Watercolour Painting Foundations: From First Wash to Finished Picture

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

1. 01

   Module 1: Getting Started – Materials and Setup

   • Choosing your watercolour paper: weight, texture, and size
   • Brushes explained: shapes, sizes, and what to buy first
   • Understanding paint: tubes, pans, and student vs artist grade
   • Setting up your palette and mixing area
   • Essential extras: water pots, masking tape, and a sketchbook
2. 02

   Module 2: Water and Brush Control

   • Loading your brush: how much water is enough?
   • Making a flat, even wash
   • Creating a graded wash from dark to light
   • Painting a clean, sharp edge
   • Practice exercise: wash swatches and simple shapes
3. 03

   Module 3: Colour Basics and Mixing

   • The colour wheel: primary, secondary, and tertiary colours
   • Warm and cool colours: how they affect your painting
   • Mixing greens and browns without mud
   • Creating light and dark values with water, not black
   • Practice exercise: mixing a colour chart from three primaries
4. 04

   Module 4: Wet-on-Wet and Soft Edges

   • Pre-wetting paper: how and when to do it
   • Dropping colour into a wet surface
   • Controlling blooms and backruns
   • Painting a simple sky with clouds
   • Practice project: a soft-focus landscape background
5. 05

   Module 5: Wet-on-Dry and Sharp Details

   • When to use wet-on-dry for precision
   • Layering colours without disturbing the layer below
   • Painting a simple flower or leaf with sharp edges
   • Adding fine lines and small details
   • Practice project: a detailed botanical study
6. 06

   Module 6: Glazing and Building Depth

   • What is glazing? Transparency and drying time
   • Planning your layers: light to dark
   • Glazing a simple still life object (e.g., an apple)
   • Correcting mistakes with glazes
   • Practice project: a layered landscape with depth
7. 07

   Module 7: Lifting and Correcting

   • Lifting wet paint with a thirsty brush
   • Lifting dry paint with a damp brush or tissue
   • Creating highlights in clouds, water, and reflections
   • Using masking fluid to preserve white paper
   • Practice exercise: lifting techniques on a test sheet
8. 08

   Module 8: Painting Simple Shapes and Forms

   • Seeing shapes: simplifying a subject into basic forms
   • Painting a sphere: light, midtone, and shadow
   • Painting a cylinder and a cube
   • Using colour temperature to suggest form
   • Practice project: a simple still life with three objects
9. 09

   Module 9: Composition and Focal Points

   • Rule of thirds and other simple composition guides
   • Creating a focal point with contrast and detail
   • Using negative space effectively
   • Thumbnail sketches: planning before you paint
   • Practice project: a composed landscape from a photo
10. 10

    Module 10: Painting Skies, Trees, and Water

    • Painting different sky effects: clear, cloudy, and sunset
    • Simple tree shapes: foliage and trunks
    • Painting still water and reflections
    • Painting moving water: ripples and waves
    • Practice project: a complete landscape scene
11. 11

    Module 11: Putting It All Together – A Final Project

    • Choosing your subject and reference image
    • Planning your layers and colour palette
    • Painting the background and midground
    • Adding foreground details and final touches
    • Reviewing your work: what worked and what to try next
12. 12

    Module 12: Next Steps and Continuing Practice

    • Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
    • Exploring different watercolour styles (loose, detailed, abstract)
    • Building a daily or weekly practice habit
    • Finding inspiration: books, online resources, and local groups
    • Preparing your portfolio and sharing your work