From my studio
Why I begin with big shapes
The little windows, branches, and buttons can wait. A painting first needs a strong arrangement of light and dark that reads from across the room.
Watercolor lessons from Patricia Elliott Seitz
Pull up a chair.
Let’s learn watercolor.
Friendly, honest guidance for beginners who want to understand the medium—one small, useful exercise at a time.
“Big shapes. Lost edges.
Light doing the storytelling.
Your first lesson
A painting starts before the color.
Before choosing pigments, reduce your reference to three clear values. This makes complicated scenes feel manageable and gives every later wash a job to do.
1Paper white
2Middle value
3Strong dark
- 01Squint
Look for the largest light and dark families, not objects.
- 02Connect
Join similar values into broad, simple shapes.
- 03Place the dark
Use it sparingly to lead the eye to your focal point.
Free 18-page printable ebook
Patty’s Complete Beginner Watercolor Guide
Keep my essential beginner lessons beside your painting table: materials, palette setup, brush handling, water timing, clean washes, values, composition, edges, shadows, troubleshooting, and a two-week practice plan.
- Your real setup, brushes, washes, value studies, and paintings
- Short exercises that make one skill clear at a time
- A final “Leave It Alone” checklist you can print and reuse
A quick look at my process
Urban sketching, ink and wash.
Loose watercolor does not mean careless watercolor. Watch how a few direct marks, simple shapes, and transparent washes can capture the feeling of a place without explaining every detail.
This short studio glimpse is a taste of the step-by-step demonstrations coming to the lesson library.
Visit my YouTube channel ↗Beginner guide library
Practice one thing at a time.
01Values
Vicky’s: a real three-value study
See how I reduced a busy ice-cream stand to white paper, one middle value, and one connected dark.
Featured lessonOpen guide ↘
- Squint at the reference and circle the lightest connected shape.
- Join the middle values into broad, simple families—leave out little things.
- Place the darkest dark only where it strengthens the focal point.
02Values
From street photograph to strong value design
Follow one busy street scene from my reference photograph, through a three-value plan, and into the finished watercolor.
Reference-to-painting lessonOpen guide ↘
- Choose one clear story before drawing anything.
- Reduce the scene to white paper, one middle value, and one connected dark family.
- Let the color follow the value plan instead of starting the design over again.
03Values
From value study to color: follow the map, then trust your eyes
Learn how I carry the light, middle, and dark families from my value study into color without copying every mark.
Complete value-to-color lessonOpen guide ↘
- Assign every color mixture to the light, middle, or dark family.
- Keep the large value pattern while allowing different colors to mingle inside it.
- If the painting looks flat, check the value relationships before adding detail.
04Values
Make the figure stand out with a connected dark backdrop
Compare my original value study with teaching notes placed directly over the same painting, then see how one stronger dark mass clarifies the focal figure.
Annotated value-study lessonOpen guide ↘
- Circle the focal figure and check the value directly behind it.
- Connect scattered background darks and simplify the cars into larger shapes.
- Add only a few useful accents, then stop as soon as the figure reads.
05Color
Cazenovia Chickens: value study and color painting
See two separate paintings: a Payne’s Gray value study used to plan the shapes, followed by a full-color watercolor on a new sheet.
Two-painting process lessonOpen guide ↘
- Make a separate Payne’s Gray value study to plan the large light, middle, and dark families.
- Set the study beside you and begin the full-color watercolor on a fresh sheet of paper.
- Let the value plan guide the color painting without copying every mark.
06Animals
Painting farm animals loosely
Watch five short demonstrations as I simplify a white hen, a mallard duck, a busy farmyard, a calf, and a grazing horse into gesture, saved lights, connected shapes, and useful darks.
Five-video animal lessonOpen guide ↘
- Begin with the silhouette and posture before adding markings or detail.
- Let white paper become feathers, patches, and highlights.
- Use a few final darks to explain the face, feet, underside, and ground contact.
07Composition
From house photograph to sunlit watercolor
See how I cropped an ordinary street photograph, removed distractions, and used connected shadows to make the sunlight feel stronger.
Reference-to-painting lessonOpen guide ↘
- Choose the main subject and crop away what does not support it.
- Simplify windows, shrubs, wires, and architectural details into larger shapes.
- Paint the cast shadow as one connected shape that leads the eye through the scene.
08Brushwork
How I keep watercolor loose and fresh
See how simple planning, larger connected shapes, varied edges, and a clear stopping point help me keep a painting alive.
