8 Ways to Add Watercolor Texture | Easy Techniques for Beginners

Adding texture to watercolor is a great way to add depth and interest in your painting. In this video I show you 8 super easy ways to add texture with just some simple household items and some cheap art supplies.
Check out also 8 advanced watercolor texture techniques for video: • 8 Advanced Watercolor ...
** Please support my Patreon **
/ otokano
** Supplies I used **
Table Salt
+ Saxa Table Salt amzn.to/2mkcswd
+ Marine Blue (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
watercolour pencil
+ Steadler Karat Aquarell in black amzn.to/2upfeEL
+ Green Gold (Daniel Smith) www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-sm...
+ Rose of Ultramarine (Daniel Smith) www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-sm...
Plastic wrap
+ Plastic wrap/cling film
+ Ultramarine Blue (handmade by me)
+ Indigo (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
+ Phthalo Blue Red Shade (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
+ Phthalo Blue Yellow Shade (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
Spray with water
+ Quinacridone Rose (Daniel Smith) www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-sm...
+ Spray bottle
Masking Fluid
+ Pebeo drawing gum www.jacksonsart.com/pebeo-dra...
+ cheap small brush
+ Pyrrole Rubin (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
+ Rubber cement pickupper amzn.to/2mi9BUz
Tissue
+ Kleenex tissue
+ Ultramarine Blue (handmade by me)
Scratching
+ Palette knife www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s...
+ Stanley knife amzn.to/2NgEkNa
+ Carbazole Violet (Daniel Smith) www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-sm...
Credit card
+ An old credit card or similar
+ Vermilion Hue (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
+ Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith) www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-sm...
+ Scarlet Lake (Holbein) www.jacksonsart.com/holbein-w...
** Please support my Patreon **
/ otokano
** Shop **
Original abstract paintings
+ otokano.com/
** Connect with Me **
+ Twitter: / otokano_art
Jackson's & Amazon links are affiliate links in which a small percentage of the sale supports this channel without costing you any extra at all. Thank you so much for supporting this channel grow!

[@CyaneInkArt]

Schmincke masking fluids don't smell! They are the ones I use, because I'm senstive to strong smells.

[@OtoKano]

wooo great tip, I will have to try them. Thank you!

[@ilahjarvis]

Favorite tip for using drawing gum/masking fluid/frisket is to thoroughly saturate your brush with full strength dish soap or shampoo. The soap protects the bristles and the frisket just coats the outside of the the brush. If the gum accidentally gets too dry, it will peel off of the brush, leaving the contained soapy bristles mostly safe.

[@ashleyp3245]

I use a lovely masking fluid product called Fine Line Resist Pen. It comes out of a tiny metal tube that allows for beautiful detail work, has a self cleaning cap, and has ZERO rotting fish smell!

[@laurasmith444]

Concerning the scratching technique, if you allow the paint to partially dry, you will have a white line when you scratch. When the paint is quite wet, the pigment is settling into the groove left. When partially dry, the scratching is removing pigment leaving it white. I love your teaching! I love texture on my paintings, but I haven't tried the credit card with watercolor. Thanks!

[@ellespoonies]

Silicone brushes they sell for nail art or for jewel placing (I'm not sure exactly what they're called) work beautifully for masking fluid! It peels right off once dry.

[@EtherealOde]

More fun texture items are bubble wrap, both the large and regular size. Lay it bubble side down on the wet paint like with the cling film and let it dry. Second is to use a stylus or dotting tool. You can use it to make dots or to draw lines like you did with the palette knife. A last one is to use stencils or other items to lift color. Lay it over the dried paint and then use a damp cloth, paper towel, or sponge to lift the color in certain areas. Or you can use the stencil and daub thru it with a sponge dipped in paint. Many things can be used as stencils as well as creating your own. You can use the edge of the stencil and dry brush technique to paint across and off the edge of it. This works particularly well with something that has a torn edge type of appearance. All of these and the ones you've shown are especially fun with abstract painting styles.

[@OtoKano]

wooo bubble wrap! I love that idea. Thank you for sharing so many tips :)

[@susanshisler7074]

Thank you for producing such a high-quality video. Light, sound, content - everything was perfect. So appreciate all these tips!

