Don't Make This Mistake In Watercolor

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Want to learn more about watercolor supplies? Need help deciding what to buy? Check out my free online course - studio.krisdebruine.com/getting-started-in-watercolor

[@jhomer1081]

I don't have enough money to get it.

[@jaimedanielhernandezrios5398]

" a big brush can make the job of a small brush, a small brush can't make the job of a big brush" So better big than small always

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I agree. Thanks for watching

[@kibanart301]

nope

[@hiero-green]

@@kibanart301bruh

[@jaimedanielhernandezrios5398]

@@shingswoooop you can make detailed work with a big brush, it even helps since you don't have to recharge often.

[@Kwpwnzbi81jbshsksmabajs]

Me with a green mind

[@markdonovan1540]

Guilty as charged! Time to whip out the big mop on the next painting.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great! Have fun!!

[@michiyoymzk4504]

I CACKLED

[@mitchellsink2584]

This is golden advice. Also make sure to mix enough paint to complete the area you are trying to paint. You will raage quite if you don't.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. I agree. Great advice.

[@adisyncunningham297]

Nah. Disagree

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks for watching and responding

[@seungberyyyy]

​@@adisyncunningham297Bruh

[@TheCrabbyCrafterlol]

"Rage-quit", I'm totally taking this and making it my own.

[@VictoriaKlippy]

I find this happens with painting in general, back when I took advanced classes in high-school my teacher had this golden rule: large surface area, large brush! I carried that advice well into university and in my work in general. It’s always good practice to hold your brushes up to your work before you start so you can see which brushes are going to paint more effectively in the respective areas.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Well said. Thank you.

[@gotchufam2964]

When my art teacher gave me a big brush, it changed my life. I now forever use to for blocking out colors and backgrounds. He gave me a medium brush and a really good small brush too for those tiny details. This was years ago, I still use those 3 to this day and haven’t felt the need yet to get more brushes.👍🏻

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Wow. What a great story. I'm so glad you still have those brushes. :-)

[@Musical_Sockss]

I actually enjoy the process of using a small brush, my style has also adapted to it.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Sounds good

[@mangana215]

It took me years to start using a big brush because i love doing details instead of the first big base, but its true that once you assimilate the idea of a big one its a lot easier to get the part i dont like faster 😅, and then i can pick my microbrushes and spend hours in details

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I agree.

[@saraht8198]

Great tip, with swift and clear delivery. Seemingly obvious, but an easy mistake to make, glad I saw this 😊

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Welcome to the channel. Thanks for watching.

[@idontcare9589]

The first layer washes are soo perfect

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks

[@rachelobrien4181]

You really just are an incredible communicator. Each of your lessons are so precise and exactly as informative as they need to be. Seriously your lessons are perfection!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thank you so much

[@TheCrabbyCrafterlol]

I couldn't agree more!!

[@deltawarriorz8448]

I think it's hard to be bold with watercolor, especially when it comes to big strokes that cover your sketch completely. Your videos and the progress you show, with all its messy stages help me with that. Thank you! Happy new year 2024. ❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I'm glad you find the videos helpful. I like the looser style....so the big strokes are important for that style. Happy New Year to you too

[@TheCrabbyCrafterlol]

ANOTHER FABULOUS VIDEO. You are EXACTLY right on this.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@craigridley9618]

I’m very grateful to have come across your content lately through YT shorts. I come from a pre-raphealite and colourist oils education and have been quite set in my ways with brush sizes across different media. Your insights into watercolour have been very enlightening and i’d like to express my deep appreciation for your openness and willingness to share your knowledge and craft. Thank you

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks for watching and sharing

[@vacafuega]

It depends what you like - to my eyes the streakiness is a hallmark of watercolour, an opportunity to see the painter's mood and self expressed through each movement. The more perceptible movements, the closer I feel to the artist and the more intense the feelings I have about the painting. The larger brush strokes are very efficient but with efficiency, we often can lose character and charm.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Awesome. Thanks for watching.

[@trixxieland1789]

Wow! Thank you for this video! I never thought of this! I appreciate it so much!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You're welcome.