Complete beginner lessonOpen guide ↘
- Make the composition and value decisions before painting.
- Move from a large mop, to a smaller mop, to a synthetic round around size 8.
- Step back, check whether the idea reads, and stop before details weaken it.
09Practice
The ‘Leave It Alone’ checklist
Use seven practical questions to decide whether your watercolor truly needs another mark—or whether it is time to put the brush down.
Complete beginner checklistOpen guide ↘
- Let the watercolor dry completely before judging or correcting it.
- Step back and check the subject, light, value pattern, and focal point.
- If you cannot name the exact job of the next mark, leave it alone.
10Brushwork
How to hold and use watercolor brushes
Learn how grip, angle, pressure, the side of a round brush, and paper timing change the mark you make.
Complete beginner lessonOpen guide ↘
- Move your hand along the handle to change freedom and control.
- Use the point, belly, and side of the round instead of only its tip.
- Watch the paper change from glossy to damp to dry before placing the stroke.
11Supplies
My setup: tiny palette, generous washes
See how I pair a homemade mint-tin palette with a roomy John Pike palette to keep my colors close and prepare plenty of wash.
Complete studio lessonOpen guide ↘
- Lightly spritz the tube colors and give them a moment to soften.
- Mix more wash than you think you will need before touching the paper.
- Reload from the same generous puddle to keep the wash moving and consistent.
12Practice
Paint small, paint often, and don’t be afraid
Build confidence with one purposeful 10–20 minute study on good cotton paper—and stop while you still want to paint again.
Complete beginner lessonOpen guide ↘
- Choose one small skill instead of trying to make a masterpiece.
- Use artist-quality paint and cotton paper so the materials do not fight the lesson.
- Stop when the timer ends, name one thing you learned, and return tomorrow.
13Color
How I keep watercolor luminous
Watch me charge richer color into a glossy wash, then compare the movement with the completely dry result.
Video color lessonOpen guide ↘
- Let clean paper provide the brightest light.
- Place prepared color into a glossy wash and allow it to mingle without stirring.
- Study the softened, settled colors only after the wash has dried completely.
14Water
Clean even and graduated washes
Compare my real-time demonstrations, see the graduated wash completely dry, and learn when to maintain one mixture or gradually dilute it.
Two-video wash lessonOpen guide ↘
- For an even wash, reload from the same-strength prepared puddle.
- For a graduated wash, gradually add water as the bead moves downward.
- Let the wash dry completely before judging its final value and texture.
15Water
Learn the shine of the paper
Recognize wet, damp, and dry paper before the brush touches down.
10 minute exerciseOpen guide ↘
- Paint three clean water rectangles and start a timer.
- Drop the same color into one while glossy, one while satin, and one nearly dry.
- Label the results. Your paper, room, and weather will each change the timing.
16Edges
Lost, soft, and found edges
Use edge variety to keep the focal point clear and the rest of the painting breathing.
15 minute exerciseOpen guide ↘
- Paint two neighboring shapes while both are damp to lose an edge.
- Soften one edge with a clean, thirsty brush.
- Leave one crisp edge near the focal point and compare the pull of your eye.
17Color
A small, dependable palette
Practice warm and cool mixtures with fewer colors so your washes stay fresh.
20 minute exerciseOpen guide ↘
- Choose one warm and one cool blue, red, and yellow.
- Make a page of two-color mixtures before adding a third pigment.
- Write the pigment names beside mixtures you want to find again.
18Brushwork
One shape, fewer strokes
Paint a subject as one clear silhouette instead of many small marks.
8 minute exerciseOpen guide ↘
- Choose a simple subject and draw only its outside contour.
- Load a larger brush generously and paint the silhouette in as few strokes as possible.
- Let it dry before deciding whether it truly needs one more mark.
19Supplies
Materials that let watercolor behave
See the professional cotton papers and artist-quality tube paints I trust, plus a realistic way for beginners to spend wisely and start small.
Complete materials guideOpen guide ↘
- Begin with 100% cotton, 140 lb, cold-pressed watercolor paper.
- Buy a few artist-quality tube colors instead of a huge inexpensive set.
- Choose fewer dependable tools so you can learn the medium without fighting your supplies.
20Figures
Figures without fuss
Use posture, connected values, cast shadows, and a few useful accents to paint convincing people without fussy detail.
