Learn basic techniques, tips for fixing mistakes, and more as you unlock the creative possibilities of working with watercolor
Watercolor is a versatile medium that’s popular with artists of all skill levels. From its relatively low barrier to entry (you’ll only need a few basic materials) to the eye-catching colors and effects you can achieve, there are loads of reasons why you might want to explore the world of watercolor.
However, at the same time, the unpredictable and fluid nature of working with watercolors can be intimidating for beginners and experienced painters alike…
To help you get started, read on for expert advice and professional tips in these twenty free watercolor tutorials. Here, you’ll learn basic techniques, experiment with different styles to improve your skills, discover tips to overcome creative block, and lots more.
Tutorials to learn the basics of working with watercolor
Pick up and practice essential skills, including the basic rules of working with watercolor to specific techniques like wet-on-wet.
1. Watercolor Tutorial: Wet-on-Wet Technique
Wet-on-wet is a technique in which you apply paint to a wet surface, whether that’s a wet sheet of paper or over another layer of paint that’s still wet, to create an effect in which the colors blend together.
It’s also a technique that requires a basic knowledge of how watercolors work, including how long they take to dry, when to use more opaque or watery colors, and how to mix different shades well to avoid undesired results (or even use them to your advantage).
In this tutorial, visual artist and illustrator Ana Santos (@anasantos) introduces you to the basics of how to use the wet-on-wet technique to successfully blend watercolors.
2. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Fix and Avoid Mistakes on Wet Paper
While the wet-on-wet technique allows you to blend pigments with remarkable effects, the fluid nature of the technique also means that mistakes happen. However, by learning how the paint reacts to water on paper, you can avoid errors, blooms, and ineffective layering—plus, you’ll better understand how to fix any mistakes you do make.
In this tutorial by watercolorist and wildlife painter Sarah Stokes (@sarah_stokes), she teaches you her top tips to fix and avoid mistakes on wet paper.
3. Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Mark-Making Techniques
Amy Pearson (@amypearsondesign) is an illustrator who combines traditional and digital techniques to create vivid mixed-media illustrations.
One of her techniques involves crafting bright and beautiful strokes using watercolors that can then be scanned and edited in Photoshop before being incorporated into digital illustrations. But, in order to achieve the desired effect, first it’s important to learn the rules of working with watercolor.
Here, Amy shares her basic techniques, teaching you how to create hand-painted watercolor strokes, shapes, and marks for any project, including suggestions for blending colors and exploring different effects.
4. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Paint with Brushes and Watercolor Pencils
Understanding how your tools work for you and the project you’re working on is an essential part of watercolor painting. Whether it’s watercolor brushes or pencils, metallic or ceramic palettes for mixing, the materials you use and how you use them will help bring an artwork to life.
In this tutorial by illustrator Naranjalidad (@naranjalidad), you’ll learn tips for painting with brushes and watercolor pencils, with top advice for mixing colors to get the most out of your tools.
Get to grips with watercolor color theory
Learn about the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and how to apply this theory to your watercolor works to create captivating color combinations.
5. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Create Shadow Using Color Theory
A self-taught watercolor artist based in the UK, Sarah Stokes paints enchanting artworks inspired by wildlife and nature. In order to paint the expressive scenes and incredibly detailed animal portraits for which she’s known, Sarah uses the rules of color theory and the color wheel to help her achieve natural-looking shadows, definition, and textures.
To get a better understanding of how to create shades that can be used to aid composition, depth, and balance, learn how to use color theory to paint shadows in this beginner’s tutorial.
Sarah will introduce you to the theory as she shows you how to use a color wheel to identify complementary colors to your base color, and how to create a muddier version of this shade to add shadow.
6. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Create a Color Palette
The natural world is bursting with color: a blue bird isn’t just blue, its feathers feature hues of blue, violets, and spots of gray—which is why it’s important to think carefully about your color palette when drawing nature scenes.
In this tutorial, illustrator Antonia Reyes (@antoniapajarito) explains how to create your own color palette for nature-inspired illustration.
