Practice the Basics!
These exercises introduce you to important
principles of classic watercolor painting,
with step-by-step practice instructions.
This is nerdy, but you gotta read it. It’s
important!
important!
Make your own color wheels! Yes, with an S! They will help you understand this most
important element in color theory like you
never did in grade school!
important element in color theory like you
never did in grade school!
A good wash is the most fundamental skill
in watercolor. Learn to do a variety of
washes in this exercise.
in watercolor. Learn to do a variety of
washes in this exercise.
Two ways of adding color; one wet, one dry.
You never need black in your palette once you learn to make these beautiful greys.
Understanding complementary colors and how they work is something you want to absorb thoroughly. You’ll rely on them to get exactly the look you want. Even more they will help you convey feeling, atmosphere, and emotion to your paintings.
Developing and fine-tuning your skill with values and your understanding of light and how light affects your subjects is addressed in this exercise. These two principles are fundamental—not just in watercolor, but in all representational art. This exercise in black-and-white will help you practice both areas.
Let’s Paint Something!
Here are some real painting projects
to try out.
A single lemon is a clean, simple form,
but painting it will give you plenty of
practice using your watercolor chops!
but painting it will give you plenty of
practice using your watercolor chops!
A little expedition into the world of edges and how they work.
How to paint a believable face! There is a little secret in this project that will help you get it just right.
Develop your inner magician as you learn how to create the illusion of distance and space.