Painting ideas surround us. Look closely and you can find ideas wherever there’s beauty. But sometimes we all can use some inspiration. You’ll find easy watercolor painting for beginners and harder ideas for experts. Try applying the watercolor techniques you’ve learned and don’t forget to have fun!

With good will, you can master this beautiful art medium. And if you want to decorate your plain walls, it would be great to enhance them with your own artwork! Here are some cool watercolor painting ideas that are great references you could start with.

Choose a real picture as your model remembering that a perfect image is one that has many imperfections. Consider an artist working on a flower; by not allowing every petal to be in the exact position, shape and structure, it reminds the viewer that everything in nature has its own imperfect design. When this can be mastered, then one is slowly on their way to becoming more than just someone with dyes and a brush to pass the time. Ponder on these 144 cool watercolor painting ideas.

The translucent colors are often paired with an opaque body color called gouache. The basic technique for creating watercolor painting is through the use of complementary washes and glazes. The former lays down a solid area of color while the latter acts as a screen, allowing the wash to shine through. Some painters use the wet in wet approach, which requires the addition of paint or water to an area of the work that is already dampened with these elements.

On the other end of the spectrum, the dry brush technique allows artists to pick up fresh paint with a slightly moist brush to create hatched strokes. Some artists sprinkle salt on wet paint to get a dabbled, imperfect effect. Many watercolorists stick to a minimal palette, instead focusing their attention on the play of different densities and tones in their compositions.

Watercolor painting have a longstanding and illustrious history. Long before the establishment of the British and American schools of drawing in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was the primary medium used in ancient Japanese and Chinese painting. Also, during the European Renaissance, wildlife illustrators often produced watercolor painting of flowers, plants, and animals. The luminescent, dreamlike quality of drawing and its easy accessibility have made it a popular medium among professionals and hobbyists alike. We’re proud to be able to offer some of the most impressive contemporary fine art.