Creating Texture in Watercolor

Exploring Texture Through Autumn Leaves

Explore masking, spattering, glazing, water, color, and expressive marks to create surfaces that feel natural, layered, and alive.

Texture can completely change the feeling of a watercolor.

Instead of trying to carefully paint every spot, crack, mark, or irregularity you see, we’ll explore ways to suggest texture and let watercolor do some of the work for us.

In this workshop, we’ll experiment with a variety of techniques for creating organic, layered surfaces using water, pigment, masking, spattering, glazing, lifting, and brushwork.

We’ll begin with small texture studies where you can experiment without worrying about creating a finished painting. Then we’ll take those ideas into simple autumn leaf studies, exploring how texture, color, value, light, and shadow work together.

Explore the Possibilities of Texture

In this workshop, you’ll explore how to:

• Create organic, irregular textures
• Spatter and use masking on damp and dry surfaces
• Layer transparent washes and glazes
• Let water and pigment create natural variations
• Lift and soften areas
• Build texture without overworking
• Use value and contrast to strengthen a surface
• Combine texture with simple leaf shapes
• Decide when to add another layer—and when to stop

And these techniques go far beyond autumn leaves.

Use them for rocks, stone, pathways, weathered walls, tree bark, moss, lichen, landscapes, backgrounds, and many other subjects.

Experiment. Discover. Apply.

We’ll begin by experimenting.

These small studies give you permission to try different approaches without worrying about creating a finished painting. Some effects will be intentional. Others may surprise you—and those unexpected results are often where watercolor becomes most interesting.

Then we’ll apply what we’ve discovered to our leaf studies and see how a simple subject can become much more convincing through surface, shadow, light, and contrast.

From Texture to Fall Leaves

Next, we’ll explore fall color, water control, value, form, edges, and selective details through a series of simple leaf studies.

Finally, we'll bring what we've discovered together in two finished projects, combining texture, shadow, light, and contrast.

Your Workshop Includes

• Live watercolor instruction
• Workshop replay with lifetime access
• Texture exercises and demonstrations
• Autumn leaf studies
• Reference images
• Materials list
• Line drawings/reference materials
  

Meet Your Instructor

For over 30 years, I've had the privilege of teaching watercolor artists around the world through workshops, online courses, and international art events. My passion has always been helping artists move beyond simply copying a reference photo to truly understanding light, design, and the expressive qualities of watercolor.

As a faculty member for Watercolor Live and a former juror for the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, I've had the opportunity to work with thousands of artists at every stage of their creative journey. One lesson has remained constant: stronger paintings don't come from painting more details—they come from learning to see differently.

My teaching emphasizes observation, simplification, confident brushwork, and understanding why watercolor behaves the way it does. Rather than striving for perfection, I encourage students to recognize the larger shapes, preserve the light, and enjoy the unique beauty that watercolor offers.

Whether you're just beginning or have been painting for years, my goal is to help you build confidence, strengthen your skills, and create paintings that feel fresh, expressive, and uniquely your own.

I look forward to painting with you!

Birgit O'Connor



Former Juror, Transparent Watercolor Society of America

Watercolor is one of the most rewarding and forgiving mediums you'll ever paint with. I hope you'll join me as we explore its beauty together.

Continue Your Watercolor Journey

If you enjoyed this workshop and would like to continue exploring watercolor, I invite you to browse my collection of books, workbooks, and practice guides designed to help you build confidence and continue your creative journey.

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