Biggest mistake I see beginner watercolor artists make, and how to fix it

[@sunnyscott4876]

LOL..I'm still at the point that I would be happy if I could paint the pot on the left!!!!

[@clairecole1736]

I was thinking exactly the same thing!

[@letitiarosenthal2286]

Yep same 😂

[@user__214]

Same, but I like having something to reach for in the moments when it feels doable!

[@sunnyscott4876]

@@user__214 I agree. I tried it and it actually worked. I was pleased!

[@user__214]

@@sunnyscott4876 That's awesome

[@dianeloftus5476]

My paintings continue to look like the one on the left... I just don't "see" the light and shadows while painting, nor can I envision them. As I watch and learn, I am at least getting more than one value, usually two (and sometimes three) values while painting . Your video was very helpful and I will continue trying the technique. Thank you! Your instructional videos always teach me a little something when I watch them!

[@oussamabenmebarek4804]

Hi,I think you should prep your painting, there are many artists that have use of grey scale picture or do a value study with pencil or shades of neutral tint , premixing colours is also helpful to speed up process and ease focus , if you paint a picture or screenshot use your phone to apply a filter grey scale and adjust contrast and luminosity to identify these values

[@coolrunnings3]

Great!

[@Lacroix999]

So a couple of exercises that you can do to learn to see your values better are: 1) squinting your eyes, and 2) doing a contour drawing, and, 3) spend all of your free time just looking at everything around you as it is. 1) is pretty self explanatory. 2) a contour drawings is a line usually, but not always done in one continuous line, and sometimes without even looking at your paper. By following the contours of the lights and darks in VERY subtle changes, you learn to see everything in a new way from shadows to color variations. The more you practice doing this, the better you get at it. 3) also a bit self explanatory, but it also helps when you really stop to look at the world around you. When you slow down, you realize that a tree isn’t just a trunk with leaves on it, but a made up of thousands of different various shapes, colors and shades. The same goes for your coffee cup in the morning. Many times when we’re too busy, we don’t stop to see these things and our brain fills in the rest and we think we make a tree that looks like a tree instead of making what we actually see! With practice of all of these things, it does get much easier, but the best part is, that once you have a trained eye like this, you won’t ever be able to see the world the same again! To add to that, if done the same way with colors and really stop to SEE the colors that can make up the colors we need or see, the easier that it will also be to mix your colors in your palette as well! These are exercises I learned in college as a studio art major. The very last one for mixing colors was my favorite! Even if I didn’t really understand color theory at the time which was just something my brain never really processed until years later and ironically only clicked while watching the 30th YT on it 😖, one lesson taught DID help me to learn to paint any color that I needed from the colors I had. The assignment was to go to the paint isle in the store and find 10 random color swatches. Then we were to cut them out into 1” squares and then use the colors we had on our palettes to make that color. We weren’t allowed to cheat or use ‘convenience colors’ to mix what we needed to match our swatches. This was a bit easier since we used acrylic or oil paints that were more opaque, but the same can be done in watercolor as well. Without having any sort of background in color theory, this can still be done with a trained eye be you can still see if a color needs more blue or a tinge more red for example. I can now match any colors I need or see with 99% accuracy with only the colors o have on a basic palette! The last 1% left, being for colors like fluorescents and neons for obvious reasons. I got so good at it, I used to do these exercises just for fun! I highly recommend these exercises as they help TREMENDOUSLY in your art and are of the most useful things I ever got out of my whole entire studio art major education, which is kinda of sad to say, because it was a very expensive lesson especially since I already knew so much about art going into college, but it definitely helped to actually learn to really see the world we live in! I know that was long, but I hope that helps! It definitely helped me along with a boat load of practicing which comes with the territory!!

[@dianeloftus5476]

@@Lacroix999 thank you ❤️ Yes, the whole color wheel thing is still hard to wrap my head around too! Mixing colors is still hard, but I find myself doing more as I paint more and learn my basic colors. Observation is key... I agree. I think my logical brain has a hard time being creative and artistic... but watercolor painting is sure helping!

[@dianeloftus5476]

@@oussamabenmebarek4804 thank you ❤️ I have actually watched a KZbin artist demonstrate grey scale and found it interesting. Guess I need to give it a try! My logical brain needs to see the actual shades instead of trying to create shadows.

