3 Watercolor Techniques for Beginners To Try

Starting your watercolor journey can feel exciting and a little overwhelming. You might be staring at your brushes and paper, wondering why your colors don’t. blend the way you imagined–or why everything dries patchy and dull. The good news? You don’t need complicated tools or advanced skills to start making beautiful art.

Here are three easy watercolor techniques for beginners to try. These will help you gain confidence, improve watercolor brush control, and bring your paintings to life with soft textures and dynamic color.

Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Technique

If you’ve ever dreamed of dreamy color bleeds and organic blends, the wet-on-wet technique is for you.

Start by applying clean water to your watercolor paper using. brush. Then, drop in watercolor paint while the paper is still wet. You’ll notice the pigment blooms and spreads in unique ways, creating soft, flowing transitions without harsh edges. This technique is perfect for painting skies, petals, or anything that needs a gentle, blended look.

Pro tip: Use cotton or mixed-media watercolor paper for best results. And don’t overload your brush: let the water do the work!

Lifting Your Watercolor Brush

Ever wished you could erase parts of your watercolor? While you can’t truly “erase” paint, you can lighten areas using the lifting technique.

Once you’ve laid down your color (especially while it’s still damp), use a clean, damp brush or a paper towel to gently lift some of the pigment off the page. This helps create natural highlights and adds dimension to your work. It’s especially handy for petals, clouds, or any area that needs pop of light.

High-quality watercolor pigments lift more cleanly and won’t leave behind muddy patches of color.

Blending Watercolors

Blending watercolor is the secret to soft gradients and seamless color transitions. While your paint is still wet or your page is damp, use a clean brush to smooth out harsh lines or to gently pull one color into another. You can also blend multiple tones together directly on the paper for a more abstract, layered effect.

This technique helps keep your painting from feeling too flat or “blocked in and is great for creating depth in florals, landscapes, and abstract pieces.

Watch the Tutorial: 3 Easy Watercolor Techniques Every Beginner Should Know

These three beginner watercolor techniques–wet-on-wet, lifting, and blending–are simple, effective, and a perfect place to start painting. Try them out in your sketchbook, and don’t worry about perfection. The magic of watercolor comes from its unpredictability and flow.

So grab your brush, wet your paper, and start exploring. With a little practice, you’ll be amazed at what you can create.