OpenTube

Three Common Water Problems and How to Fix Them | Watercolor Painting

Louise De Masi

61,164 views

🎨 Struggling with blooms, dark edges or water lines? Paint along with me in my FREE full-length watercolour class and join my newsletter:
https://www.louisedemasi.com/free-class

When you first start painting in watercolour, it’s very common to run into a few problems with water control.

In this video I explain three common issues:
• watercolour blooms
• ugly dark edges
• water lines or tidelines

I’ll show you why they happen, how to avoid them, and what you can do to fix them when they appear.

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LEARN WITH ME

🎓 Online Watercolour Classes:
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My Patreon tutorials are full-length, normal-speed and fully voiced over. I take you through my entire painting process step by step, and line drawings, progress photos and a copy of the finished painting are included.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction
0:36 First problem - watercolour blooms
1:38 Fixing watercolour blooms
3:05 Second problem - ugly dark edges
5:17 Fix ugly dark edges 1
7:12 Tip to avoid ugly dark edges on wet paper
8:34 Fix ugly dark edges 2
9:29 Third problem - water lines or tidelines
11:00 Tip to avoid water lines
14:02 Join my Patreon
14:25 Outro
14:38 Bloopers

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Rosemary & Co Eradicator brush:
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Some links in this description are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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20 Comments

@LouiseDeMasi Creator 9 days ago (edited) Pinned

🎨 If you’re struggling with blooms, hard edges or controlling water, paint along with me in my FREE full-length watercolour class and join my newsletter:
https://www.louisedemasi.com/free-class

@cierrablue 3 years ago

There are so many people giving tutorials on the internet. It wasn't until today that I could find someone to explain to me why I was having so many water problems, how to avoid them AND how to fix them. You've gained a new student and fan!

@MikkiSylvester-mu8ng 2 years ago

Your way is very soft and soothing. No fluff, just very useful info.

@tentativesuggestion 2 years ago

This is one of the most helpful tutorials on watercolour I've seen so far. To me, when it comes to watercolour painting, all about water is difficult. I don't seem to get the hang of it - how much water, what paper? It's always too wet or too dry and there are always unwanted water lines and water blooms. This was very useful, presented in your usual wonderful way.

@AnimalArtbyTerraCotta 4 years ago

Very useful tip on fixing hard edges after the painting has dried! And the tip for avoiding them is pure gold. Your transition from the wet area and that painted wet on dry is so natural. Much appreciation, Louise! 🥰 Cheryl

@marilyngillis8305 3 years ago

The information you provide about watercolor techniques is superb. Thank you. I appreciate the quality of your videos - they are succinct and straightforward without any annoying chit chat, music, or other distractions like comments such as “I love this” or other exclamations about your work. Your voice is calm and easy to listen to. The photography is very helpful, especially close-ups showing where you’ve wet the paper or the degree of wetness. Your videos and instructions stand far above most on YouTube.

@hArtyTruffle 4 years ago

Love that tip about not taking the water to the edge, avoiding dark lines enclosing the intended shape. 👍🏼

@UrsulaDorada 4 years ago

The information on this channel is always incredible, always delivered in such concise, direct way. Thank you so much for this great videos!

@janisflodin 4 months ago

So so helpful, thank you!!!

@alisonhendry2928 4 years ago

Wonderful tips and presentation as always. I had to laugh as I actually really liked how that first “ incorrect” drawn shape turned out. What a great way to get a highlight in the middle and lovely shadows on the edges. Of course if that’s NOT what you wanted then disaster, but I love how you repaired all of these. I just learned that dry hake brush thing this past weekend in a class when my paint was too wet for second layer and had too much bleed. Really works! Thanks for all you give.

@ReiKennex 3 years ago

In love with the harvest mice! Very helpful info and tips, and all your adorable subjects make learning from you even more enjoyable!

@kristinindorato6473 2 years ago

Thank you for explaining how to fix and avoid that hard edge!! I just found your channel yesterday and have already watched half a dozen of your videos. You are a great teacher, and I look forward to your end-of-video blooper reel each time ^_^

@emresancak1359 2 months ago

Thank you so much.

@cee_bee_star 1 year ago

Excellent explanation on why mistakes happen. Until now it was a mystery to me and an incredible source of frustration. This is one of the most useful videos i have ever seen on the topic of watercolour. Thank you🙏