DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Painting Tips for Beginners
contributed by Leanne Guenther
Wet-on-wet refers to adding watered down colours to wet paper.
The wet-on-wet technique is a fun and versatile way to create beautiful, blended watercolor effects. This method involves applying wet paint onto a wet surface, allowing the colors to flow and mingle naturally. Here are some helpful tips for young artists to master the wet-on-wet watercolor painting technique:
Materials:
- Watercolor paper (cold press, 140 lb or heavier)
- Watercolor paints (student grade is fine)
- Brushes (round and flat)
- Water container
- Paper towel or cloth
- Palette (or a white plate)
- Masking tape
- Board or sturdy surface
Instructions:
Tip 1: Prepare your workspace
Tape your watercolor paper to the board using masking tape to keep it secure and flat while you paint. Set up your paints, brushes, water container, and palette nearby.
Tip 2: Wet the paper evenly
Using a large flat brush (inexpensive sponge brushes from the home improvement store work great) or a round brush, apply clean water to the entire surface of the paper, creating an even sheen without any puddles. This will help the paint flow smoothly across the surface. The paper should be quite shiny once it's wet.
OR! Wet only one area of your paper. Your paint will tend to stay within the wet area so you can use the water to create a sort of boundary for the shapes you're making.
Tip 3: Mix your colors
Choose a few colors that you'd like to use and mix them on your palette. Remember, it's easier to start with a limited color palette and add more colors as needed.
Tip 4: Apply paint gently
When you're ready to paint, load your brush with the first color and gently touch it to the wet surface of the paper. Watch as the paint spreads and flows, creating beautiful, organic shapes.
Tip 5: Experiment with color blending
Add more colors to your painting, letting them touch and blend naturally on the wet surface. You can slightly tilt your paper to aid the blending and move the color around the paper. You can also use a clean, damp brush to help guide and control the flow of the paint.
Tip 6: Control the water content
When using the wet-on-wet technique, it's important to control the amount of water on your brush and paper. If there's too much water, the colors may become too diluted or create unwanted cauliflowers, blooms and backruns. If there's too little water, the colors may not blend smoothly. Adjust the water content by dabbing your brush on a paper towel or cloth before picking up paint.
As always, feel free to break the rules. It's fun to intentionally use "too much" water and play with the resulting blooms and backruns to create cool looking patterns in your artwork.
Tip 7: Timing is key
The wet-on-wet technique works best when the paper is consistently damp, but not overly wet. If your paper starts to dry out, you can gently re-wet it with a clean brush. If it's too wet, you can lift excess water with a dry brush, toilet paper or paper towel. Personally, I find toilet paper works best!
Tip 8: Be patient
Allow your painting to dry completely before adding more layers or details. This will help you avoid disturbing the wet-on-wet effects you've created. You can use a blowdryer on gentle to speed up the drying process, but I like to just give it time and wait. To make sure your paper is dry, touch it gently -- if it feels quite cold, it's still wet.
Tip 9: Practice and have fun
Mastering the wet-on-wet technique takes time and practice. Experiment with different color combinations, brush strokes, and water content to discover the effects you like best. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the creative process!
By following these tips, young artists can learn to create beautiful, flowing watercolor paintings using the wet-on-wet technique. Happy painting!
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