The Complete Beginner's Guide to Watercolor

From getting the right supplies to painting a full piece, this is the complete beginner's guide to watercolor!

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MUSIC: paid for and licenses acquired from Artlist.

00:00 - What this video covers and an FYI
00:50 - Let’s talk supplies!
01:39 - Explaining my palette (extra colors than what's listed?)
02:38 - Colors I use, how I organize them, pro vs. student levels
10:11 - Brushes I use: brand, sizes, quality.
11:21 - How these brushes are made (HIGH quality!)
13:36 - What I use different brushes for.
14:37 - Talking paper.
14:49 - Cold press or hot press?
16:24 - Cotton? GSM? Block vs. Pad?
18:38 - Paper brands: Legion vs. Arches vs. Fabriano
19:25 - Other necessary supplies…
20:08 - Now for color theory.
21:48 - Important lesson from my piano teacher.
23:04 - What to learn from color wheel.
25:14 - Color relationships and why this matters.
29:17 - Analogous colors.
31:58 - Warm colors and cool colors.
34:17 - Get your brushes out as we talk VALUE scales!
37:42 - Practicing and chatting HUE scales.
40:05 - Two techniques to must know: WOW and WOD
41:29 - Three ways to use Wet-on-Wet
48:26 - Using Wet-on-Dry
49:23 - Brush technique practice with circle painting.
51:02 - How you hold your brush changes outcome.
52:23 - Circle painting begins!
55:24 - Tip for shaky hands!
01:00:02 - Find the hold that feels right!
01:01:34 - Focusing on painting quickly.
01:02:22 - COMPOUND strokes.
01:03:24 - Painting leaves with compound strokes.
01:08:41 - If you’re struggling, try longer leaves…
01:10:06 - Putting leaves on a branch.
01:13:38 - What to do with puddles at ends of leaves.
01:15:44 - Muscle memory and wonky stems.
01:18:47 - Painting side-facing basic flower.
01:20:56 - Adding stem to the flower.
01:22:50 - THIS makes it look like a flower.
01:23:37 - Basic open flower.
01:26:06 - Biggest mistake when people paint flowers.
01:27:46 - Putting everything together: full floral wreath
01:29:47 - Composition lesson: balance.
01:31:45 - Sketch before?
01:38:19 - Step back and look…
01:39:28 - Take note as you paint.
01:42:43 - These are easy and help with balance…
01:45:32 - How I am able to paint quickly...
01:46:57 - Final (important!) encouragements.
01:49:01 - Final details to the wreath.
01:49:53 - Further resources to continue learning.

[JennaRaineyChannel]

Don't miss my NEW course The Art Within. In it, we cover more watercolor fundamentals, drills, and practice. We also discuss finding your own creative style and how to get into "flow state" for optimal creative mindset. Check it out: // If you want more monthly watercolor tutorials, check out my Patreon! I offer ad-free tutorials, Patreon-exclusive tutorials each month, and live art classes. Check it out here: www.jennarainey.com/patreon

[rpasewa]

The fact that you can get this for free on YouTube- I really appreciate you for putting this publicly. Thank you!

[blackman]

*Free 1 hr video?! Free E-book Guide?!!! THIS WOMAN DESERVES THE WORLD.*

[LeChatelaineAnglaise]

Thank you, Jenna, for sharing this wonderful course on YouTube.
I am 79 years old. I used to enjoy drawing when I was young, and by my teens had become reasonably proficient, but I never really advanced into any other media. Then family and work commitments meant that I didn't have time for hobbies, and for 50 years I haven't drawn anything.
But now that I'm retired, and I have time, I have decided to see if I can pick up where I left off. Of course, I have done things in the wrong order: First I bought a "watercolour starter set", then a book, and then I subscribed to your channel. Oh well, I will use what I have for now. The starter set is probably not great, but it has at least put a brush in my hands and some paint on paper for the first time.

[fmejmty]

Jenny, I have just turned 70 and wanted to start painting as a hobby. I have watched this video through with the greatest pleasure and wanted to thank you for making it so much fun to watch and learn. Thank you so so much. With best wishes.
Lorraine

[susanmiddlebrook]

Jenna, thank you so much for your generosity and commitment to those who long to learn to watercolor. You’ve just made it possible for those of us who can’t afford these classes, who don’t have the means or ability to get to a local class or for a variety of reasons cannot make local classes happen for themselves. I spent a fortune of classes years ago and got nowhere but frustrated. Now I’m in my 60’s, am a bed-ridden paraplegic who cannot go anywhere but a doctor’s appointment via medical transport because I cannot bear the pain of riding in a vehicle without being in my power chair with my legs stretched straight out in front of me. Now I can pick up a brush, get out my paints and watercolor paper and apply what you are going to teach me- at my own pace and physical capabilities- in my own bed! I’ve been watching your tutorials for awhile now and am inspired to get going again. It’s always been a dream of mine to watercolor and now, because of your generosity and cohesive teaching style, that dream will come true. Your tutorials can take me where I cannot go. Thank you from a very grateful heart!👩🏻‍🎨🖌🎨 ♥️

[BB-nzsk]

I really do not understand people. Why would anyone give all of your hard work, effort, and generosity a thumbs down? Some people must get a little bump of dopamine by being negative. You rock Jenna. As a fellow musician, I appreciate the music theory analogy! Hugs from New Orleans.

