10 Quick Watercolor Tips That Will Help Your Paintings Today

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

▶︎Free Video Lesson: 8 Ways to Avoid Overworking Your Watercolor Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.com/opt-in

[@donglickman6936]

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[@ML-ge8ei]

I’m just a beginner in love with watercolor and your tips are so clear and helpful!!! Thanks a lot from Italy 😜❤

[@skerrie1]

you are 100% right about the cotton paper!! I had never painted on it for years, one day I bought the most expensive paper there was and it was cotton. I loved the way it took water and paint, my painting came out so nice and I had so much more fun! I worked so much less than ever and the results that I got were amazing. I always try and tell people that are new to watercolor to use cotton paper because they are much less likely to become discouraged, and therefore quit.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Great point, Merrie!

[@vtheb1299]

I second that wholeheartedly. I am a beginner and thought I really sucked while working on agave paper (whatever that is 😅) until one day I saw 100% cotton on sale and picked that up instead. I was mind blown. Same paints, same painter, a world of difference. Never going back.

[@cindybonnett7522]

just discovered you and your videos, awesome. Absolutely love your subject matter...urban scenes. Looking forward to watching more. I am a 74 year young artist wanting to try watercolors. I'm excited, thanks for your inspirational videos.

[@ntanasescu76]

You are such a good teacher. Really. You are calm, you explain things very clearly, you don't rush. I really enjoy your tutorials. I'm saving to take you watercolor essentials course, even if it takes me forever. Thanks a lot for everything you do.

[@Black_user.98]

🥰

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Very kind of you, Nadia. Thanks!

[@hermajestyqueenmarcia]

Hi Matthew.. you are so fresh, smart, sweet exactly like I would want as a son .. your instruction just reminds me of a fresh start to a watercolor scene in a gallery sponsored class I enjoyed years ago. I don't know if I'll ever be able to really watercolor again as I am old and unable to move about on my own. I still think of painting birds or Yosemite or an abstract portrait. Life does not give us enough time to do everything we desire. You have a refreshing, willing and kind attitude in your video, and I'll watch more just because it makes me feel happy, and I'll send them to my young artist friends too. Thank you so much for a bright start to the day. Love to you and yours.. btw your work is lovely. Who wouldn't want to paint as you do! ... Marcia in Modesto!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

That is very kind of you. Thanks for the encouragement!

[@bobbiegraham7729]

Excellent video. Shows that it isn't just one thing! Watercolor is multitasking. Which either makes you crazy or gives you something to strive for. Enjoy the process, enjoy the practice, and realize that you can only control some of it, watercolor does what it wants. Learn what it wants and find ways to bend it to your will😎 You are a watercolor Jedi. Thank you for sharing your work.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Very kind of you!

[@damianboyle1583]

Another top drawer video, highly informative, it's odd that although I am aware of all these tips I find watching these videos somehow re-educates me to the point where (hopefully) it becomes automatic. Definitely one to watch again and again. Thankyou.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad you liked it!

[@janhemminger729]

I am so happy I found your videos! Love your diverse subject format.

[@delphinewood7519]

Exceptional tips. As a beginner, I appreciate hearing the basics over and over. I subscribed to your channel based on this video. Thanks for posting. 🙏🌵

[@agold1702]

Excellent collection of tips. It’s as if you’ve been over my shoulder over the last couple of months! Thanks!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Great to hear!

[@3pingpongplayas]

Good tips man! Just started watercolor on Nov 13 of this year I’m enjoying it. I’ve already done 15+ practices

[@michaelarens2046]

I'm a paintless dent repair tech so I understand the trust the process frame of mind.

[@artscience9981]

Good video Matt! One thing I think could use some clarification, is if you don’t outline, what DO you do? I think I know-for example, your wash comes up right up to the edge of a figure, but that might be an interesting topic sometime.

[@giorgiomarinoni4991]

Thank you for the 10 tips. I fully agree with you considering that I'm a watercolor painter since 20 years!!

[@1Skymed]

Another Wednesday Morning spent with your knowledge and a cuppa tea :-) Great stuff as always.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

That’s great! Glad you liked it.

[@thomasr412]

I just watched this, thanks! Appreciate your tips and not talking or rushing through to fast. Looking forward to more of your videos.

[@librenonlibre]

Thank you for another greatly helpful video, Matthew! I’m learning so much from you with each one.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad to hear that!

[@Black_user.98]

🥰

[@carlyblankevoort3856]

Just found you and I've subscribed, your process is mesmerising!

[@jonimarsicano4642]

Not only do you offer instructions, you inspire us. Thank you, Matt.

