40+ Free Watercolor Painting Video Tutorials For Beginners

twoscore+ Free Watercolor Painting Video Tutorials For Beginners

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Watercolors make a lot of artists nervous at first blush.

This isn't the near forgiving medium since yous can't really erase or embrace up mistakes.

Watercolor follows different rules than most other mediums. But once you learn these rules you might chop-chop fall in love with watercolors.

Despite their reputation every bit the trouble child of wet media, watercolors are a ton of fun to acquire with the right resource. We've establish over twoscore simple videos to help you go a whiz at watercolors in no fourth dimension, and we've even divided them up into categories so you can apace find what you need for your goals and skill level.

Getting Started/Basic Techniques & Supplies

4 Essential Watercolor Skills Every Beginner Must Know

There'due south no meliorate identify to first than at the beginning, right?

This video covering four basic skills will help you learn how watercolor works and serve as a firm foundation for all the other skills you'll learn from these tutorials.

This is the perfect place to start is you're a complete beginner. Past the finish of this tutorial yous'll already take learned how to work with the translucency of watercolor so y'all can brand your paintings pop!

Practise's & Don'ts for Beginners

Learning what NOT to practise is just equally important equally learning what you lot should do!

Effort these tips for preventing a lot of common problems watercolorists run into like flimsy paper, uneven color coverage, and pencil outlines that show through the paint.

How To Utilise Watercolor – Intro Tutorial

This uncomplicated tutorial will aid you select the correct supplies and get you familiar with basic watercolor techniques, all in nether seven minutes.

This is the perfect video for getting a general idea of how watercolors piece of work in record time.

7 Watercolor Tips (For Beginners!)

This video answers common beginner questions you didn't even know yous had.

Learn to create smooth color coverage rather than blotchy, messy color where every stroke is visible.

Likewise larn the difference between hot press and common cold press paper(yep, that'due south a thing) and how to properly store brushes so you aren't running to the shop every other day.

Watercolor brushes ain't cheap!

Beginner's Tutorial

Ready to graduate to a more than detailed tutorial?

This video is still awesome for beginners but goes into more specifics almost supplies and how to apply them.

Learn nearly the different types of watercolor papers and the distinctions between paints that come in tubes and the ones that come in cakes. This video also explores possibilities with gouache which is another translucent pigment similar to watercolor.

Watercolor Basics for Beginners

This is a fairly detailed tutorial on different watercolor techniques for painting with smooth coverage, using water to paint ratios to vary your color intensity, and controlling your paints so that they don't run everywhere.

Yes, it's got a lot.

This also showcases the playful, more forgiving side of watercolors so you lot tin learn to loosen up and really play with the medium.

The Watercolor Color Wheel

If you've e'er taken an art form you lot've probably seen or even made a color wheel.

Quick refresher: A color wheel is a diagram of the colour spectrum, and creating a color cycle is an exercise in using the three chief colors(ruddy, xanthous, and blue) to mix each color of the rainbow.

This video shows you how to set upwardly a colour wheel and mix twelve different colors with watercolors.

Considering watercolors carry differently than oil or acrylic paints, learning to mix colors without them getting muddy is essential.

Edifice on Techniques

How to Paint Intense Shadow Colors

Beginning watercolorists tend to run into issues when painting shadows.

This is considering information technology'southward easy to use also much water and pigment too lightly, and besides considering selecting colors for shadows that pop instead of looking muddy tin can be a existent claiming.

Try this tutorial for choosing colors and painting intense shadows that still look vibrant.

Blend Watercolor Paint Moisture on Dry

Another mutual issue for beginners is blending smoothly instead of getting blotches of colors with hard edges, peculiarly on dry paper.

Hard edges tin be keen and all. But sometimes you but want a flawless, smooth color alter.

Well this video does a great task of showing how to create smoothen color gradients and blend colors together on the page, even if they're already dry!

Watercolor Glazing and Layering Basics

Glazing and layering are groovy techniques for shading, smooth color changes, and creating values in your watercolor paintings while maintaining a high level of control.

Endeavor this video to get started in all of these basic techniques.

Yous'll exist surprised how quickly you option it up in your own work!

How to Pigment Flat Washes

Painting a launder is one of the virtually basic skills y'all can develop when yous're only getting started with watercolors. And it'south surprisingly tricky to principal.

Many beginners struggle with splotchy, pooling colors or washes that are over-watered and mode too light.

If you struggle with this yourself endeavor this video for some tricks to painting dainty, shine washes.

How to Paint a Graded Launder in Watercolors

Later on you've learned to paint perfect flat washes the next step is painting graded washes in one color, or washes with a colour gradient.

This video volition help y'all get splotch-complimentary, smooth washes that lighten gradually over time.

A true watercolor painter'southward all-time guide.

Lifting & Removing Watercolor Paint

A mutual misconception about watercolors, and something that scares a lot of people away, is that you can't erase.

In one case the color's on the folio it's in that location to stay. Right?

Well…maybe non.

Scout this video to learn how to lift watercolors from the page, either to create texture or value, or to fix a whoopsie y'all aren't happy with.

How to Use Watercolor: Controlling the Water

In this awesome tutorial you'll learn the secret to controlling your watercolors, which is controlling the water.

Later on all, the pigment can only go where the water goes. Give this video a watch to acquire how to apply the water to your advantage and so you lot tin can control information technology and not the other fashion effectually!

Splattering Technique by Tim Wilmot

Paint splattering might audio pretty self-explanatory (and like tons of fun!)

But it'south actually a legitimate technique that tin really add some beautiful texture to your paintings. If y'all want to get started with splattering check out this tutorial on how and when to use this technique for the greatest consequence in your paintings.

Line and Launder Demonstration

Endeavour out the archetype combination of ink and watercolor with this demonstration.

You lot'll love the unique textures and scratchy, illustrative effects of these two mediums together.

Pen and watercolor is an awesome combination for rendering details and little snapshots of life. The watercolor brings in a lovely spread of colour while the pen is great for calculation sharp, tight details and textures. The result is a gorgeous combo of a technical pen cartoon and a loose watercolor painting.

Also this is the perfect opportunity to practice your light washes!

Painting Light Leafage Over Night Backgrounds

One of the biggest rules of watercolors is to pigment night over light, because due to the translucency of watercolor you tin can't pigment a lite color over a night ane.

So how the heck are you supposed to pigment something calorie-free, similar a yellow bush-league, over something dark, similar a night heaven?

This video tut volition testify you lot the pull a fast one on to painting light leafage that looks similar it's really in forepart of a dark background.

Hint: the surreptitious is a handy little substance called masking fluid.

Painting People

How To Colour Pare

Ready for something a piffling more than challenging?

Well this tutorial shows yous not only how to mix gorgeous skin tones(which is tough with ANY medium) but also how to create soft, smoothen peel texture.

You lot'll learn how to paint shadows and highlights that pop in any slice.

These techniques are perfect for whatever style of portrait, whether you're going for photorealism or cartooning or something more than.

How To Paint Faces With Watercolor

If you already accept a decent grip on drawing faces and want to start painting them in watercolor, this tutorial will show you how to paint those cute vibrant skin tones using layering techniques.

Take a look at this tutorial because it demonstrates how to use pooling and hard edges to your advantage.

When done right this tin create stunning, surreal faces and pilus that actually popular off the page.

Upwardly-Close & Detailed Nevertheless Life

The still life is another classic ambition for a painter in any medium.

This is another long one only this demonstration is worth the watch to run across how an expert watercolor painter renders detail, shadow, low-cal, and form.

This is one of those situations where you tin learn only as much from watching equally you tin can from actually doing.

How to Paint Hair and Ears

If you lot're planning to pigment watercolor portraits then chances are y'all're going to exist running into hair and ears at some bespeak.

If yous take the patience to practise these subjects have a peek at this video. Information technology shows you how to utilize masking fluid to paint polish ears that look three-dimensional and perfect pilus with beautiful depth and movement.

How to Paint a Realistic Mouth

If you're interested in painting portraits brand certain to lookout this tutorial on painting realistic female person lips.

Lips are surprisingly finicky and a huge sticking point for a lot of budding portrait artists.

This is also corking practice in mixing skin tones too!

You can never have also much practice mixing tones, right?

Plants & Animals

Watercolor Whale in vii Easy Steps

Now that you lot've mastered some basic techniques permit's get started with some projects!

Try this approachable tutorial for painting a simple, whimsical whale in watercolors.

This is your chance to really have fun and experiment with watercolor to create some pieces you lot're truly proud of.

A Cactus with Watercolors

When you're feeling a lilliputian more than confident with watercolors you lot might check out this demonstration of an easy cactus painting. And you might even try recreating it for yourself.

Even if you don't feel like a pro yet, make sure to give this a sentry.

It's always helpful to meet how someone else's painting comes together and then you lot tin can notice how the process works.

Dancing Jellyfish

This video uses both dry out and moisture on wet techniques to create a trio of loose, painterly jellyfish.

The creative person also includes captions that explicate the techniques and colors she'south using and so you tin can endeavor recreating this practice slice on your ain.

A Unproblematic Tree (Subtitles)

Oh copse.

So beautiful, but such a difficult discipline to paint.

Trees are made upwardly of tons of tiny leaves and cracks in bark which makes them i of the hardest subjects for any artist, beginning watercolorists included.

Scout this video to learn how to paint a tree that pops off the page rather than looking like a flat hulk. This technique works without having to paint each individual leaf and detail in the bark.

Watercolor Leaves + Wreaths

As nosotros learned from the tree video above: leaves expect stunning in watercolors!

This video will prove y'all different techniques for painting all kinds of leaves and then combining them into a stylized watercolor wreath.

You tin can utilize this in personal stationary or as a fun frame for lettering. Or anything else you lot might relish.

How To Paint a Watermelon

As it turns out, watercolor is the perfect medium for rendering a fruit that is by and large water. Funny how that works, right?

Step one: Watch this fun tutorial on how to paint an adorable watermelon.

Stride 2: Paint yourself a watermelon.

Step 3: Swallow a watermelon. Easy!

Yellow Rose(Multipart)

If you're feeling confident and in the mood for a claiming try this detailed tutorial on painting a realistic yellow rose.

This piece combines a lot of the techniques you lot've already learned so information technology's a great opportunity to practice your colour mixing, blending, lifting, and water control.

Draw & Pigment Bell Peppers

No affair how you experience almost bong peppers, you can't deny that they're a great painting bailiwick.

With their vivid colors, smoothen grade, and shiny surface, who wouldn't honey them?

Cheque out this tutorial on sketching and painting a lovely pair of bell peppers. Whether yous choose to eat your peppers afterwards is up to you!

Land, Sea, and Cityscapes

Scene in Venice

When artists first pick up watercolor painting, we often flick ourselves painting wonderful landscapes or cityscapes in our travel sketchbooks while away on holiday.

Simply when we really try to practise information technology we get overwhelmed with all that detail.

If yous've got an hour and want to get into landscapes spotter this tutorial on how to simplify what you see in a scene.

That way you can capture the important things on the folio without driving yourself crazy painting every brick and blade of grass.

Swimming Scene

Water is another interesting subject field because it involves a lot of reflection. And this has more than colors than you might recall!

In this video you'll larn how to paint a quick, uncomplicated mountain pond scene that conveys the essence of the h2o and surrounding landscape.

Again, the play a trick on to painting landscapes is to simplify, simplify, simplify.

And this tutorial shows you how to do it very well.

Plein Air Tutorial

One of the best things about watercolors is that they're surprisingly portable.

