How to Plan Out a Watercolor Painting

I’m taking you today to Mona, Utah to the site of the Lavender Fields about 40 minutes from my home in Utah. In this lesson, I’m sharing how I plan out my watercolor painting—what happens at the beginning of the process. Sometimes you want to jump into a painting, but if you take even 15 minutes to plan, you’ll have a better idea of where you are going. You can fine-tune your design and select colors that make a statement. As always, you will have a better experience if you start with the right tools; see my supply list for my suggestions.

Decide on your subject

When on location or going through my photos, I like to take a good look around. Inspiration will tell me what to paint.

Thumbnail designs

Try some quick Thumbnail Designs to decide on your composition on some scratch paper. Usually only about 1-2” square, a small thumbnail drawing can help you plan your design.

Value study

Once you’ve decided on your composition try a Value Study (approx. 2” x 3”). Note, I’ve moved a few mountains. You can just use a pencil if you’d like. Sometimes, I’ll use a Stabilo Aquarellable pencil and add water or even my iPhone and use an app called Notanizer.

Color study

A Color Study (approx. 2” x 3”) with just a suggestion of color can be helpful in deciding on your colors. I often refer to the color wheel to help me decide on my color combinations.

Color swatch

A Color Swatch is helpful in deciding on your colors too. I am using Daniel Smith Watercolors in Cobalt Blue & Quinacridone Rose to mix my purples. Quinacridone Gold, Green Apatite Genuine. Try mixing Green Apatite Genuine and Quinacridone Gold for a Rich Green Gold.

Quick sketch watercolor

A Quick Sketch Watercolor is my favorite to do on location. I can always decide if I want to go larger on a more finished studio painting. Sometimes, the Quick Sketch captures my feeling and I’m happy with it as it is. Someday, I may go larger and I have this study to remind me to keep it simple and loose. For this 5” x 7” painting I taped around the edges on my Fabriano Studio Watercolor Paper 140# Coldpress paper. I then used a Faber-Castell Artists Pit Pen in Sanguine Fine point for my drawing. Then I worked around the painting starting with the wet-in-wet golden sky. Then timed my painting process so I only painted where the paper was dry. Next the Foreground. Then the Mountains. Then to finish and fitness I layered up my colors with brushwork to create texture.