Have you been searching the web for the best online watercolor classes? Search no more!
In this article, I’ve compiled the very best online watercolor classes that expert watercolor painters and illustrators worldwide have to offer.
Best Online Watercolor Classes for Mixing Paints like Experts
1. Skillshare: Modern Watercolor Techniques: Explore Skills to Create On-Trend Paintings
If you’ve been looking for the best online classes that’ll teach you trending painting techniques, search no further. This Modern Watercolor technique is one of the best online watercolor classes for beginners and advanced painters.
Cat Coquillette teaches this watercolor course. She’s a successful contemporary artist and entrepreneur with 100,000+ watercolor paintings selling on products globally. Her works – CatCoq Artwork and Designs – are licensed in stores like Urban Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, Modcloth, etc.
She focuses on using the latest special painting techniques in the online classes that can only be achieved using watercolor paint.
When you signup for this online water class, you’ll learn the following from the 1 hour 20-minute video tutorial;
- Tips for sketching a motif.
- How to mix vibrant color palettes.
- Ways for creating perfect strokes using some brush control techniques.
- The subtle art of painting with whitespace in mind and blending out colors on paper.
There’s also an exciting bonus lesson where Cat shares the ace she uses to create modern accents in her paintings— how to weave gold textures (copper tone or gold-rose) into your final watercolor paintings using photoshop.
Pros
- This course is expert-taught.
- Great for beginners and advanced painters.
- Low-time commitment.
- 671 Project files are available for inspiration.
- Bonus materials are available for download.
Cons
- Not a certificate course.
2. Skillshare: Art Essentials: Learn Watercolor Painting Basics
If you’re looking for the best online watercolor class for creating jaw-dropping fashion and illustration projects, Art Essentials is one of the best online courses for that.
Katie Rodgers is a fashion illustrator, blogger, and the founder of Paper Fashion, where she shares her beautiful creations.
She created 6 watercolor classes to teach beginners and experienced painters watercolor painting techniques for creating illustrations.
The 1-hour watercolor lessons will teach you;
- The importance of paint supplies, and how to go about mixing paints to maximize their lifespan and vibrancy.
- How to choose the right pencils and brushes. The concept of line, weight, color, brush strokes, texture, patterns, etc.
- Advanced techniques like using household items (salt, paper towel, and so on) to create new textures, patterns, and compositions.
You can draw inspiration from one of the completed 446 project files from previous students to help you learn watercolor painting faster.
Katie also included lots of shoe drawing downloadable resources on using different brushes and making color charts with whatever paint you have.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Low-time commitment required
- 446 Project files are available for inspiration
- Downloadable resources.
Cons
- Not a certificate course.
3. Udemy: Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting
Without a proper understanding of the materials involved in watercolor painting, the chances are that you’ll regularly run into problems as you paint. Jill Poyerd created Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting specifically to deal with this issue.
Jill Poyerd is an award-winning contemporary realist and Fine Arts educator with works in private collections worldwide. She’s also the author of the portrait painting book Fearless Portraits.
In this class, she provides well-detailed lectures on the core of watercolor painting and a thorough examination of the materials used for the art.
37 video lessons are lasting 3 hours 19 minutes. Upon completion, you’d have learned the following:
- How to make a distinction between paints.
- Watercolor techniques for working faster and easier.
- Understanding the properties of water, pigments, and painting surfaces.
Jill is a widely published author whose work has been exhibited in several places, so you can rest assured you’re learning from the best.
Pros
- Low-time commitment
- Relevant to beginners and advanced painters
- Unlimited access to course materials
- Downloadable resources and practice files
- Certificate of completion available
Cons
- This is a paid course
4. Skillshare: Ana Victoria’s Modern Watercolor Techniques: Beginner’s Level
If you’ve found watercolor painting intimidating, that is about to change. In just 2 hours, you can learn exciting and incredible techniques to use your watercolor paints to create masterpieces.
Ana Victoria’s Modern Watercolor Techniques will teach you specific techniques that you can use to design very creative works of art.
