*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. :) What's the actual reason behind swatching watercolor paint (aside from the satisfaction of laying pretty colors down on paper)? What specific things should we be looking for when testing out a new watercolor paint set, besides differences in color? What are the different variables that may affect watercolors' behavior and their final appearance? In this blog post, I'm going to explain the most important characteristics that you should start taking note of when it comes to watercolor paint. By understanding these different aspects and how they vary from pigment to pigment, you'll be able to make more informed choices when it comes to picking your color palettes/schemes for your paintings, which will make everything go a lot smoother. I'll also walk you through my own personal method for swatching out a new paint set and share why I like testing my paints on two different types of paper. It's very useful to explore a new paint set before actually attempting to create a painting with it. This is especially the case when it comes to watercolors, as this painting medium's inherent characteristics make it tricky to use. For one, watercolors are translucent, which means we can't simply cover up our mistakes like we can when working with acrylics or oils. Secondly, due to their water-soluble properties, they tend to have a mind of their own. Finally (and something that was very hard for me to wrap my head around in the beginning), behaviors and effects can vary greatly from pigment to pigment, even within a set manufactured by the same company. There are also many external factors that can affect our watercolor painting process and the final outcome of a piece, such as how clean our water is, what kind of paper is used, and even the temperature of the room we're working in! Always remember that, as artists, we have to learn to embrace the exploration process. It may seem like a waste of time and resources when we're just starting out, but these smaller studies give us confidence and allow us to find ourselves as artists, so that we're then able to create more effective finalized works. If you're a beginner just starting out with watercolors, I highly recommend checking out my blog post titled 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting With Watercolors. By understanding these ten ideas and applying them in your painting, you'll be able to progress your watercolor skills much quicker and waste less supplies in the process. Let's get to the swatching! If you enjoy this video, subscribe to my YouTube channel! I publish a brand new video every-single-Friday with art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for aspiring artists. There is no right or wrong way to test out a new watercolor paint set. The whole point of swatching and testing out colors is for you, the artist, to have a better understanding of different color behaviors. This way, you'll be able to select the colors you like best depending on the particular subject you paint, your personal techniques and the overall effects you're going for. If you're just starting out and haven't found your style, no problem! As your artistic journey progresses, you'll discover your own way of working and the specific paint qualities that are important for you. Later on, you'll be able to modify your swatching process to whatever fits you best and perhaps leave out aspects that aren't as important. Watercolor Paint Characteristicsa) Mass tones A color's mass tone tells us what it looks like when it's straight out of the tube and at its fullest saturation. Basically, it's the color at its purest and undiluted self. -This is usually the first rectangle I fill in below the hue's name and I make sure to use the least amount of water possible. b) Staining qualities A color's staining quality refers to how difficult it is to remove from the paper when lifting, scrubbing or attempting to reactivate it once it's dry. -To test this out, I like lifting paint from a small section of my Masstone square/rectangle when it's still wet with either a rag or a paintbrush. I also like coming back to my color swatch once it's dried completely to see if any color can be lifted or reactivated because I personally use this technique a lot in my work. There are some pigments that are known for being extremely staining, such as Prussian Blue, and others that lift up quite easily. c) Opacity A color's opacity tells us how opaque or transparent it is. Usually, you're looking for transparency when it comes to watercolors, as this is the quality that gives paintings created with this medium their distinctive glow. -For faster swatches, I like drawing a couple of ink lines in this square/rectangle (allow them to dry completely) and painting over them with each color to see if there is any chalky residue left behind. -Another option is painting a couple of lines or shapes with a different color (a different color from the one you're testing) and seeing how much the subsequent layer of color allows the bottom to shine through. d) Level of dispersion A color's level of dispersion refers to how easily it expands and/or intermixes with other colors when dropping on damp paper. A high level of dispersion means a paint color expands quickly and intermixes a lot with colors around it. A low level of dispersion means it mostly stays in place. -For faster swatches, I like simply wetting this square/rectangle with clean water and dropping the color in in several different places to see how fast it expands. -Another option is dropping a different color in first and then placing the specific hue you're testing out to see how much it expands/intermixes. I do recommend preparing a larger square/rectangle for swatching if you want to test this out. Because I don't do a ton of wet-on-wet work myself, this isn't I take too much time doing. However, if you do a lot of landscapes or even abstracts, it may be very useful for you to spend time testing out this particular one for your different colors! e) Granulation A color's granulation level can be identified by laying down a flat wash, allowing it to dry completely, and observing how even and uniform it looks after. Pigments that have a high level of granulation separate from their binder when mixed with water and tend to settle into the texture of the paper it is placed on. This leads to white dots and a patchy look in some areas. *A high level of granulation isn't inherently bad, as it can be used to create great effects in areas that require them. Many artists use highly granulating paints to their advantage! -I don't usually create a separate square/rectangle to test out granulation, but come back to observe this later on after my paint has fully dried and settled into the paper in all my sections. f) Permanence A color's permanence refers to how resistant it is when exposed to light. In other words, how quickly does it start to fade out? Usually, manufacturers include this information somewhere within the packaging of the product with the following codes: AA (Extremely Permanent), A (Permanent), B (Moderately Durable) or C (Fugitive). -I don't usually create a separate square/rectangle to test out permanence, but come back to observe how much the color has faded out a few months later. g) How do colors react on different types of papers? I usually like seeing how different pigments react on at least a couple of different types of watercolor paper because I know how much of a difference the right paper can make! -For the swatching of this particular Winsor and Newton set, I used both higher quality Arches watercolor paper, as well as cheaper Canson paper. Both of these were 140 lb. Cold Press papers, but the Arches had much more of a texture to it. Another option could be testing your paint out on both Cold Press and Hot Press papers. Check out my blog post/YouTube video Watercolor Supplies for Beginners + Things You Should Know. In it, I explain everything you have to know about watercolor paper and demystify a lot of common thoughts beginners have in relation to watercolor supplies. Swatching Outcome and My Conclusions
Swatching out Winsor and Newton paint set on Arches 140 lb. Cold-Press watercolor paper. This photo has not been manipulated in any way.