[@ramengirll]

I needed this reminder since I tend to gravitate towards my smaller brushes

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad you found the video helpful.

[@kdavis1124]

OMG….I’m self taught and this makes so much sense!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great.

[@bert422]

Thank you so much for this! I have started watercolor 2 weeks ago and it took me hours of mistakes to figure out that I wasnt a failure but I just needed a bigger brush. I now really enjoy myself doing watercolor. Love from Italy

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I'm so glad! Thanks for watching and leaving a reply.

[@madmax7201]

Simple information, but makes a big difference. And big sense. You explained it so good.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks

[@jodoodlyboi2963]

Thank you! I've thought about this, but I only recently learned about washes as a base, so I didnt quite know how to execute it or when. I'll be trying this out soon, along with underpainting for depth, and a few other tips that I'll need to rewatch first

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching

[@soweitsoklar5163]

Ich mag deine praktischen Tipps.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Danke

[@leviathan6071]

I don’t even watercolor but you are inspiring me! Thank you KrisDeBruine.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You are so welcome!

[@jrhooman]

THANK YOU FOR THIS. I see people use small brushes to paint larger areas and it absolutely makes me seethe with rage.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-)

[@PRADEEPCHANDRATHAPLIYAL]

I learned this is the start. When i first started, i only had two very small brushes. But after impressing my parents with my paintings,i got a new brush set. Never used small brushes again

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching and leaving feedback.

[@unclejimmyofficial]

Thank you! I love to draw, but only occasionally do watercolor, so its not something I do most of my research on. Maybe the teeny tiny brushes I use are what's making my streaky splotchy paintings haha💕

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. Think of it this way. Every stroke of the brush you make, is another opportunity to create a "streak" or "splotch." So if you use a bigger brush, you reduce the strokes, which reduces the streaks. :-)

[@natasham8941]

I just started with water colour and this is so so helpful.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad you liked it.

[@leojablonski2309]

Dang right, Chris. Thankyou for tip

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You're welcome

[@melodybrown986]

Excellent advice. Love it.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

So glad!

[@annagrzonka3704]

I needed this information. Thank you ❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gtt390]

Thanks❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You're welcome.

[@julimibz]

Thank you for this tutorial! I thought the brushes I'm using are big enough but I keep getting those streaks. Now I know I need bigger brushes.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Happy to help!

[@Ghost_King108]

I like using smaller brushes because I can get better detail and enjoy the process with a big brush I just complete the process way too quickly I like the task of making brush stroke after brush stroke and then going back and making it look good Ofc this is totally opinion but I just wanted to say the other side of things

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Hey. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.

[@Ghost_King108]

❤️

[@danyork1]

This series of shorts is already amazing. I've been sharing each one with friends new to watercolour. All things we need to know but often aren't told when we begin!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thank you so much for sharing these videos. I really appreciate it. Another one will launch tomorrow! :-)

[@whatifitnt]

WOW!!! Revelation!!! Gotta go try this out! Thank you : )

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching.

[@denyel_]

giving up control is the hardest part for me!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Agreed.

[@sonja_rademacher]

You can practice giving up control. Buy a cheap sketchbook and paint one one page every single day for at least a month. Set the timer to 30 seconds and paint the object. Set timer to another 30 seconds and paint the background. Leave it like that. Keep in mind that it's an exercise sketch book.

[@sixinchscrews]

​@@sonja_rademacher just to add on what you said, you can do that with cheaper paints too so you don't have to worry about wasting it on something that's not necessarily a proper piece

[@skippykay599]

This applies to so many mediums as well! In my digital art I’ve found it’s better to use a larger brush size whenever possible, it forces me to stay zoomed out and pay more attention to the entire piece, not just the details. Even when painting minis, on such a small scale, it’s possible to pick a brush that is too small, and filling out a solid block of color becomes tedious

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I agree.

