Watercolor Painting - A Few Basic Grips

Many folks are interested in learning watercolor painting as it allows them to express themselves and create beauty using their fingers. This can indeed become a relaxing and refreshing hobby. Watercolor painting is actually quite easy to learn. Just follow a few simple tips and use a little imagination, and before you know it you will become quite good without having to spend an arm and a leg.

Many folks are interested in learning watercolor painting as it allows them to express themselves and create beauty using their fingers. This can indeed become a relaxing and refreshing hobby. Watercolor painting is actually quite easy to learn. Just follow a few simple tips and use a little imagination, and before you know it you will become quite good without having to spend an arm and a leg.

Learning a few basic grips is a good place to start. The first one is really simple. Hold your watercolor paint brush just like you would hold a pen or pencil for writing. Using this conventional grip, try writing your name with the brush. You can either print it or use longhand script. Experiment with slightly modifying the grip and see what interesting variations you can create. You may just amaze yourself.

Now let's try a different grip. Pick up the brush using your thumb and index finger. Alternating between a tight and loose pinch, move the brush around the canvas. Do you notice the difference in brush strokes using this grip compared to the previous one? With the looser grip you should see that the strokes are much wider as they are freer and less controlled.

Okay, let's move on to another technique known as the "screwdriver grip." As you might have guessed, you're going to hold the brush just like you hold a screwdriver, and you're going to drive a screw into a piece of wood. You may feel a little clumsy employing this technique in the beginning but you will soon be more comfortable with practice. Because your range of control is quite limited with this grip, you're forced to create very simple drawing. This technique is very good for sketching.

As you continue to practice the different watercolor brush techniques you will see that you can create a variety of textures and effects on the canvas by simply modifying the way you hold your brush.

Learn more FREE watercolor painting techniques and a great resource in watercolor lessons.

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