Let's Paint Bokeh | Watercolor Painting Lesson by Sarah C. of Let's Make Art (Watercolor Background)

Find all the watercolor art supplies used to create the Bokeh watercolor painting here ➝ bit.ly/bokeh_yt
Pick up the Waves of Change watercolor art box (filled with all the paint, paper, and instruction here ➝ bit.ly/3mmmaNp
Learn how to paint a Bokeh watercolor background in just a few easy steps with artist Sarah Cray! Paint a gradient wash first and then, moving quickly, use a wet paintbrush and paper towel to lift the paint to create the out-of-focus, slightly pixelated effect. This painting technique is simple and successful!
Get the watercolor brushes and butcher palette here ➝ bit.ly/wc-starter-bundle_yt22
Or join Sarah each month with her watercolor art box here ➝ bit.ly/wc-subscription-box_yt22
Welcome to Let's Make Art! We began with the idea in mind to create an art supplies shop that empowers everyone to create. By combining hand-picked paint, paper, brushes, and so much more with expert-led art education, Let's Make Art is a wonderful start for watercolor painting, especially for beginners just starting out. Led by watercolor artist Sarah Cray, who has a flair for teaching both basic painting techniques and more advanced concepts in an achievable and accessible way, Let's Make Art is known for easy and fun art tutorials for all experience levels. Be sure to subscribe to our monthly art subscription box so all of the watercolor painting supplies are delivered right to your door! Join us, and learn how to paint with watercolors at Let's Make Art!
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Chapters & Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome & hello
00:23 - Steps
01:17 - Supplies & paint colors used
02:34 - Oath
06:02 - Step 1: Paint a gradient wash
08:11 - Step 2: Lift color using damp brush and paper towel
37:29 - Step 3: Paint stems
41:25 - Step 4: Paint blossoms
For additional supplies, visit: letsmakeart.com
#letsmakeart #watercolor #watercolorpainting #bokeh #watercolortutorial #watercolorart

[@tarahall1025]

I use round makeup pads (cotton/soft) to remove excess- it’s less abrasive than paper towels and like the effect.

[@stizelswik3694]

good idea!

[@katewalton6350]

Hi Sarah and Keenan, I so love your oath! If I was to listen to my thoughts I would never even start. I have to honestly say that voice does not have much volume anymore. Thx for your teachings .

[@LetsMakeArt]

Hi Kate, thank you so much for being brave and painting along with us. We are always here to cheer you on!

[@ruthherring6035]

I did the bokeh with the bleed proof white, I loved it

[@BlueberryLover617]

The Bokeh Christmas tutorial you mentioned is probably by Maria Raczynska: Day 3 of 12 Watercolor Christmas cards | Real time video Day 2 of 12 Watercolor Christmas cards | Real time video or Karen Rice Art: Bokeh and Baubles - Christmas Card Idea Thanks for uploading such a fun video!

[@arttherapy237]

I just love the oath part so much!!! And the way you said "use whatever you have" that's a progressive attitude

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you!!🥰

[@danieljamesbinderystu2968]

100% cotton paper won't pill or degrade under soaking wet work, or lifting techniques. As a full time professional artist and Bookbinder, and I also teach private art/binding lessons...I always teach people to cheap out on your paints, BEFORE you cheap out on your watercolor paper! I make my own custom line of luxury watercolor sketchbooks, made with Italian and French goatskin leathers, Hardbound watercolor sketchbooks with all of the options of the professional artist grade 100% cotton watercolor paper brands. Saunders Waterford is my absolute favorite, but Arches, Canson, Stonehenge and Fabriano Artistico are all great choices as well. I'd rather paint with Winsor and Newton Cotman paints ( which I absolutely hate ) on 100% cotton Saunders Waterford... than paint with all my professional brands of Artist grade watercolor paints, on cheap wood pulp papers! If you can't afford 100% cotton paper... Saunders has a brand called Bockingford paper, that is made from 100% woolen felts, and its not made from cheap wood pulp. It paints very similar to their 100% cotton Saunders paper, and its EXTREMELY RESILIENT and tough!! It's much better than cheap wood pulp watercolor paper, and it's extremely cheap. Buy professional 100% cotton artist grade watercolor papers in imperial sheets or in industrial rolls ( I buy industrial rolls and imperial sheets ) and not in pads or blocks. Pads and blocks of professional 100% cotton papers cost the absolute highest prices possible. You can buy a imperial sheet of Arches ( 22" x 30" ) from Blicks for 5$ each, and can cut it to any size you wish. You can cut 8 - A4 sheets ( 8 1/2" x 11" ) from 1 imperial sheet. Also, if you buy more than 5 sheets @ $5 each... there is a discounted price, and it drops to @ $4 a sheet. A pad of Arches that is A4 size will cost you 20$ and it only has 15 sheets. You can buy 2 imperial sheets of Arches @ 10$ and cut 16 A4 sheets of the same exact paper! This goes for every professional brand of 100% cotton papers at Dick Blicks, Jacksons art, Jerry's, etc etc. And if you love the blocks of watercolor papers, you can buy a cheap bottle of Padding Adhesive ( gummy flexible glue that is used on pads and blocks that allow you to easily tear off the sheets of paper without damage) on Amazon for $7. You can cut down the imperial sheets to any size sheets you wish too, then stack them in a pile and sit something heavy on it... and glue them on the edge as a pad or block for more than half of the cost! And if you need help doing this, search for instruction vids on KZbin. There are many vids on here to show you how to do so. Again, cheap out on watercolor paints...BEFORE you cheap out on the paper. The paper is just as important, if not MORE, than the actual paint. Hope this helps someone out, and have a great day 😀

