What is Watercolor?

Watercolor is one of the most preferred painting types to create art. The watercolor paint consists of a color pigment and a binder to obtain the painting material. This technique is based on mastering the use of the paint and the water simultaneously. This method is also known as the aquarelle which signifies the water-based technique employed to create paintings. The name watercolor means the paint itself as well as the resulting art. 

What Do You Need to Start Watercolor?

There are some basic materials and tools you will need to start watercolor. First, you will need a paper suitable for watercolor. Your painting paper must be a thick one since you will use a lot of water on the paper. For this reason, the art paper must be durable against absorbing water.

Next, you will need to buy a set of watercolors. In the beginning, the fundamental colors will be enough to create the basic paintings. Also, you can always mix your colors to create the color you want to use. When you are doing watercolor, you can use water to create the shade you want. For this reason, fundamental colors such as red, yellow and blue will be enough to get you started.

Also, you will need a watercolor palette to mix the colors. The palette plays an important role in your watercolor painting process because you will be putting your colors in the palette. The other important thing you will need is a water container. The water container is necessary to clean your brushes and to achieve a lighter shade with your colors. Masking tape can also be useful if you want to create a frame for your watercolor. 

Which Rules Should You Follow for Watercolor?

When it comes to art, there are no rules in general. You can paint anything you want without feeling restricted. However, you need to know certain watercolor techniques to create more professional paintings. 

• You will use a lot of water to create your painting. The water will be your main tool and you will achieve the shades you want with water.
• You can work wet on dry or dry on wet. Wet on dry means your paper will dry and you will use water for your colors. On the other hand, dry on wet means your paper will be wet and you will use dry paint on your paper.
• You need to patient when you try to use different colors. If your paper is not dry enough, the colors may blend in an undesired way.

Advantages of Watercolor Painting

Compared to acrylic painting or any other medium, watercolor is relatively easier. Some of the main advantages of watercolor painting are as follows:

• Watercolor is a water-based painting method which means you will spend less time to clean up the mess. Water will be enough to clean your work environment as well as your tools.
• In terms of smell, watercolor has almost no smell. This makes it perfect for use at home or in a closed space. 
• You can take your watercolor set anywhere you want.
• The paper will dry quickly so you won’t have to wait for a long time to finish your painting.