[@dianeevans1803]

I love the side by side comparison painting. Do more of these😊

[@minapache6141]

I love too.. !!! Please do more Diane, merci ❤

[@scarleto3231]

I think if one is aiming for more realistic painting then yes, shadows,depth and form are important. I was taught still-life painting in school and I loved and excelled at the technique and I would absolutely paint my pot like the second one. However art is freedom. The first pot is beautiful in its simplicity. You paint your pot however you want to. There is not wrong or right way in art. As Bob Ross said ‘There are only happy mistakes.’.

[@davidevans3175]

Hello. I'm the pot on the left. It's taken me 13 days to muster up enough self esteem to say something. I though we were friends. Damn.

[@joxiejoxie6457]

This gotta be the betrayal of the year, damn

[@beverlyaldridge2635]

You explained the beauty of watercolors so clearly--light source, layering, patience!

[@kristinvanleuven]

Thank you so much! I appreciate it!

[@alexandralewis375]

This was really helpful - the side by side comparison really highlighted the differences. Thank you.

[@beatrizangeles-lopez5121]

Please people do not buy anything from Domestika they are committing fraudulent charges for their annual subscription that people do not sign up for! They also save your method of payment information without your knowledge/consent and it is impossible to remove it.

[@Valeriazane]

thank you for sharing! i love watercolor but i still tend to be a bit heavy handed. this was very helpful.

[@christinecloutier4015]

Great explanation. I love the visual of what we as beginners do compare to the more advanced artist does. Extremely useful. Thank you.

[@TheShutterbuk]

This makes me want to break out my watercolors right now and try it. Thanks for the great video and explanation

[@kristinvanleuven]

Go for it! 💕💕💕

[@kimesch9698]

THE best watercolor tutorial! Why have I never seen this explained clearly like this? Please do more of the same with different subjects. Thank you.😀

[@99Marna]

This was just outstanding! You were very clear with this and although I have done WC a bit, never has the issue of light source and contrast and how to leave white areas explained so very well. And yur color mixing! Just oustanding and thank you! Agree with another's comment - do more like this please!

[@aprildegele1510]

I haven't done watercolor in decades and this was a very helpful reminder. I usually work in acrylic, but also oil, and watercolor pencils, but brushing with pan or tube color, it's been a long time and it doesn't work like any other medium.

[@nancysteffen7902]

Thank you, Kristin! Incredible tutorial. Interesting how you don’t see the bad one as “bad” until the good one is painted right next to it!!! Love your channel so much😍😍😍

[@beatrizangeles-lopez5121]

Please people do not buy anything from Domestika they are committing fraudulent charges for their annual subscription that people do not sign up for! They also save your method of payment information without your knowledge/consent and it is impossible to remove it.

[@janetdegenhardt5999]

Wow! This has finally made sense to me! I thought I was doing this, but now I see that I was making mine with not enough contrasts.

[@DavZell]

That was an excellent short explanation and example. Too often, channels make these things are too long and wordy. Thanks!

[@ti9erlilly]

This video arrived right when I needed it. Over the last month I've been struggling to understand why my paintings were looking so flat, and getting frustrated. Now here you are giving me the answer I needed. Thank you! ✨🖌️🖼️

[@holliexenahitchcock]

One of the BEST watercolor tutorials I’ve EVER watched! So glad I found you!

[@danatingey9903]

Great tutorial! I totally get what you are saying, but have to admit that I still think both the pots are beautiful and usable in different types of art. I loved watching you paint the leaves and am going to try to not be so intentional in painting each individual leaf as a leaf shape. Yours look so much better. Thank you so much! ❤

[@ILoveFountainPensCdn]

This was SOOO INCREDIBLY HELPFUL in more ways than I can describe!! Adding yellow to the paints to make that area warmer and blue to make it cooler will be a game changer for me! Also, when you mentioned the word ‘golden’, it all of a sudden clicked with how light coming through the trees _glow_ in watercolour paintings! Thank you sooo much!!

[@samgonzalez-harte2426]

Such a fantastic demo Kristin!🌟 love the side by side comparison, so helpful !thank you so much😀✨

[@Fuumuui0426]

I think there are many beginners who still make this mistake. They don’t know where to learn this knowledge. Your channel should be seen by more people.

[@beatrizangeles-lopez5121]

Please people do not buy anything from Domestika they are committing fraudulent charges for their annual subscription that people do not sign up for! They also save your method of payment information without your knowledge/consent and it is impossible to remove it.

