How do you paint with watercolor? What are pigments? What kind of paper do you use for watercolor painting? In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know to get started. If you’re only interested in certain topics, feel free to use the table of contents to jump directly to what you want to explore.
Watercolor Painting – A Brief History
Watercolor as a technique is often attributed to the Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), who created some of the earliest known preserved watercolor artworks.
Dürer was born in Nuremberg and became one of the most influential artists of his time. His travels to Italy brought him into contact with many Renaissance artists and inspired his approach to materials and technique.
One of his most famous watercolors is Young Hare (1502), which you’ll often see reproduced in art history books.
What Does “Watercolor” Mean?
Watercolor (from the Italian acquerello, derived from acqua – “water”) is a transparent painting medium. The colors are made of pigments mixed with a plant-based binder, most commonly gum arabic, which allows the paint to dissolve in water.
Is Watercolor the Same as Tempera or Kids’ Water Paints?
Technically, any pigment that dissolves in water can be called water-based paint. However, the term “watercolor” typically refers to artist-grade paints with a high concentration of pure pigment.
Many inexpensive “watercolors” sold for children contain very little pigment, making it difficult to create vibrant colors. These paints also fade quickly. While they can be fun for play, they are not ideal for learning the real potential of watercolor.
Other water-based paint types include gouache and tempera. Gouache uses the same binder as watercolor but is opaque rather than transparent. Tempera usually uses egg yolk as an emulsifier.
The essential difference in watercolor is that you don’t add white pigment to lighten a color; instead, you dilute it with water and let the white of the paper show through.
Materials for Watercolor Painting
One of the great things about watercolor is how little you need to get started. Compared to other forms of painting, watercolor takes up less space and requires fewer supplies.
Watercolors
If you’re buying watercolors for the first time, my best advice is to avoid purchasing a large, expensive set right away. Instead, start with just six colors: a warm and cool version of each primary color (red, yellow, and blue).
This allows you to learn how to mix your own hues and discover whether you enjoy the medium without making a big investment.
Good quality paint contains a high pigment load, which makes it easier to achieve strong colors and blend them beautifully. Poor-quality paint can frustrate even the most enthusiastic beginner.
If you do prefer to get a set, look for a metal watercolor box with enough room to hold a good range of pans. Smaller plastic sets are often limited and harder to expand over time.
Most artist-grade watercolors come in half pans, though some brands (like St. Petersburg White Nights) produce larger full pans. The pans are interchangeable between brands as long as they fit your palette box.
Other Watercolor Products
You’ll see a huge variety of other watercolor supplies—liquid watercolors, watercolor tubes, watercolor pencils. My advice is to begin simply and learn the fundamentals before experimenting with specialty products.
Liquid watercolor tends to have a short shelf life and can be wasteful if you don’t use it quickly.
Watercolor pencils are a wonderful tool, though I recommend trying them later on. They can be used to add fine details over a watercolor wash or as the base of an entire painting. You simply draw your subject and then activate the color with a wet brush so the pigment flows.
Tube watercolor is useful for large areas because you can squeeze out more paint and dilute it. However, pre-mixed paint doesn’t keep well. If you do store it, make sure it’s sealed airtight, and always check the smell before reuse.
Watercolor Paper
You can’t use ordinary paper for watercolor. Regular paper absorbs water unevenly, causing warping and tearing.
Watercolor paper is thicker, more textured, and specifically designed to handle wet media.
Paper Weight
For beginners, choose paper that’s at least 140 lb (300 gsm). This weight can handle repeated washes and layering without falling apart.
Cotton Paper
High-end watercolor paper is made from cotton. It feels soft and luxurious, absorbs water beautifully, and allows you to lift or blend color more easily. However, it’s too expensive to practice on in the beginning—save it for later when you have more control over your technique.
Paper Texture
You can choose smooth (hot-pressed), rough, or cold-pressed paper.
- Smooth paper is best if you plan to draw detailed linework before painting.
- Rough paper creates more texture but makes precise edges harder.
- Cold-pressed paper has a lightly textured surface that’s forgiving for beginners.
I personally prefer a medium texture—not too rough—because it balances control and character.
Paper Color
Bright white paper is recommended when you’re learning. Since watercolor is transparent, the paper color affects how the paint looks. White paper also acts as your “white paint,” since watercolor itself doesn’t contain opaque white pigment.
Pads vs. Sheets
Individual sheets of watercolor paper are more affordable per sheet but harder to store and transport. Pads keep your paper flat and protected.
