How to Paint a Watercolor Wash Background

Sports Info

19 May, 2022

How to paint washable wallpaper with watercolors.

Working with watercolors is a lot of fun. I love painting with watercolors. They are perfect for letters, abstract art, gift tags and more. Follow me on Instagram to see what I'm doing with these watercolor washes!

The best part about this technique is that it's almost impossible to go wrong! It's perfect for all ages and fitness levels!

Here is a video tutorial on painting a watercolor background:

Necessary consumables for watercolor:

dr Ph. Martens India Bombay Ink
watercolor paper
Flat brush 1 inch wide
water
towel or cloth
masking tape
pallet or paper plate
Apron (I never wear it and sometimes I regret it)

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

I use Bombay India colors by Dr. Ph. Martens . They are very light and retain most of their color during the drying process. They also dry some glossy paper. You can use this technique with any watercolor...but you'll lose some vitality and some watercolors will make the finish foamy.

Stage 1:

First cut the paper to the desired size. I like the large 5 x 7 inches, it's easy to frame later... fold like a postcard... or cut out for a bookmark or gift tag.

Step 2:

Then tape some paper to a waterproof work surface. If you are unsure about painting your dining table, don't! Take a piece of plywood left over from a garage or neighbor's and tape paper to it. Then put it in a plastic bag and work with it.

Step 3:

Fill the palette with color. It's very liquid, is that a word? It's liquid so be careful when you fill the holes...a little bit of paint comes out a lot...I filled my holes almost to the brim and got twice as much water washable paint as you see in the picture below .

Step 4:

Now use a brush and clean water. Apply a layer of water to the paper. Do not fill out the letter completely. I use an old mug of tea for my cup of water... so I don't accidentally drink one while I'm at work!

Step 5:

Now dip your brush in the color of ink you want and drop it through the water onto the paper.
Add more colors if needed. (Again, watch the video above if that doesn't make sense)

color combinations:

Some colors work well, some don't. Do you remember how you learned to mix colors in elementary school? You know, red and yellow make orange... blue and yellow make green... and red and blue make purple. These colors work well when placed side by side in water as they will blend into the new color.

It's better not to combine complementary colors (opposite each other in the color chart)... for example: red and green (although I did it in the video), purple and yellow... and orange and blue. These colors, when mixed together, result in brown... or mud as we call it.

Another mixing tip is to use colors that are close together on the rainbow...or groups of 3-5 colors on the color wheel. The red, orange, and yellow tones on the page are beautiful. Yellow, green and blue are my favorites. Blue, green and purple work too!

Be creative and try it! Let the *older* kids play with some hands-on color theory, too. (Warning: my kids are alive... I'm a baby at 11... because I don't have enough kids, because little kids know how... what's up... and then that's it.)

Step 6: Now wait until the paper is completely dry. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the process... but usually I have lots of other things to do, I'm busy with tricks with some tasks so being away for a few minutes isn't a big deal.

Watercolor paper creases easily when wet. The tape should help it hold its shape while it dries... so leave it on during the drying process.

Step 7: Finally, remove the strip and enjoy the magic of the mixed color. I love how the colors rotate, shift and blend.

Repair:

If you find this technique difficult... I don't think you're using enough water. Putting water on paper is weird, but that's exactly why this technique works.

Now add handwritten quotes, use them as gift tags, hang them up as artwork, cut them into strips as bookmarks or fold them into a handmade postcard. The colors flow and blend beautifully!