Mastering Watercolor Consistencies: Tea, Coffee, Milk, Cream, and Butter

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How much water should you add to your paint when painting with watercolor? What is the difference between wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques? What are some exercises for beginners to help improve water control?


One of the most challenging things to master when starting with watercolor is water control and, more specifically, learning to adjust the paint-to-water ratios in our color mixtures so that the paint behaves as we want it to.

The amount of water you mix with your paint greatly impacts how it behaves on paper, and we're constantly adjusting these ratios throughout the painting process.

The more we practice, the more intuitive this process becomes. However, when we're starting out, it's important to practice adjusting ratios intentionally with exercises so that we can paint more confidently.

One of the most popular learning approaches when it comes to watercolor paint consistencies is the tea-to-butter method, which was popularized by renowned artist Joseph Zbukvic.


In this guide and the video included, I'll break down each consistency, explain when and how to use it, and share exercises to help you practice water control.

By the end, you'll feel more confident adjusting your paint-to-water ratios as you work.




Why Watercolor Consistencies Matter

With watercolor, we can make a color appear darker in value (or tone) by thickening our paint mixtures. We make a color look lighter by adding more water to our paint mixtures.

When painting with watercolor, we usually work from light to dark, layering to build depth and contrast.

In other words, we typically use more water at the beginning of the painting process and less water as we progress.

Learning to adjust our consistencies depending on where we are in the process is key to achieving great results.

Beyond adjusting paint-to-water ratios to control value, we can also create different effects by varying the amount of water in our mixtures.

For example, if we drop tea-consistency paint onto pre-wetted paper, it will expand and move significantly.

On the other hand, if we drop cream-consistency paint onto pre-wetted paper, there will be much less movement.

The wetness of the paper itself also plays a crucial role in how the paint reacts when applied.


I demonstrate all of this in the video below.

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Image showing Indigo used with 5 different consistencies.

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The Five Watercolor Consistencies:
​Tea, Coffee, Milk, Cream, Butter

1. Tea Consistency

This is the most diluted consistency—think of a light, watery wash similar to a basic tea (without milk or sugar).

It consists of about 90% water and 10% paint.

On your palette, it will appear very fluid with a lot of movement.

When to Use It:

• For the first, lightest wash to establish the base color
• When building up layers gradually
• For soft backgrounds and atmospheric effects​

Exercise:

• Mix a tea consistency using a darker color like Indigo or Burnt Sienna.
• Paint a light wash on dry paper, then try it on pre-wetted paper to observe how it spreads.

2. Coffee Consistency

This consistency is slightly more pigmented but still quite fluid, resembling black coffee with a small amount of milk.

It is about 70% water and 30% paint.

When to Use It:

• For mid-tone washes
• When layering to build up value
• For glazing techniques

Exercise:

• Create a coffee consistency and paint a second layer over a dry tea wash to see how the values deepen.

​3. Milk Consistency

This is the middle ground—about 50% water and 50% paint.

The mixture has a good amount of paint in it, but still has some fluidity on the palette.

When to Use It:

• For mid-tone areas that need more depth
• When adding details that need controlled edges
• In areas where the paint needs to stay in place more than a coffee wash would allow
• When painting in color on pre-wetted paper

Exercise:

• Mix a milk consistency and paint a shape on dry paper. Compare how much less it spreads compared to tea and coffee consistencies. Observe how dark it looks compared to the previous consistencies. 

4. Cream Consistency

Thicker and richer, this consistency is similar to heavy cream, with about 30% water and 70% paint. It shows very little movement on the palette, even when tilted.

When to Use It:

• For painting final dark value shapes and shadows
• When painting fine details with controlled strokes
• For textures like fur or bark

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Exercise:

• Try using a cream consistency to add defined shadows to a painting that already has lighter layers.

​5. Butter Consistency

This is the thickest consistency, close to fresh paint straight from the tube. This paint is so "dry", that it's hard to load up your brush with a good amount.

It consists of about 90% paint and only 10% water.

When to Use It:

• Used sparingly for the darkest accents and fine details
• When creating dry brush effects or texture
• When using impasto-like applications with watercolor (though rare)

Exercise:

• Load a brush with a butter consistency and make textured strokes on dry paper to see how it behaves compared to thinner consistencies.

​Tips for Practicing Water Control
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• Use a darker color for practice exercises so you can clearly see value differences.
• Observe movement by tilting your palette—thinner consistencies should flow more than thicker ones.
• Experiment with different brushes to see how they handle each consistency.
• Try layering each consistency over another to see how they interact.
• Practice on both dry and wet paper to understand how each mixture behaves.​​​

Image showing purple mix applied on wet paper and applied on dry paper.

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Recommended Watercolor Supplies
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Arches Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper 9x12" 100% Cotton

Van Gogh Watercolor Tube Set of 10 Colors

Princeton Aqua Elite Watercolor Brushes Size 10 Round

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Scott Shop Multi-Purpose Towels 2 Pack

​For a list of my current favorite art supplies, go here. 

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Watercolor is a beautifully expressive medium, but controlling paint-to-water ratios is essential for mastering it.

The more you practice these consistencies, the more intuitive your water control will become. Over time, you won’t have to think so much about mixing ratios—you’ll just feel what the paint needs.

So grab your brushes, mix up some tea, coffee, milk, cream, and butter, and start experimenting!

​Let me know in the comments how these exercises help you, and don’t forget to check out the video tutorial embedded in this post for a hands-on demonstration.


Happy painting!

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