent, waterproof ink is great for use with watercolors.

This ink takes about an hour to dry. Once dried, it’s resistant to water, erasing, smudging and anything else.

This Japanese ink is highly sought-after, which makes it slightly pricey, but it's worth every penny!

*Best Overall Ink

De Atramentis Archive Ink

This is an incredible waterproof ink. The color is less textured and not as pretty than the Platinum Carbon Ink and less of a 'true black' than the Speedball India Ink, but the De Atramentis Archive Ink may just be the most waterproof ink on this list.

I've experienced absolutely no smearing or even a drop of ink smudged after working on my watercolor washes. The ink was also dry after only a few minutes! This is a great and really safe option for use for your watercolor projects.

*Most Waterproof Ink *Best Fast-Drying Ink

Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here .

Speedball Super Black India Ink

India ink is the best, deepest, truest black ink you can get. Speedball's India Ink is an amazing waterproof option. Some artists mention occasional smearing, but I've personally never had this happen.

The Speedball Super Black India Ink is the best ink bottle you can purchase for a pure, true black outline with your fountain pen and dip pen. If you use this with your Lamy Safari fountain pen or the Kaweco, you’ll want to clean out the pen often, as this ink is thick and can clog the pen if not cleaned routinely.

*Best Pure Black Ink

Winsor and Newton Ink

Winsor and Newton’s ink is also great for watercolor projects. It offers a matte black finish that would be perfect for more modern or cartoony styles and line work. This ink does take a while to dry, but if you're looking for this kind of color and style, it’s definitely worth it.

Sailor Kiwa-Guro

Sailor is a company that's known for their fountain pens, but they're also one of the top ink manufacturers in the world. This is another high-end Japanese ink that performs beautifully for both writing and drawing. You cannot go wrong with the Sailor Kiwa-Guro.

The ink is a solid matte black and dries very quickly. The big negative is that there have been reports of it losing its waterproof properties after several months of being left in the bottle.

So far, this hasn’t happened in my personal experience, but it would make this option riskier if our aim is to combine it with watercolor.

How To Find The Right Pen And Ink For You

Like with all art supplies, it’s important to explore for yourself in order to find the right pen (and ink) for you. Art is such a personal experience, and we all have different styles, quirks, and processes.

Try different pens and inks to find the ones that work best for you, starting at accessible options if you have a limited budget. Finding your personal favorites will make all the difference when working on a new art piece.

Whether you decide on a gel pen, a fountain pen and ink, or a professional fineliner, we are excited to see what you come up with!

A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.

Looking for further guidance with combining pen and ink with watercolor? Check out *FREE* samples of exclusive, step-by-step, fully-narrated art tutorials I've created for my innermost art community over on Patreon here.

Sending out a huge thank you to K.T. Mehra for her enlightening tips and recommendations!

To find out more about Goldspot Pens and the products they have available, visit their website here.

Also be sure to follow their Facebook page and Instagram account for the latest news.

Thanks for reading!

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Trying Out Viviva Colors' Inktober Sketchbook

9/28/2020

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Viviva Colors Inktober Sketchbook Review

Love #Inktober? Looking for new art supplies to make this popular drawing challenge different and perhaps, more special, this year? Do you enjoy trying out unique art supplies to share with your creative friends?

If so, you'll definitely want to check out Viviva Colors' new sketchbook line that's been launched especially in time for Inktober 2020, but will continue being sold worldwide even after this popular yearly drawing challenge concludes at the end of October.

That's right!

Viviva's crowdfunding campaign for these sketchbooks has gone so well, that the company will continue making them available for artists (without the Inktober logo) for an undefined amount of time.

Inktober is one of the most popular drawing challenges going on in the online space since 2009.

Each year, Inktober creator and renowned illustrator Jack Parker, publishes a new daily prompt list for artists to use as inspiration to create a new drawing/painting/mixed-media piece each day throughout the month of October.

Every October, thousands of artists and creatives all around the world participate in this challenge, pushing themselves to work on a new piece, every day, for 31 days.

It's no secret that Jake Parker has been involved in a couple of different controversial incidents as of late, which have caused a good amount of people to look for alternative art challenges to work on this October.

However, lots of die-hard followers of this challenge are still eager to participate and are excited to begin, many of whom aren't necessarily fans of Jake Parker himself, but have found the experience of Inktober a valuable part of their art journeys.

Many artists believe that the challenge has grown to become more than the person who initially created it.

Inktober has become a way for artists to push their skills, creativity and build the discipline to stay consistent with their art practice.

It has become an event that allows lesser-known emerging artists, to gain traction online and start growing their name known amongst a larger audience.

It's also become an event that brings artists from all over the world together, helping us create meaningful connections that'll last a lifetime.

Inktober, in my opinion, is about artistic growth, about community, and about sharing the importance of art with the world.

Image 1. Colorful feathers painted on 7.5 x 7.5 in / Rough / Off-white sketchbook using special edition colorsheets.

In this past blog post I talk about Viviva Colors' history and also share my swatching process, as well as my review, for their original colorsheets. Make sure to check it out to read more about their compact and insanely vibrant watercolors.

Viviva Colors' mission has always been to inspire artists to continue on their creative journeys and to never set their art aside, no matter how busy or how stressful life becomes.

The company is not only constantly improving their products and offerings, but is always looking for new ways to encourage and motivate artists to stay on their paths.

Viviva knows that, through art, people are able to cope with anxiety and depression, which are rampant this year due to the current pandemic, its economic repercussions, and all of the uncertainty its creating worldwide.

