How to Paint a Watercolor Wash Background

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15 May, 2022

How to draw a watercolor background

Working with watercolor is a lot of fun. I like to draw water. Perfect for handwriting, abstract art, gift tags and more. Follow me on Instagram to see what I'm doing with this watercolor!

The best part is that it is almost impossible to spill! Perfect for all ages and all fitness levels!

Here is a video tutorial on how to draw a watercolor background.

Materials needed for washing with water:

Dr. P. H. Martens Bombay India Inc.
watercolor paper
flat brush 1 inch wide
leave it
Napkins or rags
color tape
Palette or paper
Apron (I never wear it and sometimes I regret it)

Best wishes:

Dr. P. H. Martens Bombay India I use color . They are very active and retain most of their color during the drying process. They also dry out some reflections. You can use this technique with any watercolor... but you'll lose your mind a little, and a little watercolor will create a calcareous finish.

Step 1

First, cut the paper to the desired size. I love the wonderful 5X7 inches, they are easy to shape later... fold like a postcard... or cut out for bookmarks or gift tags.

Step 2

Then stick the paper on a waterproof work surface. If you're unsure if your dining table needs painting... then don't! Take a clean pump board from the garage or side door and stick paper to it. Then place the plastic bag and work on it.

Step 3

Fill the gallery with color. It's very fluid, isn't it? Be careful when filling in the holes because it's runny... a little bit of paint goes too far... it almost fills my holes up and in the photo below I painted more than twice as much watercolor.

Step 4

Now use a brush and clean water. Apply a layer of water to the paper. Do not fill out the paper completely. I use an old teaspoon for a cup of water... so I don't accidentally drink!

Step 5

Now dip the brush in the desired color and paint over the paper with water.
Add other colors to taste. (Watch the video above if this doesn't make sense)

Color settings

Some colors work well, others don't. Do you remember learning to mix colors in elementary school? You know, red and yellow make orange... blue and yellow green... red and blue purple. These are good colors for water bonding as they blend into a new color.

It's better not to paint anymore (opposite each other on the tab of the color wheel)... like: red and green (though I did in the video), purple and yellow... and orange and blue. When these colors mix, they turn brown... or we call it mud.

Another good pairing tip is to use colors together in a rainbow or 3-5 groups on the color wheel. Red, orange and yellow look great on the same page. Yellow, green and blue favorites. Blue, green and purple work!

Create and try! Have a few older children play together to practice color theory. (The denial that my kids are old... my son is 11... so I can't remember what little kids can do... it's color... and it ruins everything.)

Step 6: Now wait until the paper is completely dry. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the process... but I often have a lot of work so walking for a few minutes is not a big deal.

When wet, the watercolor rolls a little. This helps keep the tape's shape when it dries...so keep it dry.

Step 7: Finally, remove the colored tape and enjoy the magic of mixed colors! I love how the colors rotate, change and blend.

Finding a problem:

If you find this method difficult... I advise you not to use enough water. Putting water on paper is a strange thing, but this method works.

Now add some handwritten quotes, use them as gift tags, hang them as art, cut out bookmarks, or fold them into handmade postcards. The colors are brilliant and blend beautifully!