Tuesdays Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for watercolor painting is back!

The Brushes are Ready & Waiting!

First tip of the new year ... just paint!

It's about time you start painting again or perhaps it's time to start painting period. Winter is a great time to paint.

Get out your brushes, paper, watercolor paint, a bowl of water. Find a comfy place to sit and spread out your supplies. Dip those brushes in water, then load the brushes up with paint and swash it all across your paper.

Paint with no abandon!

Favorite Bead of the Day

Red Tiger Loopy Bead

I've been editing photographs I have taken of my torch fired glass enamel covered metal beads. The stunning close up detail of this one bead fascinated me. This bead is approximately 18mm round and super lightweight.

A set of five red tiger loopy beads will be available soon in my Squier Etsy shop.

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Ironing Your Watercolors


A repeat from June 2009 - An excellent reminder!

Ever paint a very wet watercolor painting on 140 lb. paper only to end up with a warped wobbly painting? There is a very simple cure to this problem. Iron the painting! This works well with paintings done on quality 100% cotton rag watercolor paper. That is 100% cotton rag ... cotton ... yes, you can iron cotton. Just iron on the back.

1. Starting with a wavy watercolor painting, place it on the ironing board, or multi-folded smooth cotton material on top of art table. Preheat your iron, NO steam.

2. Flip the painting upside down and iron.

3. Allow painting to cool and you will have a flat painting ready to frame!

Give it a try! 

If you're nervous about it, test it on a practice painting.