And knowing how challenging 2020 has been, Viviva teamed up with Jake Parker to release an officially licensed set of supplies that'll make this year's Inktober even more special.

These items were designed to make Inktober 2020 #AnInktoberToRemember.

Just like Viviva's original colorsheets, which were officially launched in 2017, these new supplies were crowdfunded via Indiegogo.

With the huge success of the first campaign, Viviva Colorsheets was able to start mass manufacturing their original product and have shipped them out to more than 30,000 artists in over than 100 countries.

They are currently working on doing the same for the backers of these Inktober sketchbooks and colorsheets!

Viviva's Inktober sketchbook line.

You can find out more about the products they have available at their website.

Let's talk about the new items!

For Inktober 2020, Viviva launched 4 sketchbook variants, as well as a special edition of their colorsheets.

Sketchbooks

All of these sketchbooks are hardbound with a quality faux-leather cover and (during the Inktober season) also include a silver foil stamp with the Inktober 2020 and Viviva Colors logos on the front cover.

a) A5 format (5.8 x 8.3 in) / 240 gsm / Ivory white / Smooth Lessebo paper
  / 64 pages

b) A5 format (5.8 x 8.3 in) / 300 gsm / Off-white color / Rough watercolor paper
  / 40 pages / 100% Cotton

c) Square format (7.5 x 7.5 in) / 300 gsm / Off-white color /
  Rough watercolor paper / 40 pages / 100% Cotton

d)  *The Easy Sketchbook* A5 format (5.8 x 8.3 in) / 240 gsm / Ivory white
/ Smooth Lessebo paper / 64 pages

*The Easy Sketchbook was created especially for beginner artists who have trouble with their preliminary sketching process. It includes a sketching mirror and an aluminum slot stand to hold it as you're drawing, which helps you transfer the reference's outlines onto paper in an easier and faster way.

See the Easy Sketchbook in action here!

Colorsheets

Aside from the four sketchbooks, Viviva also released a special edition of their colorsheets set which contains an extra 4 colors (their original sets have 16 and this one has 20).

The 20 colors offered in this edition have been curated by Viviva and Jake Parker especially for Inktober.

Check out my color swatching process for their original colorsheets in this blog post. You'll be able to see the colors' vibrancy and learn about my thoughts as to how they compare with regular watercolors in that post.

Just like their original colorsheets, the Inktober edition also has the portable booklet format with protective paper in between each page.

Viviva Colors' special edition Inktober colorsheets.

Here are a couple of pieces I've created in my Viviva/Inktober sketchbook, which is the square format with rough watercolor paper.

Image 2. Pen and watercolor wash pink flowers painted on 7.5 x 7.5 in / Rough / Off-white sketchbook using Micron drawing pens and Viviva's original colorsheets.

Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here .

Image 3. Fall pumpkin painted on 7.5 x 7.5 in / Rough / Off-white sketchbook using professional quality Van Gogh watercolors.

A few interesting characteristics I noticed about the sketchbooks:

The sketchbooks have been designed to be opened flat so that they don't close on you when your drawing or painting and you're able to use the sheets fully. The spine where the pages come together is not glued onto the spine of the cover intentionally, for this purpose (see images below). This said, the first few pages are difficult to open completely without having to press down hard at the spine/base. I was a little worried that I'd damage the spine when I did this, but everything was okay.

Sketchbooks have rounded corners, which I love, as they are more difficult to damage.

I love the elastic included on the covers, as it keeps the sketchbook closed when you're not working in it, protecting your artwork.

I like the pocket included at the back, as I can place loose sketches and notes in there. I wish it had a bit more space.

The watercolor paper included in the watercolor sketchbooks is very different from the commercial paper I'm used to (Arches, Fabriano, Strathmore, etc.). It is a lot more flexible to the touch when dry, has little imperfections in it because it's handmade (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), and I found that the paint gets absorbed in a very different way. Both the paint from Viviva's colorsheets, as well as regular watercolor paint sinks into the paper very quickly and the paint cannot be moved around. Washes of color react differently when overlapped and the off-white, almost cream color of this paper has an effect on the vibrancy of the colors.

Viviva Inktober Sketchbook spine (made to allow the pages to open flat).

Viviva Inktober Sketchbook open flat.

Viviva Inktober watercolor paper sketchbook next to smooth, white drawing paper sketchbook. Notice differences in texture, as well as color.

Viviva Inktober watercolor paper sketchbook next to a sheet of Arches, cold-press watercolor paper. Notice differences in texture and color. Viviva's paper is a lot more textured and is cream-colored.

Finally, here are a few pros and cons I've found in relation to the items I've had the opportunity to try out, in bullet form.

Pros and Cons of Viviva Colors'
and Inktober's Sketchbooks and Colorsheets

Pros

Viviva's watercolor sheets are small and lightweight, making them an awesome option for artists who love sketching outdoors or at different settings.

These watercolor sheets offer incredibly vibrant colors and each color can last a long time, as long as they are used carefully (very little water is needed to activate colors).

New dark, inky colors added to the Inktober edition are perfect for this spooky event and for monochromatic pieces.

*For more pros and cons about Viviva's color sheets, go here.

Two different sketchbook formats are available: rectangular and square, allowing artists to choose which they like best (the square option is great for those sharing on Instagram!).

There are 2 sketchbooks that have smooth paper for artists who primarily draw (smooth paper is awesome for pen and ink as well as other drawing mediums), and another 2 with thick watercolor paper for artists who primarily paint with water-soluble mediums (the 100% cotton/300 gsm paper tolerates washes of color well).

