How To Paint in Negative Space in Watercolour Watercolor Hydrangea Blue Tutorial

[@janiep99]

I’ve had the hardest time understanding negative painting. You are the first person that I actually was able to follow and understand. Thank you so much.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Wonderful!

[@annemorgan2928]

Wonderful technique thanks for sharing. 🇨🇦

[@watercolorswithmichael]

You are so welcome!

[@debdennis7853]

Love this!!

[@lynnemartin2291]

Gorgeous. Love negative painting.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@CharliFerns]

excellent clear and concise instruction on a beautiful watercolour piece - thank you - i am going to try this right away !

[@theresainms]

Thank you for sharing your talent & your knowledge with those of us who 'want' to paint but are completely lost as to how to go about it. I'm new to watercolor (& to painting in general) but I really enjoy watching you and hearing you explain your process. I also appreciate very much the fact that you don't feel the need to keep up unnecessary chatter as you paint. Constant chatter distracts me from what I'm trying to learn. I know others don't feel the same way I do about that subject but I wanted to point out how much I appreciate your method. I feel like I'm sitting right beside you & you're showing me how to perform the next stroke on the paper. Thanks again!

[@mamapata08]

I really Love your work. Congratulations! Your paintings are so subtle

[@karensimonis8693]

Paty Mend

[@katedanis9075]

Thank you Michael so much for this wonderful tutorial and the outcome is just beautiful!

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you

[@ladyinz3320]

Your video finally made it clearer for me to understand what negative painting is. Thank you sir.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Glad I could help

[@Tushaspaintingstutorialstryit]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you too

[@artsychindiiMD]

Hello there!! This is awesome! Pls do more negative painting. :)

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you. You know I was just thinking that I need to do more negative painting. Great minds think alike

[@globalworld999]

Excellent

[@lilymcmillan5112]

That was really cool! I'm going to try it in the morning.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you. Let me know how it turns out. I'm sure its going to be great.

[@lizkb5473]

I never understood how to do this, thank you so much for such a good explanation. Now to go and try it....

[@juliebergacker5680]

Great

[@romanaz100]

absolutely love your video. You have explained every thing so well..

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you so much. I try very hard to make things as simple as possible.

[@SunkissedMalice]

This is awesome, I really enjoyed how you explained everything. New subscriber here! 😊

[@anne-mariechamberlain2918]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Wow, I did this so long ago, I almost forgot about it. thank you. Glad you enjoyed it

[@Rileygirl746]

Thank you , thank you, thank you . I've always loved the look of negative painting but could never figure out how to do it . I'm going to my easel right now . 🎨

[@danakolpin1289]

Very good painting. This was something new to learn. It was very interesting technique. This is the first of seeing this. I do prefer your other paintings. Dana

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Negative painting is something you would normally do as a technique for a small part of a larger painting. Its a bit odd to do a whole painting that way, but it can lead to some really interesting results.

[@sheilaannwebb5364]

Very Good! Perfect for my beginning students. Not too complex but lovely end result. Thankyou

[@watercolorswithmichael]

+Sheila Ann Webb I'm glad you like the video. Negative painting is fun, but can be a bit challenging. I'm thinking of doing other negative painting videos. Any ideas? Please use any of my videos you would like for your students, we'll all learn together. Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy all the videos.

[@kerrymeis]

The BEST lesson on negative painting for beginners that I've seen. To the artist: Please get a differ hair dryer, as the one you used here makes a terrible noise! Anyway, thanks for showing how the layers of negative painting work.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

I'm glad you love the lesson, and don't worry. In other videos I cut the noise of the hair dryer out, or just completely eliminated showing it all together. I was still learning how to edit videos when I posted this.

[@kallyzwolak3975]

I feel like I understand the method you demonstrated. I'm excited to get started on my own negative painting. P.S. I like that you sped up the time using the dryer and suggest that you turn the sound off for that part as well. The noise distracted from your tutorial. Looking forward to more of your tutorials.

[@palmiracarmenambrosino1845]

Muy buena la técnica. La explicación muy clara. Gracias!!!!!!

[@Vortica]

I tried this tutorial today! The first try was nah, but the second was really good! I love this technique! Thank you for the video!!! :)

[@kathleenwicks8046]

perfect, Michael. thank you! 😊

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Youre welcome

[@ladyloneill]

Excellent instruction. Thank you. May I ask what brand palette is that you're using?

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Hi, Linda, Thank you. The pallete is Martin Mijello. Here is a link to it on Amazon ( www.amazon.com/Martin-Mijello-Airtight-Watercolor-24-Well/dp/B004KJEWMY/ref=sr_1_3?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1471905483&sr=1-3&keywords=watercolor+palette ). I like it. It is airtight when closed. Its got a ton of space for mixing, and enough spots for lots of colors.

[@ladyloneill]

Thank you, Michael, so much. God bless Amazon Prime. Just ordered it, and I'll have it tonight!

[@watercolorswithmichael]

You're welcome

[@FannaTurano]

@@watercolorswithmichael -- Michael, if you lift off the paint plate section of your palette (comes out easily with a steak knife) you have another massive mixing area! I have 6 of these palettes for various reasons, but popping off that paint palette section was inspired or so I thought when I "came up with the idea." LOL

[@watercolorswithmichael]

@@FannaTurano The versatility of this palette really is remarkable. In addition to being airtight, having plenty of wells, you can have as much mixing area as you can handle. I used this palette for years. If you watch my newer videos, you won't see it. I've substituted a metal one that is very similar. I do miss this palette from time to time. And when I see it sitting around my studio, I often think that I should get it back out

[@palmiracarmenambrosino1845]

Me encantó, voy a intentarlo!!

