Watercolor Techniques Intro

National Curriculum Links

• Art and Design – Key Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4)
• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.
  • Improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing and painting with a range of materials.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• We Are Learning To (WALT):
  • Explore and experiment with basic watercolor techniques: wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry.
  • Understand how to create different washes and blend colours effectively.
  • Prepare to create a sunset scene using watercolours.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate at least two watercolor techniques: wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry.
• Create a smooth colour wash and blend two or more colours.
• Explain the difference between wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques.

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Resources

• Quality student-grade watercolour paint sets (one per group of 3)
• Watercolour paper sheets (1 per student)
• Water containers
• Paintbrushes (medium flat and small round)
• Paper towels
• Mixing palettes or plastic plates
• Visual aids: step-by-step printed reference sheets displayed on board with images
• Example finished watercolor wash samples (wetted vs. dry)
• Dyslexia-friendly handouts supporting instructions in bullet points and visuals

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Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Brief discussion: What are watercolours? Show real paint sets and brushes; explain the materials used.
• Show a simple example of a watercolor sunset painting.
• Display visual aids explaining wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques with illustrations.
• Explain the importance of water quantity in watercolour painting.
• Demonstrate on the board: a quick sample of wet-on-wet vs. wet-on-dry (use large watercolour paper for visual impact).

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2. Teacher Demo (10 minutes)

• Step-by-step live demonstration of:
  1. Wet-on-wet: wet the paper, then add colour, showing how it spreads and blends.
  2. Wet-on-dry: paint directly onto dry paper, demonstrating sharper edges and less blending.
• Show how to create a basic wash, blending two colours subtly (e.g., yellow and red to make an orange hue).
• Emphasise how the brush and water control impacts effects.

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3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

• Students receive their materials.
• Task 1: Create a wet-on-wet wash with one colour (wet paper, add paint).
• Task 2: Create a wet-on-dry stroke on dry paper.
• Task 3: Create a blended wash by adding two colours on wet paper.
• Circulate and provide scaffolding:
  • For struggling students: offer one-on-one support and additional step-by-step verbal cues.
  • Dyslexia-friendly cues reinforced visually (refer to board handouts).

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4. Extension Activity (for advanced learners) (10 minutes)

• Encourage students confident with techniques to experiment with colour mixing: combining primary colours to make secondary colours for their wash (e.g., blue + yellow for green).
• Challenge to predict how colours blend before painting, then reflect on results.

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5. Reflection and Review (10 minutes)

• Group discussion: Students share their favourite technique and describe how the colours blended.
• Recap key vocabulary (wash, blend, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry).
• Show each student’s paper briefly to confirm at least two techniques demonstrated.
• Use thumbs up/down with success criteria statements to self-assess confidence.

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Differentiation

• Support:

  • Step-by-step instructions with pictures on the board and worksheet.
  • Verbal encouragement and small group or paired work for students who find motor skills challenging.
  • Use short, clear sentences and repeat instructions.

• Challenge:

  • Experiment with more complex colour mixing.
  • Begin planning colour choices for the sunset painting (how to layer colours).
  • Encourage sketching simple shapes of a sunset scene lightly with pencil before painting.

• Dyslexia-friendly strategies:

  • Use clear font and high contrast print on handouts.
  • Incorporate visual icons beside written steps.
  • Allow oral responses during reflection instead of written.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through observing individual practice and questioning during the session.
• Use success criteria checklists for students and teacher.
• Encourage peer feedback using positive specific comments (e.g., “I like how you blended your red and yellow!”).
• Plan to build on this lesson in the next sessions focusing on developing the sunset artwork.

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This detailed lesson offers a multisensory, inclusive approach aligned with the National Curriculum for Art and Design, setting a strong foundation for creative use of watercolours in Year 3.