How to start watercolor painting with basic supplies and simple washes
Watercolor is a forgiving, portable medium that’s great for beginners. With a few basic supplies and simple wash techniques you can start making expressive color studies in a single afternoon. This guide breaks the process into clear steps so you can practice confidently and see steady improvement.
Step 1: Gather basic supplies
Buy or assemble a small kit: one 9x12-inch cold-press watercolor pad (140 lb/300 gsm), a 12-color pan or tube set, two round brushes (size 6 and 10), a 1-inch flat wash brush, a plastic mixing tray, a 16 oz jar for water, and a pencil with eraser. These essentials cover the papers, pigments, and tools you need without overwhelming cost or choice.
[Illustration: neatly arranged watercolor pad, small pan set, two round brushes, flat wash brush, palette tray, jar of water, pencil on a wooden table]
Step 2: Set up a clean workspace
Choose a flat table near good natural light or a desk lamp; lay down a towel to protect the surface and keep paper clips or a board to secure the sheet. Having an organized workspace helps you focus on painting without spills or wrinkled paper interfering with wet washes.
[Illustration: sunlit table with towel, watercolor paper clipped to board, palette and brushes arranged]
Step 3: Prepare your colors and water
Squeeze a little water into the pan paints or wet the pans with a damp brush for 30–60 seconds to activate pigment. Fill two jars: one for clean water and one for rinsing. Using two jars keeps colors purer and lets you control value and transparency more easily.
[Illustration: palette with activated pans, two jars of water labeled clean and rinse, brushes rinsing]
Step 4: Mix transparent values
On your mixing tray, dilute a medium pigment with 4–6 parts water to create a light wash and 1–2 parts water for a mid tone; leave a small unmixed blob for a stronger swatch. Testing these three values helps you plan layers and maintain luminosity in your washes by controlling pigment concentration.
[Illustration: mixing tray showing three graduated swatches from light to strong, brush resting on tray]
Step 5: Practice flat washes
Clamp or tape a 6x8-inch paper to your board. Load the 1-inch wash brush with a consistent diluted mix and paint horizontal strokes from left to right, keeping a wet edge, for about 2–3 minutes until the area is covered. Flat washes teach even pigment distribution and edge control—aim for smooth, uniform color with no streaks.
[Illustration: hand painting a horizontal flat wash across taped paper using a wide flat brush]
Step 6: Try graded washes
Start with a strong pigment at the top of a strip and gradually add water to the brush as you move down, blending for 60–90 seconds before the paper dries. Graded washes build value transitions and are useful for skies and backgrounds; practice three strips to gain consistency.
[Illustration: paper showing three vertical graded washes from dark to light, brush mid-stroke]
Step 7: Layer simple glazes
Once a wash is fully dry (wait 30–45 minutes or use a hairdryer on low), apply a second transparent layer with a different hue to create depth without muddying color. Glazing multiplies color relationships and allows subtle shifts in tone—work slowly and always let layers dry completely before glazing.
[Illustration: two-layer watercolor showing a warm glaze over a cool wash, dry paint surface visible]
- Start with 3–5 pans or three basic tube colors (primary red, primary yellow, ultramarine blue) to learn color mixing efficiently.
- Use a limited palette and make a small color chart of mixes so you can repeat hues reliably.
- Keep a spray bottle of water handy to re-wet pans and rework edges gently.
- Blot mistakes with a clean paper towel while still wet to lift excess pigment—don’t rub the paper.
- Practice for 15–30 minutes several times per week rather than long infrequent sessions to build muscle memory.
- Label your jars and change rinse water every 30–45 minutes to avoid muddying colors.
- Avoid scrubbing the paper when lifting paint; aggressive rubbing can pill or tear the surface.
- Do not soak low-weight paper (under 200 gsm) repeatedly—excessive wetting causes buckling and weakens the sheet.
- Keep brushes resting horizontally or bristle-up in a holder; storing them wet in a jar damages the ferrule and bristles.
- Never mix household solvents with watercolor paints; use only water to preserve pigments and your health.
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