[lucyloojones]

What a lovely surprise…I am a senior with mobility problems and have a desire to paint! Your kindness
in sharing your many many tips, with a delightful commentary, is so generous! Thank you so much!

[jjpeste]

Ciao from Italy. Do you know that feeling... when you're about to cry of joy? Yes, this si me right now. I'm the equivalent of a child in front of a Christmas tree, eyes wide open, open mouth, and an amazing sense of gratitude for this video and channel. I'm almost 50.
I've always wanted to learn everything about watercolor, but I'm repeating the same mantra since the beginning of times: "I cannot draw". False statement of a lifetime. I collected watercolors and brushes during the years, but I get depress every time I try. My negative mantra kicks in right on time, and I put the colors away till the next time. Your gentle and precise videos are keeping me on track with my practice.
THANK YOU! Thank you for awakening my inner artist, and bringing joy into my life.

[lorikanitz]

So glad I found you! You are an amazing teacher! I’m 72 and retired police. I finally have time to pursue my love for watercolor painting. I watched the entire video and learned so much. Thank you!

[jfoo]

Hi Jenna... I am a mother of two kids.. Started a high pressured, high stressed work while juggling to be a mom to my two kids. I always wanted to learn painting with watercolour, and this video was so good and educational. For you taking the time to provide detailed step by step for someone like me, I truly appreciate it. Painting using watercolour for me is a getaway from all digital things I do at work. This video definitely will give me confident to start this hobby of mine. Thank you. By the way love all the way from Malaysia ❤️🇲🇾

[barbsaenz]

You have no idea how much finding your tutorials has contributed to my recovery from a very dark place. Thank you.

[andreasilver]

So here’s a funny story. I took out some books on watercolor from my local library this week because I have watched a lot of planner YouTubers paint with water color and I wanted to learn how. Today I watched a video by Karyna Loves to Plan and she mentioned your channel. I looked at your description and saw the book that you wrote and went to check it out. Lo and behold it was one of the books I checked out from the library. It’s fate I tell you!!! Love this video and thank you so much for providing this resource to newcomers to the creative and art world like me.

[Alinda]

This Is probably the best video for beginners ever made. And it's also asmr

[mairaraimondi]

This is probably the most detailed and well explained watercolour course I've taken. Thank you for your generosity offering tips that work for you, and doing things slowly so we can appreciate what you are doing and better understand it. And thank you so much for putting this course free!

[anagoldberg]

THANK YOU for talking about choosing synthetic brushes to avoid harming animals. I LOVE YOU!

[Kereta]

I am a middle school art teacher, new to watercolor. I bought your book 15 minute projects and it is the absolute best money I have ever spent. So straightforward and simple, yet incredibly informative... thank you!!!

[DineseBeckert]

"Mental muscle".."Muscle memory"...This was the BEST online tutorial on how to water paint EVER.... As a long-time chef, everything is MUSCLE MEMORY, every chop every stir everything! Having found art in my life after my adult child death, I dove in with no idea what I was doing, only that I HAD TO DO IT. My first pieces were watercolor, then acrylic, then acrylic pours, then inks then encaustic wax! I yearned to learn and will forever...you filled that bill, thank you so very
P. S.
This video is not long enough!!!!
The bit about holding, painting with the brushes, OMGOSH I would love more of that!!!
I am sure I can transfer that knowledge to my wax, encaustic painting work...your amazing!!!

[Keniv.]

Jenna, your generosity is beyond anything I’ve ever seen or experienced! This over an hour video was so fun to watch and you make the most gorgeous leaves! I will be getting your book and becoming one of your Patreon’s. Thank you so much!

[Madeeha_shinkoko]

I just wanna let you know you're a literal hero. I mean, you cannot fathom what this means to me.

(tl;dr- i desperatley needed something like this to over come my fear of failing and wasting that developed over years of disconnect)

It may seem a bit wierd but I come from a family where after like 7th grade, my art being my talent and aptituide became something to avoid talking about cause it was a hindernace to my studies, and my marks would suffer and in teh long run prevent me from becoming a doctor. And it wasn't like me and my indian parents could afford expensive (they aren't even expensive by western means, but because of the currency chnage, in india, imported stuff is super lavish) art supplies so i was always afraid to give it a try and fail.

This year, finally I managed to clear my entrace and asked for art supplies as a gift! it's been like 6+ years of disconnect with art. And although we've passed that phase of not being able to afford stuff, the fear of wasting supplies still is with me. I'm so so glad, I could find this! I've been so scared to even use my paints cause I just didn't know where to start. And alot of the good sources I found, that i could learn from, sort of always started at slightly intermedieate level. this is literally what I needed! And you've put it out for free. If you happen to read this comment, I cannot thank you enough, seriously.