Hello friends! Continuing my rainbow art series, with all things round today! I’ll show you how to paint colorful watercolor circles in 3 ways. These circles are super easy to paint and a great calming exercise in color. There are no hard rules and the technique is very forgiving 🙂
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Supplies I’ve used:
- Sketchbook: Using the same Strathmore Mixed Media sketchbook that I used in my previous posts- EASY WATERCOLOR PEN FLOWERS: STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL
- Watercolors: I’m using my Tombow Dual Brush Pens here because these are the best Watercolor Markers!
- Paintbrush or Water Brush: A Waterbrush or paintbrush of any kind.
- Masking tape: For the border of my sketchbook page, I’ve used this paper tape that is slightly tacky and doesn’t rip the paper. Using masking tape to border your pages is a great way to prevent colors from touching the previous pages.
1: Tiny wonky Watercolor circles
Watch the video: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCyzR1pnhAH/
Painting wonky circles is the easiest! Paint these circles in a haphazard line, and simply fill the page. While filling an entire page with circles, the tiny circles are very satisfying to paint.
2: Watercolor Circles on the grid
Watch the video: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDRijHrnKGy/
The grid method looks fascinating, but it takes an extra step of prep. Pull out your pencil and ruler and draw a grid of equal squares. Erase your lines lightly before staring to paint. Then apply your paint and create circles, letting adjacent colors bleed to create unique interesting bits.
3: Overlapping Watercolor Circles
Watch the video: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDMINvPn9t0/
Overlapping circles are exciting to paint, because you don’t really know what colors you will create by the overlapping!
You can use any watercolor set or watercolor brush pens that you own for these exercises. Even your kid’s watercolors will work for these! Try using a heavy mixed media or watercolor paper that can withstand some water on it. This will prevent your paper from warping.
How to paint colorful watercolor circles
Step by step tutorial showing you how to paint overlapping colorful watercolor circles
Total Time: 20 minutes
Step 1:
To paint the circles, the easiest way I’ve found is to lay color to where you want the center of the circle to be. 
Step 2:
Wet your paintbrush, and then use your paintbrush tip to slowly drag your color out into a circular outline.
Step 3:
Then fill your circle entirely with color and if needed add a little water too. Let this air dry naturally and repeat.
All done!
More Watercoloring Tutorials to Try:
- Watercolor Organic Patterns: An easy art idea!
- Watercolor Tree: Colorful Tutorial 2 ways + VIDEO
- Watercolor Raindrops Painting Tutorial
- How to Paint a Watercolor Splash
- Watercolor Salt Technique: Easy Interesting Texture!
Tips and Tricks:
- While overlapping circles, make sure that your first circle is dry before you lay your second color on top. Else, your colors will mix too much and the circle shape will be lost.
- For the grid of circles, the color bleeds are the best part! They are unexpected, can’t be manipulated, and give a wonderful gradient look across the page. For this, I found that going back and dampening the previous few circles with just water, created better color meets.
- For the tiny wonky circles, I like to go back and paint with water all the white spaces left between the circles. The water will reactivate the marker color slightly and mix to form a soft color that fills the page.
Hi I’m Smitha! I live in Minnesota with my husband and two daughters. You’ll always find me painting florals in my sketchbook. And I love the sheer joy of making something with just my hands! But my bigger love is capturing it all on camera Read more.
Thanks for stopping by today! If you learnt something from this tutorial, do share this post with a friend or on social media! Tag me @smithakatti #smithakatti I’d love to see what you create!
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