Swatching out Winsor and Newton paint set on Canson 140 lb. Cold-Press watercolor paper. This photo has not been manipulated in any way.
The colors included in this Winsor and Newton 12-piece tube set are: Cadmium Yellow Hue Cadmium Red Pale Hue Alizarin Crimson Ultramarine Blue Cerulean Blue Prussian Blue Viridian Green Yellow Ochre Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber Ivory Black Chinese White I enjoyed testing out this Winsor and Newton watercolor tube set and look forward to painting a piece with it. Even though this brand's Cotman line is described as being their affordable/student grade option, this particular tube set offers an excellent color payoff, contains a good amount of paint and is quite comfortable to work with. The paint's texture is just thick enough when squeezed out of the tube and onto the paint-mixing palette. Each tube contains 8 ml of paint and the manufacturer has included relevant information on its packaging such as each color's level of Permanence and Pigment Code. A few things I noticed in regards to the differences between the swatches created on the two different watercolor papers: a) Overall, the colors painted on the Arches paper are more vibrant than how they appear on the Canson paper. b) The degree of this varies from pigment to pigment, but I was able to lift up more paint from the Canson paper, especially once the paint had dried. This probably has to do with the fact that the 100% cotton Arches paper absorbs the pigment a lot more effectively. c) Wet-on-wet effects were much more beautiful on the Arches paper, which allowed them to disperse a lot more fluidly and gradually. On the Canson paper, the paint pooled in certain areas and left a patchy effect. d) All colors, except for the Chinese white are completely transparent (which is a good thing). Transparent watercolors allow bottom layers to shine through and give paintings a unique glow. If you zoom into the ink lines below the Chinese white swatch, they appear to have a bit of a chalkiness over them. Watercolor Supplies Used:
*I buy most of my art supplies online through ConsumerCrafts or Amazon. Both of them are excellent options for finding great supplies at accessible prices. Click on images below to learn more about each product.
Subscribe to my email list and get access to my exclusive group of growing artists over on Facebook. Art in Harmony is a safe place to share your art and connect with other artists in a positive environment. I'm at the group daily providing feedback and have a free live class based on topics of members' choosing every week. There are also Weekly Challenges you can take part of, Thursday Art Tips and inspiration to help you make creativity a habit. 
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Have you ever stopped yourself from adding color to a drawing because you were afraid of ruining it and/or just couldn't decide which combination to go for? How have famous artists used color to give their work impact and the ability to efficiently transmit a particular mood or emotion to their viewers? Have you ever wondered how colors around you affect you in your day-to-day life? It's no secret that artists need to have vast knowledge about the different Elements of Art and how to use them in order to create compositions that are both visually pleasing and effective at transmitting ideas or emotions to their public. Color is one of these elements! When I'm explaining the different Elements of Art (Color, Shape, Line, Texture, etc.), I like segmenting each into its more objective aspects (pertaining to cold technical drawing/painting skills) and its more subjective aspects (relating to how they can affect a viewer's emotions/mood). For me, a great art piece demonstrates both technical knowledge on part of the artist and is able to transmit a message or feeling. This is why I like to get aspiring artists thinking about both of these aspects simultaneously as their journey progresses.
Today I'll be sharing an amazing Color infographic created, and very kindly shared, by Invaluable! Invaluable.com is a renowned online marketplace that sells fine art, as well as antiques and collectibles (links to their website and social media channels can be found at the end of this post).
