Watercolor Inspo: 60 Awesome Watercolor Painting Ideas and Tutorials!

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Last Updated on October 16, 2024 by Dee

Hey everyone! If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at watercolor painting and need some watercolor inspo, you’re in the right place. Watercolor is such a beautiful and expressive medium, and it’s actually way easier to get started than you might think!

I’ve rounded up the absolute best beginner-friendly watercolor tutorials on YouTube to help you get started. We’ll cover everything from essential techniques to painting stunning landscapes, flowers, birds, and even galaxies!

To make things even more fun, I’ve created some free printable watercolor templates that you can download at the end of this post. Let’s dive in!

Top 15 Watercolor Tutorials for Beginners on YouTube

1. Unlock the Beauty of Watercolor Sunflowers with Line and Wash by Artsydee

In this watercolor sunflower tutorial, we’ll explore the delightful line and wash technique, a perfect way to capture the vibrant energy of these iconic flowers. This method blends the structure of line drawing with the soft fluidity of watercolor washes. If you’re new to watercolor or simply love sunflowers, this tutorial is for you! We’ll guide you through every step, from the initial sketch to those final, magical details. By the end, you’ll have created a stunning watercolor sunflower to brighten your day. Let’s dive in!

2. 5 EASY Watercolour Flowers (it’s easier than you think) by Emma Jane Lefebvre

Emma Jane Lefebvre’s popular tutorial teaches you how to paint five gorgeous blooms: roses, pansies, forget-me-nots, dahlias, and tulips. She makes the process easy and fun!

2. The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Watercolor by Jenna Rainey

This in-depth guide by Jenna Rainey is your one-stop shop for watercolor basics. You’ll learn about supplies, washes, gradients, layering, and all the must-know techniques.

3.【5 Watercolor Mistakes】And How To Avoid Them by Laovaan

Even beginners can make mistakes! Laovaan’s video helps you avoid common pitfalls like overworking your paint or using dirty water so you’ll create beautiful pieces from the start.

4. Easiest Way to Paint TEN Trees with Watercolor! by Jenna Rainey

Jenna Rainey is back with a delightful tutorial on painting various trees, from simple pines to majestic oaks. Perfect for practicing those watercolor skills.

5. Loose-Style Beach Scene (with color mixing lesson) by Jenna Rainey

Learn a dreamy, loose-style with Jenna Rainey’s beach scene tutorial. This relaxed approach is fantastic for beginners, and you’ll even get a color-mixing lesson!

6. Easy Watercolor Techniques For Beginners by The Mind of Watercolor

This awesome tutorial is your starting point for mastering watercolor essentials. Learn techniques like wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, blending, and a whole lot more.

7. Watercolor Painting for Beginners: Mountain Landscape by Shayda Campbell

Level-up your skills with Shayda Campbell’s stunning mountain landscape tutorial. You’ll learn how to layer colors and create amazing depth!

8. Watercolor for Beginners – How to Paint a Galaxy by Creations CeeCee

Blast off with this popular tutorial! Learn to paint gorgeous watercolor galaxies, perfect for those who love a cosmic vibe.

9. How to Paint Easy Flowers in Watercolor by Karen Rice Art

Karen Rice’s gentle style is ideal for beginners who might be a little nervous. Learn to paint simple flowers in a relaxing and encouraging way.

10. Watercolor Tutorial: How to Paint a Bird by Oliver Pyle

Paint those feathered friends with Oliver Pyle’s detailed bird tutorial. If you have some basic skills, you’ll be creating beautiful birds in no time.

11. How to Paint Loose Florals by Diane Antone Studio

Embrace a free-flowing style with Diane Antone. This approach is fantastic for beginners who love a less controlled, more expressive way of painting.

12. EASY Watercolor Tutorial for Beginners: Sunset Scene by In the Studio with Michele Webber

Paint a beautiful sunset scene with Michele Webber. Learn essential washes and color blending skills for those dreamy watercolor effects.

13. Easy Watercolor Landscape Tutorial | Beginners Welcome! by Matthew White

Matthew White’s relaxing landscape tutorial is a perfect project for landscape lovers. Get comfy and learn some peaceful painting techniques.

14. How to Paint a Robin | Watercolor Tutorial by Let’s Make Art

Learn to paint the classic backyard bird with Let’s Make Art’s easy-to-follow tutorial. It’s a great way to practice painting animals!

15. Watercolor Techniques for Beginners (That Actually Work!) by Kirsty Partridge Art

Kirsty Partridge focuses on core watercolor techniques that will dramatically improve your skills. Perfect for building a strong foundation.

watercolor inspo and tutorials

Let me know which tutorials you enjoy most, and share your beautiful watercolor creations!

60+ Watercolor Painting Ideas (Easy Watercolor Inspo)

Access Your Free Watercolor Printable Stencils in 3 Easy Steps:

  1. Create Your Account: Click the ‘Get My Free Printables’ button in the box below to sign up for a free Grow.me account. Fill in your details and set up your account quickly and easily.
  2. Check Your Inbox: Look out for a confirmation email from Grow.me in your inbox. Click the confirmation link inside to verify your email address.
  3. Enjoy Unlimited Access: Once you’ve confirmed your email, simply refresh the ArtsyDee Watercolor Inspo page, and voilà! All of my free watercolor printables will be unlocked and ready for you to enjoy. You’ll have instant access to them in this and every post, whenever you’re logged in.

Having trouble? If you don’t see the confirmation email, please check your spam or promotions folder. 

Love These Watercolor Templates? Get Even More Exclusive Creative Goodies on My Patreon! 🎨

If you’re enjoying these free printables, why not join my Artsydee Patreon community? As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive Procreate tutorials, watercolor lessons, and tons of printables like this one—delivered to you monthly (and sometimes even twice a month!). Plus, you’ll get sneak peeks at upcoming projects and have a say in what content I create next. ✨

Join today and unlock premium resources to take your creativity to the next level!

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2 thoughts on “Watercolor Inspo: 60 Awesome Watercolor Painting Ideas and Tutorials!”

  1. Dear Dee,

    Thank you for all the free designs – they will be put to good use.
    I would like to download the 60+ Watercolor Painting Ideas (Easy Watercolor Inspo) but have had no success. Could you help please?
    Blessings, Donnie

    Reply
    • Hi Donnie, Thanks for your message! If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see there is a locked box. By signing up for my weekly newsletter the PDf printable will become available (in the same space) for you to download and print! Hope this helps and best wishes, Dee x

      Reply

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