landscapes are a good starting point if you are new to watercolor.It's easy to use washes for a background, middle ground, and foreground.Once you've painted the key details of your landscape, such as mountains or a treeline, go back and paint smaller details that add to the atmosphere.
Step 1: Pick out what objects to include in your painting.
Decide what landscape you're going to paint.Paint a mountain, dessert, or pond.You can choose what season you want to represent.At springtime, paint a mountain landscape or lake.It is possible to choose a twilight, dawn, or evening setting.
Step 2: To make a sturdy base or table, tape the watercolor paper to it.
Place any size or weight of watercolor paper on a piece of cardboard.To secure the paper to the table, use masking tape.The paper will not slide around as work.Many landscapes are painted with the paper positioned horizontally, but you can paint with it vertically.If you want to include a tall structure such as an old windmill or silo, turn the paper vertically.
Step 3: There is a sketch.
Draw in your main focal points with a sharp pencil.This could include large trees in the foreground, the outline of a mountain range, or a small structure near a pond.It's possible to be simplistic or detailed in this step.If you want more guidance, sketch more things so you have a plan for the painting.
Step 4: Liquid masking fluid is used to fill in objects.
To paint the foreground objects, dip a small brush into a bottle of liquid masking fluid.The fluid will be protected from the watercolor washes that you'll do next.Take at least 30 minutes to dry the fluid.If you don't place objects in the foreground or dark, you can use liquid masking fluid instead.
Step 5: The background can be made with a broad watercolor wash.
If you want to make your own watercolor paint, you can dip a flat or oval brush in water and use it as a paintbrush.Rub the brush to make it wet.You should brush across the top of the paper.The objects in the foreground can be painted over with liquid masking fluid.To make a wintery sky, combine blue, red, and yellow to create a cool gray.
Step 6: The paper towel should be put into the wash to create clouds.
If you want to add clouds to your landscape, take a piece of paper towel and put it in the sky.Take the wash you just put in and use it to remove some of the color.This will make a cloud in the sky.The paper towel should be replaced if you make a lot of clouds.
Step 7: Paint the middle ground.
If you want the middle ground of your painting to be more detailed, rinse your large brush or use a smaller brush.You can mix the paint of your middle ground color and paint any of the key objects in the space.Make a greenish-brown color and use it to make a wash that will become a mountain range.It's important to wait until the sky or background is dry before painting the middle ground.
Step 8: Paint on the middle ground to create a treeline.
Once you've painted the sky or middle ground, dip a small brush into some green paint.The treeline should be brush into the sky or middle ground.The appearance of trees in the distance will be given by this.To create a richer atmosphere, apply a darker color to the treeline.You can blur the sky with the middle ground if you don't want to paint a treeline.To loosen the watercolor paint a little, take your wet brush and move it along both areas.
Step 9: The foreground can be painted with brighter colors.
If you want the foreground to appear closer to the viewer, make your colors richer and darker.If you're painting trees or plants, make them bolder or darker so they stand out against the other trees.If your foreground is made of snow or sand, paint with richer colors.To make a snowy foreground stand out, include deep blues or grays.
Step 10: Before adding details, the background needs to be dry.
The painting should be left to dry for 10 minutes.If the paper begins to warp, stop using the hairdryer on the cool setting.Once the washes are dry, you can begin painting.While the washes are still wet, paint the details while they are wet.If you're painting sand dunes in the middle ground, you should work while the sky is still wet.
Step 11: Rub off the liquid masking fluid.
You can gently rub the dried fluid off if you used liquid masking fluid.You can use a small paint brush to paint the object.Rub the dried fluid from the fence posts.There are details near the base of the posts, such as weeds or grass.
Step 12: There are small, natural details in the foreground.
Paint the details of objects in the foreground once you've established the background and middle ground.Use a small brush to fill in the outlines that you sketched earlier.If you're painting a field, make the flowers in the foreground blur into the middle ground.It's a good idea to include the most detail for flowers that are close to the viewer.If you want to add a speckled spatter effect to your painting, try putting paint on the bristles of a toothbrush.This will add texture to your piece.
Step 13: Shadows add depth to your landscape.
You can apply a cool gray color to the base of trees, rocks, valleys, or anywhere hidden by the sun in your painting.To make a shadowy effect, drag the color out with the brush.If you have trees or mountains next to the water, you should paint reflections in it.
Step 14: There are objects that are close to your viewer.
Paint individual flowers, leaves, stones, or animals with a very fine brush.If your landscape includes a road running through the foreground and middle ground, paint larger rocks along the road nearest to the viewer.The brush can be used to create rough patches of leaves or flowers.