Beginner Watercolor Landscape - Oddly Satisfying Color Study

If you’ve been around here for a while then you know that my husband is the real star when it comes to landscape painting (he mostly works in oils and acrylics but dabbles in everything). In the past I have generally left landscapes to him but over the past year I have had to create a few landscapes for work and have finally fallen for the oddly satisfying color study element of the process!

While I am no watercolor landscape pro, my knowledge of the medium and past studies in landscapes for my undergrad have given me enough tools to get started and to have fun with the process. Plus, moody watercolor landscapes are super trendy right now, so having a few more pieces to hang up around my house hasn’t hurt me one bit ;)

In today’s video I’m going to walk you through my process for creating a simple watercolor landscape. We’ll talk through some of the basic techniques for creating depth and realism in your landscapes and how to use a limited color palette without losing your mind or painting the canvas a single shade of green, hah!

Supplies:*

Paper: Strathmore 300
Large Palette: https://amzn.to/2NMsJZD
Watercolor brushes: (quill, size 6) https://amzn.to/3mpcty7, (round, size 10) https://amzn.to/3yQoEJz

My Palette:

Top: (right to left)

Burnt Sienna: https://amzn.to/2UoERCW
Burnt Umber: https://amzn.to/2Un00xo
Piemontite Genuine: https://amzn.to/2QT0qJR
Deep Scarlet: https://amzn.to/39pxWxF
Alizarin Crimson: https://amzn.to/2QU0NUr
Cadmium Red (deep): https://amzn.to/2UoZr6f
Cadmium Red (pale): https://amzn.to/3dxuBQu
Cadmium Orange: https://amzn.to/2QRTmND

Side: (top to bottom)

Cadmium Yellow: https://amzn.to/2JnWjBe
Lemon Yellow Hue: https://amzn.to/2JoldAK
Yellow Ochre: https://amzn.to/3dEfbKb
Raw Sienna: https://amzn.to/2JitA0K
Terre Verte (Yellow Shade): https://amzn.to/33SBCXz
Sap Green: https://amzn.to/39rMVHA
Hooker’s Green: https://amzn.to/3atQhLi
Jadeite Genuine: https://amzn.to/2WRSz30

Bottom: (left to right)

Viridian Hue: https://amzn.to/3arbw0u
Intense Blue (Phthalo): https://amzn.to/3alKCHf
Ultramarine: https://amzn.to/3dzetxT
Mayan Blue Genuine: https://amzn.to/2JlSfSb
Indigo: https://amzn.to/2xvJFh7
Amethyst Genuine: https://amzn.to/3aqN3ID
Permanent Rose: https://amzn.to/2QSZrt9
Rhodonite Genuine: https://amzn.to/3bwCqUH

Off Screen:

Ivory Black: https://amzn.to/39rOCEG
Hematite Genuine (warm black): https://amzn.to/2WNGKe2
Chinese White: https://amzn.to/3bwRt0B


*As an Amazon associate, I receive a small commission on some of the links above if you make a purchase—at no extra cost to you! Read my full disclosure here