The binding of the sketchbooks has been thought of for artists, allowing the sketchbooks to open completely flat.

Sketchbooks include the 2020 Inktober prompt list in the back, which saves us time.

Small folder at the back can hold loose sketches and ideas.

Thick, protective covers not only look elegant, but protect our work very well.

The elastics included on the covers help keep sketchbooks closed when carrying them around.

Cons

In terms of the colorsheets, I don't really use white when I'm painting with watercolor. I would have personally preferred another dark color (but that's just me).

It's important to choose your sketchbook wisely, depending on the drawing/painting supplies you'll be using in it (though the smooth paper options can tolerate light washes of color, they aren't really made for wet-on-wet techniques or large amounts of water. The sketchbooks that include 100% cotton watercolor paper is rough and textured, which can lead to the tip of a pen or drawing tool fighting against the tooth of it (See Image 2 to see ink line work on rough watercolor paper).

Watercolor paint quickly sinks into the watercolor paper and won't move like it does on other types of papers intended for this medium. Because of this, sharp edges are created and organic color gradients are difficult to achieve.

The paper is handmade, leading to some blemishes. *I like them as they provide an authentic, handmade feel.

I noticed the paper doesn't take erasing very well. Fibers became loose easily even with a soft graphite eraser.

I'm still not sure if I like the off-white/cream color offered in the watercolor paper sketchbooks, as this color affects the vibrancy/color of the paint and creates an older style look/feel. I'd love to see a sketchbook with white watercolor paper and have a feeling the vibrant colors offered in Viviva's colorsheets would pop out more on white.

Close-up of Viviva's Inktober Sketchbook (watercolor paper). Blemishes can be found here and there because this is hand-made paper. I personally liked these little blemishes, but am not so convinced with the color of the paper.

Viviva Inktober Sketchbook back folder with prompt list (because my sketchbook was a prototype created prior to mass production, the words appear with "X").

Viviva Inktober Sketchbook spine (made to allow the pages to open flat).

Beautiful silver foil logos on the faux leather cover.

These items are all beautiful and high-quality, and I want to send a huge thank you to Viviva Colors for providing me these items to explore and review!

Personally, I won't be participating in Inktober this year due to a lack of time and more important projects I'm working for my online art communities, but I look forward to creating more pieces in this great sketchbook.

*Visit Viviva Colors' website and follow them on social media to see inspiring artwork created with their colorsheets, as well as the latest news from them:

Viviva Colors Website
Viviva Colors on Instagram
Viviva Colors on Facebook

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Watercolor Painting: 10 Tips to Avoid Muddy Colors

7/28/2020

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Watercolor Painting Tips for Beginners How to Avoid Muddy Colors

What, exactly does the term muddy color refer to when painting with watercolor? What are the common culprits for muddy colors and which actions should we take in order to avoid them?

Watercolor!

So vibrant, so fresh, so... tricky!

Muddy colors are one of the most common struggles for people starting out with this painting medium and in today's blog post (and YouTube video!), I'm covering what they are exactly, so that you know what to keep an eye out for. I'll also be providing my best tips that'll help you keep your colors fresh and vibrant.

There's no doubt that watercolor is an amazing painting medium that can be a lot more practical to use when compared to mediums like acrylics or oils, which require a larger space to set up, a well-ventilated area, much more clean up and, most often than not, a larger investment in supplies.

This said, it doesn't take much time using watercolors to realize that they are truly a challenge.

Not only are there so many variables involved when it comes to painting with watercolor that affect both the painting experience, as well as the final outcome (such as the humidity and temperature of the room we're in, the quality of our paint, each specific pigment's characteristics, the type of paper that we're using, etc.), but there's also no way to simply cover up our mistakes or swipe them off like we can when we're painting with opaque mediums.

Learn more about different types of paint, paintbrushes and watercolor paper and what you truly need as a beginner just getting started in my blog post titled Watercolor Supplies for Beginners and Things You Must Know.

Not to mention, we're working on a substrate that's inherently fragile. Even when we're working with paper that's intended for water-soluble mediums, it can only take so much scrubbing, lifting and layering. It's paper!

It's essential to stay patient, work mindfully, practice our water control and allow the paper to dry/regain its strength whenever needed throughout the process.

As loose, expressive and even quick, more experienced artists make painting with watercolor seem, as I'll be talking about in the video, creating a successful piece requires not only mastering water control, but also knowledge of color, and going in with some sort of strategy.

We need to visualize the overall effects we're going for so that we know what techniques (wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, etc.) to use where and also, when.

It's also essential to have some sort of general plan when it comes to the colors we'll be using.

Then we can allow ourselves to let go and embrace the beautiful, organic effects that only watercolors allow.

So... what are muddy colors, exactly?

The term 'muddy color' refers to a color mixture or a section of our painting has turned dull, flat, matte and, overall, lifeless.

Muddy colors lack the vibrancy (and most of the time also the translucency) that watercolor allows and don't look like they belong within the context of the piece, when one takes into consideration the rest of the colors used around that area.

Watercolor allows for a light, interesting, vibrant use of color that's unique to this medium and flat, lifeless colors are often proof that something has gone wrong.

This said, it's important to note that a muddy color is very different from a desaturated or muted-out color.

Desaturated colors are grays, browns or neutralized colors and these are often used intentionally by artists who are looking to tone down highly-saturated colors straight out of the pan or tube to make them look more realistic/natural or simply to make use of a color scheme that suits their style best.

You'll notice that lots of colors (except for browns and neutrals) are very saturated and vibrant right out of the pan or tube, and these kinds of colors don't happen very much in real life when you look at the settings or living things around you.