[@BingusFodder]

I have some 22 x30” sheets from khadi and they are absolutely amazing, beautiful papers

[@SylvanSadie]

I...did not expect to have all my questions answered about paper in a youtube comment, yet here we are. THANK YOU!

[@melissaedwards2332]

You rock! Thank you for the info!!

[@haleyhansberry5493]

Sarah uses dye based paints. These don’t always lift as well on 100% cotton. If im using the Dandelion liquid watercolor paints, I prefer Canson or other wood pulp papers.

[@blazenadzurjanikova9173]

Hi Daniel. Is it possible to make my own 100 % cotton paper for WC? Ive read someone uses hand made one. Thank you.

[@elizabethmaceachern5653]

You were correct that your flowers should resemble something from nature, they look like" Queen Anne's Lace" very pretty!

[@helanna9843]

Thanks for this video. Your teaching style is so forgiving and encouraging. Your flowers look like Queen Anne's Lace.

[@HaileyAndTheArt]

I'm new to your channel and your oath made my heart happy! I'm now binge watching all the watercolor videos.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Welcome!! We hope you enjoy binging all the watercolor videos!🥰

[@mjgenualdi22]

Love this project!!! Especially your instructions at the end: Sarah: "Try some where there is just a few (in the dew). Try some where there are a lot (next to a pot). Try some where they are all the same size (on a rise) and try some where there are different sizes (she advises). Try some with multiple colors (or others), try some with one color (next to your mother).....Sam I am"

[@carolvoellinger6541]

I was walking in the park today and saw some queens Anne’s lace that I wanted to paint. This totally gave me an idea of how to do it.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Awesome, we love hearing this. Happy creating!

[@DottieStanley]

Gorgeous! I can't wait to try this one! Thank you so much for sharing your skills with us. Love your videos!

[@sucynnechelim4859]

I always loved bokeh effects on photos.. now I get to paint them! Yey for me! Thank you Sarah and Keenan! Super fun project indeed! 😁😁😁

[@LetsMakeArt]

Yayyy!! Thank you for tuning in and painting along with us. Now go have the best time creating beautiful bokeh backgrounds endlessly.

[@patlatour2465]

I have used q tips to do my circles works pretty good.

[@abbyladera4421]

I love how you emphasize the love of creation 😍😍

[@joannesarlo518]

Love this! The little flowers and stems looked so dimensional against your background. Fun project!!!

[@fazestorm4441]

48:39 I really enjoyed this thank you I thought it was something like Bohemian art of some sort

[@annehebert6959]

This comment is not related to this video - although it is gorgeous. I wanted to say that I recently bought a couple of the monthly boxes that were on sale. I live in Canada & while the cost of shipping was 1/2 the cost of the boxes I ordered & with the exchange rate - I was thrilled when I opened them and found such great projects, paints, paper, etc. Well worth the money spent and I am so excited to crack these babies open and start painting. Thank you so much - I just love your channel & your products.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Hi Anne! We cannot thank you enough for taking the time to leave this incredibly kind comment. Your support of our small business means a lot. We hope you have the best time working on the projects you bought. Happy creating!!

[@heidirachaelpieterse5109]

Wow thank you so very much. You are a genius! I loved watching you work and hearing you're reasoning.

