Original watercolor paintings have a softness about them.  Of all mediums, such as: acrylic, oil, pencil or tempera; the watercolor is of the greatest difficulty for beginning artists.  The challenge is within the paint itself, which is of a runny, drippy texture.  This makes it hard to apply.  It certainly takes indefinite practice and persistence to learn and master a fine watercolor painting.

There are several important facets of creating an original watercolor work of art.  Whether it’s your first time or the umpteenth attempt there are fundamental secrets of successful watercolor painters.  Unlike many other styles of painting, such as the most popular forms of acrylic or oil, the painting process is of a wet texture because water plays a big role in the mixing of the paints.  The paint does not always stay in place as it is applied to paper, especially if too much water is used.  Knowing how much water to dip on the brush will take a certain amount of practice.

It is important to begin your original watercolor artwork with good paper.  A mistake of many novice painters is in choosing inexpensive paper grades because they fear throwing money away on ruined paper.  Practice with a rag pulp content if you wish, but for optimum results a hand-made paper works best.  72 - 90 pound is considered lightweight.  Perhaps too much so.  It’s a good practice paper but may not absorb water as much as a higher grade, such as anything between 140 – 300 lb.  Be consistent with your choice of papers because after you advance in the learning process, your hands will become accustomed to using that same grade.  Choose acid-free, archival quality paper. 

The paper texture is another decision to make.  It comes in three surfaces:  hot-pressed; cold-pressed or rough.  Hot-pressed (HP) is smooth and finely grained.  Paint will dry very rapidly.  Cold-pressed is the most popular, with medium texture that will dry efficiently.  Rough paper is grainy and textured.  The paper will absorb drops of water amid serrations of the surface.  Rough paper makes for amazing textures but smooth paper allows for more details to be manifested.

Once you choose the best paper for your original art, you will need sponges, sand paper, a butter knife, a soft sketching pencil, a paint palette, and of course brushes.  Sponges will be used to pat mistakes and soak up excess drips on your painting.  Sand paper can be used to rough up the paper and erase spots that you intend color changes.  Of course, the watercolor paint must be dry before using sand paper to lift off areas that you want to correct.  Some artists use tape as an alternative by covering up white sections and later removing the tape once the paint has dried.  However, the runniness of the watercolors may bleed beneath the tape and special skills must be implemented to cover up those bleeds.  This is where the butter knife comes into play; it can be used to scrape bleeds or to define fine lines within the painting. 

The paint palette is one of the most important tools.  It is used to hold the paint and to mix colors at the center of the palette.  An egg-shaped holder works well, as long as the crevices are deep enough to hold multiple colors of paint.  Some artists like to softly sketch out their ideas on paper before actually laying out the first wash of paint.  This may be something to try, especially if you are a beginning artist.  Make sure not to choose a dark pencil that will show through the thin paint.  You could trace a favorite image to practice.

The paint is an obvious necessity.  Without it you do not have a painting.  Professional artists use tubes or multi-color packs of liquid for their original art.  This is not the same watercolor mixes that you would give the kids like those Crayola sets that can be found at any major department store.  What we’re suggesting is a liquid aqueous form of paint that is brilliant in color and transparent in application.  Look for such paints at a craft store or hobby shop.  Read the back of the tube to find premium brands that use pigments and dyes.  These watercolor paints work best.

Brushes also come in a variety of fibers.  As a rule of thumb, most watercolor painters choose brushes with natural fibers or synthetic substitutes if the cost for top-of-the line brushes is too high.  Shorter handles are best for watercolor artists since it is necessary to work in close detail to the paper.  Fat brushes can be used for backgrounds, while fine brushes may be used for detailed strokes.  Keep a cloth handy to wipe the brushes between color changes.

Once you have all of the necessary components to begin painting, you will need to decide which technique will work best for you.  Watercolor painting is not simple.  There are several styles that skilled artists use.  Just like a painting, each one is unique.  Allow enough time to start your project, because unlike many other mediums of painting, the color will be hard to match to perfection if you pick up and leave in the middle of your painting.  The water consistency and color must be done in layers.

The first step is to create a background with a “Wash”.  A basic flat wash starts with a big brush and long strokes over the entire page.  Begin by moistening the area of the paper to be covered with a scarce amount of water mixed with your chosen shade of paint.  You will have to determine which angle best suits the momentum for the wash without letting water drip all over the place.  Aim the brush evenly, working from the top down with a broad horizontal stroke from left to right.  Keep the brush on the paper until you reach the other side.  Hopefully you’ve positioned newspapers or a board underneath your paper.  Dab your brush in more paint and run it in the opposite direction, just under the line of water that has made an edge from your last stroke.  Keep going back and forth in this manner, evenly distributing the same color until you reach the bottom of your paper or your horizon line if creating landscapes.  Wait for your wash to dry completely before advancing to the next step.  This is called “laying a wash” or “flat wash”.  There are more variations to the wash such as gradients, layering washes and wet on wet techniques.  Some artists use a spray bottle.  You can try these variations once you have learned the basics.

If you’d like to go a step further with your first wash, there are a couple of techniques you may try.  One is called “glazing”.  Glazing is a layer of color over a pre-existing wash.  The new layer is transparent to adjust blends of color, such as the gradual changing of leaves, skies or any subject that needs depth.  The brush should be soft and the paper should be dry.  Dab the color directly over the wash with a gentle smearing stroke until the ideal effect is achieved.  You can continue building more layers once each layer is dry.

Dry brush painting is similar to glazing in that the wash and paper are completely dry.  This is where you will begin to create details within your original art by dabbing a fair amount of pigment with hardly any water directly to the paper.  Create exciting edges, textures and crisp accents with fine-point brushes.  It is important that your background is already parched or the dry brush technique won’t work because the colors will bleed together.  Using a fine-point bristle is easier for dry brushing.

Some artists learn to mix color directly on the surface with a technique called “mixing”.  This is a difficult technique used by master watercolor artists.  Blending colors together directly on the painting creates stimulating colors.  This daring technique mingles primary shades together with a slightly dampened background to achieve strange concoctions.  The mixing technique works well with flowers, plants, fruit or colorful subjects that do not have to be meticulously defined.

Mistakes may happen but sometimes lend spontaneity to the original painting.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  If you do make an error that needs to be removed there is a way of doing so without damaging the hard work you’ve already done.  “Lifting off” is done by dampening the area that you wish the paint to be removed and then blotting the wet spot with a paper towel or sponge.  Be careful not to damage the paper, as excess water can depress the paper’s strength.  Whatever you do… don’t scrub or scratch at it.  Just apply a bit more water and try again or color over it as a last resort. 

Watercolor painting is indeed challenging but ultimately rewarding.  It’s best to find a style and comfort zone that suits your own creativity and skill level.  You’ll figure out by trial and error what the best angle to hold your paper is; what colors blend best together; what scenes most inspire you and whether watercolor painting is going to be something you enjoy doing.