And so you may want to get out at that place and pigment in the open, merely you might feel a bit cocky-conscious.

Well check out this video to get an idea of how to quickly pigment a beautiful mini landscape on the go. No cartoon required.

Pro-tip: for more portable watercolor painting you might desire to option up a waterbrush, a handy brush tool that holds h2o in the handle and so y'all don't have to carry a carve up h2o container. Slap-up, right?

Sunny Geranium Window Box

Ane of the best means to learn a new watercolor skill is to watch other people who know what they're doing.

Bask this quick demo of a flowery window box painting to pick up some new tips if you're stretched for time.

It'southward a great video and in that location's a lot to learn if you pay attention.

Icy Winter Landscape

Winter landscapes are an awesome subject field for watercolors because the translucency works really well for rendering cloudy skies and shadows on snow.

If you're a winter lover and then this tutorial on painting a winter wonderland will take hold of your attending. Information technology teaches watercolor painting with loose, moisture on wet techniques and just three colors.

This video also introduces a fun texturing tool you probably have effectually your firm: a cut-up credit card!

Paint a Land Mailbox

This fancy tutorial will give you some fun exercise with shading light-colored subjects and with a friction match made in fine art heaven: ink pen and watercolor.

Watercolor provides the form, colour, and shadow, and pen adds the details. It'south the perfect philharmonic!

While this demo doesn't provide verbal instructions, it does list the colors used by the creative person and if yous've mastered the nuts, the techniques are pretty easy to follow.

Realistic Rocks Footstep-By-Step

Yeah, rocks can be surprisingly tough to paint.

Artists tend to feel one of two ways about rendering rocks: Either they think they're really hard to paint or they don't recollect about them much until they actually effort to paint them.

Here'south a bang-up tutorial on how to paint 3D looking rocks with striking shadows and highlights. No more shapeless grayness blobs!

Basic Landscape Painting

Watercolor landscapes are classic for a reason! This gorgeous video demonstrates the painting of a vibrant panoramic landscape in full view.

It helps if you already take some experience to follow forth but I remember anyone could pick this up and move with information technology.

You'll be painting your own astonishing landscapes in no time!

Notation: if you haven't tried this elongated shape for your paintings and drawings yet, requite information technology a try! It might go your new get-to for landscape paintings.

Rough Ocean Water

Seascapes are the twin sis of landscapes. And this video shows y'all how to paint detailed ocean waves with beautiful, deep colors and highlights that really pop.

Seascapes might exist your new favorite thing to paint in one case you've tried.

Italian Vista Watercolor

If you lot've got some more time on your hands then settle in and enjoy this demonstration of a vibrant mountain lake painting with tube colors.

This is a recording of a live video with live questions, so make certain to sentinel the whole affair to acquire the well-nigh from information technology.

You might get answers to some questions you didn't even think to ask.

How To Paint a Rural Scene

Lastly in this video you'll find a variety of common watercolor techniques for creating a lovely painting of a country road. Follow along or only lookout man and learn!

You can't get wrong either way and this'll really ignite your passion for painting.

Yes, watercolors can feel finicky and difficult at first. But they're a surprisingly forgiving and versatile medium.

No other medium has quite the same low-cal, ethereal quality to information technology.

Watercolors can be tight and technical, loose and playful, or any combination of the two.

As an added bonus, learning to command the translucency is a great brain conditioning that volition build skills that transfer to many other mediums. If you oasis't tried out watercolors however so take hold of some supplies, pull upwardly these videos, and give them a shot!

Author: McKella Sawyer

McKella is an artist and freelance author from Salt Lake Urban center, Utah. When she isn't painting or writing for clients she loves to write fiction, travel, and explore the mountains most her home either on foot, horseback, or a mountain bike. Yous tin view her fine art on Etsy and her writing services at TheCafeWordsmith.com.

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Source: https://conceptartempire.com/watercolor-painting-tutorials/