Watercolor Painting Blog
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Watercolor Painting Blog

Web PlatformBlog & ResourceLarge readership membersFounded 2008

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Watercolor Painting Blog is a dedicated resource for watercolour artists covering techniques, materials reviews, artist interviews, and step-by-step tutorials that serve both beginners and experienced painters working in the medium.

Watercolor Painting Blog: A Dedicated Resource for Watercolour Artists

Watercolor Painting Blog is one of the most focused and practically useful online resources for watercolour artists, covering techniques, materials reviews, artist interviews, and step-by-step tutorials that serve both beginners who are just starting their watercolour journey and experienced painters who want to deepen their skills and knowledge. The blog's exclusive focus on watercolour makes it one of the most comprehensive and authoritative watercolour-specific resources available online.

The blog's commitment to watercolour as a primary subject is one of its most important characteristics. Unlike general art blogs that cover multiple media alongside watercolour, this resource is dedicated entirely to the watercolour medium, allowing it to develop a depth and specificity of coverage that is not possible in a more general resource. This depth of coverage makes it particularly valuable for watercolour artists who want comprehensive, medium-specific guidance.

The Technique Content

Watercolour technique is the central subject of the blog, with articles covering every aspect of watercolour practice from the most fundamental principles through advanced techniques that challenge even experienced painters. The technique content is grounded in direct painting experience and reflects a genuine understanding of the specific challenges that watercolour presents.

The wet-in-wet technique articles are among the most popular and practically useful on the blog, covering the specific approaches to applying wet paint to wet paper to create the characteristic soft, flowing effects that are one of the most distinctive aspects of watercolour. The wet-in-wet instruction addresses the specific challenges of controlling the flow of paint on wet paper, including the management of water content in the brush and the specific timing required to achieve different effects.

The wet-on-dry technique articles cover the complementary approach of applying wet paint to dry paper, which produces the sharp, controlled edges that contrast with the soft effects of wet-in-wet painting. The wet-on-dry instruction addresses the specific approaches to creating clean, precise edges and the specific ways in which wet-on-dry and wet-in-wet techniques can be combined in a single painting.

The glazing technique articles cover the specific approaches to building up complex colour and tonal effects through multiple layers of transparent watercolour washes, including the management of drying time between layers and the specific approaches to maintaining the transparency and luminosity of each layer. The glazing instruction is particularly valuable for watercolour artists who want to develop a more sophisticated approach to colour and tonal development.

The lifting technique articles address the specific approaches to removing wet or dry paint from the paper, including the use of brushes, sponges, and other tools to create highlights and texture effects. The lifting instruction is particularly valuable for watercolour artists who want to develop the ability to recover from mistakes and to create specific effects that are not easily achieved by other means.

The Materials Reviews

Materials reviews are another important and distinctive aspect of the blog, with detailed assessments of specific watercolour paints, papers, brushes, and other materials that help artists make informed purchasing decisions. The reviews are written by artists with genuine experience of using the materials being reviewed, and they provide the specific information that watercolour artists need to select materials that are appropriate for their specific needs and preferences.

The watercolour paper reviews are particularly valuable, covering the specific properties of different papers including their weight, texture, sizing, and how they respond to different watercolour techniques. The paper reviews address the specific differences between hot-pressed, cold-pressed, and rough papers, and the specific situations in which each type of paper is most appropriate.

The watercolour paint reviews cover the specific properties of different professional and student watercolour ranges, including their transparency, granulation, lightfastness, and handling characteristics. The paint reviews are particularly valuable for artists who are considering switching brands or who want to understand how different brands compare for specific applications.

The brush reviews address the specific properties of different watercolour brushes, including the specific differences between natural hair and synthetic brushes and the specific situations in which different brush types are most appropriate. The brush reviews are particularly valuable for artists who are developing their brush collection and who want to understand which brushes are most useful for different techniques.

The Artist Interviews

Artist interviews provide insight into the working practices of professional watercolour artists, with detailed discussion of the specific materials and techniques they use and the specific approaches they take to different aspects of their practice. The interviews are particularly valuable for artists who want to understand how professional watercolour painters approach specific challenges and who want to learn from the direct experience of accomplished practitioners.

The interviews consistently address the specific materials and techniques that each artist uses, providing practical information alongside the more general discussion of the artist's work and career. This practical dimension of the interviews is one of their most valuable aspects, connecting the inspiration they provide with specific technical information that artists can apply in their own practice.

The Step-by-Step Tutorials

Step-by-step tutorials are one of the most practically useful aspects of the blog, providing detailed, illustrated guidance on the creation of specific paintings from initial sketch through finished artwork. The tutorials are particularly valuable for artists who want to understand the complete process of creating a watercolour painting, including the specific sequence of steps and the specific decisions made at each stage.

The tutorials cover a wide range of subjects including landscapes, portraits, still life, and botanical subjects, with instruction that addresses the specific challenges of each subject in watercolour. The breadth of subject coverage means that artists can find tutorials relevant to their specific interests and can develop their skills across a range of different subjects.

The Colour Mixing Content

Colour mixing is another important area of the blog, with articles covering the specific approaches to mixing watercolour paints to achieve desired colours and the specific properties of different pigments that affect the mixing process. The colour mixing content is particularly valuable for watercolour artists who want to develop a more systematic and reliable approach to colour mixing.

The limited palette articles are particularly popular, covering the specific approaches to working with a limited selection of colours and the specific advantages of a limited palette for colour harmony and consistency. The limited palette instruction is grounded in the understanding that working with fewer colours forces artists to develop a deeper understanding of colour mixing and produces more harmonious results than working with a large palette.

The Bottom Line

Watercolor Painting Blog is one of the most focused and practically useful online resources for watercolour artists, providing comprehensive coverage of techniques, materials, and artist practice with a depth and specificity that reflects its exclusive focus on the watercolour medium. For watercolour artists who want access to comprehensive, medium-specific guidance and a community of fellow watercolour enthusiasts, this blog is one of the most important and valuable resources available.

Topics & Focus

Watercolour TechniquesMaterials ReviewsArtist InterviewsStep-by-Step TutorialsColour MixingPlein Air WatercolourStudio Practice

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Large readership

Founded

2008

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Public

Category

Blog & Resource

Subcategory

Watercolour

Language

English

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watercolourtechniquesmaterialstutorialscolour mixingplein airblogcommunitybeginnerintermediate