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Perfect. Try it, I know you can do it.

[@RainbowCO]

Very instructive tutorial-thank you. My only complaint- you are so talented you make it look easy. Glad I found you and subscribed.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

I wish that were true, but thank you.

[@yetanurtha2475]

Thanks for this video, it's exactly what I've been looking for.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

YW, glad to hear it

[@faroshscale]

I use masking fluid to achieve the same technique. a little more of a pain in the butt depending on how patient you are, but to each their own!

[@watercolorswithmichael]

I do own masking fluid, but don't enjoy using it.

[@ritazulmagarciaacosta2084]

Jamie Krouse

[@pw4075]

Gorgeous painting and great tutorial except, dude, you need to mute your mike when using the dryer!! LOL

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Thank you. I've learned to mute the hair dryer. I was leaning to edit video as much or more that I was to paint watercolors when I made this video. My newer ones are much much better

[@SunkissedMalice]

Watercolors With Michael The dryer sound in this video does not bother me in the slightest. After all, that is what a dryer sounds like when it's turned on! Lol. I just want you to know that muted or not, it does not take away from this fantastic tutorial. ☺

[@polarbearsrus6980]

he needs a quieter dryer...this one is bad for your hearing, really.

[@meryleardley8048]

That was great, thank you

[@watercolorswithmichael]

youre welcome

[@FannaTurano]

I have been "learning" negative space instruction on youtube for a year. I finally became so annoyed at yet another leaf negative space tutorial, that I said some swears, yelled at the cat (he's cool, he yells back) and swore off negative painting. The instruction on YT is sooooo involved and a protected class learning experience, that I just walked away, vowing never to understand it--ever. I was watching my most fave YT watercolor teacher (Emma Lefebvre, Canada), and this hydrangea accidentally began to play. I was instantly annoyed. Great. Another pricey and complicated painting, and a hydrangea to boot! The cat came back to my lap (he brought a beer), so we sat back in our easy chair and listened to another negative space expert. Aren't I the person with egg on my face tonight! I finally finally finally "got it." I couldn't quite discern the color changes from level 1 to 4, etc., but I sipped and chilled. And "Watercolors with Michael" nailed it. Thanks "WWM." (and I'm not referring to World Watercolor Month--though I've won TWO drawings this month {one from Emma Lefebvre} I mean Michael). So thanks a ton Michael. I can strike another technique off my watercolor learning list tonight because of you. I tried to guess which color blues you were using, but got one wrong. I thought cerulean was verditer blue. Close. Anyway, can't thank you enough for being the "one" that helped me happily rescue myself from the most annoying tip & trick this year. And how do you do. It's very nice to meet you, Michael, and once more, heartily thanks to you for closing the chapter on negative painting. I will be trying your hydrangea flower all week until I perfect it. PS: your hairdryer was a non-issue for me. Didn't bother me until I read Pat Walsh's comment! lol Fanna Turano Denver, CO

[@watercolorswithmichael]

WOW. So glad I was able to help you out. It took me quite a while to figure a bit of that out too. I've gotten so much positive feedback from this video I think I need to make a follow up video to it. (perhaps I'll leave the dryer out of the new one.) But regardless of if or when I get another negative painting video up, I'm super happy that you got some good help from this one.

[@FannaTurano]

@@watercolorswithmichael I think that would be really wonderful! I'd welcome another go at your very simple instruction. I know it's way overdone, but are fall colors with fall subjects possible? I'm in the majority I'm afraid. And I ONLY use the Miejello (?) palette (blue & white) & it's the most versatile one I've used. I pop out the wells portion to get yet another entire huge mixing area! I've only been painting 2 years, but I still haven't a clue what kind of palette setup works for me. Maybe that would be a good video? Mucho thanks, Michael!

[@escohop]

what paper is that?

[@globalworld999]

I have subscribed your channel

[@carminhafagundes2284]

Thank's I love it

[@polarbearsrus6980]

Great job but this is actually the most difficult method to paint this type of flower.

[@רותיכהן-כ2כ]

תודה רבה על ההדגמה המנחה איך להתיחס לחלל שלילי ומשמעותו

[@HaleyInk]

aRtiFiCiAL sQuirReL hAir

[@palmiracarmenambrosino1845]

Es mi segunda vez, pero seguiré intentando!!!!

[@luciankendrick6642]

pro tip : watch movies on flixzone. Been using it for watching lots of of movies recently.

[@alejandrogianni8362]

@Lucian Kendrick yea, have been watching on Flixzone} for months myself :)

[@daxtonjabari3088]

@Lucian Kendrick yea, have been watching on flixzone} for since november myself =)

[@odinfrancis8874]

@Lucian Kendrick Yea, have been watching on Flixzone} for since november myself :D

[@judys5767]

I cannot figure out how the wetness of your paper -- my painting is not working at all.

[@watercolorswithmichael]

Are you allowing your paper to dry fully between each layer? That will help.

[@Keyboardje]

2:10 and I'm deaf... Damn hairdryer through headphones :(

[@watercolorswithmichael]

sorry.

[@Keyboardje]

That's ok :) And super painting by the way!

[@sybillestahl8646]

Olfa mat. Is someone a quilter?

[@watercolorswithmichael]

sorry, no quilter here.