Their infographic helps us understand the different emotions that each color can transmit, and shares specific examples of famous paintings that effectively used each. Stay tuned because I plan on creating a few blog posts about color mixing, terms all aspiring artists should know about, selecting color schemes, etc. If you're a beginner, are interested in starting to paint using watercolors, and/or you'd like to learn more about the Color Wheel, I highly recommend you check out my Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Course! The third class in this free mini-course is all about Color and I walk you through, what I consider to be, the best way to understand relationships between colors and how to mix them effectively. Let's get into the guest post! You may not realize it, but colors have a large impact on your emotions and actions. Color psychology is the study of how different pigments can cause different behaviors. Dating back to the 15th century, color theory is still implemented in a variety of ways. Individuals, institutions, and businesses carefully pick which colors to incorporate into their brand. Because colors symbolize different feelings, you may be able to understand a lot about a brand simply from analyzing its hues. Marketers also take advantage of human reactions to color by packaging products to draw attention and even evoke emotion. If you’re interested in the psychological science behind color, Invaluable put together the infographic below using art to explain it. 
How Artists Use Color to Evoke Emotion. Infographic by Invaluable. Click on image to read complete their complete blog post.
Visit the blog section Invaluable's website for more great art-related posts! Follow them on social media at: facebook.com/InvaluableOfficial twitter.com/invaluablelive instagram.com/invaluableofficial pinterest.com.mx/invaluable Thanks so much to Invaluable for sharing this great infographic with me and thank YOU for reading! I hope you found this blog post inspiring and helpful. 
*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. :) Why, hello there! Thanks so much for visiting my little artistic corner of the Internet today! Today's post includes a video in which I'll be sharing the sketching time lapses for Inktober prompts 6-11, as well as how I came up with the ideas behind these quick pen and ink illustrations. It's definitely a challenge to come up with a new original idea every-single-day, but I'm still going strong and am hoping to make it through! I'm also sharing links to the exact sketchbook, drawing pens and ink that I'm using for this year's challenge, so make sure to find those at the end if you're interested in buying some new supplies for yourself. Check out my previous Inktober-related blog post/video titled: 5 Tips to Make it Through Inktober and How I'm Going About it for specific tips to get the most out of this drawing challenge. Also, here are a few past blog posts in which I share a ton of helpful info about pen and ink drawing/shading. They will definitely help you step up your game throughout the rest of this challenge! If you enjoy this video, I highly recommend subscribing to my YouTube channel. I publish a new one every-single-week sharing art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for beginner/intermediate artists! :) My Inktober SuppliesHere are the supplies I'm using for all of my Inktober sketches this year. I buy a lot of my art supplies through Amazon myself and, because I really enjoy sketching with pen and ink, I already had them in my arsenal!
That's it for today! I hope that you enjoyed this post/video! I'd love to know in the comments section below which Inktober prompt has been your favorite so far. If you haven't been able to participate, are you planning to next year? Cheers, friends! 
*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. :) Are you an artist looking for a foolproof way to improve your drawing/creative skills in a short period of time? Have you always wanted to participate in #Inktober or other daily drawing challenges but find them a bit intimidating? Are you a beginner looking to make drawing and creativity a part of your daily life? Month-long drawing challenges like Inktober are no joke. Most of us have a lot going on in our lives and committing to producing one drawing a day (and actually sticking with it for the entire month) requires a huge amount of discipline. Even if one starts with the project excited and has proper fun creating those first few sketches, that initial burst of inspiration is probably going to dwindle at some point mid-way. And when that happens, it's going to take sheer determination to keep going! This said, if we are able to stick with it, growth will come inevitably and fast. By the end of the month, our drawing skills will have progressed and our creative abilities will be heightened. This type of experience is also incredibly valuable as it helps us make way towards finding our artistic style and voice. Committing to any sort of series like this one is a great way of pinpointing our strengths and weaknesses, which is essential. In this blog post, I'll be sharing my top five tips to ensure that you are progressing your drawing/creative skills as much as possible with this drawing challenge, but also staying sane along the way. These are all things I'm making sure to do myself throughout this month. I'm also including links to a few very helpful pen and ink drawing blog posts/YouTube videos that will help you step up your inking game. The video included in this post is a compilation of time lapses for my first five Inktober sketches. Make sure to follow me on Instagram to stay up-to-date with my progress throughout the month. I'm sure I'll be missing a few days here and there, but I am planning to make up for them as soon as I'm able to. Check out these helpful pen and ink sketching blog posts/YouTube videos!1. Pen & Ink Sketching: 6 Shading Techniques 2. Guide to Shading Techniques: Hatching, Crosshatching, Scribbling and Others 3. Shading Simple Objects Using Hatching, Crosshatching and Other Drawing Pen Techniques 4. Shading a Hand Using Pen and Ink (Complex Subjects) Inktober Tips1. Be practical about it
As creatives, we have tons of different ideas popping up in our heads non-stop. This is great, but it can definitely hinder us from moving forward and actually finishing things. Think of an idea that you feel could work and that feels practical in terms of time, and just go for it. If you look back constantly, there's a huge possibility that you won't finish drawings on time and they're going to start piling up, which can lead to overwhelm.
Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. I like keeping this sort of project practical by giving a bit of my energy each day instead of giving it all right at the beginning and burning out fast. I'm not striving for masterpieces, but for growth. 2. Avoid looking at others' work until after you have finished yours
It's important for me to keep my work as original as possible and I hope this is the case for you as well. I'm sure there will be other artists in the world creating work that is similar to mine in some (or many) aspects. But when this happens, I know that it's due to the fact that those other artists and I are somehow influenced by similar things and not because I'm copying their work.
