Watercolor painting has long been a favorite medium of expression for enthusiasts and professional artists alike.

Although you
only need a brush and pigments to get started, watercolor is a material with many creative possibilities. By incorporating
household supplies into your painting, you can create work that has interesting textures and fluid, carefree colors that showcase
the best attributes of the medium.
Common Tools Needed for Popular Watercolor Techniques -You don’t have to look far for many of the supplies needed for
watercolor painting techniques. In fact, you probably have some of them in your home right now. This is in addition to a
watercolor paint set, paper, and wet media brushes in various sizes.
 Table salt - Masking tape or rubber cement. Both of these items will be used to mask the paper so that watercolor pigment
cannot penetrate it. Each works in a similar way, although rubber cement is painted on the paper and has more flexibility. In
contrast, masking tape is easier to apply but works better if you’re working with straight, rigid lines. -Sewing needle -Rubbing
alcohol -Plastic wrap
10 Common Watercolor Painting Techniques
1. FLAT WASH -A flat wash makes up a majority of watercolor painting; it’s such a basic
technique that you don’t even realize you’re doing it. Simply dip your brush in water and
paint and then spread it over your intended surface. (This is called a wash.) The important
thing to remember is to make sure that your color looks even—a flat wash should appear
as a single, solid hue on your paper.
2. WET ON DRYWet on dry is another fundamental approach. It’s created by painting a
wash on paper. After it has dried, apply paint on top of it. Because watercolor is
translucent, you will most likely see the bottom layer behind that stroke.
3. GRADED WASH -How to Paint a Graded Wash in Watercolors.mp4 ♦ Watercolor Basics
Tutorial -A graded wash shows a transition from light to dark. Start by painting dark—load
up your brush with the most pigment—and then drag it across the paper. On the next pass,
add less pigment on your brush and swipe it across the paper so that it slightly overlaps
with your first line. The two groups will begin to converge and eventually look like
one. Repeat this process, adding less and less pigment, until you’ve got your desired
tonal range.
4. WET ON WETThe wet-on-wet approach showcases the best quality of watercolor
paint—its ability to create beautiful ethereal washes. To produce this technique,
simply wet part of the paper with your brush. (You can use either water or a little
pigment.) Then, dip your brush into another color and lightly dot it on the wet area
and watch as the pigment feathers.
5. DRY BRUSHDry brush is just as it sounds; take a dry (or mostly dry) brush and dip it
into your paint. Afterward, spread it over a dry piece of
paper. The result will be a highly textured mark that’s great for implying fur or hair.
6. MASKING TAPE OR RUBBER CEMENT -MASKING TAPE OR RUBBER CEMENT.mp4
Rubber cement (like masking tape) acts as a resist for watercolor. Apply this material in
places where you don’t want the pigment to go. Once the watercolor is dry, peel the
rubber cement or masking tape from the page. You’ll see the
paper underneath. This is a great solution for preserving
white paper among the rest of your painting.
7. SALT -When applied to watercolor paper, salt will soak up some of the color and
create a sandy-looking effect on the page. Begin by laying down a wash that’s “juicy”—
you want to have some extra pigment on the paper. After you’ve painted the color,
spread the salt on top of it. Once the painting is completely dry (it’s best to wait
overnight), scrape the salt from the page.
8. LIFTING OFF PAINT -Watercolor Lifting.mp4
There are a few ways to lift paint from the page, and they all involve plastic—saran wrap being them most popular.
Like the salt method, began with a wash that’s got some extra pigment to it. Then, place a sheet of plastic wrap on top
of the painting; it’s best if you’ve crinkled it or have creased it. Wait for the paint to fully dry. The pigment will pool
under the plastic and create an interesting texture.
9. RUBBING ALCOHOL -Watercolor paint and rubbing alcohol are akin to oil and water. Once
you paint a wash, take a utensil (like a q-tip) and dab alcohol onto the wet surface. It will
create an alluring effect that’s reminiscent of tie-dye.
10.SCRATCH-OFF -Basics #23 - Watercolor painting technique - how to scratch while the paint
is wet.mp4 -Scratch-off, or sgraffito, involves scratching the paper to create small
indentations. Start by painting a wash where you’d like the scratch texture to go. While still
wet, take a sewing needle (or another sharp object) and drag it across the paper. Paint will
fill the punctured surface and appear darker and more defined than the rest of your wash