13 Essential Watercolor Tips & Tricks to Help You Paint Even better...

Here are 13 watercolor painting tips and tricks I use every time I paint. Use them to build confidence in your skill, explore new possibilities and learn how to paint with watercolor even better...

1) Plan ahead if you can

2) Remember, fades happen at the
back of your brush and the hard
lines at the tip.

3) A little salt sprinkled on wet
paint can add a little starburst
of magic

4) Try liquid friskit masking fluid-
It's amazing but be prepared
to either use a rubber brush
to paint with or maybe sacrifice
a paintbrush or two. Although,
you can soak your brush afterwards
in mineral spirits, then clean it
with soapy water to get it like
new again.

5) You can use regular masking
tape if you're careful. Just don't
leave it on the paper for months on
end.

6) A little bit of white paint or
guash can be used to add
an opaque appearance and also
to hide mistakes

7) Try having your watercolor
painting at an angle and use
gravity combined with your
wet brush to guide the paint.

8) Use two cups of water to rinse
your brushes, one dirty and the
other not-so-much. This really
helps when you go from using
darker colors to lighter ones.

9) Do your best not to scratch your
paper with anything because the
paint will settle in it and make a
dark line

10) Hot press watercolor paper is
super smooth and amazing for
painting people. Cold press has
a rougher texture. I use Arches.

11) Always have a scratch piece of
paper off to the side for
experimenting with layering
your colors. It also helps to
have just to remember
what color combination you
used earlier in the painting.

12) I'm a fan of the fan brush for
flicking when painting sand or
texture on rocks.

13) You can also add gum arabic to
your paint to make it easier to
pick up with your brush when
the paint sets and your paint
will blend easier. I seldom use
it but it sure helps.

I hope these watercolor painting tips
have been of value to you. If so, please
share. And if you have any questions,
feel free to ask ;-)