#watercolor tutorial

Anyways, uh, actual ask: share your watercolor process + secrets?

Hi hello hello!!!! I love getting comments from you quasar, you're always so sweet! It makes my day. Plus you always asked the funnest questions and it really gets me thinking!

I'd say a lot of my 'secrets' come from the paper type I like to use, and just... a very, very old watercolor kit I've had for upwards of 10 years at this point! I've found the paints I like, mixed the colors I like, and organized it how I like. I am also super picky about the kind of paper I like to use- I don't actually like actual watercolor paper, the texture is a little too smooth for my liking. I prefer slightly thinner (but not too thin) heavily textured paper, usually some kind of quick drying multimedia paper.

When it comes to sketches: I USED to do ink outlines prior to painting, but I've been trying something new in this sketchbook! I've been sticking with pencil sketches that I refine, partially erase, and paint over.

When laying down color; I stick with the lighter colors first, in thin layers. I like to get my skin tones and then undertones down where applicable (see the left sketch- Casey's partially colored, it's right after this stage that I'd add blush colors, undertones, tattoos, etc. If those colors are too bold after, I'd water them down and dab them off or add another skin tone layer depending).

I like to keep it pretty simple though! Minimal layers, 3-4 tops. I think I am straying away from the harsh ink outlines though, it makes it easier for me to let characters blend into their environment / gives it a more 'storybook' look I think!

Right now I'm still experimenting a bit. It makes me SO happy that you enjoy the stuff I'm shitting out anyway!! <3 thank you!!! This was fun to share! And I also hope helpful? I'm not to great at explaining my own process, so I'm happy to clarify is needed!

For anyone who enjoys my watercolors and has wondered about my process or any watercolor advice I have for those interested in using it, I bring you Brushtale, a zine that compiles my thoughts regarding those very things!

Ever watched your art fall apart right in front of you? 😭🎨

Don't throw it out! The material science secrets from TroubleShooting-Guide.mp4 can save your next masterpiece:

Pencil Smudges: Lift graphite straight up with a kneaded eraser—never rub!

Muddy Paint: Let it dry completely before layering. Limit mixtures to 3 colors.

Warped Paper: Mist the back lightly and flatten under heavy books overnight.

Work with science, not against it! ✨🔬

Hm… Let’s see. Watercolor is a good medium for blending and layering color—it’s usually best to start lighter and add pigment in layers, since it’s hard to remove paint, and watercolor is transparent, so once the color’s been added it’s there to stay. Add your hi-lights first, and then your shadows. As an example of what can happen if you do the opposite, Well….

Yeah…. Probably should have cut my losses sooner with that one. It’s also a good idea to be flexible if you use watercolors, because unless you go really slowly, something’s going to end up in the picture that you didn’t originally plan for. Mistakes don’t always have to ruin your piece—sometimes they can enhance it:

In this case, the black paint smeared on the Cellist, and the piece was due the next day, so instead of starting over, I decided to make more sharp smears in the other parts of the painting and make it a part of the picture. I feel like it adds drama and makes the painting as a whole more interesting. Since this happened, it’s become a part of my art style to add background splashes and streaks of mismatched color, because I know I won’t be able to paint in the lines. Speaking of lines, let’s talk about line-art and watercolor. If you’re using ink of any kind for your pictures, either add it last or make sure it’s water resistant, because a lot of liners smear when they make contact with water. My favorite brand is Micron Pens, since they line cleanly, they’re fast drying, and you can paint right over them and they don’t smear at all!

If you want to, though, you can do line work with watercolors paints, you just need a detail brush, a high amount of pigment in proportion to water, and a whole lot of patience. Here’s an example of a piece I did where I used this technique:

This method tends to look more natural when you do it, so I tend to reserve it for my more ambitious art pieces. It takes a lot of time though, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re trying to paint fast. You can also just do Pencil underneath, without any darker lines. I did this a lot when I was younger because I preferred the way it looked back then:

Whatever look you want to achieve.

As to blending colors: Opposites tend to make brown, but you’ll get different kinds of brown depending on what shades you use. For example, if I mix the green and the red the Mad hatter is waring in the image above, I end up with a sort of foresty black color. If I mix an oreangy yellow with purple, I usually end up with a warmer almost honey brown color. One of the best ways to learn how to color blend is to pull out a piece of paper and just try different color combinations—paying attention to trends and noting which colors mix the best. It’s really fun, like science. (Technically it is actually science.) It’s something you’ll naturally get better at the longer you paint, so don’t worry if you can’t get the colors to look the way you want. I still can’t seem to make my green show up on my Black Cat designs, no matter what I mix. :(

See? You can barely tell his eyes are green. What’s up with that? Anyway….

For cheap Watercolor brands, Go with Crayola or Masters touch, and steer clear of any Crazy Art or anything that looks more like a Tums than paint. Dry watercolors are best if you want convenience or maximum possible control over the consistency of the paint1-they’re generally easier to use and easier to store. However, liquid watercolors (the kind you get in tubes that look a bit like acrylics when you squeeze them out) are usually better for higher pigment quality and tend to give you more options. They also have the added bonus of being long term use, even after they’ve dried out, so keep them on your pallet until they’re used up! Once they’re dried, they act basically the same as the ones that come dry, but still have the better pigment quality, so if you have the patience for that, they’re generally the better option. If you do use them wet, though, you can achieve some pretty interesting results:

They almost act as a sort of hybrid between acrylics and Watercolors, so that can be a lot of fun. :)

Winter is almost over in my corner of the world, so this painting is my farewell to this beautiful season, at least, until we meet again.

How to transfer sketches to watercolor paper

Ever created a drawing you really love, then decided that you wanted to paint it in watercolor (or transfer it to another type of paper)? Or maybe you just want to avoid smudges on your good paper? Or transfer a digital sketch onto paper?

This tutorial will help!

Start with a sketch on plain cheap copy or sketch paper (print if you need to, or photocopy your original sketch if you don't want to ruin it).

Next, flip the paper over (so you're looking at the blank side) and put it on a lightbox. Don't have one? No worries! Hold it up to a window, or put it on your iPad screen at max brightness.

Now, take an (ideally HB non-mechanical) graphite pencil and scribble all over the lines shining through, until it looks like a messy copy of your original sketch.

(First image is of just the graphite back, second is of the corner flipped so you can see the original sketch too)

Now, attach it to your nice paper graphite side down. Use tape on two corners (so it stays in place, but you can peel up the other corners to check it). 

Tips for easily released tape: Cut the tape to your desired length and put it on fabric, like your pants, and pull it off. Repeat a few times. The oils from your fingers plus the fibers will make it less sticky!

Now, trace the original side of your sketch with a ball point pen! You need a very sharp tip and to be able to see where you’ve drawn, so definitely use a ball point pen for this. Use firm pressure!! (Your hand will probably be sore if you do this all at once). Make sure you’re on a hard surface, too.

Tip: start in a corner you can flip to check, and make sure it's transferring properly. If not, add more/a softer graphite to the back and/or press harder.

When you're done, you'll have a light but visible pencil guide to paint right over!

Watercolor Tutorial with Yoichi Nishikawa