Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Side Load Your Flat Brush

Here I have used a flat one stroke brush. First I wet the brush with clean water. Then I load one side of the brush with indian yellow, then carefully dip the opposite side of the brush into a small pool of crimson lake.

With one quick circular swash of the brush, I have created a multicolor flower petal. The yellow and red blend together on the paper.

This is an excellent technique for quick, fresh multicolored flower petals. Works great for leaves too.

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Flat Brush Shapes

A flat watercolor brush isn't just for making square swashes of color. Learn to really use your brush.

• You can make the standard rectangular swash with a quick simple stroke using the wide flat part of the brush.

• You can also make a thin vertical or horizontal line with the tip of the brush and not too much pressure. Excellent for line work.

• Use the corner of the brush and vary the pressure as you swash your brush in an irregular pattern. Start with the corner of the brush and light pressure, applying more pressure and more of the bristles to the paper and then lighten up again. Good for creating leaves.

• Use the corner of the brush, by holding the brush at an angle.

• Vary the pressure as you're creating a swash to make the swash.

• With sticky paint, not so much water, spread the bristles apart, stroke the brush upward to make clumps of grass.

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Loosen Up Your Watercolors

Stop gripping those watercolor brushes so tightly. Loosen your grip, actually try to paint while holding your brush further up the handle. Keep your fingers off of the metal ferrule.

In sample 1, 2 and 3, the tree, grass and flower are painted with a tightly held and controlled brush. Often times, painting like this causes the strokes to become very uniform and rigid.

In samples 4, 5 and 6, the tree, grass and flowers are painted with a very loosely held brush. The hand is not resting on the table top. Use your arm a bit more and not just the hand. The strokes are freer and looser. The outcome is a more relaxed, carefree and emotional painting.

A bonus to this more expressive style would be the bristles will last longer and maybe your hand will not cramp up as well. Loosen up your grip on your brushes to create more expressive and free flowing watercolors.