[@RadishTheFool]

You collected all these fun and creative ideas for us in one comprehensive video, and demonstrated them so clearly and beautifully. Thank you! 🤗

[@julienotsmith7068]

I've got some experiences with credit cards - with nail polish. If you want it to act like a really accurate scraper, you need to smooth out the edge, make it even and level, with some kind of file. Nail files are the easiest way to do it. Of course you could probably make it UNEVEN with a file, too. Hmm. Thanks for all of the information you share, I really enjoy your videos.

[@myrtleblowers7229]

I use some of these alcolol, shaving cream, salt both rock and regular, and more in my silk painting and dying. I never thought of masking with a pen, I have always created in oil's am trying to learn watercolor lol I am 76 and still think I may learn it ,I ve always been told watercolors were to hard to learn ,thanks for a great video and advice. Just found you on u tube .

[@OtoKano]

Thank you so much for finding this channel Myrtle!

[@andreagooglification]

Loved this tutorial!!! So much to learn and you are a terrific artist/teacher!!!!!!!!!!

[@jittersaunt]

Thank you so much!!! Love this demo a lot. I can't wait to buy masking fluid and give that a try.

[@patriciariendeau1102]

Thank you so much. I have learned so much from your wonderful demonstration. So clever!

[@msjones8873]

Such a great video. Thanks! Very inspiring!

[@jenarnold438]

I really enjoyed this. Thank you for your clear demonstrations on how to use these techniques. So helpful! 😊

[@OtoKano]

So glad you enjoyed it Jen. Thank you for watching :D

[@EveBolt]

So many great techniques! I think the plastic wrap one is my fav, though I was never able to make it work well... I think your tips will definitely make the difference for me when I try again :)

[@OtoKano]

Scrunching is the key!

[@MissDaisyParsley]

Just found your channel through a Junk Journaling group on FB. So excited to try these techniques! I usually paint landscapes, and flowers with oil using a wet on wet technique. I’ve been wanting to learn how to paint with watercolors. Thank you for sharing!

[@gorway7]

Beautifully demonstrated - they are such versatile techniques. An alternative to the credit card, I use an old guitar pleck, I find the tapered edge profile and the variable radius' of the three corners and edges gives you versatility in creating multiple stroke patterns and line widths - Edge on, the tip profile is great for embossing fine line details.

[@OtoKano]

Woooo what a great idea Peter! That is definitely one tool with a lot of cool factor 😎

[@Tschij]

Thank you so much for sharing your tipps ! 👍👍👍👍👍♥️

[@JennaRaineyChannel]

Fun textures!! Thank you!

[@robfielding100]

Fantastic video for a 65 year old newbie

[@emmasheppard2639]

Jacksons sell ruling pens, they're great for masking fluid. I also use dotting tools you can get in the nail section in most shops. It's so much easier, just pealing them off afterwards xxx

[@melissabailey2209]

Hi Oto! Another great video! I've tried most of the techniques you showed, but I'm intrigued by the painting with the credit card--I've only seen it used as a scraping tool, never before as a paintbrush, and the effects are pretty cool. Thanks for sharing, and keep the quality content coming!

[@OtoKano]

You are so welcome, and thank you so much for watching the video Melissa :D

[@madelinegrudens]

Great techniques!! Thanks for sharing 🤩

[@geckonia]

Thank you Oto! I love the water and salt but am fascinated by the plastic wrap... very cool.

[@OtoKano]

The wrap is so much fun. I can't wait to see what you'll do with it :D

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Tfs! You left out your gauze, which I so do love. You may also use your credit card cut edges to scratch your paper like your palette knife. 😘👍🏾

[@OtoKano]

You are so welcome, thanks for watching Gwen :)

[@phyllismarony8948]

Thank you. I feel I learned a lot from you today.

[@MalamikArt]

Lots of fun here. An you showed these techniques well. :)

[@OtoKano]

Aw thank you so much! Glad you found it easy to follow :)

[@MissMagic]

Masking fluid is generally liquid latex and the strong often fishy smell is ammonia. You can get low ammonia liquid latex but it's not cheap.

