What is Watercolor?

HOW TO WATERCOLOR

Lessons:

Watercolor is a painting medium that uses pigments mixed in a water-based solution. It is known for its transparency, allowing light to reflect through layers of color to create a luminous effect. Watercolor is typically applied to rough, thick paper and can be manipulated by adding more or less water to achieve different levels of opacity and blending.

THE RULES OF WATERCOLOR

Plan Ahead: Lightly sketch your design with a pencil before painting. Watercolor is unforgiving—mistakes cannot be easily erased or corrected!

Build Colors Slowly: Dark watercolor cannot be covered up, so layering diluted paint slowly allows for better control. This also allows for more depth in colors.

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Mixing Colors: Always mix colors on the pallet, not directly on the paints. This keeps the colors vibrant and provides better control over the mixing process.

TECHNIQUES

ASSIGNMENTS

(What is Watercolor?)

CONNECTING THE CURRICULUM

Learning watercolor techniques supports the visual arts standards by:

VA.CR.1 & CR.2: Developing creative ideas and technical skill through watercolor methods like wet-on-wet and dry brush.
VA.RE.1: Encouraging students to reflect on how technique affects meaning in artwork.
VA.CN.1 & CN.2: Connecting to cultural and historical uses of watercolor in art.

Watercolor builds creativity, craftsmanship, and critical thinking—all key goals of the standards.