Ana’s an artist with her signature watercolor technique on Skillshare. She has a degree in Graphics Design and Fine Arts and has licensed artworks to companies like Hallmark and Papyrus.
These top-rated, beginner-level video lessons have a specific focus on showing you:
- How to harness your creative style to make wonderful textures using household supplies.
- How to know the right art supplies like watercolor paper and watercolor brushes.
- How to create transparencies within your painting.
- How to work with monochrome, create light, and paint gradients.
And to help you quickly grasp the concepts in these watercolor painting classes, Ana included a rich gallery for you to draw inspiration from.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly.
- Low-time commitment.
- 823 Project files are available for inspiration.
- Extra resources are available.
- Self-paced learning and skillshare free trial available.
Cons
- No certificate of completion.
5. Udemy: Beginners Watercolor
This next online watercolor class was explicitly designed with beginners in mind.
This 59-lecture 4-hour watercolor class will teach you everything from basics to actual painting in simple, easy-to-follow steps.
Nicole A Blakemore is a professional artist and teacher whose work and teaching methods resonate with struggling creatives as she’s self-taught.
While teaching the watercolor courses, she avoids the traditional formal structure to be more creative and enjoy the process, colors, and shapes.
By the end of the watercolor lessons, you’d have learned:
- The technicality of watercolor paints and how to use them effectively.
- The basis of color wash and how layers of washes of the same color can create shapes and shades.
- How to watercolor 3D objects.
There are also watercolor classes designed to guide you through the entire watercolor painting process, from choosing the art supplies to sketching and down to painting using a sample apple painting.
Ana also answers common questions from students in a video lecture.
Pros
- Top-rated watercolor course.
- Low-time commitment.
- Relevant to beginners.
- Lifetime access to course material.
- Downloadable resources and practice files are available.
- Certificate of completion available.
Cons
- This is a paid course.
6. Domestika: Botanical Illustration with Watercolor
If you love nature and nature-inspired illustrations, there’s no better online watercolor course to hone your passion than the Botanical Illustrations with Watercolor.
Paulina Maciel is simply a phenomenal instructor. She’s a designer and illustrator who focuses on botanical themes.
In this watercolor class, she teaches students how to create botanical-themed illustrations. For a final project, a flower is used as a model to create a botanical illustration as a resource to design a stationery set.
With this online watercolor course, you’ll learn;
- How to use plants as models to make botanical illustrations.
- How to digitize your work, make edits, and apply your creativity to other products.
- Different ways of applying paint and how to create the different textures found in nature.
- How to discover the different geometric shapes in flowers and plants; and how to draw them easily.
If you’re comfortable with getting an online education, this is one of the best online watercolor classes for you.
Pros
- Top-rated, beginner-friendly course.
- Low-time commitment.
- Lifetime access to course material.
- Certificate of completion.
- Option of requesting feedback.
- Access to join a global community of creatives
Cons
- Paid course.
7. CreativeLive: Getting Started with Watercolor and Gouache Paints
If you’ve been meaning to work with watercolors and gouache paints but are unsure how to start, Mary Jane Begin has the perfect online watercolor class for beginners.
Mary’s an award-winning illustrator and author of children’s picture books. She’s also a Rhode Island School of Design graduate (RISD) and a professor in the Department of Illustration at RISD. In this introductory course to watercolors and gouache painting, she provides the following in-depth insights into the world of gouache paint.
- How different types of gouache painting and watercolor paints work.
- Watercolor paper and brush types.
- How to start with basic designs to familiarise yourself with the medium.
- The mechanics of opacity, how to create light, and transparency of color.
Around 17,000 students have signed up for the watercolor class as the 13 lessons require a low-time commitment.
Pros
- Low-time commitment
- Beginner level
Cons
- Paid course.
8. Skillshare: Anyone Can Watercolor: The Basics for Creating Magical Pieces
Anyone Can watercolor is the best online watercolor class for people that want their personalities to shine forth through their watercolor paintings.
Yasmina Creates is the creator of this Skillshare course. She’s a watercolor and another mixed media artist whose personal art is inspired by the magical and dreamy spell.