For challenges like this one, I find it super helpful to stay away from social media until after I have finished my work (or at least my initial sketch). This way, I'm not allowing other artists' ideas to infiltrate my mind. 3. Brainstorm ideas and create sketches
Before going to bed, I'm reading the prompt for the following day and allowing myself to start brainstorming. I start sifting through ideas in my head, setting aside those that might not be practical (no matter how amazing they might sound). I don't actually put pencil/pen to paper until the next day.
I recommend creating at least a couple of quick sketches prior to actually starting with your piece. Doing quick thumbnails is an excellent way of arriving at great compositional arrangements. For several of the drawings above, I was unsure whether I wanted my main subject to be facing forwards or whether I'd be sketching him/her/it in profile or at an angle. It wasn't until I created those sketches and actually saw my ideas come to life that I could make a decision about what would be most appealing. 4. Incorporate some sort of element of coherency (or a theme)
When creating any sort of series like this one, it's useful to think about how you can bring an aspect of consistency to your work. A lot of artists like sticking to a specific theme for Inktober and I think this is very useful, as it limits the broad range of ideas that might lead to indecision and not doing anything at all.
I decided to incorporate coherency in the format/layout of my overall design. However, there are many ways that we can add a sense of consistency to our artwork. Perhaps you want to make sure to incorporate human figures in all your drawings, stick with a specific color scheme (if you're using color), create some sort of frame around your drawing, integrate handwritten lettering, or think of a specific layout like I did. 5. Have fun and don't strive for perfection
Being a perfectionist and expecting too much from yourself with every single thing you do is a surefire way of burning out and not enjoying the creative process. It also keeps you from producing the amount of work you have to create in order to really improve artistically.
Not to mention, this challenge (in my opinion) is a way of improving our personal skills, not about showing off masterpieces and/or comparing them with other peoples'! Stay in your lane and remember that the purpose of this project is to improve your drawing and creative skills, as well as to make art a daily habit. I hope you have fun throughout the month and wish you lots of artistic growth! My Inktober art supplies*Click on images to check out the specific supplies I'm using for Inktober that I've bought through www.consumercrafts.com and www.amazon.com:
*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. :) Are you impressed by artists who are able to achieve high levels of realism in their work and wish you could also get to that point, someday? Interested in bringing realistic form and three-dimensionality to your drawings so that they can really pop out? Have you gained some confidence creating line sketches, and are ready to start adding realistic light and shading effects? Even though I consider myself much more of a sketcher and a painter than a realistic drawer per se, I think it's essential to make time for these kinds of studies. I also think that it's important for aspiring artists to devote time to achieving believable drawings/paintings because this is what's going to lead them to develop great observational skills and grasp fundamental art topics such as proportion, value, perspective, form, etc. In today's blog post, I'll be sharing a video time-lapse of a portrait I drew using regular pencils, as well my top six tips to apply when attempting to create a realistic drawing of any type of subject (whether it be a face, animal, arrangement of objects, etc.). By understanding and practicing the six key points I'll be sharing below, beginner artists will start making much faster progress and will soon be creating impressive, more professional-looking drawings. I want to make something clear. To achieve realism, we need references. These references are going to allow us to observe what subjects actually look like in real life. If we don't use references, we are going to be working from what we think subjects look like. References provide us details and remind us of tiny intricacies that we would have otherwise not thought about. And when attempting to achieve realism, it's ALL about observing the subtleties and being able to recreate them accordingly. References can take the form of photographs or compositions we have arranged to draw from life (otherwise called working from direct observation). Drawing from direct observation is essential for artists that have gained a certain level of skill using photographic references, as it provides a more challenging opportunity to further our artistic development. As I've mentioned in other blog posts and YouTube videos, drawing is the basis for everything else in art. I believe all artists, no matter how skilled they've already become or what particular medium they've chosen to gain mastery in, should continue making time to sharpen their drawing/observational skills throughout their journeys. Personally, I make sure to schedule in time for it on a weekly basis, even though what I sell are my paintings! Realistic Drawing Tips
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When I set out to create a drawing that is more on the realistic side, I make sure to have the following supplies on hand:
-A few different pencil grades (2H or H for the initial sketch, a couple of mid-grade a 2B or 4B to start placing values gradually, and one darker grade like an 8B for darkest areas)
-Drawing or sketching paper (smooth paper is going to ensure smooth blending)
-A kneaded eraser or eraser intended for smaller areas
-A regular soft rubber eraser for larger areas
-A blending stump or tortillon to blend smaller areas
-A tissue paper to blend larger areas
-A quality sharpener
-A scrap piece of regular paper or tracing paper to rest my hand on as I'm working
3. Always start with a LIGHT initial sketch, focusing on largest shapes
When we're starting with any kind of drawing, it's absolutely essential to learn to visualize what we're looking at as a combination of simple shapes and to tune out details. The proportion and location of these different elements in regards to each other has to be spot on, before even thinking about moving on to things like shading and texture.
