Create Your First Watercolor Landscape in 5 Simple Steps

Watercolor painting is one of the most relaxing and accessible ways to explore your creativity. With just a few supplies, you can start creating beautiful, flowing scenes that capture the essence of nature.

Landscapes are a fantastic place for beginners to start. They’re forgiving, open to interpretation, and offer endless possibilities, from serene skies to vibrant fields and mountains.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create your very own watercolor landscape in just five simple steps. Whether you’re brand new to painting or looking to improve your skills, these tips will help you create a scene you’ll be proud to share.

Gather Your Materials

Before diving into your first watercolor landscape, let’s make sure you have the right materials. Starting with quality basics will help you get the most out of your painting experience without breaking the bank. Here’s a quick guide to the essentials and a few extras to make the process even easier.

Essential Materials

Watercolor Paints: Look for a beginner-friendly set with a basic range of colors. Affordable options often come in pans (solid form) or tubes, both of which work great. If you want something more lasting, but that still cover the basics, this set by Daniel Smith is a great choice.
Brushes: Start with two or three versatile brushes—a large round brush for washes, a medium round for detail, and a flat brush for edges or broad strokes. Look for synthetic brushes, which are often more affordable and still hold water well. This brush set is very versatile!
Watercolor Paper: Choose paper labeled “watercolor” with at least 140 lb (300 gsm) weight, which handles water better without warping. You can find pads or single sheets; either works fine.
Palette: Any small, washable surface for mixing colors will do. Many beginner paint sets include a built-in palette, or you can use a ceramic plate.
Water Container: A simple cup or jar for rinsing brushes is all you need. Having two—one for clean water and one for rinsing—can help keep your colors fresh.

Optional Items

Masking Tape: Great for securing your paper to your work surface and creating clean edges around your painting.
Pencil and Eraser: Use these to lightly sketch your landscape layout before painting. A basic pencil with a soft eraser works well, but keep it light to avoid visible lines.

Tips for Selecting Beginner-Friendly Supplies

Look for Starter Kits: Many art brands offer watercolor kits specifically for beginners, often including paints, brushes, and paper.
Quality Over Quantity: You don’t need every color in the rainbow. A small set of primary colors (red, blue, yellow) with a few extras like green and brown is plenty to start with, and you can mix your own shades!

With these materials, you’ll be ready to start your first watercolor landscape confidently and comfortably.

Step 1 – Sketch Your Landscape Composition

Before you pick up your brush, it’s helpful to plan your composition with a light sketch. Sketching out the basics will guide you through each step of the painting process and help you decide where to place key elements without overcrowding the scene.

Tips for a Simple Landscape Sketch

Start with the Horizon Line: Lightly draw a horizontal line to separate the sky from the land or water. Placing it higher or lower in the scene can create different effects—for example, a low horizon will give more focus to the sky.
Add Main Landscape Features: Think about the big shapes you want to include, like mountains, hills, or water. Sketch these elements in basic shapes, keeping the lines very light so they won’t show through your paint.
Place Your Focal Points: Decide on one or two areas that will draw the viewer’s eye, like a tree, a distant mountain peak, or a small boat. Position these off-center for a more natural and interesting composition.
Keep It Minimal: For your first landscape, keep the sketch clean and simple. Avoid filling in too many details—you’ll add these with paint later on. A minimal approach lets your watercolors flow freely without getting caught up in complex lines.

With a basic layout in place, you’re ready to start painting, knowing each part has its place on the page!

Step 2 – Start with the Background Wash

Now that you have your sketch ready, it’s time to dive into the first layer of paint: the background wash. This step sets the tone of your landscape by giving depth to the sky and distant elements. A soft, even wash creates a beautiful backdrop for the details you’ll add later.

Creating a Light Background Wash

Prepare Your Colors: If you’re painting a clear sky, start with a single light blue. For a sunset or sunrise, mix soft shades of pink, orange, and yellow on your palette.
Apply the Wash: Using a large round or flat brush, load it with water and a small amount of color, then brush it across the sky area in smooth horizontal strokes. Start with a lighter touch, and add more color gradually if needed.
Blend for a Gradient Effect: For a gradient, begin with a darker color at the top of the sky and gradually fade to a lighter color as you move downward. Keep your brush slightly damp to create smooth transitions between colors.