[@patirving705]

Hello :) Thank you again for these videos! I have just started an activity that is helping my watercolor journey in so many ways. I am keeping a journal of every painting and specifically capturing what I learned in doing that painting. I try to include the more obvious "disasters" as as well as more subtle things that I wish I had done differently. What an eye opener! It also helps to mitigate the expected pile of "failed" paintings that I now use for "testing colors" Anyway, I thought this might be helpful for your followers as well.

[@monadoraiswamy8710]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@Matagot90]

I always love free tips.

[@SandraJSchultz]

Thank you for these tips! I love the last painting you showed. One point relating to your tip #7. The amount of fading of color when drying is different for each brand of paint. For instance, my Schmincke paints fade far more than my Daniel Smith. Thanks again!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@Black_user.98]

🥰👏👌

[@lauralaladarling3775]

Wow, Matthew! Your paintings are beautiful and awesome. Thank you for sharing your invaluable techniques to create more beautiful and professional artwork. Xxxxx❤❤❤

[@vasilijaandjelovski9313]

You are best watercolor teacher on KZbin I swear

[@Myschnikaaa247]

Thank you very much for your helpful tips teacher!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad you liked it!

[@Baobabaloo]

Absolute watercolour beginner and wanting to pull my hair out. This channel helps a lot! ❤

[@goldfishgames]

So often my paintings are not intentional rather a result of fixing mistakes, a result of little to no planning. Following a tutorial has helped greatly except I can still “wander” off task by adding more details not indicated in the tutorials. These 10 tips are very helpful I’ll revisit them before my next painting session. The hardest tip is mixing enough paint up first. I can’t stand to waste paint. On the other hand having to repaint nearly the whole painting because I flubbed on the additional color mix isn’t a happy challenge.

[@maggiew7293]

Love tip #2 - vertical lines. It's brilliant.

[@themischeinquer2634]

Great tips as always, thank you! Would you tell us the difference between cold press and hot press paper?

[@jimodonnell3682]

Thank you, Matthew. Very helpful tips.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@paraleeeckman1728]

Great video! I got several tips I hadn't thought of!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to hear that!

[@Theresa_titus213]

Very good tips! I'm a beginner and wish I had some of these instructions a month ago. Ty 😊

[@shancan6328]

Thanks for this video. I especially enjoyed the examples of your paintings along with them.

[@evelyne7071]

Great tip to mix more paint than you think you’ll need. I’ve been cut short on larger surfaces.

[@sitavashidevi2247]

Thank you! It's so amazing when you translate in words all what i feel as difficulties or successes when I am painting! Thank you!!!

[@robertaustin6538]

Excellent summary of tips

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-hm2tg8kz1l]

Thank you for sharing these tips. It's really helpful. Have a nice day

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you! You too!

[@DDartlover8888]

The painting of this ships by the lake is beautiful. Really liked tip about not outlining..that could be a good subject for one of your videos

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Great suggestion!

[@lorriewatson7423]

I so appreciate these videos!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you like them!

[@carolbenson6524]

Excellent tips. Thanks again !

[@nsirartcorner8979]

Thank you for these valuable tips.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You are so welcome!

[@13noman1]

Thanks!! I'm a complete noob (just started a class and finished my first picture); I think I made a # of these goofs -- didn't mix up enough paint, rushed too much etc. It came out fair but in hindsight I can see how it could've been better! I'll be remembering these tips!

[@yvonnegeelen6571]

Love your videos. When you say don’t outline things can you explain that more please

[@rajeev9397]

🤩i always did outlining... And now i realize where my probs start.... 👍

[@rondamiller3126]

Thank you, Matthew! This video was very helpful. I also watched the one in the link. Also great. Especially the 'fun' part. So true.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Lush..]

Helped alot. In my paintings though i have to do alot of chores for my paper 😅. But its very much worth it because im just a kid and im in art varsity so this will help me compete with other regions in other schools

[@mariethomas2547]

Thank you! Very helpful 👌

[@amyj2510]

Very good video 😊

[@vtheb1299]

I was really surprised about the "no outline" tip, i think it's up to style and goals. I use it often when I want to get a more cartoon style and in fine details. Let's remember that there's no one right and wrong way of doing things, there are a myriad of styles. Color getting lighter as paper dries is a fact, pencil color fading or sticking out too, but outline or not is a matter of style.

[@lime427]

Yes. I think the point is that watercolor usually (!) is supposed to look, like, effortlessly soft, really natural without those outlines

[@stevesloan5935]

Good video, thanks

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you liked it!

[@margielanier4704]

Great ideas!

