Watercolor techniques for painting and paper preparation

Tutorials for watercolor artists focus on technical preparation and specific painting methods to improve results.

One technique, known as negative painting, involves painting the areas around a subject to preserve the white of the paper. Because watercolor is transparent, artists can create light shapes, such as white daisies, by using darker colors to define the surrounding space rather than applying white paint.

To prepare for painting, stretching watercolor paper is recommended to prevent warping and buckling caused by water absorption. This process involves wetting the paper, letting it relax, and attaching it to a rigid support board under tension so it dries flat. This is particularly useful for lighter-weight papers and techniques involving heavy water application, such as wet-on-wet or glazing.