Sometimes, improving at watercolor has very little to do with learning another technique.
We often think we need new supplies. We look for tools that will make painting easier or help our work look more finished.
But sometimes, the biggest changes come from something much simpler: noticing the habits we bring to the painting table.
Watercolor is a medium that rewards patience and awareness. The more we understand what we are doing, and why we are doing it, the more confidently we can paint.
Over time, I’ve noticed a few habits that can quietly make the watercolor process more difficult. They are easy to fall into, especially when we are eager to see the finished painting.
The good news is that none of them require buying anything new.
They simply require us to slow down, observe, and give the painting a little more time.
Here are five watercolor habits that may be slowing your progress and what you can do instead.
1. Starting a Painting Without a Plan
It can be tempting to pick up a brush as soon as you feel inspired.
You have your reference in front of you, your paints are ready, and you just want to begin.
But watercolor can become confusing very quickly when we start painting without thinking about where we are going.
Before the first brushstroke, take a moment to look at your reference.
Where is the light coming from?
Which areas will be the lightest?
Where are the strongest shadows?
What are the largest shapes?
And which colors might you need to mix?
You don't need to plan every single brushstroke. In fact, I find that leaving some room for discovery is part of what makes watercolor enjoyable.
But having a general idea of your composition, tonal values, and color palette can make the painting process much calmer.
You can also test your pigment mixes on a scrap piece of watercolor paper before putting them onto your painting.
This small pause can prevent a lot of uncertainty later. Instead of asking yourself, "What should I do next?" you already have a direction.
2. Adding Details Too Early
One of the easiest things to do when painting something beautiful is to become fascinated by the details. A tiny vein on a leaf, or the edge of a petal, or a little texture in the center of a flower.
These are the details that make us excited about the painting, so naturally, we want to add them straight away.
But watercolor usually works better when we build from the larger shapes toward the smaller ones.
When details are added too early, they can disappear underneath later layers. And when we try to bring them back again and again, the painting can start to lose its freshness.
Try looking at your painting from a distance.
Before worrying about the tiny details, ask yourself whether the large shapes, light and dark areas, and overall composition are working.
The first layers don't need to look impressive.
They simply need to create a strong foundation.
Once the larger shapes are established, you can gradually bring the painting to life with smaller marks and details.
And those final details often have much more impact because there is already something underneath them to support them.
3. Reworking the Same Area Again and Again
This is a habit that can be particularly difficult to notice while you're doing it.
You look at one area of your painting.
Something doesn't feel quite right.
So you add another layer.
Then perhaps you soften it.
Then you add a little more pigment.
And before you know it, you've returned to the same area many times.
With watercolor, this can cause problems.
Repeatedly touching the paper can disturb previous layers and lift pigments. Instead of becoming richer, an area can become dull, patchy, or muddy.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply put the brush down.
Let the layer dry completely.
Step away for a few minutes, or even come back to the painting the next day.
A dry layer gives you a much more stable surface to work on, and it also gives you the chance to look at the painting with fresh eyes.
Watercolor has a beautiful way of reminding us that not every problem needs to be solved immediately.
Sometimes, patience is part of the technique.
4. Ignoring Values Because You Are Focused on Color
Color is one of the most enjoyable parts of watercolor.
We notice the beautiful greens, warm pinks, soft blues, and earthy browns. We experiment with pigment combinations and become excited when we find a mixture we love.
But color alone doesn't create depth.
Value, how light or dark something is, plays a huge role in making a watercolor painting feel dimensional.
Two areas can have completely different colors but similar values, and they may still blend visually together.
On the other hand, a strong difference between light and dark can immediately create depth and structure.
This is why it's helpful to occasionally forget about the exact color you are seeing and ask a simpler question:
Is this area light, middle, or dark?
You can even squint at your reference or painting. When you soften your focus, some of the distracting color information disappears and the larger value shapes become easier to see.
Strong values can make a painting feel confident even when the color is relatively simple.
So the next time you feel that your watercolor looks a little flat, don't immediately reach for another color.
Look at your values first.
If you'd like to explore tonal values in more depth and learn how they can strengthen your paintings, I've written another blog post on the subject.
5. Comparing Every Painting to Someone Else's
This might be the most difficult habit of all.
You finish a painting and feel happy with it.
Then you open your phone.
You see someone else's watercolor.
Suddenly, your own painting doesn't feel quite as good anymore.
Their colors seem more beautiful. Their composition feels more effortless. Their details look more refined.
And without realizing it, you have changed the question from "What did I learn from this painting?" to "Why can't I paint like that?"
Comparison can quietly take the joy out of learning.
Every artist is at a different point in their journey, and we rarely see the hundreds of paintings, experiments, mistakes, and unfinished studies that came before the beautiful image we are looking at.
This is also where perfectionism can become part of the process.
When we expect every painting to look exactly the way we imagined it, even small imperfections can feel like failures. Instead of seeing a painting as one step in learning, we start judging it as a final result.
But watercolor takes time.
Your progress may not be obvious from one painting to the next. Sometimes it becomes visible only when you look back at your work from several months ago.
So instead of comparing today's painting to someone else's best work, compare it with your own past work.
What can you do now that felt difficult before?
Are you mixing colors more confidently?
Are you noticing values more easily?
Are your layers becoming cleaner?
Are you making decisions more intentionally?
These are all signs of progress, even if your paintings don't look "perfect."
If you struggle with perfectionism or find yourself losing motivation when your work doesn't match the picture in your head, remember that the goal isn't to eliminate every imperfect brushstroke.
The goal is to become more comfortable with the process of learning.
Improving Your Watercolor Habits Doesn't Mean Buying More Supplies
When a painting isn't going the way we hoped, it's easy to think we need something new, a different brush, more colors, or better paper.
Good materials certainly matter, but they can't replace observation.
A new brush won't tell you where your darkest values should be, and more colors won't help if you haven't considered your mixes. Sometimes, the most useful thing to change isn't what's in your paint box, but how you approach the painting.
Watercolor Improves Through Awareness, Not Pressure
The more I paint, the more I believe that progress comes from becoming more aware, of light and values, of shapes and color, of when to continue and when to stop.
You don't need to change everything at once. Choose one habit to notice in your next painting. Give your layers more time to dry, plan your values before you begin, or simply leave the details until the end.
Small changes can make a big difference over time.
Because improving at watercolor isn't always about doing more. Sometimes, it's about slowing down enough to see what you're already doing.
With love,
Kristine 💚
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