[@robinaart72]

Really like your work - and great tips - taken on board, thanks.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@clairebradbury11]

Thank you for these tips. Very useful!

[@pendlera2959]

The best way to learn how much paint to mix up is to do some experiments with your paint, brushes, and paper and actually measure how far a given amount of paint will go on the page. Compare the size of your paint puddles to things you'll remember, like the size of a quarter or the diameter of a lemon, etc. And keep in mind that thicker washes will run out faster, since you can't spread them as far, so you'll have to test different dilutions. Also, some pigments (especially those that granulate or flocculate) perform best if you let them really pool on the page with each stroke, while others (like untextured ones like phthalos) will look fine even if the brush is nearly dry.

[@janacoufalova6660]

Thank you very much, it is very useful for me. Thanks :)

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to hear that!

[@Ettesun]

Thank you so much for this video. I’m going to try painting along with you! Have a Happy New Year! ☮️

[@LipsitaArt]

Very helpful n useful tips. Thanks for sharing

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

My pleasure 😊

[@TheDriller05]

Wow! Just found your channel and I am so impressed with your instruction, knowledge and the way you present it all. I’ve read so many similar comments. I’ve taken advantage of your free video lesson and look forward to watching many more lessons on your channel. Keep up the great work! T

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Very kind of you! Glad you are enjoying the content!

[@sujatakonjengbam7107]

😊thank you so much for your advice. Helps a lot 😃🥰

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

▶︎Free Video Lesson: 8 Ways to Avoid Overworking Your Watercolor Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.com/opt-in

[@Orchideology]

Hello Matt, and thank you for a lovely lesson! I have seen a few of yours now and they all are very useful. In the beginning of this this last one I thought of Andy Evansen, and then you mentioned his name😊 Very useful lesson, and you explained so well! I loved that you showed absolutely everything you did and so clearly. I think this is the best watercolour lesson I've ever received💗 Thank you! I've got one problem: I wanted to watch your free lesson "8 ways to avoid overworking your watercolor painting", but my email adress is not acknowledged... What to do? Thank you

[@sherizapara2992]

Great tips! Ty so much!!❤

[@CamiloMazorra]

Thanks for your tips.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

My pleasure!

[@franksquid2017]

I just started use watercolors actually I just started doing any kind of art and found I really like it one of the hardest thing I found is knowing if my painting is dry so I can start the next layer and I found your list was very helpful and cant wait to watch the other videos. Keep doing what you do it makes a difference

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks. I'm glad to hear that! Best of luck in your painting.

[@robynblake4841]

Thank you for your very helpful tips! I have just subscribed to your channel!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Welcome!

[@susancook1617]

Thank you for sharing your tips Matthew, very informative and interesting

[@sfkhan99607]

Thank u for sharing this video is helpful..

[@Diego_SanCA]

I like your work

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

thank you!

[@dianetrudeau69]

Vert good! Thanks

[@aeyb701]

FYI you can erase pencil lines after the paint is dry and it doesn’t harm it.unless you rub hard.

[@marceystevens8275]

New subscriber here, thank you for your help ❤

[@corespond1274]

Thank you !

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@anetajohnson8446]

Hello Matthew, in regards to your comment about the pencil line on your painting,that bugs you! heres an after thought. iv had that happen to me several times, and iv discoverd several ways to handle it.1. if you have access to an electric eraser, use it lightly, of cource there will be a lighter streak there, but i dont think anyone would even notice! sort of like adding highlights. 2. fake in some trees over the line, again nobody would notice or care! By the way, much thanks for the tips you gave, There are so many great artists out there,and so many differant styles! Do we choose to paint for fun? or to sell to others? i like to paint that make a differance! How? does it make someone happy? would it bring back memories? does it create a ambience? Im my own worse cridic! i dont know how many iv trashed, to get a good one!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[@graeysii]

Thank you verg much, Godbless youu😁😁😁

[@lefthandstory1280]

Nice tips bro😃

[@mendyhand3895]

Tip 6… I think, lol, I learned how to “glaze” over my colors that dried too light. I use mainly transparent, one pigment honey based Mission Gold. They are VERY strongly pigmented…. So usually, I’m trying to lift color out. Thanks so much for your videos. My husband is a drummer. So, I have some beautiful DW’s burled wood, staring at me. Tried to paint them once….yeah. Once! In acrylic. Maybe I’ll try water soluble oil . Thx again!

