Whether you’re just starting to learn watercolor or you’ve been working with it for a while, mistakes areinevitable. Mistakes let youyou explore the medium and its endless possibilities. Still, sometimes, you want to avoid mistakes to achieve the right look.
Here are 5 mistakes artists make when doing a realistic watercolor.
Sometimes it takes only one wrong brushstroke for a watercolor painting to lose its freshness and luminosity. When you find yourself adding more and more details and touch ups, it’s probably time to stop. It’s better for a painting to be underdeveloped than overworked.
Here are a few tips to avoid overworking:
- Don’t be too focused on details.
- Try to avoid fussing and correcting, such as lifting the color and scratching the paper.
- Don’t soften a dried edge.
- Don’t apply too many layers. The fewer the layers, the fresher the painting.
Mistake #2: Painting into damp washes with a watery brush
Another common mistake is going back into a damp wash with a watery brush. In this scenario, the unwanted back-runs may occur, and you risk ruining the under wash. (Note: Back-runs can be a good thing!)
The painting below showswhat happens when you add a watery wash when the first wash is damp. What is supposed to be a form shadow, turns into a pale back-run.
So, if you need to apply a new layer, you should let the previous layer dry completely.
Note: You can add color to the wet wash, but only if it’s wet enough and your brush is loaded with a lot of pigment. In thesketch below, I added a form shadow to the apple while the first wash was still wet. It blended in very well, because I had more pigment and less water on my brush.
Mistake #3:Outlining the objects
When painting a background around objects, beginners tend to outline the objectswith dark color. This method makes objects look unnatural and cut out.
To avoid this, make sure to follow these simple rules:
- Vary the color and value around your objects.
- Alternate the direction of your brush strokes.
- Combine hard and soft edges.
The above picture illustrates how it works. In the first sketch, the petals are painted with hard edges only, and evenly outlined with green color. The flower looks like it’s stuck to the background.
The second sketch, on the other hand, demonstrates the above rules in action. The combination of different colors, values and edges gives depth and focus to the image.
Mistake #4:Muddy colors
Muddy colors occur when you try painting on top of a damp layer. You should only add paint when the paper is either completely dry or very wet.
Another mistake that leads to this problem is mixing two or more opaque paints.If you have a tendency to get muddy colors, try to exclude opaque paints and minimize the number of colors you mix together.
Mistake #5: Giving up too soon
At a certain stage of your painting process, you might be unhappy with how your painting looks. As a matter of fact, it’s an absolutely normal situation experienced by many artists, so don’t rush into tearing your unfinished artwork apart and starting over. Keep working and you may be surprised at how well your painting turns out!
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FAQs
There are two fundamental techniques in watercolor painting. You can't escape them… they are: Wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry. Together, these techniques form a golden rule that is unique to watercolors, and highlights the broad range of possibilities in watercolor painting.
What does overworked watercolor look like? ›
Overworked watercolour paper occurs when pigments are over-blended or when too many layers of paint have been added. As well, paper can become overworked if the artist uses too many brushstrokes to distribute the paint, which results in blotchy and uneven streaks.
What should you not do in watercolor? ›
Don't Overwork Your Watercolors
- Don't Dilute. Weak paintings are a result of not using enough paint.
- Don't Overwork. You have to learn to recognize when it's time to stop.
- Don't Nullify. Know the mark you want to make before you make it. ...
- Don't Try to fix it. If a brush hair gets in the wash, leave it be.
The reason behind this challenge lies in the unpredictable component it brings to the canvas - water. In contrast to acrylics and oil painting, where you can easily cover up "accidents" or "mistakes" by adding another layer, watercolor's transparent and wet nature makes it difficult to correct errors.
What part of a watercolor picture do you paint first? ›
In general, if you want the background color to show through and become part of the subject, then paint the wash first. If you want to keep your background and your subject clearly and distinctly separate, then be sure to use masking fluid to mask your subject before painting your wash.
What is normally painted first on a watercolor? ›
You want to start with light values, so this means diluted paint and light tones should be painted first. Each new layer of paint makes the passage you're working on a little bit darker.
What is the most important thing in watercolor painting? ›
Of all the watercolor tips for beginners, maintaining color harmony is one of the most important. There are a few simple things to remember to maintain color harmony throughout your painting. Dipping into twenty different colors spread around your palette is tempting but usually results in a discordant, muddy work.
What is the most basic watercolor technique? ›
There are 2 basic watercolor techniques that will be fundamental to your practice—wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry. In this tutorial, I cover what these terms mean, when to use each of the two techniques, and how to do it successfully.
What is pilling in watercolor? ›
it's when wet paper gets scrubbed by a brush, and the surface peels up. It can form little knobby balls like an old sweater, hence “pilling.” Usually happens to: [*]Unsized papers, in other words, those not intended for watercolor use. ( Paper breaks down when wet)
How do you get crisp lines in watercolor? ›
Use a “dry” brush.
If you want your brush to give a narrow line, it is very important that it is not full of color. A wet brush causes the straws to swell and the top becomes thick. When you need a really nice result, the brush just needs a little color in the hair.
The technique, Broken Color, is when an artist applies colors to a painting in small strokes but does not blend them. Instead, the colors blend optically rather than literally. The effects of "Broken" Color are known to soothe you and create serenity.
What are the rules for watercolour painting? ›
The process for successful watercolor painting, is to avoid the areas to be left white and apply the lightest washes first, gradually working your way towards darker washes. Try to cover large areas fairly loosely in the early stages of the painting, applying tighter detail towards the end.
What are disadvantages of watercolour? ›
Some watercolours can separate after a while of mixing, and it's also hard to mix large amounts of watercolour shades at once. Because watercolours are flat, they also take up a lot of space on the palette, while oil paints are viscous and hold their shape, so you can fit a lot of colours on a palette.
What are the pros and cons of watercolor paint? ›
Watercolor vs. Oils
| Feature | Watercolor |
|---|
| Color Shift | Colors remain quite true when drying |
| Ease of Correction | Limited; hard to cover mistakes |
| Surface Adaptability | Primarily paper |
| Longevity | Can fade if not protected; generally less durable |
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