Watercolor Painting

When you first decide to pick up a brush to start watercolor painting, the choice of art supplies available can be overwhelming and confusing. So here's an art supplies list of what you need for watercolor painting.

Don't underestimate the impact the paper you choose to use for a watercolor painting has on the final result. Learn more about the different types of watercolor paper and the color of watercolor paper (it's not simply "white"!).

These 10 watercolor painting tips will help you avoid basic mistakes and get better results right from the start.

With watercolor paints, there's not only a choice of brands, but also whether you buy it in tube or pan form. This is a list of my personal favorites when it comes to watercolor paints.

Learn what is involved in the wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet watercolor painting techniques.

Learn this essential watercolor painting technique, how to lay paint across the paper in an even wash or a graded wash.

Deal with an unwanted puddle of watercolor by using a brush to mop it up quickly.

Learn how to quickly decide if a color will be too light when dry in a watercolor painting.

If you make a mistake in a watercolor painting, it's not a total disaster. You can fix it.

It's generally recommended that watercolor paper less than 356 gsm (260 lb) is stretched before use, otherwise it'll warp. Read this to find out just how simple a process it is to do.

A step-by-step painting demonstration of leaves created by glazing using watercolor.

A watercolor painting tutorial that teaches you three different way to paint reflections in water.

Watercolor papers come in different surfaces and weights. Do you know which is best suited to which painting techniques?

Find out what other painters think is the most difficult thing to learn with watercolor painting (and add your own thoughts too).

An illustrated, step-by-step tutorial explaining how to use a waterbrush with watercolor paints and pencils.

Find out why honey can be used to make watercolor paint and whether you need to treat it any differently to normal watercolor paint.

If you want to try using watercolor canvas but wondered how it differs from painting on paper, here are the answers.

Learn how to use salt in a watercolor painting to create an effect that looks like snowflakes. It works for other textured subjects too.

What's the difference between watercolor paints that come in pans and those in tubes? How do you decide which is best for you?

Follow the creation of a watercolor pencil painting of a snowy landscape step by step.

To start painting with watercolors, you'll need to get some basic materials. Here I explain what you need to consider before you buy.

How to utilize the fact that oil and water don't mix when painting for great results.

Making the most of the fact that oil/wax and water don't mix when painting with watercolors or acrylics.

This online color mixing tool lets you experiment with mixing primary colors and secondary colors without worrying that you're wasting paint.

A collection of helpful tips from Australian watercolourist John Lovett to help you create successful watercolours, beginning with the need to decide where the areas of white will be in your painting.

Artist Sue Dickinson explains how she used masking fluid in a watercolor painting of a lion cub.

Ken Hosmer explains the unusual but effective technique he uses to get intense colours: painting "backwards", from dark to light.

A 17-step demonstration by Canadian artist Peter Humeniuk showing how to paint a birch tree using a big watercolor brush.

Four different skies done in watercolor with a detailed explanation from the artist of how he painted each so you can copy them.

A nine-step demonstration and explanation of a watercolor painting of a bed of irises.

A hairdryer is a useful tool when painting with watercolors if you use it correctly. For a start, don't turn it on high!

Follow the creation of a watercolor painting featuring a rusty old truck, from start to finish, as explained by artist Maury Kettell.

My thoughts on the Daniel Smith Watercolor Dot Try-It Cards which give you small samples of actual paint to try for yourself.