Watercolor paintings date back to prehistoric cave art in Europe and have been used to embellish ancient manuscripts. While watercolor art can be simple to create, mastering the technique is essential for beautiful results. You should learn how to master the watercolor wash technique - wet, combined, and fragmented - to work effectively with watercolors.

Fragmented Wash

Step 1. Prepare the watercolor paper.

Step 1

Prepare the watercolor paper. For a successful wash, the paper needs to be prepped properly.

  • Soak a sheet of watercolor paper in cold water for 2 minutes.
  • Remove the paper from the water and place it on a flat drawing board. Pat the paper dry with a sponge. The wash technique won't work if the paper is too wet.
  • Tape the edges of the paper to the board and let it dry.

Step 2. Use a large watercolor brush for applying a lot of paint over large areas.

Step 2

Grab a large watercolor brush that allows you to work with a generous amount of paint over large surfaces. You need to cover the entire sheet with the wash.

Step 3. Choose a background color and place a generous amount on your palette.

Step 3

Select a background color and put a generous amount on your palette. To paint with watercolors, you need to add enough water to achieve the desired shade.

Step 4. Lightly draw a large square using a pencil.

Step 4

Lightly sketch a large square with a pencil. This can help you control the paint as you work with the wash technique.

Step 5. Moisten the paper by dipping the brush in water and lightly sweeping it across the sheet.

Step 5

Step 6. Dip the brush into the prepared paint.

Step 6

Dip the brush into the prepared paint. When painting a watercolor wash, start at the top of the sheet with a broad horizontal stroke from one side to the other. Practice to ensure your strokes are even and stay within the edges of the square.

Step 7. Add paint to the brush and move down the paper, applying one line at a time.

Step 7

Add more paint to the brush and move down the sheet, applying one line at a time. When working with watercolors, you can overlap strokes. Once you reach the bottom, allow the paint to dry.

Combined Wash

Step 1. Moisten the brush in the prepared paint.

Step 1

Moisten the brush in the prepared paint. The fragmented wash technique results in a uniform background color with interspersed shades.

Step 2. Apply paint in one stroke along the top of the square.

Step 2

Apply paint in one stroke along the top of the square. Continue until you fill the entire square with paint.

Step 3. Add water to each stroke to lighten the color or paint to darken the shade.

Step 3

Add water to each stroke to lighten the color or paint to darken the shade. Understanding how to create shades of one color is essential for working with watercolors.

Part 3

Step 1. Moisten the entire sheet of paper by dipping the brush in water and applying it across the sheet.

Step 1

Step 2. Choose desired colors for the combined wash.

Step 2

Choose your desired colors for the combined wash. Using the watercolor wash technique, you can depict a sunset with red and orange paint.

Step 3. Dip the brush in one color and then sweep it back and forth across the paper.

Step 3

Dip the brush in one color and sweep it back and forth across the paper. Add a new color without rinsing the brush. Try to achieve a smooth transition between shades in the wash.

Step 4. Add varying amounts of water or paint to the wet paper to create a design or image.

Step 4

Step 5. Done.

Step 5