It's the absolute WORST to spend hours developing details and even creating beautiful, smooth shading just to step away from our drawings and realize that the proportions/locations of different elements are off.
Also, whether you're creating your initial sketch by tracing over a photograph or freehand, make sure those initial lines are created lightly so that they can be invisible at the end (we want no visible lines when creating realism).
It's the absolute WORST to spend hours developing details and even creating beautiful, smooth shading just to step away from our drawings and realize that the proportions/locations of different elements are off.
Also, whether you're creating your initial sketch by tracing over a photograph or freehand, make sure those initial lines are created lightly so that they can be invisible at the end (we want no visible lines when creating realism).
4. Keep in mind that in realism, there are no visible lines
In real life, the shapes we see are created by subtle differences in values, which are influenced by light and shadow. These shapes are not outlined as they are in cartoons. It's essential to stay away from creating any sort of stark-looking lines, whether it's around our different shapes/planes or in an area we're intending to create a smooth gradient in.
This said, we are required to draw lines when we are working on creating some kinds of texture (hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.). However, even in these cases, the "lines" we are leaving behind are not uniform from one edge to the other, but have a variety even within them in terms of thickness or value. They most likely go from thick to thin or from dark to light, etc., which leads to much less stark looking lines.
This said, we are required to draw lines when we are working on creating some kinds of texture (hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.). However, even in these cases, the "lines" we are leaving behind are not uniform from one edge to the other, but have a variety even within them in terms of thickness or value. They most likely go from thick to thin or from dark to light, etc., which leads to much less stark looking lines.
5. Create gradual, smooth transitions between your different values
Unless you're working with a photograph (or with a real-life composition) that shows very dramatic lighting, transitions between lights and darks must be gradual and smooth. There should be no stark changes between one to the next and there shouldn't be any visible lines throughout these transitions either.
6. Make sure you are creating a very wide variety of values throughout your drawing
In order for your drawing to really pop out and transmit a sense of realistic three-dimensionality, you have to develop a huge range of values throughout your piece. There have to be very light areas (which will appear almost white at the end), there have to be very dark areas (which will appear almost black at the end) and there have to be a ton of mid-values in between. Practice creating a beautiful balance between lights and darks.
A lot of beginners make the mistake of not going dark enough where needed. Don't be afraid to go dark (as long as the values are really there in the reference). This said, make sure you're never pressing down too hard on your paper because this can damage it and cause visible scratches that will not be able to be fixed!
For the most part, I like working my way towards the darks gradually. Also, as you're working, you'll probably find that you're darkening some areas that you were intending to leave light. This is where small, detailing erasers come in super handy because they allow you to go back in and lighten these areas. They also allow you to pull out highlights wherever needed, which is crucial for realistic looking hair.
A lot of beginners make the mistake of not going dark enough where needed. Don't be afraid to go dark (as long as the values are really there in the reference). This said, make sure you're never pressing down too hard on your paper because this can damage it and cause visible scratches that will not be able to be fixed!
For the most part, I like working my way towards the darks gradually. Also, as you're working, you'll probably find that you're darkening some areas that you were intending to leave light. This is where small, detailing erasers come in super handy because they allow you to go back in and lighten these areas. They also allow you to pull out highlights wherever needed, which is crucial for realistic looking hair.
*Bonus Tip: Make sure that you're looking at your reference, at least, 50% of the time you spend working!
Portrait drawing by Erika Lancaster
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you found this post helpful and that it inspired you to go and practice some realistic drawing for yourself. I'd love to know how it goes for you!
*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. :)
Do you feel like you're constantly fighting against your supplies when painting with watercolors? Feel like a failure after every single little mistake you make throughout your painting process? Do you frequently end up frustrated with yourself and end up throwing away more paintings than you actually keep?
When using watercolors, we cannot just simply cover up our mistakes with a new layer of paint. This artistic medium requires us to be much more mindful and delicate, even, right from the start of the painting process.
I use several different kinds of paint for my own work and when I make the switch to watercolors, it helps me to remember that I'm using this medium's transparency, in combination with the whiteness of my paper, to produce a wide range of values. I am not covering up my substrate and layering paint, as I would with oils or acrylics, but using my paper in itself as my lightest value. This is what's going to help create watercolors' distinctive "glowing" effect.
There's WAY more of a chance that you'll produce a great watercolor painting if you do, at least, a bit of planning before starting, and are able to remain patient throughout the process. It's also essential that you are aware of this medium's characteristics and have practiced basic exercises before jumping into a more complex subject.
I highly recommend reading my blog post titled 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting With Watercolors if you're a beginner just starting out!
All this said, it's important to know that you don't have to get frustrated with yourself and throw away a painting EVERY-SINGLE-TIME you've made a mistake! If you're mistake is small (which it should be if you're staying focused throughout the process), there most likely WILL be a way to make it less noticeable. There are also specific things you can do to avoid these mistakes in the first place!
