Watercolor painting styles are unique and personal. There are as many styles as there are artists. Some paint very loosely, others “tightly” with a photographic quality to their artwork. Often artists will emulate other, more well-known painters.

One of Winslow Homer’s best known watercolors is “Breezing Up” (first titled, “A Fair Wind”) It was said in 1876, when this picture was exhibited, that it was in a class of its own. As one review put it, “Its sincerity and cleanliness of idea served as an exemplary antidote to the venality and corruption of post-Civil War American political life.” So not only was his actual painting style important but also the feelings it evoked following a difficult wartime.

A more modern artist Charles Reid, renders very loosely painted watercolors yet his compositions are well planned. He makes contour drawings of his subjects which emphasizes a linear quality. In these drawings he often attaches the subject to background shapes. This is done without explaining all of the subject’s boundaries. It gives his work an interesting quality.

His relationships between one form and another in his works are thought out in advance and the spirit of his subject is often captured through rhythm or gesture. These elements give Reid’s watercolors a distinct look which is loosely painted. It may appear that he quickly and spontaneously completes a painting, when actually much preparation has gone into it.

A third modern artist Timothy J. Clark, has a style which I consider to be somewhere between that of Winslow Homer and Charles Reid. His watercolors have the same well planned compositions as the previously mentioned artists. His skill and knowledge of his medium are evident in his work which is neither photographic in nature, nor painted very loosely. His paintings have a painterly quality which one is able to recognize as his own style.

A good painting is not only well executed, but draws the viewer in to experience the emotion the artist is conveying. This can be accomplished with any style or technique, if the work is coming from the heart. My advice is to practice emulating any artists’ work you like, but in the end just be you. You will find if you stay true to yourself, your own style will emerge; one which is uniquely yours.

Flat Wash Technique

The first technique is flat wash. This is the most basic watercolor technique. This is achieved by painting overlapping horizontal bands of pigment from top to bottom. A variation of the flat brush is the graded wash. This is done by diluting the paint a little for each band. This way the wash fades out gradually and evenly.

Glazing Technique

This is a technique in which you apply a very thin transparent color over a finished dry layer of color. This technique blends the colors finely. Non-staining, transparent colors are needed for this technique. In this technique, a soft brush is to be used with not much pressure.

Wet In Wet Technique – It is simply applying a wet wash down over a wet surface. In this technique just the painted paper has to be done wet evenly with the brush. A sponge could be used to absorb the excess water.

Dry Brush

Dry brush is a watercolor painting technique that is almost of the wet in wet technique. In this technique the brush is loaded with paint and not too much water. It is then dragged across the dry paper. This will produce sharp, crisp marks that will seem to come forward in your painting. Therefore, it is better to use this technique around your center of interest.

Wet in Wet

This is just the process of applying paint to wet paper. Depending on how wet the surface is, the results will vary from soft, undefined shapes to slightly blurred shapes. This watercolor painting technique can be used over washes as long as they are completely dry. Just use a large brush to wet the paper then paint onto the dampness.

Lifting Off Technique

This technique is used when the painter wants to remove color from a particular area of the panting. Usually, it is done by wetting the area which is to be removed by a sponge and then soaking the color with a tissue. Care is to be taken when this technique is applied as it can damage the painting.