Other watercolor artists simply like the look of more muted out colors and create they own color mixtures, adding a second or even third color to desaturate them or create the color they need.

This doesn't make these colors mud, as long as the artist knows what he/she is mixing together, has at least somewhat of a plan, is staying in control, is playing to the medium's translucent nature and interesting use of color, and the colors fit within the context of the piece.

Take this still life watercolor of mine below as an example. I've created my own gray and brown color mixtures using Ultramarine Blue and Raw Umber and there's still a vibrancy/life to them.

There's a variety in values, translucencies and even color temperature throughout these areas, and these more desaturated color mixtures harmonize and look like they've been planned. They allow the bright, vivid colors in the apples to shine.

*Learn more about Art Fundamentals and what it takes to plan for successful, harmonious and balanced compositions with my classes over on Patreon!

Watercolor Apples Still Life by Erika Lancaster

Desaturated, muted out colors and even grays and browns can, indeed, have a life and vibrancy to them, as long as we plan for them intentionally and make sure not to overwork our paintings.

What's essential, in my opinion, is making use of this medium's translucency and dynamic nature to create light looking paintings with a vibrant use of color so that, whether the colors we're using are pure/highly-saturated or toned-down, our paintings still seem to glow from within.

Matte and opaque are opposite to translucent and vibrant.

And flatness/heaviness is basically where the problem is.

Not darkness, not level of saturation.

When we're just getting started with this medium and are still lacking water control, it's incredibly easy to overwork our paintings. Add to this the fact that most beginners don't invest time in learning about the Color Wheel/Color Theory and this is a recipe for lots of frustration and disappointment.

*Class #3 of my Watercolor Mini-Course for the Total Beginner is all about the Color Wheel and color mixing. It's free for my art email insiders, too! :)

If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*

Why do muddy colors happen?

Usually, they happen because of one (or a combination) of the following:

a) Because we lose control of our different colors on our paint mixing palette or on our paper (colors can intermix in both areas).

b) We don't know much about the Color Wheel/Color Theory and don't pre-select our colors before starting a new piece (testing out color mixtures is very important).

c) We don't clean out our paintbrush bristles well in-between colors and/or we're not changing our water throughout the painting process.

d) We're not staying patient and are getting anxious to finish, going over the same spot again and again, while our paper is still wet, in attempts to fix mistakes but damaging our paper in the process.

10 Tips to Avoid Muddy Colors When Painting with Watercolor

1. Learn about the Color Wheel and color temperature

The Color Wheel is an invaluable tool that helps us understand color relationships.

Not only does it allow us to create color mixtures effectively while working, but it also enables us to plan color schemes prior to starting with the painting process that work beautifully and help us communicate the message we're looking to communicate.

Experiment with creating your own color mixtures. See what happens first-hand when you combine cool colors, warm colors and a warm plus a cool. Learn about color and work on color mixing exercises outside of a painting process via color studies and explorations.

12- Part Color Wheel in Watercolor including Primary, Secondary and Tertiary colors.

2. Pre-select the colors you'll be using for the painting on hand before getting started

Randomly picking colors throughout the painting process is a surefire way of arriving at muddy colors.

Keeping things limited to only a certain amount of necessary colors, especially in the beginning, is a great idea. This not only allows the beginner to keep colors more organized throughout the process, but will mostly likely lead to an outcome that is much more harmonious and cohesive.

In this video, I share my entire process for painting a still life with watercolor using only 4 colors and why I love working with a limited color palette.

Before getting started with a new piece, give thought to how you're going to be creating the different colors you'll be needing, how you're going to be creating shadows and darker values of different colors, etc.

Most often than not, working with a limited amount of colors is going to help you get comfortable with color mixing a lot faster!

3. Change your water throughout the painting process (or use 2 or 3 containers)

As soon as you notice your water becoming murky, change it! You can also consider using 2 or even 3 containers as you're painting.

This way, you're able to use one of them to rinse out your bristles and another to take clean water from as needed throughout the process whenever you need to pre-wet areas of your paper, add more water to paint mixtures, soften out edges, etc.

4. Make sure you're cleaning out your paintbrush bristles thoroughly in-between colors

If you just finished using one color and you're planning on going into a color that's very different from it, make extra sure that your bristles are well rinsed, especially if you're not looking to desaturate your colors.

As a rule of thumb, if I'm not going into an Analogous color (a color that is next to to the one I was just using the Color Wheel), or just finished using a brown/neutral color, or even a color that might be more opaque than the one I want to use next (watercolors can be opaque, semi-opaque, translucent and semi-translucent), I make extra sure that all of the previous color has been washed out.

Unless I actually want to desaturate or mute-out a color.

If you're using grays, browns or neutrals, or Complementary Colors (opposites in the Color Wheel) in your painting, make sure to stay mindful throughout the process, as it's very easy for colors to mix together on your paper (especially if you're using lots of wet-on-wet), in your paint-mixing palette, and even in the bristles of your paintbrush!

5. Be careful when using Complementary Colors

Complementary Colors are opposites in the Color Wheel and, when mixed together, they neutralize or mute each other out. You can use this to your advantage if this is what you want to do, but if your aim is to keep your colors super saturated, then you need to approach these color combos with some sort of strategy.

Ask yourself: Depending on the effects that I'm going for, what area should I paint first, next and last? What techniques should I be using (wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, etc.)? What areas should I stay extra mindful to allow to dry before adding more color on top or around it? Should I be placing these two colors next to each other at this point in the process?