[@farah_eats_panera]

thank you so much for this tip i didn’t know this!!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

you're welcome

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

So true!!🎉

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching

[@Lacroix999]

I bought tons of cheap brushes that were labeled as mixed media, suitable for WC just the same at first, thinking that a more diverse range of products was better than just a couple. I figured if I liked it, I would then invest later on on better supplies. I got so frustrated with them that I almost gave up on WC all together. I ended up, on a whim, just ordering an actual watercolor brush, one that was actually made for watercolors! I was so blown away that I ditched every last one of my cheap brushes and just used this new one and ordered a bunch more! It was a complete game changer for me, so much so that it makes me cringe when I hear other artists say to just use what you have. While I get it, not everyone CAN invest in better supplies, trying to do so where and when you can, is also investing in your art and in yourself as an artist! You CAN get by with them, but once you upgrade, you won’t regret it! Once I did this with my brushes, I did the same with my paper and then my paints!! No regrets!! So I recommend in that order to upgrade: brushes, then paper, then paints.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I think you have highlighted the main problem with using "budget" supplies. It can cause the student of watercolor to want to give up, because they are so frustrated. I have seen many of my students have "aha" moments when they started using better supplies. Thanks again for sharing.

[@blythan3134]

I don't work with water colour (mostly digital these days) but being bold and going for all the big shapes first made working with colours so much nicer.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching

[@tracyhouchins339]

Thank you for this!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

My pleasure!

[@TheRaptorCat]

This advice would be great for larger scale paintings but for me with tons of small areas to paint and like no large spaces tiny is perfect

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thank you for watching

[@blubeard6914]

Ha very true, I learned this the hard way on my last painting. So I finally got a big brush or 15

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great

[@logiclock9483]

You are so pro!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks

[@technoraptor7778]

I got a big one like the one your using..but i also have my tiny ones....i draw and paint small...like really small..so works for me. Plus if painting fine reptile scales, insect hairs, micro details...kinda need the tiny brushes.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Sounds good. I always say "the largest brush POSSIBLE." If a small brush is required to do small details, then by all means use it.

[@tamitra5210]

great tips😉

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-)

[@AdamNathanielBlake]

This was my exact problem ❤ u rly helped me realize i dont just suck! i just didnt have the right tool ❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. The right tool makes all the difference.

[@damonbordbar8590]

Thank so much! When I started water color I notice that my painting always looked less detailed and more animated But now I know why,

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad I could help!

[@krickett8538]

I also learned to use bigger paper. I love tiny notebooks and would think that I should start with a tiny sketch and fill it in. However, it takes a lot of skill and technique to make the brush with in small spaces.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@ooomith]

There is by no means only one way to paint with water color. This is a good tip for covering big flat surfaces and this entire style in general but don’t preech is as an always for water color, cause it can be used in a ton of ways!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks for watching

[@user11871]

Immediately subscribed😊

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Welcome aboard!

[@Unknownartist-qo7ne]

I'm not good with watercolor that much but this is so helpful I want to try it again

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I'm glad you found it helpful. It takes time to learn. Don't give up!! :-)

[@Unknownartist-qo7ne]

Thanks @@KrisDeBruineStudio

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You're welcome.

[@woosheroes494]

Thank you!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thank you for watching

[@siljekatt2882]

Hii. Just wanted to say you inspures me. I am a bygging watercolur artist or i been panting for 4 years now. I just find your videos and I love them. ❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thank you

[@siljekatt2882]

Your welcome

[@Torahobservantcatmom]

True if your doing the traditional form of watercolor.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching and sharing

[@Yam1-.-]

I'm so glad I'm watching this cause my art class is working with watercolors and I suck at them 😓

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Keep working at it. You'll get it.

[@rubya.p4437]

One of the advise I got when I first started watercolor is "used the biggest brush possible"

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great advice!! :-)

[@mikewoods7167]

I like big brush and I cannot lie

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Me too

[@lisabarnes6919]

I do this and my background looks messy I did it today I must go over it, Thank you🥰

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You’re welcome 😊

[@kimle348]

Thank you

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You're welcome

[@gothicmango]

Hear me out as a self taught artist: this is great ADVICE, but advice is all it can be. You’re not doing anything wrong if you use a smaller brush. Sure it gives you a smoother overall colour wash, but what if you don’t want that? What if its a style choice? And what if you simply just don’t have the funds to buy a bigger brush? I think we can all agree that advice like this definitely comes in handy, but don’t get too discouraged or bummed out by feeling you’re creating art “wrong”. There is no such thing!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for sharing.