No matter which you choose, I recommend taping the paper to a sturdy board with painter’s tape. This prevents buckling as it dries.
Painter’s Tape
Use a good-quality painter’s tape. Cheap masking tape can stick too strongly and tear your paper.
Many artists prefer UV-resistant painter’s tape (usually blue or green). It costs more but lasts longer and peels cleanly.
Brushes
A good watercolor brush is one of the most important tools.
Start with a round brush in at least a size 8 with a fine point. This size can create both broad strokes and details. You can add a smaller detail brush later.
Natural-hair brushes (like sable) hold more water and pigment but can be expensive. Synthetic brushes labeled “gold sable” or “synthetic squirrel” are excellent alternatives.
Hold the brush in your hand before buying it—comfort matters, and the right weight and thickness make a big difference in control.
Cleaning Watercolor Brushes
Always rinse brushes with clean water only—no soap unless absolutely necessary. Never leave them standing on their bristles.
If you want to soak a brush, use a brush washer that suspends it tip-down.
If your brush starts to splay, try gently reshaping it with your fingers when wet. If it continues to lose its point, it’s time to replace it.
Mixing Trays
Many palettes have built-in mixing areas. If you need more space, use a simple white plate or a disposable cup for larger quantities of paint.
Water Quality
Water can contain minerals or chemicals (like chlorine) that affect paint. Some artists prefer to use distilled or demineralized water. Personally, I usually use regular tap water without issues, but if you live in an area with hard water, you might see unexpected effects.
Pencils for Sketching
If you plan to draw an outline before painting, use a soft graphite pencil (marked B). Hard pencils (H) can scratch the paper and create grooves that hold pigment unevenly.
Mechanical pencils with 0.5 mm or 0.7 mm leads in 2B are a good choice.
Never press hard—lightly glide the pencil over the paper.
Erasers
Use a kneaded eraser rather than standard plastic erasers. Kneaded erasers lift graphite gently without leaving residue that resists watercolor.
Mounting Board
Choose a lightweight, sturdy board that’s larger than your paper. This allows room for tape and keeps your work stable.
Paper Towels
Keep absorbent paper towels within reach to lift excess moisture or dab your brush clean. Some artists prefer cotton cloths, but paper towels are more absorbent and disposable.
Recommended Watercolor Brands
Many excellent brands are available in the U.S.:
- Winsor & Newton
- Daniel Smith
- Schmincke
- Sennelier
- M. Graham
- Holbein
- White Nights (St. Petersburg)
- Old Holland
- Lukas
You only need six colors to begin:
- Reds: Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light
- Yellows: Lemon Yellow, New Gamboge
- Blues: Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue
This combination gives you a warm and cool version of each primary color so you can mix any hue.
Preparing to Paint
- Fill two jars with water
- Tape your paper to your board
- Wet each color pan with a drop of water
- Moisten your brush
- Have paper towels ready
How to Paint with Watercolor
Watercolor is all about brush control and letting the water do part of the work.
A great first exercise is to load your brush with a single color and see how far you can pull it across the paper in one stroke. Try to create even coverage without obvious brush lines.
Aim for smooth, confident movements rather than dabbing or scrubbing.
Basic Techniques
One of the most useful beginner techniques is lifting paint with a paper towel.
When you create a “pool” of color, touch it lightly with a corner of the paper towel to absorb excess water.
You can also press a crumpled paper towel into wet paint to create texture.
Can You Erase or Fix Watercolor?
Watercolor is permanent once dry. Sometimes you can lighten an area by brushing it repeatedly with clean water and blotting, but this requires durable paper.
In extreme cases, artists carefully scrape the surface with a blade.
Opaque white paint (called “gouache white” or “Chinese white”) can cover small mistakes, but it will never look as bright as unpainted paper.
Watercolor Characteristics
Watercolor dries lighter than it looks wet. You often need multiple layers to achieve rich, vibrant colors.
Use a hair dryer cautiously—strong air flow can move pigment and create unintended effects.
Value (Tone)
Because watercolor is transparent, you must think in terms of value.
More layers = darker color.
More water = lighter wash.
Controlling Flow
When you paint two adjacent areas while wet, they will blend. Learning to control this is part of watercolor’s unique challenge and beauty.
Conclusion
This guide doesn’t cover everything about watercolor—you’ll learn the most by painting yourself. But you now have everything you need to start exploring this beautiful medium.
Enjoy your color journey, and when you’re ready, move on to Part Two of the watercolor course to learn more about value and layering.