Remember that watercolor is always going to expand and bleed into paper that is wet. So if you don't want colors to intermix, you must allow them to dry completely.

If it makes sense for the subject on hand and the style you're going for, consider darkening colors with an Analogous Color, if you want colors to remain very vivid. Remember, Analogous Colors are next to each other in the Color Wheel.

Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here !

6. Avoid using ready-made blacks

Though color ingredients vary from brand to brand, most ready-made blacks such as Lamp Black, Ivory Black, Mars Black, etc., tend to be very flat and usually dull-out colors. This is one of the reasons why so many traditionally trained watercolor artists don't use them and, instead, create their own dark color mixtures that have liveliness and a color temperature to them.

It's also important to have in mind that blacks can really lead to stark, heavy looking marks or shapes that can be very distracting, and that there's actually very little pure black in nature. Even shadows have color and a temperature to them.

There are tons of ways to create your own darks when using watercolor. I share many different dark color mixtures in this video over at my YouTube channel!

If you do use a ready-made black, consider adding another color into it.

You can also use Neutral Tint, Payne's Gray or Analogous Cours to darken a certain color.

7. Hold yourself back from overworking your paintings

This is a tough one and something I'm working on as I continue on my journey with watercolor. Especially because I started painting with oils and acrylics, which usually require layering and going over the same area many times.

When it comes to working with watercolor, I've realized that the less moving around of paint we do after its been placed and even the less amount of layers we have to develop, the better and the fresher the outcome tends to be.

I've realized that visualizing the outcome we're after and approaching a new watercolor painting process with at least some sort of general plan is essential. This helps us lay down our washes and brush strokes more confidently and leave things be.

Because, if we don't know what we're after or what we're doing, we're going to be hesitating and making lots of mistakes that we'll want to go in and fix.

Mistakes and accidents always happen, but they're usually a lot smaller and can be made less noticeable more easily if we go in with a strategy and are staying mindful/patient.

If you feel you need to practice a specific technique or do isolated studies of something before getting started with a more complete piece, do it! It'll help you attack a new painting a lot more confidently and with much more success.

If you make a mistake, don't fret. Simply absorb excess water and paint with your absorbent towel or semi-dry paintbrush bristles and allow it to dry. Come back after the paper has regained its strength to see how you can make it less noticeable.

*A small amount of moving around of our paint is okay, but avoid going over the same spot again, and again, and again!*

8. Allow your layers of paint to dry completely before applying another wash on top

Like I said before, watercolor is always going to expand into paper that is wet. If the paper is very wet, the paint you place on top is going to expand more rapidly. If the paper is starting to dry, it'll expand more slowly.

But it'll always feather out at least a bit depending on the level of moisture.

There are varying degrees of wetness a paper can have when we're working with watercolor and, as we continue practicing, it'll become easier to tell when we should be dropping in our paint in order to achieve a certain level of gradating or blurring out.

If we want our marks or the edges of our shapes to be clean and sharp, or if we don't want the previous colors we've placed to intermix with the ones we want to place on top, it's important to be patient and allow our painting (or at least that specific area) to dry completely.

Always remember that, wet paper is fragile paper and we must allow it to regain its strength before attempting to add further detail or darken certain areas.

9. Avoid using opaque colors

Watercolor paint can be opaque, semi-opaque, transparent and semi-transparent. Each individual color's characteristics vary, even within the same paint set, and this is one of the reasons why swatching out a new paint set is important.

It's important to know that opaque colors tend to create color mixtures that get thicker and thicker, and murkier and murkier, which can lead to mud much more easily than using transparent colors.

This doesn't mean that we can't use them (I use them all the time!), but it does mean that we have to use them carefully or, in many cases, on their own.

Colors such as Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Cerulean Blue, Raw Umber and Yellow Ochre tend to have opaque qualities to them.

You can never go wrong with testing out the different color mixtures you're planning on using on a scrap piece of watercolor paper before actually using them in your painting.

10. Make sure that you're cleaning out your paint mixing palette thoroughly and keep colors organized throughout the process

This one's related to keeping your water and paintbrushes clean, and I just thought I'd add it in because it can be especially helpful for beginners.

When we're watching videos in which expert watercolor artists are using a huge watercolor palette with a bunch of different colors that seem to be intermixing and they are freely taking their colors as they're painting, it's important to realize that they:
a) Know the Color Wheel like the back of their hand
b) Have mastered water control and know what to do to fix mistakes
and
c) Most likely than not, they've pre-selected and organized the specific colors they know and love using to create their very own color palette

When we're just getting started it can seem like we should be approaching our painting process in that same way, with a large amount of colors and with a palette that *seems to be* out of control.

It can be very frustrating when a beginner sees that, tries to replicate that, continues ending up with paintings that don't seem right, and has no idea what he/she is doing wrong.

My advice?

Learn about Color Theory, keep things practical and limited, and stay as organized as possible in the beginning so that you can continue practicing mindfully and, I promise, you'll get to that point a lot sooner!

*Bonus Tip:
Higher quality watercolor paint is going to lead to better results (better color payoff/more vibrancy/easier mixing of colors/etc.) and generally offers more information about each color such as its level of translucency, granulation, etc. Cheaper watercolors tend to be chalky and opaque, which lead to muddy colors.

Watercolor Supplies

Royal and Langnickel Watercolor Zen Line Brushes $2.99 - $5.99 on Blick.com

Watercolor Pencil Tips and Botanical Painting Process

Watercolor Wet on Wet Effects How to Do Blooms, Splatters and Runs for Beginners

Tips to Find Your Art Style Must Know Information for Beginner Artists

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Trying Out Viviva Watercolor Sheets

6/23/2020

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Do you enjoy taking your watercolors with you while traveling or to different local settings to create unique, artistic renditions of your experiences? Love exploring new art supplies and sharing them with your creative friends? Do you like bold, bright, expressive color?

