Key learning points

1. Watercolour is transparent, so artists paint the lightest areas first and build up gradually to darker tones.
2. Watercolour allows you to blend colours and tones softly to create smooth gradients and natural-looking colour shifts.
3. Artists can use masking fluid to mask and protect areas of their work to protect or preserve lighter areas.
4. Glazing involves painting thin, transparent layers over dry paint. It adds depth or shadow without covering the details.

Keywords

• Masking - a technique used to block out areas of the paper you want to keep white or light using a barrier that stops paint from soaking into those areas

• Glazing - a technique where a thin, transparent layer of paint is added over a dry wash. It builds up colour and depth without covering the details underneath

• Blotting - the act of gently lifting wet paint from the paper using a tissue, sponge, or dry brush

• Wash - a smooth, even layer of watered-down paint applied across a large area

• Wet-on-wet - a technique where you add wet paint into another area of wet paint. The colours mix and spread naturally on the paper, creating soft edges, blends and interesting effects.

Common misconception