Watercolour Mastery: Realistic Water Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 6 min read

Painting water in watercolour can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, anyone can master it. This guide will walk you through the stages of achieving realistic water in your watercolour paintings, providing a clear and practical roadmap for your artistic journey. Let's dive right in!

1. Get Your Materials Ready

Before we plunge into the world of painting water in watercolour, it's important to get your materials in order. Here's a step-by-step walkthrough of what you'll need.

Choose Your Brushes

Selecting the right brushes is key to painting water in watercolour. Look for a variety of sizes, including small detailed brushes and larger wash brushes. Brands like Winsor & Newton or Daler-Rowney are known for their quality. Remember, a good brush gives you better control and can make a world of difference in your painting.

Select Your Paints

Next up, you need to pick your paints. Opt for artist-grade watercolours as they have higher pigment concentration and will give you vibrant, realistic results. Think about the colours you'll need to paint water — blues, greens, and browns are a good start. Brands like Daniel Smith and M. Graham offer an excellent range of colours.

Prepare Your Palette

Finally, get your palette ready. This will be your mixing station, where you'll create the perfect hues for your water. A palette with plenty of wells will allow you to mix a range of colours without them bleeding into each other. Clean your palette thoroughly before starting — you don't want yesterday's red spoiling today's perfect blue.

Now that you've got your materials ready, you're one step closer to painting water in watercolour like a pro. In the next section, we'll learn how to mix those paints to achieve the perfect shades of water.

2. Learn to Mix Colors

Now that your materials are ready, it's time for some color theory fun. Mastering color mixing is a fundamental skill when it comes to painting water in watercolour. Let's get started!

Understand Color Theory

Color theory is the science of how colors interact with each other. To paint water realistically, you'll need to understand how to mix your colors to achieve the right hues. You'll be using a lot of blues and greens, but remember, water is reflective. It can contain a myriad of colors from its surroundings. Grasping color theory will help you capture this aspect of water realistically.

Practice Mixing

Once you've got a handle on color theory, it's time to put that knowledge into practice. Start by mixing your primary colors to create secondary and tertiary colors. Experiment with adding varying amounts of water to see how it changes the color's intensity. Don't rush this process; the more you practice, the more intuitive it will become. Your palette is your playground—don't be afraid to get messy!

Test Your Colors

Finally, always test your colors before applying them to your painting. Use a scrap piece of watercolour paper and apply a small amount of your mixed color. This will give you a clear idea of how the color will look once it's on the paper. Remember, it's much easier to adjust your color on the palette than to fix it on the painting.

With these color mixing skills under your belt, you're well on your way to painting water in watercolour like a master. Up next, we'll tackle brush strokes—the heart of every watercolour painting.

3. Master Basic Brush Strokes

Equipped with your color mixing skills, it's time to dive deeper into the world of watercolour by mastering basic brush strokes. This is where the magic really starts to happen in painting water in watercolour.

Practice Line Work

Having a steady hand is key in watercolour painting. Start by practicing your line work. Draw different shapes, straight and curved lines. Do this exercise regularly and you'll notice your lines becoming smoother and more controlled. This will significantly improve the detailing in your water paintings, giving your water ripples and waves a more realistic look.

Try Different Techniques

Watercolour offers a variety of techniques that can add depth and texture to your painting. Techniques like wet-on-wet, where you apply wet paint to a wet surface, can create a beautiful, diffused look perfect for painting smooth, calm water. Dry brush technique, on the other hand, is great for creating textured effects, like the sparkle of sunlight on water. Practice these techniques and see which ones work best for your style.

Improve Brush Control

Last but certainly not least, work on your brush control. The way you hold your brush and the amount of pressure you apply can drastically affect the look of your strokes. Try holding the brush at different angles and applying varied pressure to see the different effects you can create. This will give you more control and confidence when painting water in watercolour.

With these brush stroke techniques, your watercolour paintings will start to come to life. Up next, we'll explore the importance of value in watercolour painting, and how it can transform your work.

4. Create a Value Scale

Brush control and color mixing under your belt, it's time to add another layer to your watercolor painting skills — understanding value. Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color, and it plays a vital role in creating realistic water in your paintings.

Understand the Importance of Value

Value is the secret ingredient that brings depth and dimension to your watercolour paintings. By varying the light and dark shades, you can create the illusion of depth, making your water seem to recede into the distance or come forward. It helps to create a sense of light and shadow, giving your water a three-dimensional look. It's a game-changer in painting water in watercolour.

Learn How to Create a Value Scale

Creating a value scale is a simple yet effective exercise to understand values. Here's how you can create one: Start by painting a square with a very light wash of your chosen color. Next to it, paint another square with a slightly darker wash. Continue this process, making each square darker than the last, until you reach your darkest value. You now have a value scale, a visual guide to your color's range from light to dark!

Practice Creating Value Scales

Now that you know how to create a value scale, practice it with your palette colors. This will not only help you understand the range of each color but also train your eye to identify different values. With practice, you'll be able to intuitively use the right values in your water paintings, adding realism and depth to your work.

With a strong grasp on value, you're one step closer to mastering the art of painting water in watercolour. Now, let's put everything together and start painting!

5. Start Painting

Preparation meets canvas! It's time to put all your newly acquired skills to work and start painting water in watercolour.

Follow Step-by-Step Guides

Start by following step-by-step guides. These guides provide detailed instructions and visual reference, making it easier for you to understand and replicate the techniques. Don't stress about being perfect — it's about learning and improving at this stage.

Practice with Simple Subjects

Consider starting your watercolour journey with simple subjects. A calm lake, a gentle stream, or a puddle reflecting the sky — these are all great starting points. Simple subjects allow you to focus on mastering the techniques of painting water in watercolour without the added complexity of intricate details.

Experiment and Have Fun

Remember, painting is as much about creativity and enjoyment as it is about technique. Don't be afraid to experiment with your paints, brushes, and styles. Try different color combinations, play with light and shadow, create textures with brush strokes — let your imagination run wild. After all, every great artist started as an explorer.

As you continue to practice and experiment, you'll find your unique style and voice in painting water in watercolour. Remember, the journey to mastery is a marathon, not a sprint. So, take your time, enjoy the process, and most importantly, have fun!

If you're inspired by our step-by-step guide on mastering realistic water with watercolours, don't miss the opportunity to dive deeper into the world of water painting with Jauni's (tofublock) workshop, 'How to Paint Water'. This workshop will provide you with advanced techniques, tips, and insights that will help you take your watercolour skills to new heights.