12 Must-Try Watercolor Effects for Beautiful Textured Art

If you want to take your watercolor skills to the next level, experimenting with different effects can make your artwork truly stand out.

As Martina Bulková often shows in her creative process, adding unique elements like salt, foil, and alcohol can produce stunning textures and eye-catching patterns.

Whether you’re just beginning or already familiar with watercolor techniques, these effects can instantly elevate your work.

In this article, Martina Bulková will walk you through some of her favorite techniques so you can easily incorporate them into your own paintings. Let’s dive in!

Understanding the Nature of Watercolors

Watercolors are magical but tricky to master. The combination of water, pigment, and paper can sometimes feel unpredictable, making watercolor painting so exciting.

The artist needs to control the water and stains while also embracing the beautiful accidents that can happen.

It’s about finding balance – controlling the brushstrokes while letting the water flow and blend freely.

In the artist’s experience, starting with simple projects helps grasp the basic rules before moving on to more complex works.

Once the artist gets comfortable with the basics, they can experiment with fun effects like the ones shared today!

Essential Materials for Watercolor Effects

Before jumping into the effects, let’s quickly go over the materials the artist recommends. Expensive tools aren’t necessary to create beautiful art. Here’s what the painter typically uses:

• Paper: The artist prefers Fabriano cold-pressed paper, but other watercolor papers including cheaper ones—also work if the painter is just starting.

• Brushes: A synthetic flat brush is the artist’s go-to for most effects, but different types of brushes can be used to experiment with texture.

  Watercolors: The painter mainly uses White Nights watercolors, but any watercolor brand the artist feels comfortable with works well.

• Extras: Salt, food foil, tin foil, crayons, tissue, alcohol, and bubble wrap. These materials are simple and easy to find, but they’ll make a huge difference in the results.

Watercolor Techniques and Effects

Now, let’s dive into the fun part: the effects! These techniques can help create everything from soft gradients to textured backgrounds.

Wet on Dry

One of the simplest but most effective techniques the artist often uses is the wet-on-dry method. Here’s how it works:

• First, the artist paints a layer of color and lets it dry completely.

• Once dry, the painter adds another layer of the same or a different color on top.
  Paint different layers

This technique gives sharp edges and clear color separation. It’s perfect for controlled designs requiring clean lines and precise shapes. It’s easy to start with and gives great results right away.

Wet on Wet

Now that wet-on-dry is mastered, let’s explore the exciting wet-on-wet technique! This method is a bit more unpredictable and fun. Here’s how the artist uses it:

• First, the painter applies a layer of color on the paper while it’s still wet.

• Before it dries, another color is added on top. As the colors mix, they create soft stains and beautiful gradients.

This technique is perfect for making abstract patterns or creating soft backgrounds. The artist can also splatter paint onto the wet surface for a more textured effect. The colors blend beautifully, and each piece becomes unique.

Salt Effect

The salt effect is one of the artist’s favorites. It’s super simple and creates beautiful, organic textures. Here’s how the painter does it:

• The artist starts by painting a wet layer of watercolor on the paper.

• While it’s still wet, the painter sprinkles some salt on top.

• The salt absorbs the water and creates interesting, crystal-like patterns as it dries.
• Remove the salt.

Depending on how much salt is used, the effect can vary. The painter experiments with different amounts to see how the texture changes. Once the paint dries, the salt is removed, revealing a stunning, textured surface.

Foil Effects

Next, let’s get creative with foils!

Food Foil

Using food foil for watercolor effects is a fun way to add texture. Here’s how the artist does it:

• After painting the basic layer, the painter presses a piece of food foil onto the wet paint.
• The artist can crumple the foil to create more intricate textures or simply lay it flat for bigger shapes.

• After a few minutes, remove the food foil. 

The result? Beautiful, random textures that are both metallic and reflective. It’s a great way to add variety to the work.

Tin Foil

The artist also loves using tin foil to create more defined textures. The process is very similar to the food foil technique:

• Paint the basic layer.
• Then, press crumpled tin foil onto the paint.
• The foil picks up the pigment and leaves interesting shapes behind when removed.

• After letting the paint dry, the artist removes the tin foil.

These foil techniques give the artwork a unique, almost 3D feel, adding more dimension and interest.

Wax Resist

The wax resist effect is one of the most fun and dramatic techniques. It involves using wax to block out areas of the paper before painting. Here’s how the artist does it:

• The painter uses crayons (any color) or even a candle.
• Before painting, the artist draws or writes with wax on the paper.

• The watercolor won’t stick to the waxed areas, creating bold lines or designs that stand out.

This technique works wonderfully for highlighting certain parts of the painting or adding intricate details.

Tissue Lifting

The tissue lifting technique is so easy, but the results are fantastic. Here’s how it works:

• The painter paints a layer of watercolor and lets it dry slightly.
• While the paint is still wet, a tissue is gently pressed onto the paper.
• The tissue lifts off some of the paint, revealing lighter areas.

This method is excellent for adding highlights or creating soft transitions. It’s perfect for skies, backgrounds, or soft edges around the subject.

Single-Color Gradient

Creating a single-color gradient is an essential skill for watercolor artists. Here’s how the painter achieves it:

• Start by applying a strong stroke of color at the top of the paper.

• Add more water to the brush and gradually make strokes below, blending the color smoothly.
• Keep adding water to create a nice fade from dark to light.

This technique is great for creating soft backgrounds or skies. It’s all about controlling the water and ensuring a smooth transition.

Two-Color Gradient

For a more dynamic look, the painter tries a two-color gradient:

• Start by painting two separate strokes of color.
• Use clean water or more paint to blend the two colors at the edges.

This technique is fantastic for creating dynamic, colorful backgrounds. Don’t worry if the colors don’t blend perfectly at first. Watercolor is all about embracing the unexpected!

Dry Brush and Washout

The dry brush and washout techniques are great for fixing mistakes or refining the painting. Here’s how the artist uses them:

• Dry brush: The painter uses a brush with very little water to gently go over areas to soften or add texture.

• Washout: The artist lifts paint off the paper—wet or dry—using a tissue or a clean brush.
  Lift the paint off with a tissue

These techniques are perfect for adjusting edges, lightening areas, or fixing mistakes, especially on paper that allows some lifting.

Alcohol Dots

Using alcohol with watercolor creates a beautiful, unpredictable effect. Here’s how it’s done:

• Paint a gradient with two colors and let it dry slightly.
• Using a thin brush, drop small amounts of alcohol onto the wet paint.

The alcohol forms circular blooms, adding a unique texture to the piece.

Bubble Wrap Texture

Another fun effect the painter loves is using bubble wrap. Here’s how:

• Lay a piece of bubble wrap over the wet paint.

• Let it dry, then peel the wrap off. The result is a series of uniform, textured dots.

This technique creates structured patterns or adds texture to backgrounds.

Wrapping Up

Watercolor painting is all about experimenting and embracing the unpredictability of the medium.

The effects created with salt, foil, alcohol, and other materials add depth and interest to the artwork.

The artist is encouraged to try these techniques and discover what works best for them. Mistakes are part of the learning process—embrace them and enjoy the creative journey!