Watercolour Techniques — Painting Tips & Guidance

Watercolour — The Most Versatile Medium

Watercolour is one of the most versatile and beloved mediums in art. From soft, dreamy landscapes to precise botanical illustrations — watercolour offers boundless creative possibilities.

Here we introduce the key techniques that open the door to this wonderful world.

Fundamental Techniques

💧 Wet-on-Wet

Apply wet paint onto a wet surface. The colours flow together and create soft, organic edges. This technique is ideal for:

Skies and clouds
Water surfaces and reflections
Soft backgrounds
Abstract work

Tip: Control the moisture level of your paper — too wet and the colours become too diluted, too dry and you lose that beautiful soft flow.

✏️ Wet-on-Dry

Apply wet paint onto a dry surface. This gives crisp edges and precise lines. Well suited for:

Detail work and texture
Buildings and architecture
Foliage and flowers
Faces and portraits

Advanced Techniques

🔍 Glazing

Apply thin, transparent layers one on top of another, allowing each to dry fully before adding the next. Each layer adds depth and richness. This is the key to realistic watercolour painting.

Example: To paint an orange shadow, start with a yellow layer, let it dry completely, then apply a red layer over it. This produces a deeper, more vibrant orange than mixing the colours directly.

🧹 Lifting

Use a clean, damp brush to lift colour from a dried surface. This creates highlights, clouds, and luminous effects. Some colours (e.g. staining pigments) are harder to lift than others.

🧂 Salt Technique

Sprinkle coarse salt onto a still-damp painting. The salt crystals draw the pigment towards them and create beautiful crystalline patterns. This is great for suggesting:

Snowflakes
Stars
Leaf texture
Water surfaces

🖌️ Dry Brush

Use a semi-dry brush on a dry surface. The texture of the paper shows through, creating a rough, textured stroke. Perfect for:

Grass and tree bark
Ocean waves and surf
Aged wood and stone

🎭 Masking

Use masking fluid (liquid frisket) to protect white areas before you paint. Once dry, you can rub off the masking fluid to reveal clean, bright white underneath.

Particularly well suited for:

Highlights on water
White flower petals
Snow-capped peaks

Specialty Techniques

💦 Splatter

Flick paint from your brush onto the painting to create a spray effect — great for snow, stars, or texture.

🔥 Cauliflower / Bloom

Drop water onto a partially dried layer — the water pushes the pigment outward and creates a distinctive blooming, cauliflower-like pattern.

📐 Negative Painting

Paint around a shape rather than the shape itself — this creates depth and a sense of layering.

🧊 Plastic Wrap

Press cling film onto a wet layer — when removed, it leaves behind a richly textured, crystalline pattern.

Which Watercolours Do We Stock?

At Föndurlist we carry quality watercolours from the leading manufacturers:

White Nights — professional Russian watercolours at an affordable price
Roman Szmal Aquarius — handcrafted Polish watercolours
Daniel Smith — world-renowned watercolours
Holbein — Japanese watercolours (available by special order)
Sakura Koi — popular travel sets

🛒 Shop Watercolours at Föndurlist 📚 More Articles

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Watercolour Techniques — Everything You Can Do with Watercolours