Simple, joyful ways to build confidence and creativity.

Starting out in watercolour can feel overwhelming, but a few simple techniques will give you the confidence to explore and play. Here are five easy watercolour techniques to try at home.

1. Wet-on-Wet

Lightly dampen the paper with clean water, then drop in your paint. Watch as the colour blooms and blends beautifully. Perfect for skies and soft backgrounds. Blending different colours together on the page is such joy! To do this effectively make sure you choose 2 or 3 colours that are analgous colours, ie next to each other on the colour wheel. For example: orange, red, yellow or purple, blue, turquoise.

2. Dry Brush

Use a brush with very little water and drag it lightly over the paper. The broken, textured marks are great for grasses, bark, or rocky surfaces. This works best with a big brush - but experiment with different colours and brushes. This will work really well with rough paper, or cold pressed texture. Smooth paper won't have enough 'tooth' to create the required textures.

3. Salt Magic

Sprinkle table salt onto a wet wash and let it dry. As the salt crystals absorb the water, they leave behind snowflake-like textures. Brush off the salt once dry. Make sure the paint is not too wet when you add the salt - you don't want puddles.

4. Lifting Out

If you’ve painted an area too dark, don’t worry! While the paint is still damp, dab with a tissue or a damp brush to lift out highlights.

5. Splattering

Load your brush with watery paint, tap it against your finger, and let the paint splatter onto the page. This creates lively textures — great for foliage, sand, or starry skies. You can also get your old toothbrush out and have a go with that.

Tip: Keep a notebook just for experiments. Practising these simple techniques will quickly build your confidence.

Would you like to explore these with guidance? Join one of my watercolour workshops in Yorkshire and we’ll bring these techniques to life together.