🖌️Following my last video, “5-Step Process to Paint Loosely and Expressively”, some of you asked if I could go into more detail about how I hold and use my brushes. That’s a great question—because using a brush, especially a quill brush designed for watercolor, isn’t as intuitive as it seems. In fact, it's a learned skill to create consistent washes and expressive strokes with it.

In this video, I’ll walk you through some of the most common mistakes I see my students make when using their brushes—and how to fix them. Once those are corrected, I’ll also share a few practical exercises and motion techniques to help you diversify your brushwork and bring more expression to your paintings.

Also, an exciting announcement:
I’ll be teaching an online course on the 5-step process of painting loosely and expressively, through my Patreon paid membership! This will be a couple-month long process where we break down each step of the process—from simplifying your subject and planning composition, to applying color, tonal range, and finishing with expressive, painterly brushwork.

For each class, you’ll get home assignments designed to help you apply the techniques to your own subjects. Towards the end of each month, I’ll host a live Q&A session to help you troubleshoot and reflect based on your progress.

Sign up to join the program live at
👉 Patreon: inaxiwatercolor

--
🧰Supplies I use
A complete list of supplies with links to purchase them. I may earn a small commission for some of these links at no extra cost to you. Earnings help sustain this channel.

📄Paper:
Meeden 100% Cotton Watercolor Block, 10x7, Cold Press, https://go.meedenart.com/4srtE1Z
For practice: Richeson Bulk Watercolor Paper, 9”x6”, Cold Press https://tinyurl.com/26yae5y2

🖌️Brush:
🖌️Quill:
Da Vinci Petit Gris Pur Blue Squirrel Brush - Quill, Short Handle, Size 6 https://tinyurl.com/3p2spy9s (0.75” diameter)
Or: Escoda Último Synthetic Squirrel Brush - Mop, Size 16 https://tinyurl.com/4xr2p5xh
Or: Princeton Aqua Elite Series 4850 Synthetic Brush - Quill, Size 6 https://tinyurl.com/yz4x4994
Or: MEEDEN Professional Watercolor Brushes, 4 pc set, https://tinyurl.com/7wccskmw
Read this guide to compare the 4 options and pick what’s best for you. https://www.inaxiwatercolor.com/blogs...
🖌️Synthetic rounds:
Escoda Prado Tame Synthetic Brush, Round, Size 8 https://tinyurl.com/yk8az552
Escoda Prado Tame Synthetic Brush, Round, Size 12 https://tinyurl.com/2b4wwdmt
🖌️Flat heads:
Isabey Siberian Blue Squirrel Flat, Size 18  https://tinyurl.com/mrybkx48
Princeton Aqua Elite Series 4850 Synthetic Brush- Stroke, Size 1/4" https://tinyurl.com/2pavtbwv
🖌️Rigger:
Princeton Aqua Elite Series 4850 Synthetic Brush - Rigger, Size 8 https://tinyurl.com/yz4n7d4r

🎨Colors and paint:
M. Graham & Co. Ultramarine blue 15ml https://tinyurl.com/4pa3a73r
M. Graham & Co. Burnt Sienna 15ml https://tinyurl.com/ybu99mae
M. Graham & Co. Alizarin Crimson 15ml https://tinyurl.com/4vx8s8dk
M. Graham & Co. Burnt Umber 15ml https://tinyurl.com/2t2d5m9d
M. Graham & Co. Cadmium Yellow 15ml https://tinyurl.com/2fehmtnr
M. Graham & Co. Cadmium Red 15ml https://tinyurl.com/3fsr9nhw
M. Graham & Co. Yellow Ochre 15ml https://tinyurl.com/yvfzds6h
M. Graham & Co. Cerulean Blue 15ml https://tinyurl.com/mr2w9k26
M. Graham & Co. Cobalt Teal 15ml https://tinyurl.com/2p8rxxb
M. Graham & Co. Indigo 15ml https://tinyurl.com/4xrx3kuc
M. Graham & Co Viridian Green 15ml https://tinyurl.com/bdd4dv77
M. Graham Dioxazine purple 15ml https://tinyurl.com/45jp5n7u
M. Graham Artists' Gouache - Titanium White, 15 ml https://tinyurl.com/2za6n7p6
Daniel Smith Lavender 15ml https://arttoolkit.com/supplies/danie...

--
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:40 Mistake 1 - Not enough mixing
03:40 Mistake 2 - Holding the brush too close to the tip
04:56 Exercise - paint real shapes
06:27 Mistake 3 - Not enough diversity in brush marks
07:41 Exercise - 6 alternative ways of using the brush
09:19 Other brush types and how to use them
10:47 Patreon course announcement

--
More about me:
Ina Xi is an award-winning painter and art educator based in the Pacific Northwest, whose work explores the themes of nostalgia, cultural diversity and collective human experiences.
Website: https://www.inaxiwatercolor.com
Instagram: Instagram: inabear
Facebook: Facebook: inaxiwatercolor

📮Subscribe to my email newsletter for painting tips, discounts and first preview of new artworks https://www.inaxiwatercolor.com/pages...
--
Music from #Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/city-l...
License code: 6ERBLJ3NRV2YH6BF