7. Illustration Tutorial: How to Color with Watercolor
A medium that allows for flexibility and room for experimentation, you can use watercolor to create a huge array of colors, from rich and vibrant hues to lighter, transparent tones.
If you want to explore ideas and coloring techniques to make your illustrations pop, in this tutorial on how to color with watercolor, illustrator and author Paula Bossio (@paulabossio) goes over a series of techniques that will add color to your artworks.
Tutorials to overcome creative block
Creative block is an issue that every artist faces now and then. Regardless of your discipline or level of experience, the blank page can feel intimidating—but you can work to overcome this fear with exercises and regular practice. Learn how to let your imagination flow as freely as watercolors do with these free tutorials.
8. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Unlock Your Creativity
In this tutorial, illustrator and graphic designer Alinailustra (@alinailustra) teaches you tips to unleash your creativity using a simple-but-imaginative practice exercise in which you will transform splodges into characters and scenes.
9. Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Exercises to Inspire Your Painting
Botanical illustrator and artist Cristina Cilloniz (@cristina_cilloniz) shares simple exercises to loosen up your hand, all while learning different techniques to practice creating transparency and opacity, gradients, pulse and precision, water use, and more. As well as inspiring your painting process, these tips will also help you create softer layers with watercolors.
10. Watercolor Tutorial: Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Water and Get Started
According to designer Paulina Maciel (@pau_maciel), painting with watercolors is more than a technique, it is an attitude. It might sound intimidating, but as she emphasizes, to fully master the art form, it’s really all about practice and experience.
If you’re ready to express your creativity without fear, discover her top techniques, practice exercises, and tips to start painting with watercolor.
11. Illustration Tutorial: How to Draw From Your Imagination
Memories can serve as a great source of inspiration for your creative projects—whether it’s from a moment that springs to mind or something triggered by old photos or a song, you can draw on the emotions they conjure to paint pieces packed with feeling.
In this tutorial, illustrator and designer Violeta Hernández (@soyvioleta) shows you how to use memories to inspire your illustrations and let your imagination soar.
Tutorials for painting leaves and trees
Watercolor is a particularly popular medium when it comes to drawing the natural world thanks to small details, striking colors, and various effects you can achieve. Learn tips and tricks for using watercolor to create scenes inspired by the natural world in these tutorials.
12. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Paint a Banana Tree Leaf
Learn how to identify the details and paint a banana tree leaf in this tutorial from artist Isabela Quintes (@isabelaquintes). Sharing straightforward advice along the way, she teaches you the importance of knowing your brush size, different brush strokes, and the amount of water to use—and how these factors will transform your work.
13. Botanical Illustration Tutorial: How To Draw A Tree
Explore the fantastic art of botanical illustration in this tutorial by Paulina Maciel. Here, the designer and illustrator behind Canela Estudio explains how to draw and paint a tree from scratch using a very simple method and easily accessible materials.
14. Watercolor Tutorial: Paint a Leaf, Step-by-Step
It’s safe to say Swiss cheese plants (also known as Monstera deliciosa) are having a moment right now. Native to the tropical forest of southern Mexico, these plants are popular in homes all around the world for their distinctive, glossy green leaves—this also makes them a great subject for watercolor.
In this tutorial from botanical watercolor artist Luli Reis (@lulireis), learn how to paint a Swiss cheese plant leaf. You’ll discover all of the steps, including observing the small details that enable you to recreate the colors, shadows, textures, and then how to translate those details onto the page.
Tutorials to experiment with different styles
From tips for composing architectural illustrations to experimenting with photos to mixing up your painting materials, improve your skills by playing around with different techniques and styles.
15. Architectural Drawing Tutorial: How to Create a Good Composition
Composition is the foundation of any illustration—especially when it comes to architectural sketching—which is why before you start putting paintbrush to paper, you may want to plan out your scene first.
In this tutorial, watercolor artist Alex Hillkurtz (@alexhillkurtzart) teaches you different techniques to create a strong composition, from the rule of thirds to creating contrasts and details using colors to take your watercolor works to the next level.
16. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Paint With a Sponge
Another great thing about watercolors is that there’s always room to play around with different tools and materials. This is exactly what illustrator Berta Llonch does (@bertallonch_). As someone who specializes in watercolor, she knows well that making the most of the discipline means leaning into the unexpected—and so she takes advantage of that.
Join Berta as she leans into the unexpected in this tutorial where you’ll learn how to add highlights, shadows, and textures to your nature illustrations with an alternative technique: painting watercolor with a sponge.
17. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Experiment with Photos
Continue on your journey of experimentation by learning how to add color and effects to photographs using watercolors in this tutorial by documentalist, photographer, and visual artist Carine Wallauer (@wallauercarine). Sharing her knowledge and experience, she shows you how to combine the two disciplines to create striking artworks.
18. Watercolor Tutorial: How To Paint Eyes Step By Step
There’s a reason they say that eyes are the window to the soul: of all facial features, eyes are the most expressive and can add personality to a portrait—which is why it’s also important to pay particular attention to the details.
But where do you start when it comes to watercolor? And how do you emphasize the details? In this tutorial, artist and muralist Sol Barrios (@solbarrios) shares his technique for painting eyes, step by step.
19. Illustration Tutorial: Watercolor Lettering
If you’re interested in hand-lettering, adding watercolor to the mix can be a great way to add unique textures, create a natural feel, and inject extra artistic flair into your projects.
To help you on your way, painter and illustrator Ana Victoria Calderón (@anavictoriana) shares five practical watercolor lettering exercises and tips in this free tutorial. Learn to find your personal style, craft confident brushstrokes, and more.
20. Illustration Tutorial: Japanese Brushstrokes and the Sumi-e Technique
Although originally practiced with ink, Sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) techniques can also be applied to other materials—such as watercolors.
Experiment with the style in this tutorial on Japanese brushstrokes and sumi-e techniques as illustrator Flor Kaneshiro (@florkaneshiro) shares her top tips for pressure, speed, direction, and rhythm.
21. Painting Tutorial: How to Paint Skin Tones in Watercolor
In this tutorial, Emma Thrussell demonstrates the art of painting realistic skin tones with watercolor. Focusing on pre-painted witch characters, she skillfully guides viewers through mixing and layering varying shades, from light yellows to deep umbers. Thrussell's technique, which emphasizes building up from light washes to achieve depth and realism, is accessible for artists of all levels. Her tutorial shines in teaching the delicate balance of water and pigment, essential for creating lifelike watercolor portraits.
22. How to Paint different Backgrounds with Watercolor
In this engaging tutorial, Sarah Stokes skillfully demonstrates creating watercolor washes for backgrounds. She blends warm and cool colors effortlessly using the wet-on-wet technique, and shares valuable tips on color mixing and texture creation. Perfect for artists at any level, Sarah’s approachable style makes mastering watercolor techniques seem both fun and achievable. Her insights into the dynamic nature of watercolors are particularly inspiring, making this tutorial a great resource for anyone looking to enhance their artistic skills.
23. How to Paint a Fish with Watercolor
In this watercolor tutorial, you'll learn how to paint a fish, starting with a basic pencil sketch and progressing to intricate watercolor techniques. Inga guides you through using a simple color palette to create realistic effects, focusing on blending and layering to bring the fish to life. Key techniques like adding shadows, creating fin details, and using mixed media for texture are covered. Perfect for artists at any level, this tutorial not only teaches practical skills but also encourages creative exploration with watercolors.
Learn more about painting with watercolor
If these tutorials have sparked your interest in watercolor art, continue exploring and improving your skills with these online resources:
1. Discover all of Domestika's online watercolor painting courses, and learn how to create artistic portraits, botanical illustrations, landscapes, and lots more.
2. Get stuck into three essential watercolor books for beginners, packed with tips, techniques, and inspiration ideal for those new to the medium.
3. Learn about all the essential materials to start out in watercolor and gouache painting.
4. Master watercolor techniques with top advice from artist Sarah Stokes. In this post exclusively for Pro users, she answers top FAQs on how to paint with watercolor.