It's been a month since I first received my Viviva Colorsheets and I'm excited to report that, after having created a little series of paintings with them (some of which I'm including in this post), I'm ready to share my thoughts!

In this blog post, I'll not only be including my swatching video for the 16 colors offered in Viviva's watercolor sheets, but I'll also share some information about this amazing brand, the products they currently offer and my observations after having explored them for a bit.

This way, you can decide whether to order yourself a set a.s.a.p., or stick to regular watercolor tubes or pans.

Viviva's watercolor sheets take the form of a booklet and each sheet contains 2 (6 x 4.5 cms.) highly saturated "plaques" of pigment. To use them, one has to simply touch the color with a slightly wet paintbrush and the color will be immediately activated.

This is an idea pioneered by Peerless Watercolors in 1885 and Viviva has succeeded at creating their own modernized, all-around visually appealing version that they're constantly working on improving and providing different iterations of for their audience.

Viviva Colorsheets was founded in 2015 by med student Aditya Vadgaonkar, who loved watercolor, but found it hard to make time to paint ever since starting with his university studies. Even when he did have a bit of free time, the set-up process, taking care of required supplies and clean up involved, made things very impractical for him.

He longed to continue with his art practice and knew that there probably were lots of people around the world who loved art and felt that eagerness to sit down to create, yet found it too challenging to make time for it in their busy schedules.

While working on a med school assignment involving a diagnostic technique that required picking up color from a paper substrate, the idea of creating watercolor sheets that contained color in dried form occurred to him.

He thought this would be a great way to make watercolor painting more practical for busy people and for those enjoy sketching/painting outside of the studio, as these sheets would be easy to carry around and required minimal preparation/clean up.

Passionate about making his idea come to life, Aditya then worked with an expert on colorants and, after 2 years and lots of different iterations, they arrived at a product that was ready to be offered to the world.

They came up with a method to create watercolor sheets using a minimal amount of binder (when compared to regular watercolor pan sets), which gives them their vividness and great color payoff.

Watercolor flower by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper.

In May 2017, Viviva launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in order to begin producing their colorsheets in small volumes and start selling worldwide. It was a huge success.

Viviva has been working on their product design nonstop, and now offer a wide range of vibrant colors that are not only super bright and easily activated, but portable, durable and eco-friendly.

They've added more colors, tabs on the bottom of each sheet so that colors can be easily found, protective water-repellent paper in between each sheet, a small foldable paper palette, and they've even added beautiful and customizable wood covers as an option for your colorsheets (an amazing addition if you want to give these colorsheets away as a gift).

They've also been working hard on getting their innovative product into art-enthusiasts' hands worldwide, as they continue spreading their mission to share the joy of being able to paint anytime and without the mess.

Today, Viviva is selling their colorsheets to artists and art-lovers all over the world via their website, as well as through art stores in the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Singapore, Honk Kong, Australia and more.

Viviva currently offers four different sets:

Single set: One set of colorsheets with 16 different colors
Sketcher's set: One set of colorsheets with 16 different colors + a refillable watercolor brush
Gift set: One set of colorsheets with its wood/customizable cover and a refillable watercolor brush
Deluxe set: Two sets of colorsheets, each with its wood/customizable cover and a refillable watercolor brush

Find out more about their products by visiting their website.

Viviva Watercolor Swatches

The very first thing I did after receiving my colorsheets, was work on swatches for their 16 colors. As you'll see in the video, I also made sure to test out some techniques that I frequently use in my watercolor painting.

As I explain in my blog post/YouTube video titled How to Swatch Watercolor and Why It's Important, making time to test out colors before using them in an actual painting will not only give us a feel for the usability of the new set on hand, but will also help us avoid surprises when we're laying down our colors and creating our different color mixtures.

Many colors in regular watercolor sets often look very different while in the pan/tube when compared to how they look when they're placed on paper and Viviva's colorsheets are no different (specific colors like Violet, Peacock Blue and Viridian are especially surprising!).

Swatching colors out also allows us to have a better understanding of the color range offered.

The 16 colors included in Viviva's Colorsheets are:
Crimson
Deep Pink
Vermillion
Dusk Orange
Chrome Yellow
Gold Ochre
Burnt Umber
Burnt Sienna
Light Green
Sap Green
Viridian
Peacock Blue
Persian Blue
Violet
Magenta
Slate Black

You'll notice that, in this video included above, I also share my initial thoughts on how these paints compare to regular watercolor pans and tubes.

In many ways, these paints act more like dyes than regular watercolors and it's important to take this into account when you start painting with them.

This said, I've come across pieces created by different artists using these colorsheets that look like they were painted with regular watercolors.

Because of this, I refused to change the way I work and just simplified my method. I came up with something that works similarly to my usual techniques and that I like the look of.

As with many art supplies, there's a learning curve involved, for sure. Especially if you already have a specific way of working as well as a style you're trying to achieve.

As you'll see in the pieces I share here, I've have managed to use these colorsheets to successfully create beautiful wet-on-wet effects, muted out color mixtures and even a variety of values using layering to provide a bit more realism.

