Recently I wrote about how you should take some time to observe a reference photo before painting. I have to constantly remind myself of my own advice because I want to jump in and start painting. I want to get to the fun part!
1. observe your subject
After painting a few dog portraits, the part 2 to this advice occurred to me:
2. Do a “study”
What is a “study”? Essentially a study is a practice painting, drawing, or sketch. You have most likely seen studies done by the Masters before they painted their final masterpieces.
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The masters did studies
Georges Seurat, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” 1884-1886 (Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago Public Domain)
Sketching or painting helps you see the subject more closely. As I painted the dog portraits I noticed more about the dogs as I painted. When I paint or draw my eyes travel back and forth from my painting to the reference photo and back again.
This is something I try to instill in the kids at the art center where I teach:
Everything you need to know about the subject is in the photo. If you want to realistically draw or paint it, keep looking at the photo and your artwork.
Eileen McKenna
Another way of seeing
I find it useful to occasionally flip both the reference photo and my paper to see things differently. Looking at things this way is supposed to trigger the other side of your brain. This theory was written about in the popular book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
I notice that when I look at things upside down it is easier to see the individual elements of something. For example a face upside down allows me to focus on the elements more than the whole face.
painting Stella
Stella by Eileen McKenna
When I painted Stella, I looked through many photos and selected a few photos to practice with. I wanted to “see” what characteristics were unique to her. As I painted I felt I was getting to know her. These practice paintings helped me get a more realistic final painting.
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Several years ago I dedicated myself to painting seascapes. I painted one after another. I studied my photos as I painted and as time went on I noticed more things about the ocean and waves. These little details are what made my paintings better.
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By nature I am an impatient person. I’ve heard it said that the Aries motto is “Ready, Fire, Aim.” It is certainly true about me. When I’m painting, I rarely draw anything beforehand. I immediately want to get to the fun part of splashing paint onto the page. But I am often reminded that if I took some time to look at and study my reference photo I would get better results.
I took a close up of a Gerbera Daisy, so I could see the details. A great start! But I dove in too quickly and ended up struggling. My painting had twice as many petals as it should have and looked off. I’m sharing the lesson I learned with you:
Take time to look at and study your reference before painting.
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I’ve partnered with DuelGood to create a Watercolor St. Patrick’s Day Challenge! Enter for a chance to win a $25 Blick gift card.
DuelGood is a global social platform to inspire creativity, build connections and do good in the world by engaging people in fun, easy-to-execute challenges.
This post contains affiliate links to products/brands I use and recommend. I earn a small commission whenever you buy using these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
This post contains affiliate links to products/brands I use and recommend. I earn a small commission whenever you buy using these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
I remember when I realized I loved watercolor. It was during the early days of my blog, when I was exploring mediums. I pulled out my watercolors to make working in my sketchbook more fun and that was it! Watercolor has been my primary medium ever since. It has a magical quality that I love!
I enjoy sharing everything I have learned. There are tips and techniques that can make a world of difference for a beginner. I love designing watercolor painting projects that not only teach fundamentals but allow beginners to have the success of a beautiful final painting!
Beginner Watercolor Lessons
Below are beginner watercolor painting lessons that are a great way to experience watercolor! Each lesson is available as an inexpensive printable PDF with step by step instructions and photos. Some lessons are also available in video format.
Watercolor Coneflower Painting Lesson
Embrace the fluidity of watercolor while creating this beautiful background. Learn to paint realistic looking flowers. Perfect for spring!
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Starfish Watercolor Painting Lesson
I created this lesson while teaching a friend about watercolor. I wanted something easy, no pressure – where someone could experience creating a beautiful background with colors bleeding into one another. In the later steps experience painting layers to create the details of a starfish.
This painting lesson is fun and easy. There is no pressure to draw – we let the tape do the work. In the early steps experience the magic of colors bleeding and blending. Use any colors you’d like! In later steps we work “drier” to create realistic looking birch trees.
This painting lesson is a a color explosion! Creating the background is so fun as you learn to embrace watercolor bleeding and blending. And for painting each scoop of ice cream – a different technique is used!
Embrace the vibrant colors of fall with this step by step tutorial. Trace the barn and create the farm house with a few pieces of tape – no drawing required!
Irish Fields of Green Irish Landscape Watercolor Painting Lesson
This landscape of Ireland may look difficult but don’t let it fool you! With the help of painters tape and following the step by step directions, you’ll be painting the greens of Ireland in no time!
The Northern Lights look like watercolor in the sky! Create your unique lights by following simple steps. A template is provided for you to trace the polar bear – no drawing required. Magic results await you!
After practicing seascapes over and over, I developed a process to follow. In this lesson you’ll paint from a specific photo and learn the seascape painting process. Going forward you can use this process to paint any seascape! A basic understanding of watercolor is all that’s required. You’ll surprise yourself with the results!
The supply list is included once you download a lesson. Besides more common watercolor supplies, I often use painter’s tape. I use it to tape down my paper – so it doesn’t buckle when it gets wet. I also use it to create straight horizon lines and in many painting lessons to mask areas. It takes the pressure off of having to draw.