Anyone can watercolor is a beginner-level class, and some of the things you’ll learn from the watercolor courses are;
- How to get the correct art supplies for any project.
- Up to 6 different watercolor painting techniques.
- How to layer and blend using the medium.
- The salt technique and the alcohol resist technique.
She also teaches a handful of tips and tricks to help beginners create and sell magical pieces or build their illustration portfolios.
There are also 318 completed projects you can draw inspiration from.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly class.
- Low-time commitment required.
- 318 Project files for inspiration.
- Practice materials are available for download.
- Self-paced learning and skillshare free trial available
Cons
- No certificate of completion.
9. The Art Studio NY: Watercolor Classes
If you’re looking for one-on-one watercolor tutorials, the Art Studio NY has the best online watercolor classes for you.
There are watercolor workshops and courses for all levels of painters, from beginners to advanced learners.
The Art Studio NY is a New York-based art school reputable for its non-judgmental, friendly, and inspiring approach to art portrayed by its expert instructors.
Some of the things you’re sure to learn include:
- How watercolor paints work.
- Composition, color theory, usage, and mixing.
- Watercolor textures, realism, and abstraction.
- Landscape painting, layering, and glazing
The watercolor classes are entirely online and selling fast, so you should not waste time securing your spot.
Pros
- All the classes are held live.
- Expert taught classes.
- There are courses for all levels of experience.
Cons
- Limited seat
- High-time commitment required
- Paid courses
10. CreativeLive: Watercolor 101
Still on the best online watercolor classes for beginners, here’s another one offered on CreativeLive by Molly Murrah.
Molly is an award-winning artist who’s been painting in the watercolor medium for over 20 years. She teaches everything about colors, paper, brushes, and composition in this class. The class comprises 28 lectures that you can complete in 5 days.
At the end of the watercolor courses, you’ll learn watercolor painting basics and the following;
- All about paints and creating textures.
- How to mix colors.
- Light and shadows, layering and glazing.
- How to draw for painting, proportion, and perspective.
There are Q and A sessions at the end of every day’s lecture and the option to get live feedback.
Pros
- Popular course with over 19,000 students.
- Beginner level.
- Option of live feedback.
Cons
- Paid course
11. Skillshare: Beyond Watercolor: Learn to Paint with Gouache
Next on the list of online watercolor classes is Beyond watercolor. Leah Goren created it with a specific focus on teaching anyone who wants to create watercolor washes and bold backgrounds using gouache paint.
Leah Goren is an illustrator and surface pattern designer who has created art for clients like Anthropologie and publishing houses like Macmillan and Penguin Random House.
This beginner class has over 210 completed projects. It’s a concise class of 10 lessons that you can round up in 46 minutes. By the end of the types, you’ll learn:
- How to choose gouache paints and supplies
- How to use water to create watercolor effects
- Layering techniques to create bolder looks
- Linework techniques for adding extra detail to your painting
The final project involves collecting fruits and objects to draw. You’ll try them out using the different techniques you’ll learn before finally bringing everything together in a single still-life piece.
Pros
- Great for beginners.
- Low-time commitment.
- 210 project files are available for inspiration.
- Practice materials available for download.
- Self-paced learning and Skillshare free trial available.
Cons
- Not a certification course.
12. Anna Mason: Watercolor Classes
You can learn to paint in 20 hours by joining the Anna Mason art school online watercolor classes.
Anna Mason is a 100% award-winning self-taught artist, watercolor painter, and tutor. She created her online school to teach a proven watercolor method that cuts across all skill levels based on deconstruction, choosing the right tools, and structured practice.
To help you improve your skills, she teaches the following topics in her online watercolor classes include:
- Key concepts of watercolor painting.
- Subject matter and backgrounds.
- Equipment— paints, palette, and setting out of paints.
- Drawing, color mixing, and brush techniques.
There is also an active community for support and feedback.
Pros
- Community feedback.
- Expert taught.
- In-depth courses that last weeks.
- Large library of resources.
- Good for all experience levels.
Cons
- A monthly subscription is required.
