Do you sketch before watercolor?

In fact some artists say sketching allows them create better compositions than without sketching their ideas out first on paper. In short sketching before watercolors allow for easier designing, planning, more control over materials & colors which makes your art easier & faster!

Can you put watercolor over pencil?

The truth is there is no right or wrong answer here. Pencil drawing and watercolour play very nicely together. Great results can be achieved with more reliance on pencil drawing or more reliance on watercolour or a good, even balance.

Should you outline a drawing before watercolor?

The main reason for this is time. If you watercolor first, you need to wait till the watercolor dries on the paper completely before coming back and outlining with ink. Whereas, if I outline first, I can paint over it almost immediately as the pen dries on the paper super quick compared to watercolor.

Should I sketch before painting?

Increases accuracy in painting rather than painting freehand —you end up coloring in the lines you've drawn. You can more easily control proportion as you can see the scale first when drawing before painting. Drawing loosens up your hands, helps you paint with a better and freer flow.

Do you line before or after watercolor?

Do you add ink before or after watercolour? This is completely up to you! It's a personal preference. Some artists (including myself) will choose to ink before adding watercolour, and some artists prefer to ink after they have applied their watercolour.


Should I outline before or after watercolor?

As long as you use an archival, waterproof ink, you can outline your watercolor painting with no issues. Whether you create your outline before or after you paint is completely up to you. If you decide to create your outline after you paint, just make sure your watercolors are completely dry first.

What do you use to sketch under watercolor?

The most common tool for drawing the sketch for your watercolor painting is a pencil. You do want something erasable when you are starting out.

Can you erase pencil marks under watercolor?

You Won't Risk Damaging the Painting With the Eraser

Erasing the pencil lines from a watercolor painting is another opportunity to damage the painting. For one, you can damage the paper if you erase too aggressively. Watercolor paper is tough, but it can only handle so much erasing.

Can you use watercolor on sketch paper?

Some sketch book paper is too thin and smooth for satisfactory watercolours. Heavier cartridge paper is manageable, so if you can, get one with watercolour paper. You can even by a sheet of decent watercolour paper and cut and fold it to make your own sketchbook. Here's a helpful site.

How do you paint watercolor over graphite?

If the graphite bleeds too much, you could try a light coat of workable fixative before adding the wc. I paint over graphite quite a lot. Do your drawing then place a tone over your drawing. Let dry then paint over the tone.

Will pencil marks bleed through paint?

If you are planning to use the acrylics in a thinned, watery way, then there is indeed a good chance that those misplaced charcoal and pencil lines will show through the paint. The best thing I can suggest is to carefully paint over those charcoal and pencil mistakes with white gesso.

Why is watercolor so hard?


Should you outline before or after painting?

There are no hard rules when creating outline drawings for paintings so if you don't want to sketch first – go ahead! Just be sure not to get too caught up in making an exact replica of what is already there if you choose not draw one at all but rather just paint right away without planning anything out first.

Should I outline my Watercolour painting?

As previously mentioned, watercolor painting definitely requires some plan work. When creating your initial sketch, make sure to map out/indicate where the lightest and darkest areas of your painting will be. You can see how I did this in the PDF included at the end of this post.

How do I become a good watercolor artist?

18 essential watercolour techniques for every artist
  1. Buy a range of brushes. It's important to have different brush options. ...
  2. Get some good quality paints. ...
  3. Explore dry versus wet. ...
  4. Work from light to dark. ...
  5. Stock up on paper towels. ...
  6. Splatter your watercolours. ...
  7. Bleed colours into one another. ...
  8. Get the textures right.

What to use for sketching before painting?


What happens if you paint over pencil?

Over painted with a pencil, it will lift up. Likewise, I've heard that it may take a little while for it to happen. This has happened to me personally and I encourage you to avoid doing it. As a result, the paint appears dark or muddy.

What kind of eraser do you use for watercolor?

Kneaded Eraser

Since it's kneadable, you can roll it up into a tiny point to remove small areas or pencil marks. It's also gentle on the paper.

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