Watercolor Tutorial: Basic Outdoor Painting Tips

Discover how to transform reality into a work of art with Ari de Goes’ outdoor watercolor technique

Ari de Goes Jr (@aridegoesjr) loves finding himself in front of a blank piece of paper, ready to start painting. Painting is part of this watercolor expert’s routine. He’s a master at turning country landscapes and urban scenes into works of art, often in a matter of minutes.

The artist started working at the age of 14, and waited until 2008 to become a watercolor teacher. He also started Paisagem Contemporânea (contemporary landscape painting), which is the focus of his workshops and courses.

In this tutorial, Ari gives you the basic tips you need to start Plein Air (open air) watercolor painting.
Once you have gathered these materials together, you’re ready to create your outdoor watercolor painting!

Don’t miss the video.

Basic materials

You will need these materials:

- An easel or something to rest on
- A sketchbook
- Graphite or a lead pencil
- 100% cotton paper (300g)
- Masking tape
- Watercolor paint
- 3 brushes (large, medium and fine)
- Water spray to dampen the paint
- Water container

Choose your place

Ari recommends choosing a location with a range of elements to explore: backlighting, projected shadow, a vanishing point, vertical and horizontal lines, coverage, contrast and depth of field.

Moisten your paints

It’s very important to wet your paint before you start, especially if you’re working on a hot day. You won’t need as much moisture when it’s humid.

Ideally you’re looking for a very viscous texture.

Create a tonal sketch in graphite

Once you’ve defined what you’re going to paint, it’s a good idea to do a tonal sketch. Describe the points of maximum light and shade in your sketchbook.

Don’t make it a hyper-realistic drawing, stick to the basic shapes and their tonal values. You’re working on a study that will guide you when you paint, not a faithful reproduction of what you see.

Paper and pigments

Ari recommends using 100% cotton (300 g) paper, and he generally concentrates on the primary colors when it comes to his selection of paint: yellows, reds and blues.

Three brushes

It’s important to have at least three brushes with you, to provide a range of effects and create detail in your painting.

The large brush is perfect for large washes.

The medium synthetic brush is ideal for masked areas.

And the fine brush is for adding detail.

The details

Add details that visually enrich your work. For example in an urban setting, the cables running between streetlights form part of the contemporary landscape.

Love this tutorial? Don’t miss Ari de Goes Jr’s online course to learn more watercolor painting techniques: Contemporary Watercolor Landscape Painting.

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