Quick answer: A watercolor techniques chart is a single sheet divided into a grid, with each square showing one technique painted by you: flat wash, graded wash, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, glazing, lifting, dry brush, salt, splatter, masking fluid, blooms and so on, each labeled with notes. Making your own chart on the paper and paints you actually use is one of the fastest ways to learn how watercolor behaves, and it becomes a quick visual reference while you paint.
Printed technique charts are helpful to look at, but a chart you paint yourself teaches far more. Every square forces you to try a technique, notice how your specific paper and pigments respond, and record what happened. Within an afternoon you have a personal reference that shows exactly what “damp” versus “wet” paper means on your setup.
This guide explains how to plan and paint a watercolor techniques chart, which techniques to include with instructions for each square, other useful charts (mixing, pigment properties, values, brushstrokes) and how to use them as you paint.
Why Make Your Own Watercolor Techniques Chart?
- It is active learning. Painting each technique builds hand memory that reading cannot.
- It reflects your materials. Salt, lifting and blooms look different on cotton vs cellulose paper and with different pigments.
- It is a fast reference. Pin it above your desk and glance at it mid-painting.
- It shows progress. Repaint the chart months later and compare.
For a structured introduction to the fundamentals before you start, our guide to the best watercolor techniques for beginners explains the core methods in more depth.
Supplies for a Technique Chart
- One sheet of your usual watercolor paper, 140 lb (300 gsm) or heavier
- Masking tape and a board
- One or two paint colors, ideally one non-staining and one staining
- A medium round brush, a small round and a flat brush
- Table salt and coarse salt, plastic wrap, a natural sponge
- Masking fluid and an old brush or applicator
- Rubbing alcohol and a pipette or cotton swab
- Tissues, paper towels and two jars of water
- Pencil and a waterproof fine-liner for labels
Planning the Chart
Paper
Use the same watercolor paper you normally paint on, at least 140 lb (300 gsm). A quarter sheet or a 9×12 inch sheet fits a 4×4 or 4×5 grid comfortably.
Grid
Draw the grid lightly in pencil. Squares of roughly 2 inches work well. Leave a narrow margin under each square for labels and notes. Some painters use masking tape to create the grid, which gives crisp white borders when removed after painting.
Colors
Use one or two colors for the whole chart so differences come from the technique, not the pigment. A medium blue (like ultramarine) and a staining color (like a phthalo or quinacridone) together show how lifting differs between pigments.
Labels
Write the technique name and quick notes beneath each square in pencil or waterproof pen: paper dampness, brush, what happened, and what to remember.
Techniques to Include (With How-To for Each Square)
| # | Technique | How to paint the square | What to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flat wash | Tilt board slightly; paint overlapping horizontal strokes, picking up the bead each time | Evenness; any streaks |
| 2 | Graded wash | Start strong at the top; add water to the brush with each stroke | Smoothness of the fade |
| 3 | Variegated wash | Start with one color, switch to another mid-square while wet | How colors merge |
| 4 | Wet-on-wet | Wet the square with clean water, drop in color | How far color spreads at different dampness |
| 5 | Wet-on-dry | Paint shapes on dry paper | Crisp edges |
| 6 | Glazing | Paint a stripe, let dry, cross it with another stripe | Color where they overlap; any lifting |
| 7 | Lifting (wet) | Paint a wash, blot shapes with a tissue while wet | How much color lifts |
| 8 | Lifting (dry) | Let a wash dry, scrub gently with a damp flat brush, blot | Staining vs non-staining difference |
| 9 | Dry brush | Nearly dry brush dragged quickly across the paper | Broken texture on paper tooth |
| 10 | Softened edge | Paint a shape, run a damp clean brush along one edge | Timing needed to soften |
| 11 | Bloom (backrun) | Drop water into a drying wash | When blooms form |
| 12 | Salt | Sprinkle salt onto a damp wash, brush off when dry | Texture at different dampness; table vs coarse salt |
| 13 | Splatter | Tap a loaded brush over the square | Size and control of drops |
| 14 | Masking fluid | Apply shapes, let dry, paint over, remove when dry | Edge crispness |
| 15 | Plastic wrap | Press crumpled wrap into wet paint, remove when dry | Pattern produced |
| 16 | Rubbing alcohol | Drop alcohol into a damp wash | Cell sizes |
| 17 | Sponge texture | Dab with a natural sponge | Foliage-like marks |
| 18 | Granulation | Paint a granulating color in a wet wash | Speckled settling |
| 19 | Negative painting | Paint around a leaf shape, leaving it as the light color | Shape clarity |
| 20 | Charging color | Paint a shape and drop a second color into one end | Natural blend inside shape |
You do not need all twenty on one sheet. Start with the first twelve, which cover the fundamentals, and make a second “texture effects” sheet for the rest.
The Paper Dampness Chart
The single most useful supplementary chart shows how paint behaves at different stages of paper wetness. Make a row of five squares:
- Soaking wet (puddles visible)
- Wet with an even shine
- Damp with a satin sheen
- Almost dry (cool to the touch)
- Completely dry
Wet all five squares at once, then drop the same color into each square at intervals as they dry, starting with the first. Label each. You will see the progression from wild spreading to soft edges to blooms to hard edges. This one row explains most watercolor surprises.
