5 Watercolor Blending Technique Alternatives. Great for Texture and Detail.

[@marynorby9530]

Watercolor teachers rarely discuss how wet the brush itself should be, and instead focus only on the characteristics of the puddle of paint. It was years before I realized the importance of the wetness of the brush and that you can (must!) use a rag to adjust this as you go. It’s wonderful that you are showing how this is done.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks! Great point. Yes, crucial and more important than that pool on the palette or the consistency of the paint. I really don't like the "tea, coffee, milk, cream, butter" analogy that many teachers use. I don't think it teaches much at all to the beginner.

[@DrWhom]

a quick suck on the brush is the way to go - the tongue and lips have an exquisite sense of how wet it should be

[@oliodesign]

The reasons you explain clearly it's illustrator and designer professionalism but the reasons we understand your explanation is your fine art passion. Thank's a lot. I've learned a lot.

[@Cre-Art]

Very enjoyable. I'm new at painting and trying to learn as much as possible from the pros. I start every day by watching or reviewing videos and practicing the basics. Some people find that boring, like practicing scales on an instrument. But you don't become a rock star by skipping the basics. All of it is fun to me. Thank you for doing this.

[@capbin146]

Loved the tree. Simple but not easy to get it right!

[@vickymassey1479]

Thank you. Techniques artists use intuitively are difficult to teach.

[@TheVOLTAGEVIDEOS]

Another great learning video. Cross hatching, the fur look. How you use dry brush is great too! I use a thirsty washcloth like your car sponge, but yes! The rag is great! I can probably use the washcloth both ways! Loved this!

[@watercolornewbies]

Your original blending videos are so valuable Steve. No one really drills down to the basics like you do. I'm looking forward to practising these new techniques too.

[@chrissie4452]

And I agree so much with you, Watercolor Newbies ! I go back regularly to your first techniques video, Steve, thank you 🙏

[@meggraham7564]

Ty, for explaining texture so brilliantly, it is mentioned often, yet I had no idea what it was in W/C or how it was created. Same as what dry brush is. Will be coming back and watching again with my supplies. What I really, really loved is you actually showed drying with the heat gun (I assume) I wish this part of the process was shown more often even for half a second when teachers do a painting. It really helps the learning process for us visual learners.

[@maggiemacleod2328]

Thank you very much Steve.. I needed to see this .

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

Yeah wisdom from Steve , hooray 😃!

[@followyourbrush]

Thank you, as always.

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Thank you for this content

[@annenglish2935]

Thank you! I've never heard or seen these techniques... as a beginner it seems a bit over my head, as I'm doing very elementary objects... flowers, skies, oceans, playing with color !!! HA!!! I see you show a Kristy Rice book... wow - such energy, fun and playful! I appreciate your gift of humor and peaceful place to learn a bit more about watercolor! I thank God for you 🙏❤ a California Gramma

[@josephstanski5180]

Thank you so much for this video Steve. :o)

[@jessicawilley8233]

Great video- thanks, Steve!

[@edharper5029]

Thank you…great lesson

[@michelel3372]

Thank you! Your videos are always so helpful!!

[@vivvv2630]

Great lesson…thank you!

[@chiangsim]

Thanks for a great tutorial!

[@AlinaHuynhArt]

wow, thanks for this very informative and educational video ;)

[@jeaniejean8200]

Very helpful thank you 👍

[@thewildadversary]

I naturally started using the flat wash glazing technique just yesterday while I was painting a seascape! It worked very well to create a watery transparent effect. I’ll definitely use it again :)

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

It’s always fun & a joy to watch your videos each week. I have been thinking 🤔 about using a cloth rag lately for that very reason you said, because paper towel/kitchen paper is definitely not working well for squeezing out the water. Ha, you’ve captured me lately with the train driving, 😁. I am finding that I really prefer dry brush techniques more than the wet-on-wet techniques. Cross-hatching I have been doing that, 😀Cool I’m doing something right texturally!! As Bob Ross says, “ a Happy 😊 Accident!” Thanks for sharing this informative video with your wonderful humor. It’s really boosted my mood today!