[@adilmeer8737]

Hi I am Adil from Kashmir and I liked this video specially the way you do your art with water colours, I would like to see more videos of the same like wet on wet techniques and more, thank you for providing us such a beautiful and easy techniques. God bless you

[@LetsMakeArt]

We're so glad you enjoy our tutorials. We totally recommend browsing our watercolor playlist for other tutorials that feature the wet-on-wet technique along with other great ones!!

[@rondabergeron4414]

This is great! One way I do this is, half close my eyes and look at a scene, most of it will be out of focus and then I get the true values, ta da... have a great day.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thanks for sharing your tip with us! Happy Monday!!

[@susansieber6189]

Pretend, it's Queen Annes Lace. Butterflies benifit from it in the outdoors.

[@carolekratzke9500]

Excellent work and excellent teacher.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you so much!!❤️

[@normanmerrill1241]

Thanks…great technique…unlimited possibilities…be safe…

[@donnamcneil6748]

Love this great lesson I used None staining paint made it much easier

[@CCLinGameOnABC]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I enjoy the semi-causal and “real” time style of this video clip. It is just like hanging around with some artist friends in their studio, listening in to their conversations, and learning at the same time. Thank you.

[@Julialuli1000]

I had to look up the pronunciation on Merriam-Webster (don’t ever use Google as a pronunciation source) because I’d never heard the second pronunciation. It’s BŌ-kā, accent on the first syllable. So cool there’s an audio guide. I won’t ever say it wrong again😊 and now I’m going to paint bokeh!

[@LetsMakeArt]

Happy creating!🎨🖌

[@sarahrubyart]

Hi Sarah, just love how you teach. Thanks for sharing it with us. That’s very beautiful. Promised 🎨❤️

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you for taking the time to leave the kindest compliment!!🥰

[@jopetersen542]

I have watched several other videos of this type technique, and I really like this the best.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Wow, thank you!

[@lydianewcomb]

Can't wait to try this out! Once again, another beautiful project! You make this so fun!

[@elizabethvillarreal4975]

Sarah you are an awesome teacher❤️

[@Michiyo65]

I tried this tonight with liquid latex. It worked so well. I made a couple of flowers and few tiny buds. It was so much fun. Thanks for the fun tutorial.

[@claudinejones7894]

Love this technique! Thank you. Can’t wait to try it . Clever Lady !

[@lyndamitton4496]

You go girl! I love your creative freedom!

[@barbararivera2380]

thank you

[@annetaylor9625]

This was so much fun to watch! I'm going to try this today. My Mom loves Queen Anne's Lace, so that will be the look I'm going for!

[@tonisumblin2719]

👍🏼. I always love Queen Anne’s lace. Your mom will be happy.

[@phionella7]

That's what it reminded me of as well.

[@trinagonzalez219]

So fun. Not loving my colors but it was so fun. Can’t wait to try again. Thank you!

[@TheSebiestor]

So simple but amazingly effective, beginners will love this as it will get them a very attractive painting easily. Inspirational.

[@vickicrosson2640]

The only way I could prevent blooms on the circles was to put down water and pick it up with paper towel from the OUTSIDE INWARD! If you start on the boundary you can grab that extra pigment before it settles in...just in case anyone else is struggling like I did!

[@avanellehansen4525]

Yes. The brush needs to be thirsting than the paper.

[@mariaantonieta7724]

Hola Sara. Te he descubierto recientemente y estoy encantada contigo. Me ayuda mucho tus tutoriales. Muchas gracias por estar ahí

[@LetsMakeArt]

❤️❤️❤️

[@cynthiastandridge5230]

I love this project!

[@griffmic10]

I loved this, Sarah! 💚

[@beverlyweaver899]

I just love watching you.

[@LetsMakeArt]

We're so glad you enjoy tuning in with Sarah and Keenan. Thank you for your love and support!

[@nadjettenena7403]

extraordinaire

[@irenehynes7536]

Thank you for the great explanations of Bokeh!

[@kellysturgeon6727]

The fishlens idea I did in a sketch many years ago. It has to do with multiple points of perspective. Something that can be mapped out easily.

[@bhavyajoshi327]

Wow so so beautiful ❤️

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

New subbie here! Love your mantra, « Be Kind to yourself! »… will try this with watercolors. TFS this technique, beautiful paintings! 🤩👍🏾😃

[@LetsMakeArt]

Welcome!! We're so glad you're here and that we now get to be part of your creative journey.

[@helendilley420]

Love it very unique.

[@juliec.]

Oh gosh I love this so much👍👍

[@janetchen959]

This is so beautiful, I will try tomorrow morning! Tq for showing the step by step tutorial Sarah 😊

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed this tutorial. We hope you have the best time painting this project tomorrow.

