This free watercolor course is based on one I ran online with Zoom. I have decided to post it all on YouTube and will be a prerequisite for any new students who want to join my advanced classes – subject to availability. You can find all my videos, including the ones listed below on my YouTube Channel.

Here is a list of the videos, which you can see on YouTube. I have also provided a brief outline of each one.

Free watercolor course

Watercolor class 1 – Materials

This video covers the watercolor painting materials you will need for this course.

When people first decide to learn to paint with watercolors, they are often put off by the initial set up cost, if they buy the correct materials. These materials include artists quality watercolor paint (not student grade), good quality brushes, and paper. Poor paints, brushes, and paper, are often the first handicap an new student has to overcome. For this reason, the first dozen or so videos only require two brushes and three tubes of paint. Also all the paintings are done on smaller sheets of paper approximately 11″ x 7.5″ – this is what we call an eigth sheet. Later on additional brushes and paints will be required – and the size of the paintings we do will be quarter sheet.

Watercolor class 2 – Brush techniques

I cover techniques which show how to create different marks with a round watercolor brush. From soft wet-on-wet, to wet-on-dry, and various dry brush techniques.

These marks make up part of the language of watercolor. If you do not know how to successfully use a round watercolor brush you will find it very difficult to create all the wonderful effects watercolor is famous for.

Watercolor class 3 – Simple seascape

In this episode I paint a simple seascape using limited colors.

This subject uses all the brush techniques studied in episode 2 of this series. The seascape includes a dramatic sky, figures, the ocean, and rocks and waves. The next video will look at color mixing, tones, and creating a color wheel you can use as a reference for the remainder of this course.

Free watercolor class 4 – Tones

Knowing how to produce different watercolor tones is vital. It is the most important method to add depth to a watercolor painting.

This is the forth episode in my beginner watercolor course. In this episode I show you how to handle water to create various paint consistencies. This results in different tones. Tones are the dark or light components of a color. The next episode in this series will look at all the different colors you can produce with just the three we are using. The result will be a color wheel you can use with future paintings.

Watercolor class 5 – Color mixing

Covers color mixing with watercolors for my beginner watercolor class series. We produce a color wheel starting with just the three colors that are used throughout this course. This color wheel is very useful as a reference when producing the watercolor paintings during this course.

Watercolor class 6 – Clouds and skies

This is episode six of my beginner watercolor artist series.

These videos are designed to give new students to this medium the basic skills needed to progress their watercolor painting. In this episode we will cover four different skies with detailed step by step instructions. Each easy watercolor painting is then turned into a simple little landscape.

The paintings included are:

1. How to paint white fluffy clouds quickly.

2. Painting a sunset with watercolor.

3. A sunset with dark skies.

4. How to paint wispy clouds in a blue sky. Other topics I talk about are, darkand light tones, birds and mixing colors.

Watercolor class 7 – Boats and water

Episode seven in my watercolor beginner series.

In this video I cover:

1. How to draw simple boats.

2. Perspective and boats.

3. Painting boats in watercolor.

4. How to paint water.

5. How to paint light sparkle on water.

The paints I used in this painting are all made by Winsor and Newton and are artists quality. The colors are Winsor Blue (Red Shade), Permanent Rose, and Winsor Lemon. The paper is Arches Cold Pressed, 185 gsm.

Watercolor class 8 – Painting sunsets and trees

This is the eigth episode in my beginner watercolor series.

This video covers how to paint clean graded watercolor washes and how to paint trees and shrubs in silhouette. Paper and brush handling, composition, and design are also covered in parts.

Free watercolor class 9 – Wet-on-wet

The 9th video in my beginner watercolor series.

This episode covers the wet-on-wet technique, how to do it, and what to keep in mind to produce the effects you want as a watercolor artist. We will be painting a very furry baby panda, a good subject for learning how to create great wet-on-wet watercolor paintings.

Watercolor class 10 – Simple landscape painting of an old farm

Video 10 in my beginner watercolor painting series.

In this episode I cover the following:

How to paint trees and foliage. Mixing greens with watercolor paint. Drawing and painting simiple buildings. How to paint rust on roofs. How to hold your brush. Drawing simple, small cows. Warm and cool colors.

Watercolor class 11 – Complementary color mixing

Here I cover the following:

Paint consistency. Color mixing. Mixing complementary colors. The difference between secondary and tertiary colors. This is a great exercise to learn all about mixing teriary colors by adding secondary colors together. How to grey off colors to add depth to your painting.

