Watercolour Landscape for Beginners

A simple scene of sky, hills, trees and water is the perfect first project in watercolour. Watercolour landscape painting teaches you the key skills: washes, wet-on-wet blending, layering and leaving white paper for light. This Haanz Art Guide walks you through an easy landscape step by step, explains which paper, paints and brushes to use, and shares tips for painting in Sri Lanka’s humid weather.

What you need

• Paper: watercolour paper matters more than anything else. A heavy pad like the Bomeijia W/C pad 300GSM A4 stays flatter when wet. For school practice and larger work, SeaKing Watercolour Paper 160 gsm, A3 Size is a popular choice.
• Paint: a set of 12 is plenty. Try Pentel Watercolour 12 Tubes or Camel Artist Watercolour 12x5ml.
• Brushes: a soft mop such as the Crimto Watercolour Quill Mop Brush – 6 for skies and big washes, and a pointed round like the Apple Fine Red Sable Brush (236) size 4 for trees and details.
• Tape: Nyoni Artist Masking Tape to hold the paper down and give a clean white border.
• Palette: a Mixing Tray 14 Holes Oval Shape gives you room for several washes.
• Also: two jars of water, a soft tissue, a pencil and a board to tape your paper onto.

See all papers in Drawing Papers For Watercolours and paint sets in Watercolours. Prices change, so see each product page for today’s price.

Watercolour landscape painting step by step

We will paint a simple scene: a soft sky, distant hills, a line of trees and a calm lake or paddy field in front.

1. Tape and sketch. Tape all four edges of the paper to a board. Draw a very light pencil line for the horizon, about one third from the bottom, and the outline of the hills. Keep pencil marks faint, as they show through watercolour.
2. Paint the sky wet-on-wet. Wet the sky area with clean water using the mop brush. While it shines, drop in a light blue at the top and let it fade towards the horizon. Leave a few white gaps for clouds, or lift colour with a scrunched tissue.
3. Let it dry. This is the most important step. Wait until the paper is no longer cool to the touch. In humid weather it can take longer than you expect.
4. Paint the far hills. Mix a pale blue-grey or blue-purple. Distant hills look lighter and cooler than near ones. Paint the hill shape in one wash and let it dry.
5. Paint the middle ground. Mix a green with a little blue for hills or fields closer to you. Make it a little stronger than the far hills.
6. Add the trees. With the round brush, dab tree shapes along the line of the land using a darker green. Press the brush on its side for leafy edges. While still damp, touch in a darker green at the bottom of each tree for shadow.
7. Paint the water or field. For a lake, repeat the sky colour, a little darker, with a few flat strokes. Leave thin white lines for shine. For a paddy field, use a fresh yellow-green with horizontal strokes.
8. Add final details. Paint a few darker strokes in the foreground, such as grass, a path or a small boat. Keep details for the front of the painting only.
9. Remove the tape. When the painting is completely dry, peel the tape off slowly at an angle away from the painting.

Tips for clean, fresh landscapes

• Work light to dark. You cannot easily paint a light colour over a dark one in watercolour, so start pale and build up.
• Use plenty of water and pigment. Mix more wash than you think you need, so you do not run out halfway across the sky.
• Keep one jar clean. Use one jar for rinsing and one for clean water, or your skies will turn grey.
• Do not fiddle. Once a wash starts to dry, leave it alone. Going back into damp paint causes blooms and marks.
• Leave some white paper. White paper is your brightest light. Plan where you want sparkle on water or clouds.

Practice ideas for your next paintings

• A sunset over the sea with palm tree silhouettes.
• Misty tea hills, with each row of hills a little darker.
• A single tree in a field, painted three times at different times of day.
• A rainy day street with reflections, painted wet-on-wet.

Want better skies? Read How to Paint Skies and Clouds in Watercolour. For paper and techniques, see the Watercolour Paper Guide and Watercolour Techniques for Beginners.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my watercolour paper buckle?

Thin paper takes in water and swells. Use heavier watercolour paper, tape all four edges to a board and let the painting dry flat before removing the tape.

Can I use pan watercolours instead of tubes?

Yes. Pans work well for landscapes. Wet them a minute before you start so the colour comes up easily, and mix enough for big washes.

Do you deliver islandwide?

Yes. We deliver across Sri Lanka in 2–5 working days, with cash on delivery, card or bank transfer. You can also visit our shops in Boralesgamuwa and Horana, open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Not sure what to choose? Call / WhatsApp the Haanz team on 0711 515 515 and we’ll help you choose watercolour paper, paints and brushes for your first landscape.

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