Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Technique

News, Patterns & Projects, Techniques, Tools & Materials
BY MARIE BROWNING

Learn to create natural, gorgeous color blends with watercolors using the wet-on-wet technique. I used Daniel Smith watercolors, but many of the color names I mention below are universal. For the full “Watercolors 101” article that this step-by-step accompanies, pick up a copy of Issue 5 of DO Magazine!

  1. Prepare your paint by misting the palette and colors with water.

Palette

2. Paint the centers of the flowers with a light yellow (Lemon Yellow).

Light Yellow

3. While the yellow is still wet, but without any large puddles, gently touch some orange color (Quinacridone Gold) to the bottom area of the yellow. It’s best to just dab the orange paint on with a light touch and let it blend on its own. If you play with it too much, the color will end up blending and making one color overall.

Lemon yellow

4.  Feel you added a bit too much color? Immediately soak up the paint with a tissue or sponge while it’s still wet, and repeat the steps. Let the entire area dry before proceeding. (That’s the hardest part!)

Dab

5. For the petals, use clean water to wet the petals, working on four to five petals at a time. Make sure to add the water to the entire petal.

Petals

6. Gently dab on some blue color (Cobalt Blue) to the base of the petal, and let the water soak up the paint, creating a nice blue-to-white gradation.

Cobalt