[@thomasstanfordart5606]

Very helpful. Working on a piece now. Hard to envision the end result through layering, but I'm learning to be patient and to respect & control the water and keep working through it.

[@artandsciencebyGrass]

Thank you for this lesson. I learned a lot! :)

[@ericsamuelson5968]

Thank You

[@elviamunguia8397]

Great teaching! I will be working on those shading, something so simple yet can’t master it!!! I’m definitely be working on my path this week!

[@hmusicvisions6554]

love your videos.

[@davidkemp1585]

Thanks

[@MSKCCooke]

Thanks for the reminder to practice practice practice! Always important. Hey I was wondering if you ever had a chance to test that cloverleaf pallet you got a few years ago. It looks great, conceptually.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, and I like it but I only have one set of paints put into it. Not my normal selection. But its an awesome palette.

[@waymire01]

The cloth matters. When I started out I used paper towels as I had for decades with acrylic. Then switched to those heavy felted paper towels. When I finally got some cotton cloths everything became easier. It just absorbs differently. I keep some washcloths just for my watercolor 100% cotton. When they get messy just toss them in the washer.. no dryer sheet.

[@ArtistInNewHampshire]

Good idea! I’m gonna think how I can do similar. Meanwhile, I use store brand non-lotion “facial” tissues that aren’t textured. Thanks!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Very true. My rags are usually all old cotton T-shirts.

[@carylpurdue4281]

@@mindofwatercolor Cloth diapers are sold in bundles and are cheap and absorbent.

[@veritasca24]

Great video. Lots of practicing to enjoy! What is the model of the heating/dryer you use? I would appreciate a brand name to buy one. Thanks.

[@mindofwatercolor]

I have no idea on brand. I don't even have that one any more. Really any decent hair dryer will work fine.

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

Thank you -- clever techniques! Say, can a person use a dry brush to blend an overlay wash without disturbing the original later underneath?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes you can!

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

@@mindofwatercolor sounds tough 😉 ... challenge accepted! 😊

[@cellosubmarine]

I know this video is a bit old now to be commenting on, but I have been eyeing the watercolor set you mentioned and am a bit on the fence, in part because I’m irritated that Daniel Smith isn’t making your previous set anymore, and I’m sad to be missing some of the more specialized colors. Does M. Graham (I have always heard very good things but am not personally familiar) not make similar things, or if they do, is there s reason you chose to leave them out? I quite like all the pigments in the new set, but I can’t seem to get the iridescents and gemstones out of my head, or the endearingly named “Rose of Ultramarine,” even though it’s the one color listed I have never heard of. It also feels like Azo Green can’t be what the Apatite would have, or the yellow quite like the Hansa (although I’m not sure why I feel as strongly about the latter), even before Moonglow and gold. (Amd I don’t know enough to comment on the neutral tint, but it seems a shame to lose the raw umber as well.) All of this - the length of which I apologize for - is to say… While the tubes seem generous, the colors lovely, brand intriguing… is it just my mind playing tricks on me that is making me feel like I’m missing out? I’d be nervous to get small set of half pans of the other colors to try to use concurrently with the tubes, even if I could afford it (I haven’t looked, but the main set is already a stretch for me right now), but I’m worried I will hem and haw and end up with nothing if I don’t mange to sort it out in my mind. Any thoughts? And, if you are willing to indulge me just one step further, would this playlist work as a beginner’s course of sorts if I did get the set? I’m really impressed with your teaching, having taught in the arts myself (different artform) and taken many classes, but so far, watercolor has been the thing that I am just laughably bad at every time I’ve tried. My mother was an amazing artist and left me an incredible watercolor collection (almost entirely Daniel Smith tubes), but after trying to use some once and doing so poorly I felt I had wasted them, I promised myself I would use other paints to learn till I could be relatively sure I would not do so again. I just hope I am not beyond instruction. So if you have other videos you’d suggest that I start with, I’d appreciate a pointer very much. Thanks so much, and sorry to go on so long - I really just want to do things right this time. P.S. to other people who follow closely here - if there is somewhere else better for me to be attempting to reach out, could you please let me know? I discovered this very recently and just dove in, so I’m not really in the know about, well, anything yet. Thank you!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Wow, yeah that’s long. Can you summarize? What can I answer for you in a sentence or less? 😉