Complete figure lessonOpen guide ↘
- Begin with the silhouette and direction of the pose.
- Group people into light, middle, and dark value families.
- Let small paintings become complete little jewels.
Notes from my studio
Studio journal
Short reflections on practice, patience, and learning to see.
A watercolor reminder
Leave it alone—and paint another
Watercolor often becomes tired when we keep correcting it. A second small attempt can teach us more than another twenty minutes of fussing.
Behind the painting
Finding stories in ordinary places
A quiet Syracuse street, winter light on an old building, or a figure crossing the road can hold everything a painting needs.
Personal guidance
When you’re stuck, I’ll help you see the next step.
Email me a clear photograph of one watercolor painting and tell me where you feel uncertain. Keep the original painting safely with you—I only need the digital picture.
- 01
Design and drawing
Subject choice, composition, values, focal point, and what could be simplified. - 02
Watercolor handling
Color, washes, edges, brushwork, and where to strengthen, soften, connect, or leave alone. - 03
Strengths and practical next steps
What is already working, what to practice, and a clear action plan for your next painting.
Photograph only—please do not mail your original painting.
After checkout, email a clear digital photograph of your painting—and your reference photo, if you used one—to patriciaseitzgallery@gmail.com. The PayPal page accepts payment only; your pictures come to me separately by email.
Before you book
A few helpful details.
I want you to know exactly what to expect. My critique is personal, encouraging, and focused on helping you make clearer choices in this painting—and the next one.
Honest guidance, gentle encouragement, and practical next steps—from one artist to another.
What will I receive?
You’ll receive a personal written critique by email. I’ll consider your subject choice, composition, drawing, values, color, focal point, washes, edges, and brushwork. I’ll explain what is already working, what could be stronger, and give you a practical action plan for your next painting.
Do I mail my original painting?
No—please keep your original painting safely with you. I need only a clear digital photograph of it, sent to me by email after checkout. PayPal processes your payment but does not collect your pictures; there is no painting-upload portal.
What should I send?
Email one clear, well-lit digital photograph of your watercolor painting—never the physical original. Please include your name, PayPal order number, the reference photo if you used one, what you hoped to achieve, and what you would most like help with. If I can’t see the painting clearly, I’ll ask for another photograph before I begin.
What other details would be helpful?
If you know them, you may also tell me the painting’s size, the watercolor paper you used, whether you painted from a photograph, imagination, or outdoors, and approximately how long you worked on it. These details are helpful but optional—please don’t let them keep you from booking a critique.
How long will it take?
Please allow up to seven days after I receive your painting, reference, and question. I’ll confirm that everything arrived; if I ever need a little longer, I’ll let you know.
How many critique spots are available?
I accept only three critique purchases each week so every painting receives thoughtful, personal attention. When those spaces are filled, booking temporarily closes. New spaces are added only after the current critiques are completed.
May I send more than one painting?
Each $39 critique covers one watercolor painting. Keeping the focus on one piece lets me give it the thoughtful attention it deserves. A second painting requires a separate critique purchase.
What isn’t included?
This is an educational critique, not a repainting or paint-over service, formal appraisal, competition judging, or a guarantee of an award, acceptance, or sale. I’ll give you clear suggestions, but the artistic decisions always remain yours.
Will my painting remain private?
Yes. Your painting and reference are used only to prepare your critique. I will never post or share them publicly without asking for your clear permission first.
What if I change my mind?
Contact me as soon as possible. If I haven’t begun your critique, I can cancel and refund the purchase. Once I’ve started the critique or delivered the feedback, the fee is nonrefundable. If I’m unable to provide the service, you’ll receive a full refund.
Will the feedback be kind?
Always. I’ll be honest, but never harsh. The goal is to help you see what is working, understand what could be simplified, and leave with a practical next step—not to make you afraid of your brush.
Meet your guide
Hello, I’m Patty.
I’m Patricia Elliott Seitz, a professional watercolor artist in Liverpool, New York. I paint Central New York’s historic buildings, quiet streets, changing seasons, and everyday stories with transparent watercolor and expressive brushwork.
Watercolor is beautiful, surprising, and sometimes stubborn. I believe beginners deserve clear foundations, encouraging practice, and permission to learn in baby steps.
A quieter kind of community
Questions from the watercolor table.
Have a watercolor question? Send it to me privately. Selected questions may inspire future lessons, helping everyone learn—without public accounts, comments, or noise.
Ask me a watercolor question ↗