The best watercolour tutorials will help you improve your art skills and take your watercolour creations to the next level. Here, we've collected our favourite watercolour tutorials into one handy post, so you can work your way through them, or pick and choose the ones you want to focus on.
These tutorials should be suitable for all levels, but we've divided them into basic techniques, and then follow along tutorials to help you create a particular look or unique aesthetic. We've also included some tutorials on mixed media, so you can mix watercolour techniques with other mediums. For more tips, see our post on essential watercolour techniques.
If you need to stock up on materials before you get started, then don't miss our roundup of the best easels or essential art supplies. You might also want to try honing your skills with the best watercolour paints on the market right now.
Basic watercolours
01. Watercolour techniques every artist should know
(Image credit: Brynn Metheney)
These essential watercolour techniques will help you get started with the medium, pointing out the things to consider when buying materials, as well as various techniques for experimenting with what you can do with watercolour. (Also check out our best watercolour paper roundup for the perfect base.)
02. How to work with colour in watercolour
(Image credit: Kelly McKernan)
If can be tricky to get a handle on colour when working with watercolours (try saying that one quickly). This colour technique tutorial by Kelly McKernan shows how limiting your colour palette can actually widen your possibilities.
03. A beginner's guide to watercolour tools
(Image credit: Kelly McKernan)
Like any medium, you'll get more from watercolour if you have the right tools. This watercolour toolkit tutorial covers choosing the right paper, paint, palette and brush, as well as any additional tools you might need.
04. A beginner's guide to watercolour brush techniques
(Image credit: Kelly McKernan)
Getting the right brush can make a big difference to your watercolour work. In this watercolour brush tutorial, Kelly McKernan shares how she uses different brushes to achieve different techniques.
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05. How to create glazes with watercolour
(Image credit: Tracy Lewis)
This watercolour glazing tutorial teaches you how to build up colour and glazes through an example watercolour painting. It focuses particularly on staining colours and working both wet-on-wet as well as wet-on-dry.
Watercolour practice
06. Use masking and spatter effects
(Image credit: Anna Sokolova)
This step-by-step tutorial by Anna Sokolova teaches you to add a new dimension to your watercolours with masking and spatter effects. Using granulation spray and citric acid alongside wax helps to give your watercolours a stylish aesthetic.
07. Master wet-in-wet watercolours
(Image credit: Hazel Soan)
This wet watercolours walkthrough shows you how to use the wet-in-wet technique to create a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The pigment is allowed to spread out unhindered, with some gorgeous, if a little unpredictable, results.
08. Paint a mischievous hare in watercolour
(Image credit: Hannah Brigg)
Learn how to paint a hare on the move with this tutorial by Hannah Briggs. Briggs takes you through every step of creating this watercolour, from initial sketch through to final artwork, giving tips on technique along the way.
09. Make a sparkling night sky in watercolour
(Image credit: Olga Sternyk)
This short fluid watercolours tutorial shows you how to use masking fluid and watercolours to create a stunning sky. Creating a sparkling evening sky is much easier than you think with this easy-to-follow technique.
Mixed media
10. Create a striking figure painting in watercolour
(Image credit: Dustin Nguyen)
This mixed media watercolour tutorial uses a mix of watercolours and Photoshop to create a striking figure. It focuses first on traditional techniques before scanning the painting and cleaning it up on Photoshop.
11. How to watercolour over digital artwork
(Image credit: Naomi VanDoren)
This mixed media tutorial takes the opposite approach of the one above, creating the artwork digitally first in Photoshop, before going over it in watercolour to add depth and colour.
Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.