In today's post, I'll be sharing five common watercolor painting mistakes and what I personally do to fix them or avoid them altogether. By making use of these tips and tricks, you'll end up with a painting that is going to have way more positives than negatives. For the time-lapse video included in this post, I painted a subject that I knew would be extra challenging for me and would allow me to demonstrate how I approach my mistakes on a real project.
Though I knew that my painting wasn't going to be "perfect" when that first mistake happened, I was determined to push through, and I'm happy I did. I learned a lot from it and will apply this knowledge in future paintings.
*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. :)
Do you feel like you're constantly fighting against your supplies when painting with watercolors? Feel like a failure after every single little mistake you make throughout your painting process? Do you frequently end up frustrated with yourself and end up throwing away more paintings than you actually keep?
When using watercolors, we cannot just simply cover up our mistakes with a new layer of paint. This artistic medium requires us to be much more mindful and delicate, even, right from the start of the painting process.
I use several different kinds of paint for my own work and when I make the switch to watercolors, it helps me to remember that I'm using this medium's transparency, in combination with the whiteness of my paper, to produce a wide range of values. I am not covering up my substrate and layering paint, as I would with oils or acrylics, but using my paper in itself as my lightest value. This is what's going to help create watercolors' distinctive "glowing" effect.
There's WAY more of a chance that you'll produce a great watercolor painting if you do, at least, a bit of planning before starting, and are able to remain patient throughout the process. It's also essential that you are aware of this medium's characteristics and have practiced basic exercises before jumping into a more complex subject.
I highly recommend reading my blog post titled 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting With Watercolors if you're a beginner just starting out!
All this said, it's important to know that you don't have to get frustrated with yourself and throw away a painting EVERY-SINGLE-TIME you've made a mistake! If you're mistake is small (which it should be if you're staying focused throughout the process), there most likely WILL be a way to make it less noticeable. There are also specific things you can do to avoid these mistakes in the first place!
In today's post, I'll be sharing five common watercolor painting mistakes and what I personally do to fix them or avoid them altogether. By making use of these tips and tricks, you'll end up with a painting that is going to have way more positives than negatives. For the time-lapse video included in this post, I painted a subject that I knew would be extra challenging for me and would allow me to demonstrate how I approach my mistakes on a real project.
Though I knew that my painting wasn't going to be "perfect" when that first mistake happened, I was determined to push through, and I'm happy I did. I learned a lot from it and will apply this knowledge in future paintings.
Watercolor Cougar by Erika Lancaster. Schmincke watercolors on Fabriano 140 lb. watercolor paper.
Art supplies used for this watercolor painting:
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Five Ways to Avoid or Fix Watercolor Mistakes
It's important to understand that no mistake will be completely erased with any of these techniques. What you're trying to do is make them less noticeable, so that they don't distract from the great areas of your painting!
Mistake #1: Accidentally covering up your lightest areas (whites)
How to avoid this:
Make sure that you take time to plan and decide how you'll be protecting your lightest areas before starting with the painting process. You can do this by either creating a "map" for yourself (drawing small shapes around these areas using a pencil) and very carefully working around them as you're painting.
If you're painting a very complex subject with very small areas you want to protect, I recommend using masking fluid, as I did to protect the whiskers of this cougar.
To learn everything you need to know about using masking fluid with watercolors, visit my blog post titled Using Masking Fluid with Watercolors: Everything You Need to Know.
How to fix it:
Use the lifting technique to remove some of the pigment from your paper. If your paint is still wet, simply take your rag or paper towel and gently blot your paper with up and down motions (not sideways as this will damage the paper).
If your paint is already dry, no problem! As long as you're using decent quality watercolor paint, they CAN be reactivated by re-wetting them! All you have to do is rinse your brush well, remove excess water from its bristles and do gentle circular scrubbing motions in the area. Don't go back in with too much water, though, and stay mindful about not damaging your paper.
Remember that the more wet your paper is, the more fragile it is! So once you've removed all you can, just let it go and allow the area to dry.
*It's important to know that different colors are going to have different staining qualities on your paper, and that the quality/type of paper you're using will affect the outcome of this technique.
*Also, the thicker the paper you're working on, the more scrubbing and lifting it will allow without you damaging it. These techniques won't work well if you're using lightweight paper. I love working on paper thats 140 lbs. and up!
Make sure that you take time to plan and decide how you'll be protecting your lightest areas before starting with the painting process. You can do this by either creating a "map" for yourself (drawing small shapes around these areas using a pencil) and very carefully working around them as you're painting.
If you're painting a very complex subject with very small areas you want to protect, I recommend using masking fluid, as I did to protect the whiskers of this cougar.
To learn everything you need to know about using masking fluid with watercolors, visit my blog post titled Using Masking Fluid with Watercolors: Everything You Need to Know.
How to fix it:
Use the lifting technique to remove some of the pigment from your paper. If your paint is still wet, simply take your rag or paper towel and gently blot your paper with up and down motions (not sideways as this will damage the paper).
