How to NOT OVERWORK Watercolor

5 Simple Tips

Watercolor painting is known for its luminous transparency, soft textures, and spontaneous effects. But one of the greatest challenges is knowing when to stop! Overworking a painting can lead to muddiness, loss of vibrancy, or that dreaded "flat" look. In this post, I'll share some helpful tips to ensure you maintain the beauty and freshness of your watercolor pieces without going too far.

1. Mise en Place

Borrowing a term from cooking here! "Mise en place" means "everything in its place," and it’s a game-changer in watercolor too. Just like you wouldn’t start cooking without your ingredients and recipe, have your plan ready: sketch out your composition, decide on your colors (a limited palette works wonders), and gather your supplies. Clean water, a few brushes, and some test swatches go a long way in helping you paint confidently and minimize the need for fixes.

• Tip: Create small thumbnail sketches or test color combinations on scrap paper.

2. Embrace the Wet-on-Wet Technique

The wet-on-wet technique allows the water and paint to do much of the work for you. Watercolor is magical because of how it flows, blends, and surprises you. The wet-on-wet technique—applying paint to damp paper—creates those soft, dreamy edges and color transitions that watercolor is known for. It also lets you build up texture without adding extra layers.

• Tip: Trust the paint to flow naturally. Don’t try to "fix" every little bloom or run—those imperfections often add charm and life to a piece.

3. Work in Layers… but Sparingly, and PLEASE Let It Dry! 😄

If you feel the need to add depth, build your painting in thin layers. Avoid heavy-handed brushstrokes, as thick applications of paint can cause colors to muddy or lose their vibrancy. Connect your values and shapes in a painting will make it look fresh and if at all possible let your colors mix on the paper and bleed together. After all this is the magic of watercolor and when it happens without brush strokes that is when it looks the freshest and the most interesting.

Allow each layer to dry fully before deciding if another is necessary. Try walking away when you are 80 percent done and ask yourself do I really need to fiddle with it anymore? Go back to it the next day with fresh eyes.

• Tip: Use light washes and gradually build up darker values or details with minimal layers.

4. Use Artist-Grade Paper – Trust Me on This One!

Let me save you a headache: good watercolor paper is key! Cotton, artist-grade paper (think Arches, Baohong or Hahnemuhle) is your best friend in achieving the same effects you see in professional works. When I first started, I was frustrated until I upgraded my paper—it made a night-and-day difference! Student-grade paints are fine, but skip the cheap cellulose paper. You can cut high-quality paper into smaller pieces for practice, and you’ll instantly notice better results.

5. Embrace Imperfection

Watercolor has a mind of its own. The magic is in its unpredictability, so aim for expression over perfection! Constantly trying to “fix” things or brushing over areas can ruin that spontaneous quality. If something didn’t go exactly to plan, leave it! Often, those quirks are what make your work unique and alive.

Stop over brushing. This can mar your paper and cause unpleasant textures and values as well as muddy your colors.

• Tip: Try to avoid constantly correcting areas that didn’t turn out as planned. Learn to appreciate the "happy accidents" that make watercolor so unique.

Conclusion

With watercolor, sometimes the best thing you can do is step back and leave it alone. Plan thoughtfully, trust the process, and remember: it’s not about perfection. It’s about letting the beauty of watercolor shine through with a light, confident touch. Happy painting, and may your colors stay fresh and vibrant!