[@cindylou3205]

I just learned more in this vid than in a week of following beginner tutorials. Thanks!

[@dmat7148]

This is exactly what I needed to see, painted a blue bird card today for a friend and I can see it looks too “flat” now. Thanks for the great tips!

[@user-ef2dl7wp9f]

That makes sense about the light coming in on the right and paint lighter colours to emphasise this on the pot and leaves. Definitely looks more natural and balanced too. Thank you Kristin for your time sharing 🌹

[@kellyd6619]

Thanks for the tips. I somehow like both paintings equally. The right is more realistic and beautiful. But I actually like to look at the left more because it makes me feel happy inside. I don't know why..there's just something about it. (maybe because it's more childlike...?)

[@corireeves32]

It is true, I approach it like crayons and then try to lighten it up. Starting with it lighter is amazing! Thank you!!

[@kristinvanleuven]

You are so welcome! I see the desire to paint it like crayons all the time, so you’re among friends haha

[@arlingtonguy54]

Thanks that really helps. I like to do architectural urban sketches and my trees always look awful. So yellow green at light source blending to blue green in shadow.

[@juliemaitland1176]

Just found you and have subscribed. You have taught me a lot in just one, short video. You explain everything so well and in such a way that I will remember it which is quite an achievement as I have ME with “ brain fog”. I love watercolour but I never seem to get it right - it really looks like the first pot! I shall try this out and look forward to your next video. Thank you😊🎉

[@judyhammond3181]

I am an experienced water colourist. Your give very good instruction.

[@tinkerbell2675]

what i have learned in the difference between acrylic and watercolor is, the application of it is in reverse. I am having a problem with watercolor because i cant get where the light parts go before the dark. This is what one of my problems.

[@JelilaJelila-ov2jy]

Maybe you could paint all the leaves (entirely) in the lightest tone (so you know where they are) then paint medium and darker tones on top. The medium and dark tones will be on the opposite side of the light source (here, they're on the left side). So the leaves go 'light, medium, dark' from right to left.

[@NotMyName888]

@@JelilaJelila-ov2jy That's essentially what she does in the video, right? And she does it mostly while it's still wet so that she can just "tap" in the mid and dark tones and let the paint work its magic on its own. Can't wait to try this out tomorrow.

[@LaurieSeefeldt-jw5uh]

Great explanation of basics to practice. Learning to paint is just that…learning! None of us are born knowing how to do this. If you consider yourself a newcomer…be patient and practice always!

[@jessrhoward]

This has been the most helpful video I've come across describing and showing how to achieve good contrast and light/dark balance! Thank you so much.

[@karenescalera3597]

Well I'm biting the bullet and bought my first watercolor beginning set!! Thank you for the lessons in this cute but amazing rendering of the two drawings.

[@jamies.8045]

What a fabulous tutorial! Thank you for packing so much in to every minute. Excellent teaching style, easy to understand and follow.

[@kristinvanleuven]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the feedback

[@joycevanmeteren6188]

Thank you so much for these instructions. I now understand the light and darkness how to put them in. Thanks.

[@kristinvanleuven]

Glad it was helpful!

[@elizabethkoeman1149]

So very well explained ! Excellent tutorial ,clear and precise. Thank you soo much! You have a gift teaching and painting combined. ❤

[@PeacefulSeraph]

This made a lot of sense... although I used to use gouache so I could cheat and get away with whiting out areas that I wanted to emphasize... watercolor definitely has a different vibe where you need to think it out before you go straight in. I like tge look, but I find it difficult to work with tbh 😢

[@WanderWild-vw4je]

Incredibly helpful video. Very clear tutorial full of important tips and guidelines. I can't wait to practice!

[@kristinvanleuven]

Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it

[@17.11Acts]

New to your channel! Love love love love love! Ty!! ❤ I am making paper and playing with all of this. The paper has a great texture but acts a but different. Anyway, I have added marigold seeds to the paper and has the words, "plant love". I then watercolor a marigold ...this helps SO much!

[@Ncstefanie]

This is one of the most helpful videos I’ve seen! Love the side by side comparison! It makes a huge difference to see it this way. ❤ PS- congrats on over 100k views!!

[@marie8642]

Love your style! You are an excellent teacher - very clear explanations for someone like me, a beginner with a bit of painting exp. wanting to go to next level. Can’t wait to practice creating more effective highlights & shadows. I will definitely be checking out the rest of your channel/resources. Thank you!

