This is one of my early paintings showing you how I used to paint before I discovered how to paint in watercolor using my Priming Method.

Take a look at the hard edges, shadows and the raw washed-out colors in this early painting.

Now take a look below at the difference in the next painting (just four paintings beyond this one above).

Free watercolor painting lesson!

Teaching myself how to paint has meant that I learned to understand how to paint in watercolor and how much water to use and how to create fine layers of color, how to mould form using color temperature (warm and cool colors), how to create soft folds in fabric and petals and how to paint leaves using my yellow underwash technique. Can you see how I have created glowing shadow colors? Painting roses or fabric, the sea, the sky, a portrait, still life – all in watercolor – is not difficult – you just need to learn how to observe, and learn how to understand warm and cool color and how to build layers of color to create delicate transitions, rich depths of color and glowing richness – all without creating mud.

Here is your Free watercolor painting lesson. You will find this an invaluable tool that you can adapt to any subject matter you may choose.

It all begins with my Priming Method ©

Here are my instructions so you, too, can enjoy painting using this magical method.

My Priming Method:

In the initial stages of most of my paintings I use my Priming Method to create

luminous glowing transitions of color.

The Magic of my Priming Method:

Step 1

Wet area to be painted and allow it is sink into the inner layers of the paper.

Step 2

When the sheen from the first clear water wash has just disappeared from the surface of the paper – lay in a second clear water wash.

Step 3

Lay your pigmented wash immediately into the second clear water wash.

There you have it! That is all there is to it!

Why is this watercolor lesson so invaluable?

If you use a transparent palette of hues as well as a very finely ground paint such as the ones I use (Schmincke) – you will find your pigment will be absorbed into the inner layers of your paper. Once bone dry you can add as many washes of color (using my Priming Method) as you wish. But do remember to let each pigmented wash become bone dry.

I always build up the first few layers of my color using my Priming Method. Once I have established my initial smooth blending – if the size of area is not large – I will then progress to using a wet-in-wet method. This wet in wet method is exactly as the name suggests: it is simply a matter of dropping wet paint into a wet surface. My final layers are often wet on dry and dry-brush.

You will find by using my Priming Method on the Initial layers of your painting, you will be able to create a reality and a ‘substance’ in your work. You can then build your subsequent layers using the traditional wet in wet, wet on dry and dry-brush methods. There are many wonderful benefits in this watercolor lesson:

• It is a free watercolor lesson
• My Priming Method allows you to create seamless and gentle gradations of color
• You can easily multilayer your color (to create beautiful luminous depths of the one hue) or a multitude of colors laid on top of each other (once each is bone dry) and this will result in jewel-like final color that glows from within.
• You can easily create soft edged shadow colors using this free watercolor lesson on my Priming Method
• This method will revolutionize how you can paint so many subjects:

1. How to paint a luminous clear sky or sunset where the gentle transitions of color flow seamlessly into each other.
2. How to paint a porcelain bowl
3. How to paint skin
4. How to paint fabric
5. How to paint black, brown and blonde hair
6. How to paint the sea
7. How to paint fruit
8. How to paint water
9. How to paint reflections
10. How to paint animal fur
11. How to paint leaves
12. How to paint roses
13. How to paint flowers
14. How to paint figurative works

You can see the list is endless. The free watercolor painting lesson above can revolutionize your painting skills and lift your painting level if you practice, learn and use it in the early stages of your paintings. You can see how it impacted on mine!

With this method I am able to capture a true sense of being there – a presence – a substance that feels tangible – as if you can reach into the painting and smell the rose or touch the dewdrop on the leaf.

You may like to watch some of the Youtube videos I have created – this one below is the step by step layering of my still life painting for my DVD. You will see how I build soft delicate shades as well as rich deep or vibrant shades of color – all using my Priming Method: