Where to start - Suggested Tutorial Sequence (Patreon)

Hi everyone,

If you are new to painting in watercolour and are not sure where to begin with the tutorials I have posted here on Patreon, this post should help get you started.

When I made the tutorials I did not have an intended sequence in my mind but if you work your way through them slowly, your skills and understanding of this beautiful medium will begin to develop. Below, I’ve written a guide that should help you get started with the tutorials. I will add to and change this post as I create more beginner tutorials.

Where to find the tutorials.

Because Patreon displays each post I make in the order of when they were posted it takes time to scroll through to older posts. I have also found the search feature to be quite glitchy here on Patreon so I have made two tutorial indexes. One of them, the most useful, is on my website here: https://www.louisedemasi.com/new-index

After you click on the link above, scroll down a little and you’ll see the heading

‘Watercolour Tutorials on Patreon Index’.

Below that heading you will see thumbnail images of all of the tutorials I have made for Patreon.

I have the tutorials set out into the following categories:

Botanicals

Birds

Animals

Insects

Portraits and the Figure

Miscellaneous

Watercolour Technique Videos

Each thumbnail image of my painting is linked to the tutorial on Patreon. This index is the easiest way to find the tutorials you are looking for.

You must be logged into Patreon in order to have access to the tutorials.

Some longer tutorials I have split into Part 1 and Part 2 because they are easier for me to upload if they are smaller in size. I always write a message to everyone under the tutorials. If you come across a tutorial that is split into two parts you’ll find the link to Part 2 in my message underneath Part 1.

Labelling the tutorials for experience levels

Under each thumbnail on the index I have written the name of the tutorial and I have also labelled them ‘beginner’, ‘beginner to intermediate’, ‘intermediate to advanced’ and ‘advanced.’

Classifying each tutorial into the labels above isn’t easy. It’s guess work and I don’t always get it right. That’s because all of my tutorials are broken down step by step even the tutorials I have labelled ‘advanced.’

Beginner tutorials I class as being suitable for those painters who haven’t done a lot of painting. They are still developing their brush control skills and they need lots of practise with understanding the different paper wetness levels and they also need to gain experience with paint to water ratios. So much to learn!

Beginner to intermediate tutorials I class as painters who are still beginners but they have some experience. They may have been painting for a year or so and they are beginning to understand paint and water ratios. Their brush control skills are improving. The subject of the tutorial may be more difficult to paint than the subjects of the beginner tutorials.

Intermediate tutorials are for those painters who are able to control the brush fairly well and they have some knowledge of the different techniques used when painting in watercolour. They may have been painting consistently for a few years and their skills are improving but they are still developing. The subjects that are painted are more difficult than the beginner to intermediate tutorials.

Intermediate to advanced tutorials are for those painters who have good knowledge of the different techniques used when painting in watercolour. Their brush control skills are good, they can mix paint easily and they may be beginning to develop their own style of painting. The subjects that are painted are more difficult than the intermediate tutorials.

Advanced tutorials are for those painters who have excellent brush control. They understand all of the different watercolour techniques and they are aware of the importance of understanding the differences in water and paint consistency. They have developed their own style of painting and they might be beginning to experiment and change the painting they are doing to suit their own style of painting. The subjects are more difficult than intermediate to advanced tutorials.

As I mentioned - it is difficult for me to classify the tutorials into different levels so please use the classification as a guide only. Some painters who class themselves as beginners have had success with some of the intermediate tutorials and some intermediate painters may have had difficulty with some of the 'beginner to intermediate' tutorials. If you find a tutorial to be too difficult for your skill level you may need to repeat some of the beginner tutorials. Or perhaps you need to paint the painting a few times to have some success. I often paint the same painting two or three times before I am happy with my results. Have patience with yourself because watercolour is not an easy medium to use and it takes years of consistent painting to improve. If you have a passion to succeed you will, but it takes time and persistence. After 12 years of painting in watercolour myself, 7 of those full time, I am still learning and developing my skills. I don't think I will ever master this medium but I will have a lot of fun trying.

The 2nd index is pinned to the top of the Posts page on Patreon. It is a word index and it doesn’t have thumbnail images of all of the paintings but it is listed in alphabetical order with links to the tutorials and I have added the ‘experience level labels’.

It’s here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/34865676

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Tutorials to get you started if you are a beginner.

I have just started making a series of technique tutorials where I demonstrate exercises you can practice to help you gain confidence in painting with watercolour.

This is the first tutorial in this series - Wet on Wet Technique:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/81765951

Here is the 2nd tutorial in this series - Wet on Dry Technique

https://www.patreon.com/posts/83011899

Here is the 3rd tutorial in this series- Drybrush Technique

https://www.patreon.com/posts/84431782

Here is the 4th tutorial in this series- Glazing Technique

https://www.patreon.com/posts/86550285

Here is the 5th tutorial in this series - Brush Control Exercises

https://www.patreon.com/posts/96505688

I'll be making more tutorials like these where I demonstrate each watercolour technique.

Below are some beginner tutorials where you will complete a finished painting.

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Goldfish

This tutorial is for beginners who haven't done a lot of painting so it's a good tutorial to start with.

Goldfish Tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/posts/84879542

In this tutorial, you will paint the same goldfish three times. Each time you paint it, you will add more detail and practice different techniques. You will repeat some techniques and include a few more with each fish that you paint.

You will use the following techniques:

wet on wet

wet on dry

charging

colour mixing

blending on wet paper

Repeating the same subject will allow you to build your skills. It will help you to develop brush control, it will deepen your understanding of painting in watercolour and it will allow you to experiment with different techniques. I hope that it will build your confidence. It's not easy so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't get it at first.

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Cactus

This tutorial is similar to the Goldfish tutorial because it's another 'repetition' tutorial where you will paint the same subject three times.

Painting the same subject multiple times can be highly beneficial for beginner watercolour painters because you will develop your skills through repetition, you’ll hone your observational skills, and you will deepen your understanding of different watercolour techniques.

Cactus Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/87763039

You will use the following techniques:

wet on wet

wet on dry

colour mixing

lifting paint

create some intentional blooms

use gouache to add detail

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Banana

This beginner-friendly tutorial is an excellent way to learn an efficient painting method using just two complementary colours.

Throughout this tutorial you will explore a range of techniques including pre-wetting the paper, mastering the wet-on-wet method, and learning how to blend colours seamlessly into one another. As well as that, you will experience the wet-on-dry technique, discover how to lift highlights from dry paper, and play with varying paint consistencies, a key skill in mastering watercolour painting.

Banana Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/98422850

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Feathers

If you haven’t done much painting I suggest trying the Feather tutorial. In this tutorial there are simple brush exercises that you can try before you start painting.

Feathers Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/51986442

Included in this tutorial is the following:

Mainly wet on dry technique

Use of a limited palette

Simple brush stroke exercises

Mixing paint

Mixing a dark colour

Painting watercolour blooms

Blending edges

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The Seahorse

This tutorial is a little more difficult than the Feathers tutorial but you will be learning the wet on wet technique which makes watercolour such a beautiful and magical medium to use.

Seahorse Tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/posts/57898921

Included in this tutorial is the following:

Use graphite method to transfer the drawing onto the paper

Mix colours

Wet on wet technique

Wet on dry technique

Charging colours

Focussing detail in focal point

Not painting everything you see - simplify

Limited palette

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Pansy

I think this painting is more difficult than the Seahorse and the Feathers but in this tutorial we take a look at the wetness of the paper and how it effects the way the paint moves.

Pansy Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/46092819

Included in this tutorial is the following:

Wet on wet technique

Paper wetness demonstration - how the paint moves on different stages of wet paper.

A quick look at what happens when you put paint on paper that is too wet.

Creating soft edges.

Using different degrees of paint consistency – dark edges over the top of lighter edges.

Waiting for the paper to become damp- so that the paint doesn’t spread too far.

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Holly

The Holly tutorial isn’t too taxing. You’ll give your brush control skills a bit of a work out painting the berries.

Holly Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/44594860

In this tutorial you will:

Use the graphite method to transfer the drawing to the watercolour paper.

Use the wet on wet technique.

Create centre veins on the leaves.

Layer the paint to build tonal values.

Add depth to the holly berries with tonal values.

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Eucalyptus leaf tutorial - triadic colour scheme

The Eucalyptus Leaf tutorial is not too difficult but I would try and paint it on A3 size paper. I think it would be more difficult for you if you try to paint them smaller than I did.

Eucalyptus Leaf Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/50600620

In this tutorial you will:

Use a triadic colour scheme.

Paint a yellow underwash to make the leaves glow.

Mix colours.

Work wet on wet and wet on dry.

Paint an uneven wash allowing the underlying wash to show through.

Layer the paint to deepen tonal values.

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Pen and Wash Dragonflies

Watercolour and pen work well together and in this tutorial I take you step by step through the inking and painting of two dragonflies. This tutorial I have split into two parts- there is a Part 1 and Part 2. Part 2 is linked in my message under the Part 1 video.

Pen and Wash Dragonflies Tutorial:https://www.patreon.com/posts/32930648

In this tutorial you will:

Use a pen to outline the line drawing of the dragonflies

Work wet on wet and allow the paint to flow onto the background – loosen up

Use a technique called charging

Use plastic wrap on the background to create texture

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So there are a few beginner tutorials to get you started. There are more beginner tutorials that I haven't listed here. Also make sure you watch all of the technique videos that I have made because I think you will find them very useful.

You’ll find them on this index: https://www.louisedemasi.com/new-index  under the heading ‘Watercolour Technique Videos’ .

I have also listed them on the word index: https://www.patreon.com/posts/34865676 under the heading ‘Technique Videos and Beginner Tips’

Have patience with yourself and paint as often as you can because the only way you will improve is if you put that ‘brush mileage’ in. Forget about the outcome and enjoy the process of painting. If a painting doesn’t work, flip it over, tape it down and try again on the back of the paper. Paint it a third time if you have to and be sure to keep your early paintings because you can look back at them in a year or two from now and you will marvel at the improvements you have made.

Happy painting!

Louise

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