[@montebleu1351]

Awesome Tips. Thanks For Sharing.

[@OtoKano]

you're welcome, thank you for watching!

[@jacquelineharris692]

Thank you. Big thumbs up!

[@rikkispin]

I like to use my credit cards to buy fun art supplies but I can see your way of using it also. Hehe. Great video and I love you voice.

[@opportunity2speak]

Wow, this video excited me. The first one I want to try is the bubbles. I am in the midst of a painting with the ocean being secondary to the main subject, a man. I was wondering how to abstract the ocean. I need to test this application today! Good stuff.

[@jillnigro9775]

wonderful!

[@Ink-t5x]

Great video! Thanks so much! I am new to watercolor and desire textural effects with it. You explain them so well and make them seem so easy. Enjoying your videos very much. Oh I want to try the salt for the crystals in a watercolor geode! Have a great day.

[@OtoKano]

That sounds like so much fun Bronwyn. Do let me know how you get on with it.

[@QueenMabelandDoris]

Great tutorial, as a beginner this is great info thank you....Susie xxx💕

[@OtoKano]

You are so welcome Susie :D

[@artKarolina]

Definitely never tried the palette knife and it looks like so useful for fine dark lines!

[@AvisadRay]

Awesome 👏

[@nimaart6258]

Wonderful technics...thanks for share..

[@Sides3Sides]

I enjoyed the scratching technique, which I’ve always been too chicken to try. Your masking fluid sample looked almost like a book cover I’ve seen. Great video

[@OtoKano]

So glad you liked the scratching. Hope you have lots of fun doing it now :D

[@ianjackson5834]

great thank you

[@estherwestcott9085]

I liked the effects obtained using the watercolour pencil. I can see a use for that, I have seen or read about most of the other methods but it was still interesting to see them grouped together. Oh, I am intrigued by the idea of getting a loose flower effect with. a card. I’ve also seen cards used to make lines. In some instances the artist didn’t use a plastic card but cut a piece of cardboard which gives a less rigid line.

[@TheDreadfulCurtain]

Great thank you so brilliant 😊

[@KathleenRenninger]

Loved your idea on getting various color layers by using making fluid. Your right- to-the point demos are great!

[@LeySketch]

I use a silicone applicator for masking fluid because I got tired of trying to clean brushes, though the soapy water method looks like it works well too. Also, I've never heard a Maskaway block but it looks amazing! I've just been using a kneaded eraser but the eraser is basically useless now for anything but picking up masking fluid.

[@OtoKano]

ohhhhh that's a great tip, thank you :D Yeah the Masaway is great because it never wears out like rubber does. You just get one and you're set for life!

[@junkjournalsvideos1649]

Interesting, thank you.

[@cindybell3227]

very interesting for this beginner.

[@spencersheehan-kalina5990]

This is beautiful! Thank you so much!

[@soucky1]

I really love to watch everythings you've experimenthing with almost anythings, my fav. is the Blue sky what kind of salt have you use to achieved that Amazing look it's absolutely Stunning! the other's are great too but really would love to know which salt i need to try this on my pictures, Thank you for another great Demos tutorial Dr. Oto Kano.

[@artycraftyalchemy]

Awesome techniques Oto, I have used cling film, tissues and masking fluid before I think salt is one I'd like to try :)

[@OtoKano]

Yay! Please do let me know how you get on with the salt :D

[@misskeisha43]

I’m trying tissue technique first, then masking fluid. ☺️

[@eltayebelamin8232]

I like the bunting

[@danielhutchings3600]

very good

[@diniahnightshade1111]

Thank you for such a clear tutorial. I've used the tissue and watercolour pencils before, but definitely going to try out a few of the other ideas. :)

[@OtoKano]

You are so welcome :D Thank you for watching the video :D

[@PVMM2002]

not sure if anyone has already mentioned it, but coat your brush in hand bar soap before using the masking fluid. It’ll protect your brush and allow the latex to peel off after you’ve used it.

[@SharonNolfi]

Oto, I can't see the comments section on the page with your Advanced Techniques video. I see the section on this page with no problem. Please fix so I can leave you a comment about your fantastic video! This 2-part series is outstanding. Thanks.