[@melanie990]

Big brush with a good tip will be your bestest friend when painting with watercolors!!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I agree wholeheartedly.

[@jmcruz_official]

Thanks for the advice! God bless you! ✝️👊🏻❤️

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You are so welcome! God bless you!!

[@luckyjinx605]

That's why art class in school took so damn long to finish 😂 the kids brought one small brush for a big canvas and got tired coloring

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-)

[@yorutsumetai]

From my understanding (I haven’t painted much, but still) : big brush for the base layers and get progressively smaller with the details. Not just to reduce streaking, but to force yourself not to hyper fixate in the beginning stages. It’s a good rule of thumb for most kinds of art (minus colored pencil work, which I still do sometimes.)

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

[@wisteriafrog]

This is something i struggle with. Im too lazy to change my brush out lol. I do a lot of fine detail work though. Lol a lot of ppl look at my work and get surprised i use watercolor and not markers.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Good point. We have to remind ourselves to switch out brushes when necessary.

[@bethmccall823]

I use large brushes for my oil painting all the time.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for the feedback

[@NovaS-if6vq]

How does youtube know what i just learnd today in scool?? But really good explanation!!😊

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Haha. I know. Isn't that kind of freaky?? I feel like KZbin can read my mind sometime. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching. Have a great day

[@ctwmnpark5664]

One or two big quality brushes with delicate, pointed tips saves $$$ and space that is necessary to have too many small unnecessary ones.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Good point.

[@jackieanderson9072]

Thanks for sharing

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching!

[@Marinade420]

If only my teacher told me this in a calm voice like you did. He yelled at me for using tiny brushes to paint. I just like the feeling of smaller brushes in my hand. Sue me, art teacher from 15 years ago who never got my name right!

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I'm sorry to hear that. I wish you the best in your art journey.

[@ilsagita5257]

I see big is always better

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-)

[@christianebehr138]

❤❤ I am So glad that I found you I enjoy watching and learning p.s your brush is it metric or Amerikan ich?😊

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

You can view the product on Amazon here: amzn.to/48lq6UJ They provide measurements in both inches and mm. Hope this helps.

[@sazzorakskills1614]

How do you work around small crevices and such while filling in a space with a larger brush? That’s always been my biggest issue. (For example, filling in the points of an oak leaf)

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I switch to a small brush if necessary. I don't ALWAYS use a large brush. I use the largest brush possible for each part of the painting.

[@ebonyandivory262]

How do you get the strokes so precise or is that just a skill issue on my end?

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Practice

[@ebonyandivory262]

@@KrisDeBruineStudio on it. 👍👍

[@ariart23]

Yes true ,but it depends on personal style too

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

That's true.

[@still_your_zelda]

If you’re covering a large area then it’s just wasting your time as an artist. It’s not so much style as much as common sense.

[@Nickikisu]

I do my art with small brushes bc often my art is quite microscopic lol also I mostly paint character designs, which need to have the colours not overlap thus changing eachother also streaking for me makes it feel more authentic and look nicer, a watercolour piece without streaking feels stale and characterless

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Makes sense

[@akshaykauthankar3174]

a very important information

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yokai3k]

this what im actually doing since i only have like small for detail brush😂

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-)

[@haveagoodday7021]

I am guilty 100% of this. Always got angry I couldn't paint tiny details well, so I'd always use a small brush. Now I know better.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Have fun!

[@thing-hitotsu]

I actually do this with digital art too- to start with the big stuff before details. But I should start doing it with watercolor as I’m so guilty of not doing that

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. Work big to small. :-) Thanks for watching.

