7 MUST-TRY Watercolor Painting Ideas for Beginners

7 MUST-TRY Watercolor Painting Ideas for Beginners

Watercolor paintings are known for their user-friendly nature. Unlike some art forms that demand extensive training, watercolors welcome newcomers with open arms. It offers various watercolor painting ideas, from popular subjects to abstract art paintings.

7 MUST-TRY Watercolor Painting Ideas for Beginners

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

Watercolors open the door to a multitude of painting techniques. Beginners can experiment with wet-on-wet technique, wet-on-dry, dry brushing, splattering, and more. It is a versatile medium that can create various effects, from soft layers of paint to bold and vibrant colors.

Beginner-Friendly Watercolor Ideas

Watercolor Portrait

Watercolor Portrait

Order a watercolor portrait of your favorite photo here.

Even as a beginner, creating a watercolor portrait encourages observation and attention to detail. You'll learn to study your subject's features, proportions, and shading, honing your ability to capture realistic representations. Watercolor paints offer varying degrees of control, making them suitable for artists of all skill levels. With careful brush strokes, you can achieve intricate details in your portrait.

Family Portrait Painting

Family Portrait Painting

Get a watercolor art of your family here.

As a beginner, you're likely more familiar with the faces of your family members than any other subject. This painting idea makes capturing their likenesses and personalities easier, even with limited experience in portraiture. The painting process of the expressions and emotions of your family members in a family portrait painting can be an artistic and emotional journey, even with a beginner's watercolor skills. 

Watercolor House Painting

Watercolor House Painting

Purchase a painting of your home here.

A watercolor house painting offers various elements that can be tackled step by step. You can begin with the main structure and then move on to details like windows, roofs, and simple landscapes. With essential supplies, emphasis on more information can help you refine your brushwork and precision, which can help you become an experienced artist.

Beginner artists can explore the effects of mixing green paint with white paint to create the yard's landscaping. There are also step-by-step tutorials on incorporating watercolor techniques to create a watercolor painting project.

Couple Watercolor Painting

Couple Watercolor Painting

Order your partner a watercolor painting here.

Couple paintings often feature a minimal or abstract background, which is less intimidating for beginners. You can experiment with various background styles without overwhelming the composition. Couple watercolor paintings can be as straightforward or as complex as you like. You can start with a sketch of two people on watercolor paper and gradually add color, or try a more challenging pose or composition.

Watercolor is a water-soluble medium compared to acrylic paints so mistakes can be easily lifted and corrected with wet paint.

Botanical Painting

Botanical art often focuses on plants, flowers, or leaves with well-defined shapes and structures. This clarity makes it easier for beginners to accurately observe and replicate these subjects. You can paint watercolor flowers, green leaves, or a grassy field by watching watercolor tutorials online.

This painting style requires patience and precision, which can benefit beginners looking to develop their watercolor painting skills. Creating botanical art often involves meticulous work, like adding fine details to petals or leaves.

Monochrome Painting

When painting in monochrome, you only have to worry about the different values of your color. It is less overwhelming for beginner watercolor artists than trying to mix and match different colors. 

Monochrome paintings often involve creating smooth transitions from light to dark colors. It provides an excellent opportunity for beginners to practice gradation techniques, a fundamental watercolor painting technique.

Painting Sunsets

Sunsets typically feature a gradient of warm colors like reds, oranges, and yellows, transitioning into cool colors like blues and purples. This limited watercolor paint set simplifies the choices for beginners, making it easier to select and mix colors.

Additionally, silhouettes of objects or landscapes against the setting sun are a common element in sunset paintings. Painting sunsets simplifies the need for intricate details and provides contrast, which can be visually striking.

Commonly Asked Questions About Watercolor Painting

Where can I learn about watercolor art?

Many artists maintain blogs discussing their creative process, sharing video tutorials, and offering insights into their journey as watercolor painters. Art magazines also often feature articles, interviews, and friendly tutorials related to watercolor painting.

What are the examples of famous beautiful watercolor paintings?

The iconic watercolor painting by Winslow Homer called "The Blue Boat" captures the serenity of a small fishing boat on a calm sea, with stunning reflections and a peaceful atmosphere. Andrew Wyeth's "Noon" is a breathtaking watercolor featuring the play of light and shadow on a farm landscape. The level of detail and realism in this watercolor landscape is awe-inspiring.

What do I need for watercolor drawings?

Invest in a set of good-quality watercolor art supplies. You can choose between paints in pans or tubes. Beginners often find pans easier to work with. Choose all-around professional-grade watercolor paper with a textured surface. Get a variety of watercolor brushes, including round, flat, and mop. Have at least two jars of water—one for rinsing your brushes and another for clean water.

Find Your Perfect Watercolor Masterpiece In Memorialize Art

Experience the enchantment of watercolor art with Memorialize Art. Own a piece of customized artwork and cherish memories in vibrant watercolor strokes. These customized watercolor portraits are the perfect way to honor the memory of your loved one and keep them close to your heart.