Are you interested in learning the basics of watercolor, though you’d rather not paint fruit?

Our free resource art site, MakingArtFun.com, which features the biographies of our major artists, along with a collection of printable resources and lesson ideas, has just created a series of free printable watercolor lesson plans. These introductory watercoloring lessons are designed to appeal to the funny side of your brain. Following a step-by-step approach, you’ll learn basic watercolor painting techniques as you paint characters and scenes that are sure to make you giggle!

Retro Robot | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

“Make a Wish” Fairy | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

The Little Engine That Could | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

Monkey Loves Banana | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

Snork Monster | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

Whimsical Flight | “Learn to Watercolor” Project

What you’ll need for these watercolor projects:

Watercolor Paint Box
Watercolor sets should provide rich and wonderfully satisfying color. A Reeves or Prang watercolor set offer just this at an economical price.

Watercolor Paper
Watercolor paper is a special paper that’s thick enough to take a soaking and still stay flat. It comes in different textures and weights (thicknesses). A 140lb textured paper is recommended.

Watercolor Brush
Different brushes give different results. A medium-sized (#5) round brush is perfect to get you started.

Watercolor Pallet
Your local art/craft store offers a variety of watercolor pallets if you would like to purchase one. However, a paper plate covered in plastic wrap will work just fine.

Pencil
Art pencils are available in soft and hard leads. However, your #2 school pencil will work just fine.

There’s an artist in all of us. Unfortunately, by age ten the excitement for coloring and drawing pictures diminishes, you became frustrated and gave up. Our left brain, the one that does all the stuff at school, begins to dominate everything we do. The problem is that right brain, the one that is “right” for drawing has given way to the left, and the left brain isn’t any good at drawing.

The goal of the following drawing lessons is to give the right brain an chance to emerge. To develop a “shift” in thinking, from the left brain to the right. To let the left brain know that its time is over, and begin draw in a way you never have before.

Our free resource site, MakingArtFun.net, features a easy-to-follow drawing lessons that are sure to make you the artist you always wanted to be.

Drawing Contours

Lesson 1: Optical Illusion Vase

Lesson 2: Fraggle Monster Vase

Lesson 3: Picasso’s The Dog

Lesson 4: Picasso’s The Butterfly

Lesson 5: Matisse’s La Pompadour

Lesson 6: Soda Pop Straws

Lesson 7: Does Negative Space Have a Shape?

Lesson 8: Pure Contour Drawing

Lesson 9: Draw a Face

Lesson 10: Draw Johann Sebastian Bach

 

Layout

Lesson 1: The Basic Shapes of Everything