[@OtoKano]

I see that you managed to comment on the second video :D Thank you!

[@Donna_G]

I have used all of these techniques. If I am going to use just a small amount of masking fluid, I work dish soap into my brush bristles before dipping it into the masking fluid. It works great and the masking fluid washes right out. If I am going to do more extensive work with the masking fluid, I have this thing that has a handle like a brush; but, instead of bristles at the other end it has a hard rubber or plastic nib. The masking fluid peels right off of it, even if dry. I have also used dip pen nibs to apply masking fluid if I want a very fine line. Small sticks and twigs work as well. Have you tried the plastic wrap on Yupo. I really like how it turns out.

[@OtoKano]

woooo plastic wrap on Yupo? This I must try! Thank you for this great tip :D

[@heatherbanks9086]

a sharpens twig also makes a good brush"for frisket .you can sharpen more or less🤔🎨🖍👍

[@MissFlux]

Oh!!! Yaaasss .. finally I'm seeing results!! I thought I'd found the best sampler/texture video .. nope. THIS🙌 is it!! ...thankyou🙏🤓 ... I was surprised you didn't do bleach. But your salt texture is the best I've seen. I wish you showed how to scrape it off .. but I guess I can experiment! But if you DO have a vid that shows how please let me know with a link in comments👍 Cheers .. my god I just got my LIFE from watching that ., great way to wake up😬🙋

[@debwarren608]

You can just rub it off with your fingers. It also works well to scrape it off with the edge of a credit card.

[@helend9715]

Oto, to remove all the masking fluid from the brush afther you're done, you can use a litle bit of lighter fluid. This is not my idea, but I have tried it and it works.

[@OtoKano]

Woooo really? Thank you for sharing this great tip :D

[@andreajovanovic5871]

What kind of paper did you use for these experiments? Your effects are wonderful and I imagine some work differently on different types of watercolour papers. Thank you!

[@possumbold]

Andrea Jovanovic as you haven’t received an answer in two months, I’m guessing they looked to be the rougher toothed side of ordinary watercolour pads, but on the thicker side. I imagine, if your budget runs to it, cloth is used whenever cutting into the paper so that it doesn’t cut it. I’d use the cloth if I could but in small quantities to try first.

[@jklein1954]

I'm going to experiment with the bubbles and paper.

[@barleywaters5315]

rubber cement works for masking

[@sharonpeterson2378]

I do rubber stamping, and make backgrounds, so your tutorial was interesting. Especially loved the salt background, and the way you did the clouds. Interesting!

[@MeowMeowKapow]

I’m a lameazoid and never take the time to use these techniques, though they’re totally rad! Haha. Although I do sometimes splatter clean water on my paper because it’s an easy and effective technique that I can do with what’s already in my hand. =>.

[@OtoKano]

I love that technique too, makes such nice patterns :D

[@kurokokoro26]

Have you tried using rubbing alcohol on watercolor? Its really interesting.

[@OtoKano]

You've read my mind Victoria ;) It's in the next video. It's fascinating isn't it :D

[@somade1804]

How long to keep the salt to work?

[@whitneywilson7556]

Allowing it to dry overnight then removing worked for me.

[@PolarBear-rc4ks]

My masking fluid smells like dried fish. 😫😅 Never try to go too close to the bottle when i'm using it!

[@yesitavegaandreu1714]

The credit card !

[@Achatfell]

My masking fluid literally smells like chewing gum (it's the senellier)

[@OtoKano]

which flavour? :D

[@Achatfell]

Oto Kano the all time classic "bubblegum" flavour. You know, the one that is usually pink and pure sugar m

[@OtoKano]

oh yes! That must smell nice :D Way better than the usual fishy smell. Gonna have to check that out.

[@colleendailey5556]

M

[@andyjohnson7121]

If you cover your brush WELL in the brush soap the masking fluid will not stick to your brush.

[@navyboymommygramma]

What a concept. Use a credit card AS a art supply instead of using it to BUY a art supply . I dont use credit cards so i save all the promo cards i get in the mail. Junk mail isn't always just junk haha

[@dawncfoster7698]

Say something. R u on. Ok I’ll move on