Dry Color Swatches and Tests

Viviva watercolor sheets swatches

Pros and Cons of Viviva's Colorsheets

Pros

Incredibly vibrant colors
Great variety of colors
Long-lasting (if you're careful when using them and use only a small amount of water) / A little goes a long way!
Very easily activated
Easy to carry around/lightweight
It's very difficult to create mud with these paints, as they are highly transparent
Non-toxic
Customizable wood cover makes a beautiful, personal gift for any art-enthusiast
Even though it's recommended to allow the colors to dry after using them before closing the booklet, sheets don't stick together because of the protective, water-repellent separator
The product is made with recycled material and using sustainable practices that don't sacrifice its quality

Cons

Stains hands and could stain other objects if not allowed to dry completely *You may want to carry them in a zip-lock bag
If you lack water control, it's easy to make a mess and waste too much product
They act more like inks in many ways and it's best to go in not expecting them to work exactly like regular pan or tube watercolors
There's no way to rearrange your colors
They are not lightfast (will fade over time)
They have little to no mixing area *You may have to use a separate mixing palette if you like creating your own color mixtures or muted out colors

Watercolor bird by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper.

Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here !

Watercolor landscape by Erika Lancaster- Viviva Colorsheets on Hahnemühle watercolor paper

Final Thoughts

Trying out these colorsheets has been a great experience and the product didn't disappoint. I'd recommend it to artists who are looking for convenience/portability and love creating quick paintings or sketches using watercolor, especially those who love bright color and do minimal color mixing.

Viviva's colorsheets are the smallest, most lightweight, portable set that I've ever used, which make them perfect for art on-the-go. Any artist who enjoys creating quick sketches outdoors, in different settings or while traveling, should definitely give these a go!

Though it definitely took me a bit to get used to them in order to produce the results I was after, I think the challenge has expanded my horizons and has made me a better artist.

Thank you for reading!

*Follow Viviva Colors on social media to see inspiring artwork created with their colorsheets, as well as the latest news from them:

Viviva Colors on Instagram
Viviva Colors on Facebook

Watercolor Supplies for Beginners and Things You Must Know

Common Watercolor Painting Mistakes and How to Fix or Avoid Them

Artistic Perfectionism and How to Overcome It

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Watercolor Pencil Tips and Rose Painting Process

1/17/2020

2 Comments

Watercolor Pencil Tips Rose Painting Process

*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)

Is there a specific process to follow when using watercolor pencils? What things should I do to ensure a better outcome when using this medium? What are some good watercolor pencil options for beginners just getting started?

In this blog post, I'll be providing five key tips that will help make the learning process less frustrating and enable you to create amazing artwork as soon as possible. In the video included here, I'll also be sharing how I personally use watercolor pencils by painting a yellow rose.

Watercolor pencils are not only an extremely versatile art medium, as they are simultaneously a drawing and a painting tool, but their practicality makes them ideal for many beginners that are short on time and space.

They also allow for much more control when compared to regular watercolor paint and can help us start getting a feel for what it's like to work with watercolors without having to master water control.

Watercolor pencils are basically watercolor pigment that has been encased in wood, in the form of a pencil.

They can and can be used either with or without water to create different effects, which can range from a heavily-textured colored pencil look, to a smooth and painterly watercolor paint look.

To create marks and colored pencil textures, we simply use them right on our paper, which can be completely bone dry or pre-wetted with clean water.

Of course, the type of paper used has a great impact on the amount of texture created. Smoother paper will lead to smoother effects, while rougher paper will create more texturized effects, as the pigment isn't evenly distributed throughout the tooth of the paper.

On the other hand, to create painterly effects, we lay down our color on our paper just as if we were using regular colored pencils and then smooth it out by going in with a dampened paintbrush. There's no need to use heaps of water for this. *You can also use the impromptu paint mixing palette method I demonstrate in the video included below.

When using quality watercolor pencils, water really activates the pigment and makes the color look a lot brighter and bolder.

These techniques can be used alone or in combination. For example, if you were painting a landscape, you could use more painterly techniques for your background, and more textured/detailing techniques for layers in your foreground.

There is no specific process to follow when using this medium. It's use is going to depend on the specific style and effects you are personally going for with the piece on hand, which is why it's important to give thought to the overall look you want to create before starting.

All this said, many of the regular watercolor "rules" (if they can even be called rules) apply.

In the following video you'll see how, even though my general method is different to what I would do when I paint with regular watercolor paint, I still protect my highlights throughout the process, work from light and translucent to dark and saturated, and allow my paper to dry in between layers.

In this past blog post/YouTube video, I do a comparison between regular watercolor paint and watercolor pencils, and share a complete demo in which I paint the same apple using both mediums. They are very similar, but very different at the same time!

Watercolor Pencil Tips for Beginners

1. Use paper that is intended for water-soluble mediums

Using regular printer paper for watercolor or watercolor pencil work will most likely lead to frustration during the process, as well as undesired results. Not to mention, the learning phase will last longer, as the beginner artist isn't actually able to get a sense for what the medium is like.

This said, I don't believe in necessarily going for the highest quality watercolor paper right-off-the-bat (if you have the budget- then by all means go for it).

I'd much rather you practice consistently on decent quality (and accessibly priced) student-grade paper, as opposed to not creating art because you're afraid of wasting your supplies.

Check out my blog post/YouTube video titled Watercolor Supplies for Beginners and Things You Must Know to learn more about my opinions and suggestions on specific watercolor painting supplies.

I always recommend working with watercolor paper that is at least 140 lbs. or thicker/heavier in weight, so that it's able to take a bit of a beating. Thinner paper not only warps a lot more easily, but it doesn't allow for layering and scrubbing techniques and is very easy to damage.