[@artwithmamafairybreadd]

It’s beautiful

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you!!🥰

[@super_easy_art]

Thank you for this tutorial! You made the process quite easy to understand 😊 amazing video!

[@gillminshall3231]

I rally love this technique Sara and I rally feel the spots look like a virus in a strange sort of way X

[@TaraSueSalusso]

I love that you did this now. I’ve been seeing this more frequently and want to incorporate it into a couple of watercolor and ink paintings I have coming up soon. I am going to have to do a practice run. Perhaps this example well be a give me inspiration.

[@LetsMakeArt]

We're so glad you enjoyed this tutorial. We totally hope it does inspire you to create something that you've been dreaming of doing. Happy creating!

[@mmelendrez79]

So excited just bought this art box! Excited for July's art box coming out too!

[@LetsMakeArt]

Yayyy!! We hope you have the best time creating the projects featured in both the Waves of Change box and Wanderlust box. We cannot wait to paint with you over the next two months!!

[@jenniferspotten915]

Nice presentation! I’ve watched several other artists demo this, but didn’t say where this ‘look’ originated, or where this idea came from. That it is a photographer’s term! I think it really helps with the design goal, as a person paints! Thanks for sharing this!

[@darlingdivadurelle]

Awesome ….thank you so much! This is perfect for the project I am working on now!

[@LetsMakeArt]

Yayyy!! This makes us so happy to hear. Happy creating with the project you're working on.

[@Afzaaldrawing]

Nice 👍

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you!!

[@Kateseyes]

First time I have seen your videos, I loved this one and I’m going to try it! I love your enthusiasm, it is contagious 😷. I have subscribed and liked and look forward to watching more of your videos. Thank you for sharing your talents.

[@Chirrup18]

I know I'm very late to the "bokeh party," but I wanted to tell you that yours is the best representation of actual bokeh I've ever seen in watercolor! And I also know it's very late for this comment, but I think everyone I've seen doing this technique is overthinking the pronunciation. I've been a professional photographer for many years, and until I watched these videos I've never heard some of the painters' pronunciations! 😂 Every photographer I've ever known pronounces the technique simply bow-keh'. It's pronounced exactly like it's spelled. 😉

[@v.mishrasart43]

Excellent work👍👍

[@thewoodman6039]

Love it, thank you. I just stumbled on your channel. Cool! I like the Christmas lights idea... oh yeah

[@rebeccap.simmons4244]

The Christmas lights bokeh tutorial was Ellen Crimi Trent.

[@annamariabignardi6640]

Brava. Grazie ❤ Un saluto dall' Italia

[@cherylprindle5421]

Hi Sarah, Thank you for the beautiful thank you card I received yesterday. I’m glad you liked your little art journal. Would love to see something you paint in it sometime. So glad to see that you have this wonderful site. I’ve subscribed now and look forward to learning some new techniques.

[@chamagnerodriguez9862]

Excellent project! Fyi, Karen Rice uses the masking fluid technique with some of her bokeh tutorials. Works beautifully. I love your version!!

[@mandypittman1154]

I tried Keenan's idea with the masking fluid. I painted a light wash, then painted on some masking fluid. Then more paint in a darker color and then masking fluid. I think I did 4 layers of paint and 3 of making fluid. I don't know yet which I liked better, Sarah's way or Keenan's way.

[@LetsMakeArt]

Ohhhhh, we LOVE that you tried the masking fluid. That's awesome. So, so fun.

[@sudharao1700]

Glad i came across this tutorial, Sarah 👌I'm definitely going to try this ❣️ thank you so much

[@LetsMakeArt]

We hope you have the best time creating your own version of this project. Happy creating!

[@sudharao1700]

@@LetsMakeArt , thank you ❣️

[@panther5031]

Awesome💜🌹

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you!!🥰

[@debbywawrzyniak3166]

Hi Sarah and Keenan! Loved this project! It packs a really incredible visual punch for such a simple technique! I am amazed by this! Thanks so much for such an interesting project.