- Access to course material expires when membership expires.
13. Domestika: Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink
Yes, you can combine loose ink sketching with watercolor to create buildings that are leaping off from paper; and Architectural Sketching is one of the best online watercolor classes for that.
Alex Hillkurtz is a renowned storyboard artist for feature films, TV, and commercials. He designed this course for professional illustrators, watercolor artists, urban sketches, and anyone interested in developing their skills in architectural sketching and watercolor techniques.
The course is top-rated among watercolor students, with over 103,433 signups. It comprises 20 video lectures that you can complete in 3 hours and 31 minutes.
Some of the watercolor courses focus on:
- Fundamental techniques for watercolor sketching.
- Architectural sketching with watercolor
- Composition, perspective, and color mixing.
- Creating textures with a color wash.
- Sketching with fountain pen and ink.
For the final project, you’ll create a beautiful building leaping off the page with light and shadow using watercolor and pen.
Pros
- Popular and top-rated course.
- One of the best watercolor classes for beginners and intermediate watercolor painters.
- Low time commitment
- Unlimited access to the course
- Certificate of completion available
- Option of requesting feedback
- Access to join a global community of creatives
- Self-paced learning option
Cons
- Paid course
14. Udemy: The Mechanics of Watercolor Painting
Here’s another course from Jill Poyerd on Udemy. This watercolor class was designed for beginners and painters of all levels to understand the medium more.
In The Mechanics of Watercolor Painting, Jill covers 38 lessons completed in 4 hours. Her classes will teach you;
- How to grip and manipulate your paintbrush.
- Methods of diluting paint and how to mix varying paint dilutions.
- The mechanics of brush pressure and brush angle influence stroke.
- Paint charting methods and color theory.
- How to gauge absorption and timing as you paint.
Pros
- Top-rated watercolor course.
- Low time commitment.
- Relevant to beginners and advanced painters.
- Unlimited access to course material.
- Downloadable resources available
- Certificate of completion available
Cons
- Paid course.
15. Rebecca Rhodes Art: Learn to Paint Animals in Realistic Watercolor
Finally, if you love nature, this may be one of the best watercolor classes for you.
Rebecca is a watercolor artist and teacher who teaches students to paint detailed and realistic subjects (animals) in watercolor to help them develop their unique styles.
She has a combination of free and live paid classes in her online art school.
Some of the classes you can include:
- Free tutorials on basic techniques of realistic watercolor paintings.
- Free watercolor classes to learn how to draw a dog’s eye.
- Full-length watercolor workshops to help paid members create vibrant and realistic paintings.
Pros
- Live classes.
- Free lessons are available.
- There are courses for all levels of experience.
Cons
- High-time commitment
- Paid courses
FAQ’s
How can I learn watercolor painting?
There are many online watercolor classes where you can learn watercolor painting from the comfort of your home.
The best watercolor class for beginners and advanced painters is Skillshare’s Modern Watercolor Techniques: Explore Skills to Create on-trend Paintings. The course is free for everyone and you can learn it in under 2 hours.
One of the most successful watercolor artists on the planet teaches the course, and you’ll learn modern techniques for creating stunning watercolor paintings.
How much do watercolor artists make?
Watercolor artists earn salaries ranging from $19,000 to $99,000. And the median salary for watercolor artists in the USA is $46,500.
The biggest watercolor painters earn a lot because watercolor paintings are valuable and the composition of the paint is more concentrated than paintings made with acrylic or oil. Secondly, watercolor paintings are difficult to obtain.
As a beginner watercolor painter, you can create small or medium-sized paintings that you can sell at low prices ranging from $50 to $150.
What watercolors should I start with?
For a beginner watercolor artist, you should have these basic watercolor palette colors; warm blue, warm red, warm yellow, cool blue, cool red, and cool yellow.
Then you can mix these colors into hundreds of variations.
Conclusion
Painting is a great way of expressing your deepest emotions and creating art that can make people happy.
So if you’ve got a few art supplies like watercolors, and you’re interested in improving your painting skills, you can try any of the best online watercolor classes and courses mentioned above.
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