[@cellosubmarine]

@@mindofwatercolor Apologies for the length - it’s basically all about the different pigments in the two sets and how it feels like the sensible thing is the large tubes of M Graham in all the basics, but my being drawn to the wider variety and more specialized colors in the Daniel Smith. I didn’t mean to go on so much, I just didn’t know which specific ones might have made the most difference. :/ I’m having surgery this month, but after that I was thinking I would like to join your Patreon, and I’m having trouble deciding between sensible and presumably more directly linked to your teaching, and my being inclined toward very colorful, expressionistic art, and kind of just don’t know how to decide. Even this is longer than I meant for it to be - the stress of the medical stuff going on is making everything harder to manage. Sorry about that.

[@cellosubmarine]

So I guess the one sentence answer would be… what should I buy if I can’t afford both (with the Daniel Smith cobbled together, obvs), and/or should I get an affordable basics set from Daniel Smith, and then just add a few colors now and then when I can manage?

[@mindofwatercolor]

@@cellosubmarine aim for a solid, split primary palette between what you have and still need. That starts with 6 colors, a warm and cool version of red, yellow and blue. Then a good gray like neutral tint. And maybe a couple earth tones and a green. That’s all you need to start. Google “split primary palette” if you need examples. Lots of them out there.

[@mindofwatercolor]

@@cellosubmarine anything else, like iridescent colors are pure preference and totally up to you.

[@cmeblu75]

Hey Steve, I’m wondering if you’re using hot press paper here? The cold press seems to make it very difficult for me to add texture detail. Definitely wondering if you do this on both papers?

[@rstallings69]

I would assume the dry brush would be tough to do without the good paper, and I always thought dry brush just meant going over dry paper, was news to me the brush also had to be pretty dry

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, and it can be textured like the paper by skimming the surface but it can also just be a dry buildup like a pencil.

[@ZeeCeeCreations]

Hi Steve, love your videos…been watching for years…I do a lot of dry brushing in my work. I just like the way it looks. What is the best brush you can recommend for dry brushing? I’m still looking for one that doesn’t immediately “hook” on the point, or start getting “fuzzy”. I really value your advice and recommendations.Thanks in advance!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Any synthetic with with a good bit of snap like golden taklon which is pretty common and inexpensive. You don't want a soft brush that holds a ton of water.

[@ZeeCeeCreations]

@@mindofwatercolor Thanks so much! I appreciate you taking the time to answer!

[@maryhazlett]

Someone recommended a shop towel. Is that any better than a paper towel? It's reusable.

[@mindofwatercolor]

It's more cloth like and lasts longer. Can actually be soaked and wrung out like cloth. amzn.to/3IROC3w

[@smyification]

At the 15:44 mark…withe the green circle….isnt that just glazing…?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Layering, but the point is they are stepped, hard edge shapes. Transitions don't always need to be soft blends.

[@nadeaner.cowley513]

Hi. Im wondering if anyone knows where to get that trekell brush he was using in this video? 🤔 thanks

[@jilliancrawford7577]

Is there a risk of using that old oil brush scratching or damaging the watercolor paper? I would probably accidentally use it as a scrubber if I'm not mindful the whole time lol.

[@mindofwatercolor]

No, its not that stiff. You would need to rub vigorously with a lot of pressure for that to happen.

[@jilliancrawford7577]

@@mindofwatercolor Thank you for answering my question! How do oil brushes compare to scrubbers? I haven't used a scrubber before and it's been years since I've even held an oil brush, so I have no experience to compare to lol.

[@denisecareau7484]

Are you in ukraine ? I hope all is ok for you 🙏🙋‍♀️ Im happy to see you again in youtuve, watercolor

[@mindofwatercolor]

No, I'm in the states.

[@annevickers3307]

Very useful, thank you.