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How To Paint With Watercolor Paints

I’m going to show you how easy it is to paint with watercolor paints. I finished my first project with the watercolors and it is amazing if I do say so myself.

Can I get a standing ovation? My pretty watercolor ocean scene was the easiest project ever and completed in about 30 minutes. I even made a video.

sweet little watercolor scene on muslin fabric

How To Paint With Watercolor Paints

Supplies: muslin or other fabric and Martha Stewart® Soft Gel Watercolor Acrylic Paints, Watercolor Brushes, and Adhesive Stencils.

muslin fabric for watercolor paint project using Martha Stewart paint

I used muslin for this project, mainly because it’s what I had on hand. I think a piece of drop cloth would work great too.

Martha Stewart Soft Gel Watercolor Acrylic Paints project from Petticoat Junktion

There is a large selection of Watercolors and I didn’t know which ones I might use. The colors can be blended to make custom colors plus you can make varying shades or tones of the same color by diluting with water.

How To Paint With Watercolor Paints The finished project is hanging in the “Granddaughters Bedroom”. Sofi loves colorful things. Just like her grandmother.

I hung the paint project from a plain wooden hanger and low on the bedroom wall where Sofi can admire it.

Watercolor Ocean scene painted with Martha Stewart Watercolor gel acrylic paint project by Petticoat Junktion

update to project – I stapled my masterpiece to a white canvas. So pretty!watercolor project in the works from Petticoat Junktion

pretty watercolor paints

Let’s get on with the project. It only takes a bit of paint. Pour a small amount of the watercolors onto paper plates and grab a few watercolor brushes.

pretty watercolor project

I started at the bottom of the muslin with blue for the ocean. As I said watercolor paints are new to me so I’m just wingin’ this whole thing.

I brushed on the paint then dipped my brush in water to help spread the paint. The muslin was pretty damp when I finished up the project.

Martha Stewart Watercolor Brushes

The watercolor brushes are wonderful. I really like that fan brush.

watercolor saturated paint colors

Keep the water bowl handy. It doesn’t matter about mixing the paints in the water. Use the same water for all.

mixing watercolors together

Along with blending the paints while brushing them on the muslin I mixed a few together before painting with them.

Martha Stewart Adhesive Stencils

For the cute little cattail plant I used a Martha Stewart Adhesive Stencil. The watercolors tend to seep under regular stencils and the adhesive stencil works best.

wait for watercolors to dry

Once the project was finished I laid it out on a towel to dry. With my hurry up style I used a hair dryer to speed up the process. I can’t help it. No patience.

paint a beach scene using watercolor paints from Martha Stewart

How perfect is that cattail. I t’s perfectly imperfect. Patting myself on the back.

How To Paint With Watercolor Paints

I hung my masterpiece from an unfinished wood hanger. I like the simple unstructured look. I may wrap the watercolor art around a blank framed canvas later for a more refined look.

Take a look at the video. It sure shows the process better than the photos do. Kathy in motion, lol.

 

How To Paint With Watercolor Paints Video

The Martha Stewart Watercolors are multi-surface (wood, papier mache, paper for notecards or watercolor art, canvas and fabric) and are gel formula. They also clean up with soap and water. Good for messy me.

how to use watercolor paints to paint an ocean scene

This project was super fun.

 

I’m excited about the new products from Martha Stewart like the Marbling Medium and the Home Décor Paint. I got to try out the marbling medium at Plaid Enterprises last month and fell in love.

 

 

How to paint with Martha Stewart Watercolor Paints

 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Plaid Crafts. All words, project ideas and photographs are 100% my own.

Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Kathy’s newest website is HappyHomeDIY.com

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9 Comments

  1. During art class in high school, my teacher had us wet our paper with a sponge. It was beautiful the way the colors blended and no paint brush lines. I wonder how this would look if the cloth was wet when you started? Just a thought.

  2. It is so lovely! I love the soft feel it gives and how well you blended the colors! Getting good at this!

  3. Once again, you amaze me! I’m going to dig out my paints and brushes right now. Thank you for the inspiration!

  4. I have painted with acrylic paints for 45 years, they can be used as watercolor paints as well, however I rarely used them that way. Last week just for pure fun I bought one of those cheap plastic water color paint cases like the kind we used to use in grade school. Using them makes me feel like a kid again! I like your idea of water color on muslin , I would not have thought of that, Your post has filled my head with ideas now. Thanks Kathy!