Tips for a Clean Wash

Work Quickly: Watercolors dry fast, so move steadily across the page to prevent streaks.
Let Each Layer Dry Fully: If you’re adding more layers or colors, make sure the first layer is completely dry. This helps avoid muddying your colors and keeps each layer distinct.

A clean background wash creates a soft, inviting backdrop for your landscape and sets you up for adding layers of detail. With your sky in place, you’re ready to build up the landscape’s middle and foreground layers.

Step 3 – Build Up Midground Elements

With the background wash complete, it’s time to add midground elements that bring dimension to your landscape. This step is where you’ll start building up hills, trees, or mountains—features that sit between the distant background and the closer foreground. These elements add depth and draw the viewer’s eye further into the scene.

Adding Midground Features

Define Shapes Lightly: Use a slightly smaller brush to paint basic shapes for midground features like hills, tree lines, or distant mountains. Choose colors that are a bit darker than the background to make these elements stand out.
Layering for Depth: Apply these features in layers, beginning with the farthest midground shapes (like a distant tree line) and working forward. Let each layer dry before adding the next to prevent colors from blending unintentionally.
Experiment with Color Mixing: To create natural-looking shades, try mixing colors directly on your palette or even on the paper. For example, combine blue and green for trees, or blend brown and gray for mountains. Mixing colors helps avoid flat tones and gives your landscape a more realistic, organic feel.
Vary Brush Strokes: Use dabs and short strokes to suggest texture, like the rough shape of a tree line or rocky hillside. This can bring life to these elements and give the painting a sense of movement.

By layering darker tones and experimenting with shades, your midground will begin to feel rich and layered, setting the stage for the details you’ll add in the foreground.

Step 4 – Add Foreground Details for Depth

Now that the midground is in place, it’s time to bring the scene to life with detailed foreground elements. These are the closest features in your landscape, like grass, tree trunks, or rocks, and adding them with care will give your painting a sense of depth and realism. In this step, we’ll focus on using contrast, texture, and brush techniques to make these details stand out.

Adding Foreground Details

Paint Closer Elements with Detail: Use a smaller brush to paint elements like individual blades of grass, tree bark, or rocky textures. These should be more defined than the midground shapes, as they’re closer to the viewer’s eye.
Use Contrast for Depth: Choose slightly darker or more intense colors for these foreground features to create contrast against the softer background and midground layers. Adding highlights with a touch of white or a lighter color can also make them pop.
Add Texture with Brush Techniques: For a textured, realistic effect, try using the dry brush technique—load your brush with paint but remove excess water before applying. This creates a rough, broken stroke perfect for grass or tree bark.
Experiment with Directional Strokes: For grasses, use upward strokes; for tree bark, use vertical or angled strokes. These directional strokes mimic natural growth patterns and add to the realism of your landscape.

By paying attention to detail and texture in the foreground, you create a focal area that draws the viewer into the painting. The varied textures and contrasts give a sense of closeness and complete your landscape with an immersive feel.

Step 5 – Final Touches and Highlights

With the main layers of your landscape complete, it’s time to add the final touches that bring everything together. These small details—like tiny leaves, water reflections, or distant birds—add depth and interest, giving your painting a polished, finished look. Use a fine brush and a light touch here; a few well-placed highlights can make a big difference.

Adding Final Details and Highlights

Use a Fine Brush for Small Touches: A fine-tipped brush is perfect for adding tiny details, such as individual leaves on nearby trees, subtle reflections on water, or small birds in the distance. These details should be minimal but carefully placed to enhance your scene.
Add Highlights for Depth: A few dabs of lighter color or even white can act as highlights, bringing attention to certain areas. Consider adding highlights on tree trunks, edges of rocks, or along water surfaces to mimic light and create a realistic effect.
Know When to Stop: It’s tempting to keep adding details, but overworking can make the painting feel heavy and lose its freshness. Step back, take a look, and ask yourself if the scene feels complete. Sometimes less is more!

These small touches are the final layer that brings harmony and life to your landscape. With highlights and details in place, your watercolor painting is ready to be enjoyed and shared!

Finishing Touches: Enjoying Your Watercolor Masterpiece

Once you’ve completed your landscape, take a moment to let your painting dry fully before displaying or framing it. Watercolor colors can change slightly as they dry, often becoming even more vibrant and clear.

Remember, watercolor is a journey of practice and experimentation. Every landscape you create will help you get more comfortable with layering, blending, and using textures to bring scenes to life. Don’t be afraid to try new techniques or even revisit these steps to keep exploring what watercolor can do.