If your paint is already dry, no problem! As long as you're using decent quality watercolor paint, they CAN be reactivated by re-wetting them! All you have to do is rinse your brush well, remove excess water from its bristles and do gentle circular scrubbing motions in the area. Don't go back in with too much water, though, and stay mindful about not damaging your paper.
Remember that the more wet your paper is, the more fragile it is! So once you've removed all you can, just let it go and allow the area to dry.
*It's important to know that different colors are going to have different staining qualities on your paper, and that the quality/type of paper you're using will affect the outcome of this technique.
*Also, the thicker the paper you're working on, the more scrubbing and lifting it will allow without you damaging it. These techniques won't work well if you're using lightweight paper. I love working on paper thats 140 lbs. and up!
Mistake #2: Laying down too much dark paint in the beginning stages or creating flat/stark looking shapes or lines
How to avoid this:
Remember that a good watercolor piece requires patience! Take your painting ONE-STEP-AT-A-TIME and always start with light, translucent values and work your way towards the darks in layers. Look at your reference and add your darkest values only where you actually see them (usually these spaces are small and have variation in them).
Generally speaking, you want to keep even your darkest values somewhat transparent, and keep obvious lines or tiny shapes only for the areas where your subject really calls for it.
How to fix it:
Went a bit crazy laying down way too heavily pigmented paint mixture in a larger area (or sooner) than intended? Don't fret! Use the lifting technique described in the previous point using your rag to gently blot the area while it's still wet or use your clean, damp brush to do some scrubbing. Be gentle while you remove as much pigment as possible and allow to dry before attempting to do anything else in that area.
You can also use the pulling/spreading technique in order to dissipate the concentrated pigment into a larger area. Of course, you don't want to spread that pigment into areas that are meant to be white or affect other colors you've already placed, so be careful!
I've found, dissipating that stark line or edge into a gradient really helps remove that flatness that we've mistakenly created. Do what you can and leave it. Move on to work on other areas of your painting. Later on, when the area is completely dry, you can go back in and make any overworked areas less noticeable by adding more paint carefully and playing around with values/washes.
Remember that a good watercolor piece requires patience! Take your painting ONE-STEP-AT-A-TIME and always start with light, translucent values and work your way towards the darks in layers. Look at your reference and add your darkest values only where you actually see them (usually these spaces are small and have variation in them).
Generally speaking, you want to keep even your darkest values somewhat transparent, and keep obvious lines or tiny shapes only for the areas where your subject really calls for it.
How to fix it:
Went a bit crazy laying down way too heavily pigmented paint mixture in a larger area (or sooner) than intended? Don't fret! Use the lifting technique described in the previous point using your rag to gently blot the area while it's still wet or use your clean, damp brush to do some scrubbing. Be gentle while you remove as much pigment as possible and allow to dry before attempting to do anything else in that area.
You can also use the pulling/spreading technique in order to dissipate the concentrated pigment into a larger area. Of course, you don't want to spread that pigment into areas that are meant to be white or affect other colors you've already placed, so be careful!
I've found, dissipating that stark line or edge into a gradient really helps remove that flatness that we've mistakenly created. Do what you can and leave it. Move on to work on other areas of your painting. Later on, when the area is completely dry, you can go back in and make any overworked areas less noticeable by adding more paint carefully and playing around with values/washes.
Mistake #3: Bleeding colors
How to avoid this:
It's really essential for you to know the different effects that watercolors allow and when to use different techniques. I wouldn't recommend moving onto a complex piece if you haven't practiced simple exercises that will allow you to know your medium's characteristics.
If you want to know more about the essential watercolor techniques you should be aware of and specific exercises that you should definitely try before moving on to painting specific subjects, I highly recommend checking out my free Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Course.
Essentially, when you place a paint mixture on a previously wetted paper, it will expand/bleed/intermix. This is referred to as the wet-on-wet technique and will lead to a blurred-out effect that you, most likely, do not want in some areas of your painting.
Before starting with your painting process, give thought to what areas you want blurred out, and which you want more definition in. The more defined you want an area, the more important it is for you to wait for the previous layer of paint to dry before applying more paint on top!
How to fix this:
Gently blot your paper with your paper towel immediately when this intermixing starts happening in order to prevent it from expanding more. Allow it to dry completely. If the mistake is small and the color left behind is faint, chances are you will be able to add more definition to the area with subsequent layers once it's dry.
It's really essential for you to know the different effects that watercolors allow and when to use different techniques. I wouldn't recommend moving onto a complex piece if you haven't practiced simple exercises that will allow you to know your medium's characteristics.
If you want to know more about the essential watercolor techniques you should be aware of and specific exercises that you should definitely try before moving on to painting specific subjects, I highly recommend checking out my free Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Course.
Essentially, when you place a paint mixture on a previously wetted paper, it will expand/bleed/intermix. This is referred to as the wet-on-wet technique and will lead to a blurred-out effect that you, most likely, do not want in some areas of your painting.
Before starting with your painting process, give thought to what areas you want blurred out, and which you want more definition in. The more defined you want an area, the more important it is for you to wait for the previous layer of paint to dry before applying more paint on top!
