The Best Growth Strategy for Watercolor Painting

When I first picked up watercolor, I thought the best way to learn was to complete a painting each time I sat down to paint. Whether it was stubbornness or a way to prove to myself I was capable, I just felt like I had to render an entire scene. 

What I found over time was I grew the most when I painted small and often. 

Sometimes I just focused on one particular area I was trying to improve in. By repeatedly taking the time to paint something like a sky, figures, or trees, I began to see improvement in those areas. This, then, was reflected in my finished paintings. 

Watercolor requires such a sense of timing. The more time you spend practicing the basics and focusing on specific techniques, the more improvement you will see. 

With this in mind, I recorded a simple demo that touches on a few key skills: painting wet-into-wet, positive and negative painting, and creating connections. 

I hope you enjoy this tutorial! Keep coming back to the basics. You’ll be a better painter for it.

-Matt