Other Charts Worth Making
Color mixing chart
List your paints across the top and down the side. In each intersecting square, mix the two colors. This shows which pairs make clean mixes and which turn muddy, and reveals greens, oranges and purples you might never have tried.
Pigment property chart
Draw a vertical line of waterproof black ink down a strip of paper. Paint a stripe of each color across it. Opaque colors show a film over the black line; transparent colors disappear over it. Note staining by lifting a corner of each stripe once dry, and note granulation by looking for speckles.
Value chart
For each color, paint five squares from full strength to very pale. This shows each paint’s range and helps with planning lights and darks.
Brushstroke chart
For each brush you own, paint a row of marks: thin line, thick line, press-and-lift petal, dots, dry-brush drag and a flat stroke. You will learn what each brush is best at.
Palette swatch card
Paint a small swatch of every color in your palette, arranged in the same order as the pans. Label names. Keep it in your paint box to identify colors quickly.
Step by Step: Painting the Techniques Chart
- Tape the paper to a board on all sides.
- Draw the grid lightly, or tape it with thin masking tape.
- Prepare a large puddle of one color so every square uses the same mix.
- Work on non-adjacent squares so wet squares do not bleed into each other. Paint squares 1, 3, 6 and 8, for example, then return to the others when those are dry.
- Write notes immediately while the observations are fresh.
- Let everything dry before removing masking fluid, salt or plastic wrap.
- Remove tape slowly at a low angle to avoid tearing the paper.
- Add final labels in waterproof pen.
Reading Your Chart: What the Results Tell You
Once the chart is dry, look at it closely in good light. The squares often reveal more than you noticed while painting.
- Streaks in the flat wash usually mean the bead of paint dried between strokes. Work faster, mix more paint or tilt the board a little more.
- A blotchy graded wash suggests uneven water in the brush. Add water in small, consistent amounts with each stroke.
- Muddy glazing means the first layer was not completely dry or the brush scrubbed it. Wait longer and use one light pass.
- Weak salt texture means the wash was either too wet (salt dissolved) or too dry (no reaction). Note the timing that worked best.
- Lifting that barely changed the color tells you that pigment stains. Plan highlights with masking fluid or by painting around them when using it.
- Hard edges in the wet-on-wet square indicate the paper dried faster than expected, which is common in heated rooms and on cellulose paper.
Write these conclusions on the back of the sheet. Next time a painting misbehaves, the explanation is often already there.
Organizing and Storing Your Charts
Charts are only useful if you can find them. Keep them in a clear sheet protector or a binder near your painting space, or pin them to a board at eye level. Date each chart and note the paper brand and weight. As your palette changes, add new swatch cards rather than replacing old ones, so you can compare how different paints behave over time. Photographing your charts also gives you a reference on your phone for painting away from home.
How to Use the Chart While Painting
- Before a painting, decide which techniques you will use and look at those squares.
- When something unexpected happens, find the square that matches and read your note.
- Use the dampness row to judge when to drop in color.
- Check the pigment chart before planning a lifted highlight; staining colors will not lift cleanly.
- Keep a second copy in your sketchbook for travel.
Charts for Different Levels
| Level | Suggested chart | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 9-square basics chart | Washes, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, glazing, lifting, dry brush |
| Improving beginner | Dampness row plus 12-square chart | Timing and edges |
| Intermediate | Texture effects chart and mixing grid | Expanding the toolkit and color |
| Advanced | Pigment property and value charts for the full palette | Precise color planning |
Common Mistakes When Making a Technique Chart
- Using different colors in every square, which hides technique differences.
- Painting adjacent squares wet, causing bleeding across the grid.
- Skipping notes, so the chart becomes a pretty picture instead of a reference.
- Using paper you do not normally paint on, making the results less relevant.
- Rushing removal of masking fluid before paint is dry.
- Trying to make it perfect. The chart is for learning; imperfect squares teach just as much.
Printable vs Hand-Painted Charts
Printed watercolor technique charts and infographics are useful for seeing what techniques exist and what they are called. But they show someone else’s materials. Use a printed chart as a checklist, then paint your own version on your paper. The physical act of painting each square is where the learning happens.
FAQs
What should be on a watercolor techniques chart?
At minimum: flat wash, graded wash, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, glazing, lifting, dry brush, softened edges and a few textures like salt and splatter. Add more as you learn.
How big should a watercolor technique chart be?
A quarter sheet or 9×12 inch paper with 2-inch squares works well. Large enough to see each effect, small enough to finish in one or two sessions.
Should I use one color or many?
Use one or two colors so you can compare techniques fairly. Make separate charts for color mixing and pigment properties.
How do I make a watercolor mixing chart?
List paints across the top and down the side of a grid and mix each pair in the intersecting square. It shows which combinations stay clean and which go muddy.
How long does it take to make a technique chart?
A basic 9–12 square chart usually takes one to two hours including drying time. Texture and mixing charts may take longer.
Is a technique chart useful for kids?
Yes. A simple six-square chart with wet-on-wet, salt, crayon resist, splatter, sponge and dry brush is a fun introduction for children.
Next Step
Paint the basics chart this week, add the dampness row, and keep both beside your workspace. Once the squares make sense, build on them with our guide to the top watercolor techniques for beginners, which shows how to combine these methods in real paintings.
