A Way to Use a Watercolor Brush

Sideway stroke with multiple colors

Using a round brush with medium among of water, I first get the yellow up to the middle part of the brush, and take the red only with the tip.

I lay the brush about 10-degree angle from the paper surface, and move it slowly. A beautiful blend of colors, from red, orange, to yellow has been created with one stroke.

Sideway stroke to paint a yellow rose

Now let’s use a yellow rose to demonstrate this technique. I use my wet brush with yellow in one third of the tip. First let’s start from the inner part of the petals. I lay my brush about 10 degree from the paper surface, and move it. If I can some red color to the brush tip now, it will add into the mix on the paper, to create a smooth transition.

Remember darker the color is in the tip, so I lay my brush this way and move it in this direction.

Now I am ready to paint the outside edge. With a moderate among of water, I take a bit of red with the tip of the brush. With the same angle to the paper surface, I am going along the outside edges of the petals.

With this sideway stroke technique, now I have completed the preliminary wash of this flower painting.