Coming up with your own painting ideas and other tips for beginners
Take photos when you are out and see something that inspires you.
Search on Google and Pinterest for photos that will make a great reference for an idea you may have. Pinterest is a great place to collect reference photos. (You can pin photos from Google to Pinterest also.)
Look through your photos and write an ideas list.
When you select a photo to use as your subject, make a note of the specifics (date and time). It’s frustrating when you come back to a project and can’t find the reference photo.
Use scrap paper or your sketchbook to test and plan out color mixes for your painting.
Consider a trial run of your painting. I sometimes do smaller thumbnail versions to try out different variations. If I have plans for a painting to be a tutorial, I often paint a smaller version to work out the exact steps of the painting before painting the final painting.
Consider painting two versions. This makes a painting feel less “precious.” You’ll feel freer to try out different things without worrying about ruining a painting. It also comes in handy when you have to wait for the layers to dry. Just switch paintings. Two versions can be a great learning experience.
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This Fields of Green Watercolor Painting Project will get you in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day and take you on a “visit” to Ireland!
Beginner Watercolor Painting Idea for St. Patrick’s Day
Ireland is said to have “40 Shades of Green” and in this beginner watercolor project we’ll use as many shades as possible! Beginner friendly! Step by step tutorial with photos walks you through painting this Irish landscape.
In addition to learning all these techniques – you’ll have a beautiful final painting when you are done!
Supplies you’ll need:
Watercolor paper. I use 9” x 12” Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. Trim to 9” x 11” to create a painting that works well in a 8” x 10” mat.
Painter’s tape – 1” wide
Watercolor paint. Colors: shades of green and/or blue and yellow for mixing greens (a touch of red can be added too), blues for sky (turquoise or other blue) and ocean (prussian or ultramarine blue), black, and orange (can mix with yellow and red) AND…
Gouache – White Gouache (Gouache can go over watercolor. It is less translucent.)
Paint brushes – 1 large round brush – #6, one thin round brush – #1
Container of water
Paper Towel
Palette for mixing paint with water and mixing colors. Use a plastic lid or the top of a plastic egg carton.
Pencil, eraser (kneaded is best), ruler and scissors
Scrap of paper. Always test color mixes before touching your painting with your brush.
Watercolor is such a magical medium! I love it. As I sit and paint I often think that no matter what the subject – a landscape or illustration – the painting process is similar. There are basic concepts that apply to almost every painting.
If you are new to watercolor – welcome! Think about these concepts as you paint:
Basic Watercolor Concepts
Work light to dark.
Work wet to dry.
Work bigger brush to thinner brush.
Build up the layers of paint, remembering tips 1-3. Allow time for paint to dry between layers.
Unless you want colors to bleed into one another, do not paint next to wet paint.
Find opportunities in your subject for the bleeding and blending of colors – that is the magical quality of watercolor!
Basic Watercolor Concepts explained
1-3. Work light to dark. Work wet to dry. Work bigger brush to thinner brush.
When you begin a painting your brush should be fairly wet (with paint and water). The paint should glide onto the paper. You can even wet the page or an area of the page with water before you touch the brush to the wet surface.
These beginning blobs are the first layer of your painting. Usually they are the lighter colors. After they dry you can add more paint on top of them. With each layer your brush should be less drippy, so you can paint finer and finer details. With a drier brush the paint spreads less when it touches the paper.
4. Build up the layers of paint
The stages of a watercolor painting are like a camera coming into focus. The first layer is blurry. Each layer gets more and more crisp and detailed. Let the paint dry before adding another layer, so it doesn’t bleed into the last layer. As you paint the later layers, work with a thinner brush. It makes it easier to paint fine lines.
5-6. Watercolor bleeding and blending
When you want it to happen, the bleeding and blending of colors is beautiful. It creates such interesting effects. The watercolor paint is doing the work for you! Think reds and greens bleeding into one another to create fall foliage. When you don’t want this happen, let paint dry before adding wet paint near it.
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For three months this sunset painting sat unfinished. I couldn’t motivate to pick it up and work on it, until now. What changed?
For one thing, with the holidays behind us and a new fresh year ahead, I recommitted to creativity. My goal is to sit and paint every morning for at least 15 minutes. So far this year, I’ve done just that plus a few days at the end of 2020.
When I sit down to paint I usually have no plan. Sometimes I start by organizing my art supplies. That’s when I uncovered this painting (but immediately set it aside). I often start by playing in my sketchbook. There is no pressure with a sketchbook. I feel free to explore. As I paint, ideas come to me.
It’s so interesting how you can go from no idea…to painting bananas…to “It’s time to finish that sunset.” It just proves how important it is to regularly sit down to paint, to show up every day.
There are days that nothing exciting happens on the page, but that’s part of the creative process too. No matter what the results, time spent being creativity clears my mind.
I encourage you to paint, draw (or whatever) for 15 minutes each day. You never know what it will lead to!