[@utterlynice1]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight, and techniques. i just painted a house and fence with a tree and i realized it wasn’t quite right and now i know why. Thank you!!

[@pradeepaeri7243]

Thanx for very useful application tips, most of us know the contest provides the best definition of any subject in a graphic manner. The key as you explained is in how wet or dry the surface verses how wet or dry the brush. Thanks once again.

[@jjroseknows777]

So glad I found you tonight...just what I needed to see, to learn. Thank you.

[@user-nj9es3we3q]

Vielen Dank für das sehr ausführliche Video mit der Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung. Es ist mir eine sehr große Hilfe. Ich male noch nicht so lange mit Aquarellfarben. Es macht auch Spaß Dir beim malen zuzuschauen. Bei Dir sieht alles so leicht aus. Viele Grüße aus München in Deutschland, Angela

[@JelilaJelila-ov2jy]

I'm great with oils and acrylic but terrible with watercolour! Now I know why!

[@valeriapaz232]

Thank you for explaining this so clearly! You have a rare talent for both painting AND explaining the steps.

[@ourmobilejourney814]

This was very helpful! Thank you. This is what I need to work on is shading and layering.

[@leewhite8355]

Beautiful, love watching you using your gift xx I can’t draw or paint to save my life!😂.🙏

[@gaillarson9878]

Excellent explanation. Thank you so much. I have been painting for quite a while, but I always enjoy hearing and seeing such a clear demonstration. Well done!

[@michelleharris4014]

The best tutorial I’ve seen in awhile. I’ve now subscribed and look forward to learning more and taking my work up a notch!

[@larrycampbell7442]

I took my first collegiate art class after I retired from the military. It was an introduction to watercolor at midwestern state university in Wichita Falls Texas and Liz Ash was not only a jewel at watercolor but printing and composition as well. Being retired military I never finished the degree but what I gained from the time is immeasurable

[@blackhairverse6361]

A minute and 33 seconds in and you’re already calling me out!😭😂 instant like!!

[@kristinvanleuven]

Haha sorry! Hope it helps 💕

[@christineHoxsey]

Such a wonderful teacher, thank you!

[@Geopholus]

Paint by observation ! That is how You learn to do better. There is no magical combination of "tricks". The trick is being OPEN, respecting the universe and gently caressing it.

[@trident431]

This was incredibly helpful. Many very useful tips for a beginner. Thank you!

[@GayleBranden-pg7hr]

Enjoyed your pots. Mine would look like on the left but I'm keeping your example cause it applies to many things with light and dark. Thank you,,from a semi beginner.

[@evestree]

I love this teaching on contrast and shadow. I use a different medium and it absolutely applies. Thank you!!!

[@magicmitch1537]

This is great. I haven’t been doing watercolor for long but I’ve always thought that mine looked “paint by numbers” esque. This is very helpful, thanks!

[@robertapalmer3599]

Excellent tutorial Step by Step visuals. You explain tips verbally and visually so all is easy to comprehend!

[@sallym3994]

Thank you for such great tips! I've been trying to figure out how to paint like the flower pot on the right side with the sun highlights. I appreciate your help in taking time to share this with us. Very much appreciated. I'm looking forward to more helpful tips on watercoloring painting.

[@theartkettle]

These pots look so cute and adorable...And the techniques are so elaborated! Really helpful! 😀

[@mermaid01]

Ahhh, just the instruction and explanation that I was needing, thank you so much 🎉❤

[@kerinorthcutt3158]

Wow truly truly thank you for taking time out of your life to help teach people these wonderful techniques! And thank you for walking us through it this is great and I feel so inspired!! Thank you!!

[@camouflagejumpsuit]

Oh nice now I know why my last watercolor had a bloom when it dried. Thx

[@allysonlane8969]

Thank you, great tutorial lesson today!

[@greenthumbtarasova9863]

Thank you so much for these helpful tips! I’ve only just begun to learn watercolor now that my sons are older and need me less. My youngest son is turning four and absolutely adores all sorts of color playing. At least some of my interest is to stay ahead of him in art and figure out how to teach these things to him later.

[@willow2816]

As a gouache artist returning to watercolor after not using it for a while I keep forgetting that I start light to dark not dark to light 😅

[@sharonlane5647]

So glad I found you! You explained in a way that I understood! Thank you!