[@thedhamma7969]

Thank u❤️

[@birgittahellgren8497]

Thank you! Birgitta from Sweden

[@staciemmack3145]

A quick watch and I've hot inspiration for the week, thank you! I love your pallet too, I use the same main colors (maybe most do?) One thing I was shown by another respected artist (Robert Reynolds), was that some underlying pencil marks can be pulled out with your kneaded eraser without scrubbing the paper or picking up color. It goes past it straight to the graphite. I found it works best on heavyweight cold-press. Maybe it absorbs the pigment better or is less likely to scrub before the lift occurs? You can blur out the pencil in bursts rather than creating the same line, only with lightening rather than graphite.

[@pakeeroothuman1970]

Thanks.

[@TaraanaMusicHutoxiTavadia2260]

Thank you

[@friedricengravy6646]

U can erase or lighten the pencil line after covered in paint. Many times people just dont think to try or they r afraid it will make something worse. Use a white eraser & lightly go over the mark after the painting is completely dry (must b dry!!) as in over night or longer. Not after a forced dry such as a hair dryer. If u do remove color & cant dab a blend of marks to fill it back in…..if u really need a soft wash look…..then use water either on a paper towel or on a brush to remove color from the entire area. Once it is lighter, u can simply run a new bead from top to bottom. Water color has a reputation of being a medium that does not allow us to edit or repair our work. This is not true. The more u try, the more u will find multiple processes that work for u. Just remember, clean water removes color (even if its dry u can reactivate the area with a little patience & finesse), allowing paper to dry first will avoid having the abuse permanently damage the fibers such as pilling or worn through areas. U dont want to keep abusing an area…..b patient & when u see damage occurring hold off & let the area dry. Also, when choosing to do so purposely, removing top layers of paper while it is wet is an accepted practice with experienced watercolor painters. No one can express feeling while working under the pressure of perfection. Hope for happy accidents & learn to edit ur choices if they dont land correctly…… This will make ur work even more interesting. If the paper &/or marks show signs of wear & tear, of struggle, dont worry…..people love seeing evidence that something was made by hand.

[@deannatonn8570]

I was trying to paint a scene of my daughter where she and her clothes were a lot lighter than the background and ended up doing the outline thing behind her which made the sky look off. How do you not outline when the forefront or main focus of the painting is lighter than the background without it not looking like this? Love your style and paintings ! Thank you for the tips!

[@Bets1202]

You want to wet the background (around your daughter) so that when you paint in color, the strokes disperse on the wet paper rather than leaving harder edges.

[@tomvalveede6808]

Is that tower in Kansas City's Plaza district? Great tips, thank you! 😃🍀🍀🍀

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Yes it is! That's where I live.

[@matthewlunsford9690]

nghe mà ưng hết cả tai , đức phúc cover mãi đỉnh

[@quocdathoang8334]

For the dark pencil lines on finished painting, a soft eraser will help. FYI

[@metralla]

When you paint on top of a pencil line you are leaving a layer of gum arabic which fixes the pencil on the paper, so can be tricky.

[@Amanda-uc5jq]

I think outlining is personal choice, I love the look of watercolour and ink much more than just watercolour. If it wasn’t liked by a lot of people it wouldn’t be used or sold 🤷‍♀️ You probably should say YOU don’t like it and YOU think it looks amateurish

[@brightonrosie]

Superb video. I hope you don’t mind but I shared it on the Facebook art page I belong to.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

that's great! Please share!

[@joltaikv2340]

Where do you look for references?

[@christinebravomom5711]

I really need to learn how to make more paint than I think I'll need. I'm so stingy that I always do less.

[@sharondoan1447]

Only you can manage to mix the “ right “ amount of paint. Good news! Watercolors are endlessly reusable! Reset the paint and use it. I have watched many videos by watercolor artists and many of them have very un-fastidious pallets. They get adding , remixing, changing the existing selection on their pallet without ever actually removing old, leftover colors. Trying for preciseness in watercolor paint mixes is almost impossible. There probably isn’t a perfect mix or color that is going to result in a ‘ perfect’ painting. Watercolor isn’t totally controllable.

[@rebeccawong1]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@valeriea.gladstone6440]

My tip…clean your palette,..to paint clean, clear away the mess!

[@donnagoode6923]

Tip #6 Don’t outline… have you been spying on me? I am so guilty of this and then I start trying to blend in the line where it (invariably)has dried and I end up with an overworked mess. Thank you! Great tutorial.

[@GlitterPoolParty]

Add life. Birds, animals, people, plants, energy, motion...

[@Black_user.98]

Hello my friends

[@SharonH11100]

That would be "fewer," not "less."

[@budjoejacksmith7000]

Too many ads

[@thomaseaton4077]

Great advice. Exceptional paintings!

[@kellyjohnson8696]

Thank you!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@Megzamani]

Thank you