Art Lesson #47: Painting Water, Back to Basics

Tips & tricks for painting water and reflections

Okay, we’ll spend a little more time on water!

I heard from several of you that you want to do a deeper dive (sorry) into water, so here’s a closer look at some techniques.

Here are some general tips to keep in mind:

• Definitely use paper that says that it’s for watercolor. If it’s drawing paper, sketch paper, mixed media paper—it just won’t hold up to some of these techniques

• Cold press watercolor paper has texture and hot press paper is smooth. You’ll see me demonstrate a technique that really only works with cold press. Nonetheless, I love the smoothness of hot press and that’s really all I use.

• Don’t overwork it! Less is more! For any sketch or painting that you do, the water is only part of it. Don’t get so overly focused on making the water perfect. I will very often just slap down a few brushstrokes and call it good.

• Related to that—stop before you think you’re done! When you get to that moment when you think, “Hmmm, looks good, but maybe just a little more…” STOP! Probably you’re on …