Watercolor class 12 – right paint mix, at the right time, with the right brush

In this episode we paint a lovely sunset over a lagoon scene. I focus on teaching you how to mix the right consistency paint, to place at the right place, with the right brush, on paper which is at the right wetness. Well, I get you on your journey at least.

Watercolor class 13 – 10 techniques for painting rocks with watercolor

Here are the subjects covered in this video: 1. Light, shadows, and rock form 2. Simple smooth oval rock 3. Sharp edged rocks 4. Creating rock shapes with a credit card 5. Using candle wax to preserve hightlights 6. Drizzeling water to create great tonal and form transitions 7. Painting grasses near rocks 8. Reflections of rocks 9. Textures on rock surfaces. Dry brush technique 10. Painting masses of rocks easily 11. Multi colored rocks.

Watercolor class 14 – Problems mixing dark colors with watercolor

In this episode I cover 6 topics which look at common beginner mistakes that hinder them from mixing correct tones and colors. I also cover my basic technique to help you start with the correct tones and colors to minimise later adjustments.

Watercolor class 15 – Bright vs dull watercolors. How to mix clean colors

If you have trouble mixing colors with watercolor paints, then this video is for you. The15th video in my beginner watercolor painting series, I give you critical information to help you mix clean, bright colors when you want them. I also cover how to mix various greys and where they are important. I aim to clear up confusions people often have about warm and cool colors which cause them to produce unexpected results when they try to mix a particular color. This is particularly true when the target is a bright clean color, but the result is dull and lacking vibrancy. An understanding of the information in this video is very important if you want to predictably mix the color you want quickly.

Watercolor class 16 – Drawing and painting cows with watercolor, side on view

If you paint farm landscapes you need to know how to draw and paint simple cows. This is part one of a series on how to draw and paint cows. While the painting is in watercolor, the drawing sections apply to any drawing and painting medium.

Watercolor class 17 – How not to create watercolor mud

Mud, when talking about watercolor painting refers to a section of the painting which is not smooth and transparent looking. Instead, it looks dull and lifeless. If the paint is not allowed to flow on the paper, you will not see the colors softly merge with one another, which is one of watercolor’s beautiful qualities.

Watercolor class 18 – Mixing Greens with watercolors

In this video I cover how to mix greens with watercolors. The topic is also relevant to oil and acrylic painting as well. This videos explains the main reasons students often struggle to mix the right green. Topic covered include which colors I use and why I use them. In this way you can apply the knowedge to your own colors that you use to mix greens. Or you can use my own. I only use Artist’s Quality watercolours, which are made by Winsor and Newton. However there are a number of other quality brands out there as well.

Watercolor class 19 – 5 techniques for preserving whites in your watercolor painting for beginners

This video looks at different techniques for preserving or creating the white in your watercolor paintings. One of the most common questions I get asked is, “Do I use white gouache for my white?” This is a fair question. While I am not against the use of gouache, I only use it for minor adjustments or corrections. Most of the whites found in my paintings are just the white of the paper.

Watercolor class 20 – Splatter watercolor technique. How to create it, problems students experience and their solutions.

Many watercolor artists use splatter (or spatter) techniques to create interesting and useful textures in their paintings. It can be used to add depth to a painting, or texture on old buildings, or just beautiful abstract shapes. Spatter can make a flat shape more interesting by dividing it into more interesting shapes.

Watercolor class 21 – Painting fog and mist

How to paint fog and mist with watercolors. Watercolor wet-on-wet technique is particulary good for painting fog and mist scenes. This video is part of my beginner watercolor series, though also useful for more experienced artist. I cover atmospheric or aerial perspective and how to take advantage of it when creating misty or foggy scenes with watercolor paints. Reflections in mist and fog are also covered.

Watercolor class 22 – If your watercolor painting is drying too fast, the correct use of a spray bottle will be a big help.

The biggest problems beginner watercolor artists have is that their painting is drying too fast. This video will help you paint a better painting and will take away some of the stress watercolor painting can create. The correct way to use a spray bottle is critical to keeping your painting at the right moisture level to allow you to paint without creating cauliflowers. This video explains the critical relationship between water and watercolor painting on the surface of your watercolor paper.

Watercolor class 23 – How to wet your watercolor paper. Wet the back and sometimes the front. This video tells you how.

Do I wet my watercolor paper? Yes, but usually not the front, only the back. This video explains why paintings dry so fast and what to do about it. This is the 23rd video in my beginner watercolor artist course.