[@goingvenus5603]

This was VERY valuable for a beginner watercolour artist. Thank you!

[@kristinvanleuven]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dblvictory]

Thank you, Kristin, this was excellent!

[@1lorett1]

Man this was so beautiful!! Thank you for the help and guidance.

[@annipetratos9401]

This is a great tutorial. We all keep learning and I loved the result 🤍 I noticed in you playlists you have a leaf painting tutorial... but no-one makes tutorials about how to do those really loose bunches of leaves as in the left hand side of this video. So I was already impressed by the left hand side😊...but the right hand side was beautiful xx

[@tamardrushka1995]

Lovely demonstration - and explanation! ❤

[@onna-day7047]

Such a great video! Thank you.❤

[@GalesTales]

I like the one on the left more. It looks more solid and real. While the right looks more.... figurative.

[@cheyenneroll]

I like to use a tissue for dabbing color, and papertowel for dabbing excess water on my brush

[@valasafantastic1055]

There are also just two different and equally valid styles. I still like the one on the left. If being done intentionally it’s not a problem. But it’s good to have the skills to know the results and choose the style intentionally. The one on the left seems more overcast/low contrast and the one on the right has a bright lightsource like bright sunlight, etc.

[@ivankanovak8904]

Heslo Kristin, I am Czech, watercolor real beginner, your video Is so useful for mě, thanks once more. I Will follow you.

[@ElvieMe]

Thank you Kristin! Very instructive!

[@kimberlycorliss9616]

Thank you! ❤ This is so helpful. Your explanations and examples are easy to understand.

[@debrabeck6068]

The most helpful tutorial ive watched. Thank you

[@kristinvanleuven]

I love to hear that! Thank you 💕

[@27Pyth]

Nice painting. Nice instruction, and very nice fingernails! A comment on the flower pots... I'm not complaining about the instruction, everything you say about painting and technique is helpful and valuable, but about the flower pots themselves ultimately -- it's not that one is good and the other bad... there's a real proper use for both -- Absolutely as stand alone subjects the one on the right is better/more developed. But in a larger painting that pot on the left might be perfectly rendered for it's subordinate place in a compostion, not drawing too much attention to itself, whereas the very busy energy that the pot on the right has would be distracting 'overdeveloped' and out of place. Sometimes you want a building rendered down to the last nail... sometimes just the silhouette is right... and of course everything in between.

[@melindaavila498]

I wish I had seen a tutorial like this 3 years ago 😂 Thanks!

[@Aleatoire9]

So useful! I am just learning watercolours and am coming from acrylic and digital, where I do mid tones first and then add highlights on top. This is just a little backwards for me 😅

[@JaveriaYousuf]

Very helpful explanation!!

[@sarahguy-levar7955]

Such a nice reminder! Thanks!

[@kimeikoraevision5446]

This was super helpful and easy to understand. Thanks a lot! ❤

[@narcolepticanarchy]

This is my issue. I see the values for a few, and always manage to go right past the lighter ones and darken beyond lifting. I've been trying to avoid this by kind of laying everything out in like, almost pure water if that makes sense..... Aaaand that's what you're doing! 😅

[@emd5095]

Learned more here than I did in 6 weeks of a beginner's class 😅😅

[@kristinvanleuven]

Haha that’s the best compliment ever! Thank you 💕

[@CrystalAnatta]

Thank you. I am new to watercolour painting. Still doing a lot of mistakes.

[@vivianb3553]

Fantastic instruction! Thank you!

[@kristieprice8842]

Thank you! I struggle with flat paintings.

[@tecunumantonatiu4484]

THANK YOU ! Excellent tutorial (s)

[@jillbooker7970]

Thank you for this video! You are a great teacher…your explanations as you paint are amazing ✌🏼👌🏼

[@richarddonahue3565]

Wonderful and very informative tutorial.

[@danal3178]

Thank you! My pot and plant would definitely look like the one on the left - until now!

[@littlemissevel3607]

I taught myself acrylics when i was younger. Where it makes sense (to a certain extent) to flatten in the mid tones because you can add shadow and highlights over the top. Definitely gave me alot of bad habits though. I'm heavy handed with colour and water (actually water might be from back when i was on poster paints a child... everything painting ended up very wet and very brown. that stuff sucks). With acrylics you can always go ARGH I RUINED IT! storm off for 10 minutes until it dries ... and then fix it.

[@lauralarosa.]

Great demonstration, thank you.