How to fix this:
Gently blot your paper with your paper towel immediately when this intermixing starts happening in order to prevent it from expanding more. Allow it to dry completely. If the mistake is small and the color left behind is faint, chances are you will be able to add more definition to the area with subsequent layers once it's dry.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com. Click on image to visit original site.
Mistake #4: Creating muddy colors
How to avoid this:
The very best thing you can do in order to avoid muddy colors to begin with, is to take time to test and experiment how the pigments you're planning to use mix together. Before starting to paint, give thought to the color palette needed for your composition. Pinpoint the exact colors you will be using, and keep your palette limited (3-5 colors usually works for me).
I cannot paint without my scrap piece of watercolor paper beside me that allows me to CONSTANTLY test out color mixtures and transparencies throughout the process.
Know and understand the Color Wheel and the relationships between colors. Explore Analogous and Complementary colors, and decide how you want to approach deepening color values and creating shadow effects. Take time to do exercises before even attempting to paint a complex subject or else you'll end up frustrating yourself more than you need to!
In the third class of my free Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Course, I walk you through several color mixing exercises, which you'll find extremely useful!
*Don't mix more than 3 different colors together, unless you know what you're doing.
How to fix this:
If you've mistakenly laid down a muddy color on your paper, try to absorb what you can while it's still wet and allow the area to dry. There are some cases in which adding a light wash of a brighter color on top, will make the mistake less noticeable.
The very best thing you can do in order to avoid muddy colors to begin with, is to take time to test and experiment how the pigments you're planning to use mix together. Before starting to paint, give thought to the color palette needed for your composition. Pinpoint the exact colors you will be using, and keep your palette limited (3-5 colors usually works for me).
I cannot paint without my scrap piece of watercolor paper beside me that allows me to CONSTANTLY test out color mixtures and transparencies throughout the process.
Know and understand the Color Wheel and the relationships between colors. Explore Analogous and Complementary colors, and decide how you want to approach deepening color values and creating shadow effects. Take time to do exercises before even attempting to paint a complex subject or else you'll end up frustrating yourself more than you need to!
In the third class of my free Watercolor for the Total Beginner Mini-Course, I walk you through several color mixing exercises, which you'll find extremely useful!
*Don't mix more than 3 different colors together, unless you know what you're doing.
How to fix this:
If you've mistakenly laid down a muddy color on your paper, try to absorb what you can while it's still wet and allow the area to dry. There are some cases in which adding a light wash of a brighter color on top, will make the mistake less noticeable.
Mistake #5: Overworking or damaging your watercolor paper
How to avoid this:
If you're anything like me and you enjoy using techniques like scrubbing, lifting and layering, buy decent quality thick paper (140 lbs. and up). I personally cannot work on thin, flimsy paper! It drives me nuts!
However, even when using thick, quality paper, it's essential to learn when to STOP and allow your paper to dry. The more experience you gain, the faster you'll be able to recognize when your paper needs time to recoup!
In the video included here, you'll notice I jump around A LOT. If I do something I don't like, I absorb/lift what I can, and leave it. I work somewhere else and come back to that area to fix it later. I do not obsess over imperfections and move on with the process.
How to fix this:
Damaged paper simply cannot be fixed (unless you want to cut that part off). Of all the mistakes mentioned in this post, this is probably the deadliest, so stay mindful throughout the process so it never gets to this point.
Try not to get to obsessive over your mistakes, take a learning experience for what it is, and move on with the work you can do.
To finish up this post, I want to encourage you to not get frustrated over small mistakes. There is a certain beauty behind imperfection, and what you should be striving for with each piece is progress. Trying to chase perfection with every single drawing or painting you create is probably going to end up hindering you and not allowing you to move forward as fast as you could.
Thanks so much for reading!
If you're anything like me and you enjoy using techniques like scrubbing, lifting and layering, buy decent quality thick paper (140 lbs. and up). I personally cannot work on thin, flimsy paper! It drives me nuts!
However, even when using thick, quality paper, it's essential to learn when to STOP and allow your paper to dry. The more experience you gain, the faster you'll be able to recognize when your paper needs time to recoup!
In the video included here, you'll notice I jump around A LOT. If I do something I don't like, I absorb/lift what I can, and leave it. I work somewhere else and come back to that area to fix it later. I do not obsess over imperfections and move on with the process.
How to fix this:
Damaged paper simply cannot be fixed (unless you want to cut that part off). Of all the mistakes mentioned in this post, this is probably the deadliest, so stay mindful throughout the process so it never gets to this point.
Try not to get to obsessive over your mistakes, take a learning experience for what it is, and move on with the work you can do.
To finish up this post, I want to encourage you to not get frustrated over small mistakes. There is a certain beauty behind imperfection, and what you should be striving for with each piece is progress. Trying to chase perfection with every single drawing or painting you create is probably going to end up hindering you and not allowing you to move forward as fast as you could.
Thanks so much for reading!
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is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites
to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
www.erikalancaster.com
is a participant in the Shareasale.com Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Shareasale.com partner companies.
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