How to Develop More Sophisticated Brushwork

Brushwork is like your handwriting. It's one of the most distinct aspects of your paintings, and it makes your subjects unique to you.

But how do you go about refining and developing control over your brush marks? Today I'm going to show you one practice that gives you the opportunity to practice your brushwork without pressure and that builds transferrable skills. 

One Easy Way to Refine Your Brushwork

Experimenting with brushstrokes in the middle of a painting can be risky. You don't want to try things you've never done when working on a scene that you are hoping to come together nicely. Painting with the pressure of timing and color mixing while at the same time using new methods with your brushstrokes can be disastrous. 

So, instead, experiment on the page with an isolated subject. The best subject for this, in my opinion, is a tree. 

For a look at the method of painting this tree, watch the entire video.

But here's a quick rundown:

1. One trick with painting tree is to make sure the branches (and trunk) gets thinner the higher up it goes. 
2. Colors are mixed as follows:
   • Light brown - Raw Umber and Raw Sienna
   • Dark brown (for shadow side) - Raw Umber, Raw Sienna, Neutral Tint
   • Green - Cobalt Turquoise, Raw Sienna, and Cadmium Yellow Light Hue
3. First I used a rigger brush and then switched to a size 1 Divinci Brush
4. If you find yourself repeating the same directional marks, try mixing it up and approaching it from a different angle. 
5. Practice painting with the side of your brush on a separate sheet. If you get a mark like the one circled below but you want more of a dry brush mark like the others around it, you have too much water in your mix. If that happens, you can make marks with the brush until enough of your paint is off the brush.

Watch This Week's Video for A More Thorough Tutorial

This is a tough lesson to describe in a blog, so I encourage you to watch the video for a more thorough lesson. I hope you have a great time working on trees and taking the lessons you learn about brushwork into your watercolor scenes. 

Related Blogs

How To Paint A Tree Doused In Gorgeous Light

Simple Tree Watercolor Painting Practice

Paint Trees with Depth and Realism