[@rosverlegaspo6752]

This might be on personal style and preference? Paul Cézanne watercolor paintings are definitely streaky; basically made of patches of color/paint on top of each other, even on what should be evenly colored areas. John Singer Sargent watercolor painting also doesn't seem to bother with even washes of color. Maybe the streaky uneven look is what the artists are going for; so you can't really say that they are making a mistake or doing it wrong.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching and sharing.

[@sandratania5149]

🙌🏻👏🏻

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thank you

[@kati3-ck8rr]

I dont think there is a right ore wrong way to do art

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching and sharing your feedback.

[@VictoriaKlippy]

Generally no there’s not but there’s lots of really great technical tricks that artists have learned over hundreds of years like she showed here to enhance your existing skills or allow you to discover things you’ve never seen or tried before in the medium you’re working with. Adjusting brush size and going larger yields great results and can transform your practice.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

:-) Well said.

[@reaper253]

my watercolor set comes with a small brush :(

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. Most sets come with brushes that are too small....in my opinion. But small brushes cost less. That's why they add them to sets.

[@reaper253]

@@KrisDeBruineStudio yea that makes sense

[@BreakerOvTheBlackWinds]

What if I like how I paint

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching

[@Rose-pc6cv]

where is the brush from?

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

The link is in the description. But here it is again - amzn.to/49w9ivu

[@MaNa-bz6tx]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

😊

[@Fairygroveyt]

She sounds like the narrator from Wizard101 and it's soothing to me..

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching

[@Fairygroveyt]

@@KrisDeBruineStudio You're welcome! I love the way you paint.

[@Jas.671]

But..I have many small paint brush in my small sketchpad, and some medium brushes that i have it (i only have two :]) so, thats why i cant buy some big paintbrush if i struggle at holding an larger ones, so thats why i choose some small and medium brushes, well, you can do it in your own creatitons. Nothing is better at all.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

thanks for watching

[@polarsystem177]

What do you mean I cannot paint cartoon-art style characters with tons of small details in their design or else im just making a painting mistake?

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Please feel free to paint as you like. I wish you the best in your art journey

[@MsIvy21]

What brush is that?

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

The large brush I show in this video is the Princeton Neptune #6 Quill. You can learn more about it here: amzn.to/3UVyLbk

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I also own this Aqua Elite Quill #6 which is equally AWESOME. I highly recommend both. amzn.to/3V9c0Cc

[@starjones1]

I dont even know where to purchase brushes that big (i never see them when i go to crafting sections of stores, im probably just blind)

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

I purchase mine on Amazon: amzn.to/4748w7n But I can also find them at my local art store. Many stores in the US, carry the Princeton brand. But there are other equally good brands all around the world. The main thing to look for is squirrel hair (synthetic squirrel is good), because it holds so much water. Great for big washes. Check out my free course with lots more information - studio.krisdebruine.com/getting-started-in-watercolor

[@Larimuss]

Funny... I tried my first watercolour first painting and realised my small brush plus the shape was making it hard. I literally just bought this squirrel hair brush you have there, it's my first decent brush and love the 3 set. But now I need one smaller one for small practice sheets.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Great job!

[@b_sofi_t.r.]

Hi! Somebody knows where I could buy a brush like this in Mexico? I'm really interest but I only see them by acrylic/oil ;;;

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Sorry. I'm not familiar with the market in Mexico. Do you have a local art store you can check with?? Merry Christmas

[@anthonyrajprince8998]

But, for me the most important thing about brush is a good point tip

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Yes. So important. Thanks for watching and leaving feedback.

[@neraslight4997]

Doesn’t it leave lines? I feel like some artists would like to use it as it’s their preference as it might give it a different texture

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

The smaller the brush, the more strokes required, which does result in more "lines" or strokes. I encourage using the largest brush possible for this reason.

[@mayarlis]

As person who used watercolours to colour tiny gemstones... I cannot take this advice. There Are very few cases, where tiny brush is actually needed and does the job much better than the big ever would do.

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching.

[@sophroniel]

sometimes I like the streakies tho

[@KrisDeBruineStudio]

Thanks for watching.