[@cathyphegley7414]

I have never seen this done and it’s so cool to watch. I will be trying it myself a little later today. Also I have never seen that type of watercolor paint. Is it similar to the tube and palette paint? Just discovered your site this morning. You two are a hoot together and also very sweet. Love your oath.💕Cathy

[@LetsMakeArt]

Welcome!! We're so happy you're here and that we now get to create with you. We hope you have the best time trying out the Bokeh project. The watercolors featured in this tutorial are our in house liquid watercolors. You can check them out here :www.letsmakeart.com/products/dandelion-paint-co-15ml-watercolors?Social&

[@elainewood2947]

I love the quote behind you, however I think it also should add ‘and to everyone’

[@ChrisieCouncil]

I had to look it up…lol. Hope it’s ok to share what I learned. It’s a Japanese word. Bow-Ke: bow as in bow and arrow, and ke as in kettle. Pronounce both syllables distinctly. According to the experts…bowkayyyy or bowkuh are both wrong. 🙂

[@maremagoo8140]

It was a joy to see your enthusiasm for this technique! So much fun! Question: When you did it with Lavender flowers, did you use the liquid H2o's for the flowers. or guache, or bleedproof white mixed with a violet??

[@LetsMakeArt]

Hi Mare! We're so glad you enjoyed this tutorial with Sarah. We reached out to her with your question and here's what she said "I used a masking fluid pen and painted the background, and then I used cake watercolors for the lavenders. Maybe Bleed Proof White for a highlight here and there." If you click the link below you can check out the masking fluid pen she used. www.letsmakeart.com/products/latex-free-drawing-gum-marker-4mm?Social&

[@paintingbymarzi]

😍❤️

[@tonyarodgers-beute8537]

Will you be feathering the right side? Making the change in light less obvious? I feel like there are a few inches on the right that need to be changed? It is bright without a smooth transition like the picture on the left.

[@almasmith6457]

❤️

[@dyutighosh198]

It's nice and I like to try it .From India

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you for tuning in! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed this tutorial. We totally hope you'll give it a try. Thanks for creating along with us all the way in India how cool!!

[@nancymaine1137]

Is it better to use hot press paper for this? I tried cold press but absorption is so fast. I wet the paper first. It still dries so fast in Arizona. I could never take as long to do this as she does. If you rewet you ruin the circles.

[@wendybaker9122]

Love this! One question could you use gouache white instead of the white you used?

[@suel4269]

Creative Lass and Karen Rice did Bokeh Christmas tutorials on KZbin.

[@christinegelormino5594]

I loved the Karen Rice Bokeh tutorials. I saw another artist Maria Raczynska do Bokeh with a bulb on a Christmas tree. I made a few cards from that video. They are all beautiful

[@nikkijohnson7332]

😂 My daughter said these look like cucumbers and now I can't unsee it.

[@LetsMakeArt]

That's awesome!!

[@flippinrisky]

Oh, wow-great tutorial! Will this technique work for acrylic painting, particularly acrylic on paper? 🤔

[@ArtDreamPainting]

😍😍

[@lone982]

Great....

[@LetsMakeArt]

Thank you!🥰

[@avanellehansen4525]

If you're having trouble lifting, use hot press (smooth) paper.

[@debbieschultz9768]

I love what you said he kind to yourself. I need to work on that. I sub because I can learn something different from you

[@LetsMakeArt]

We're so glad you enjoyed Sarah's message. She is filled with great wisdom that we're so glad she shares with us. Thanks for allowing us to be part of your creative journey!

[@takochikhradze4555]

Hi Sarah, it was very interesting video as usual. The only colour that i can't get comfortable is red. Can you do red themed painting for future project?

[@LetsMakeArt]

Hi Tako! Thanks for tuning in, we're happy to hear that you enjoyed Sarah's latest watercolor tutorial. We will totally pass your project suggestion along to Sarah.

[@elliewithg]

The best oath!

[@LetsMakeArt]

We're so glad you enjoy the watercolor oath!

[@rhondagarrett3976]

The artist who did the Christmas ornament was Karen Rice.

[@conniemorrison]

How do you know when you're done?

[@sar983]

❤🗻

[@dianastarbuck7697]

Painting around is called "Negative Painting" :)

[@Gypsyhearte]

could you use this technique to paint sun dappled water?

[@LetsMakeArt]

Ooooh! That would be a great experiment! If you give it a try, we'd love to hear how it turns out. Happy painting! :)

[@lyndamitton4496]

Gauche….is that same thing as bleed proof white? If not, where do you find it?

[@traciw.5888]

😍🤩😳❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@christinegelormino5594]

Painting around a subject - negative painting?

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Yep!!

[@rosehenry3903]

Negative painting

[@TicTocRobotSnot]

I wonder if round Stippler sponges would work well for this.

[@LetsMakeArt]

We totally recommend experimenting with them and letting us know how they work out!

[@cinditalbot5373]

It’s called negative painting, when you paint around the subject.