And when we're just getting started (with any medium), most of us tend to overwork things, often damaging our substrate and/or tools.

Stay mindful throughout your painting process in order to ensure that you're not scratching your paper with your sharp watercolor pencils and that you're allowing layers of paint to dry in between if you're using a dampened paintbrush to smooth out your color.

Lay down your colors gently and patiently, without pressing down to hard (this will create scratches and burnish the paper-creating an uneven sheen/finish).

2. Create your preliminary sketch lightly

One of the main characteristics that sets watercolors apart from other painting mediums such as acrylics, oils and gouache, is its translucency.

Because of this, if we create a preliminary sketch prior to starting with our painting process that's not very light, it will likely show through our paint.

There are lots of watercolor artists out there who like their line work to show through their paint, but if you don't want this to happen, it's important to make sure that you're outline sketch is created lightly. I usually use an HB pencil for this phase of the process and make sure I'm not exerting much pressure at all.

Being light-handed when creating your preliminary sketch will also help ensure that the graphite left behind on your watercolor paper won't dirty up the colors you start placing on top. You want your colors vibrant and fresh.

Something you can also do, is use a light colored watercolor pencil to create your preliminary sketch. This way, once you start using water, your line work will disappear completely as you go!

3. Plan the colors you'll be using before starting to paint

It's incredibly important for people starting on their painting journeys, to look into the color wheel and Color Theory.

Color is an Element of Art that not only plays a huge role in making an artwork look harmonious and cohesive, but knowledge about the color wheel enables us to create color mixtures effectively throughout the art-making process.

Over at my Patreon site, I offer sequential classes that cover all must-know Art Fundamentals. You can also get immediate access to my Drawing and Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Courses by becoming an art email insider here (the third class in the watercolor course is all about color).

Instead of randomly picking colors throughout the painting process, take five minutes to observe your reference picture and pick out the specific watercolor pencil colors you'll be using. Take them out of your package and place them beside you as you prepare for your new piece.

Don't only think about the colors of the subject in and of itself (ex. if I'm painting a gray cat I'm not only looking for different grays), but also think about what colors you'll be adding in to create your darkest values, cast shadows and background colors.

Take time to swatch your colors on a scrap piece of watercolor paper, as they really tend to look different once they are applied vs. the color shown on the pencil. Test any color mixtures you're planning on using.

Keep things limited and as simple as possible.

I promise, it'll make a huge difference in terms of both your organization during the process, as well as the outcome.

Step-by-step drawing and watercolor painting tutorials for beginners

Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here !

4. Use a good reference photo

If you're looking to create higher levels of realism, make sure you're stemming from a good reference photo (or have your subject in front of you in good lighting).

Not only will a good reference photo enable you to see details and the tiny nuances that will make your drawing or painting more realistic, but it will also provide you much needed information in terms of light behavior and locations of highlights, midtones and darks.

Remember, it's these different values (highlights, midtones and darks), that make drawings and paintings look three-dimensional. If you're unable to locate them in a photo reference, you'll have lots of trouble trying to recreate them.

Always make sure your reference photos have a great resolution that will enable you to see details and zoom in (if necessary), and that they show good lighting.

You'll know a photo has good lighting if it shows a good play between lights and darks. *Photos taken with flash are usually washed out and make everything look very flat, which makes the drawing and painting process a lot harder.

If you don't have a good reference to work from, you're basically guessing at what things look like and have to make your own conclusions in regards to where highlights, midtones and darks are located.

Unless you've been drawing or painting a specific subject for years, you're drawing or painting it the way you think that subject looks like, and not what it actually looks like in real life.

Learning to observe and learn all we can about the subjects we're interested in improving at by actually taking in all sorts of references (photos, life subjects, videos, etc.), is so important, as artists!

And, remember, just because you're using a reference, it doesn't mean you can't bring in your own creativity into your work.

5. Give thought to what kinds of effects you want to use in each area of your painting

Because watercolor pencils allow for so many different types of techniques, it can be very easy to get lost during the process and end up with effects we weren't intending to create.

Give thought to the specific techniques you'll be using, as well as when and where you'll be using each, throughout the painting process. This will make it much more likely that you'll end up with an outcome you'll love.

Think of how you can combine different techniques to create impactful and contrasting effects in your different layers (foreground, middleground, background), as well as how you can use them to bring more attention to your focal point.

There are so many ways you can go with watercolor pencils!

Explore, have fun and don't forget to bring in a bit of yourself into everything that you create. :)

Great watercolor pencil options for beginners:

Watercolor Pencil Rose by Erika Lancaster

Comparing Watercolors and Watercolor Pencils

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Combining Ink With Watercolor: Essential Things to Consider

Combining Ink With Watercolor: ​Essential Things to Consider

Best Waterproof Pens For Use With Watercolor

Best Bottled Ink For Use With Watercolor

Trying Out Viviva Colors' Inktober Sketchbook

Pros and Cons of Viviva Colors' and Inktober's Sketchbooks and Colorsheets ​

Pros

Cons

Watercolor Painting: 10 Tips to Avoid Muddy Colors

Why do muddy colors happen?

10 Tips to Avoid Muddy Colors When Painting with Watercolor

Watercolor Supplies

Trying Out Viviva Watercolor Sheets

Viviva Watercolor Swatches

​Dry Color Swatches and Tests

Pros and Cons of Viviva's Colorsheets

Pros

Cons

Final Thoughts

Watercolor Pencil Tips and Rose Painting Process

Watercolor Pencil Tips for Beginners ​

Great watercolor pencil options for beginners: ​

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and Inktober's Sketchbooks and Colorsheets

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