If you’ve ever seen a watercolor painting where the colors blend together effortlessly, chances are it was created with the wet-into-wet technique.
Also known as “wet in wet watercolor” or “wet on wet watercolor painting”, this method is what gives watercolor its signature look. It’s expressive, fluid, and can even be a little unpredictable at times (but that’s part of the magic of watercolor)!
In this post, you’ll learn what the wet-into-wet watercolor technique actually is, how it works, and how to practice it with more confidence and less frustration. Whether you’re just starting out or revisiting the basics, we’ll walk through everything step-by-step.
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What is the Wet-Into-Wet Watercolor Technique?
Wet-into-wet watercolor simply means adding wet paint to wet paper. You might brush clean water onto your paper and then drop in color. Or you may layer wet paint into a wash that’s already damp.
This creates soft edges, flowing gradients, and blended shapes. It’s also one of the hardest techniques for beginners to control. The paint goes where the water is, and if you don’t have quite the right ratio of water and wet paint, the results can be very frustrating. But with the right tools, timing, and gentle practice, it becomes one of the most rewarding ways to paint.
Why Wet on Wet Painting is Tricky at First
If you’ve ever tried wet-in-wet painting and thought, “Why did my paint dry into weird crinkly blobs?” or “Why didn’t it blend like I thought it would?” you’re not alone.
This technique depends on balancing water in three places:
On your brush
In your paint mixture
On your paper
When one of those elements is too wet or too dry, your paint won’t behave the way you expect. That’s why it can feel unpredictable at first. But don’t worry! It can be fixed with time, observation, and practice. And I'm here to help! This post will walk you through simple ways to practice wet-on-wet so you can build your skills!
The Most Important Supply for the Wet-Into-Wet Technique: Watercolor Paper
The best watercolor paper for wet-on-wet is 100% cotton, artist-grade paper. It holds water longer, allows paint to blend softly, and helps prevent unwanted hard edges.
If you’re using student-grade paper and it’s drying too fast or buckling, it’s not your fault. It’s the paper.
I know how tempting it is to “save the good paper,” but trust me on this. Using better paper will help you learn faster. You don’t have to earn it. You’re already worth it.
Here’s a link to my favorite Arches Watercolor Paper!
How to Get the Right Water to Paint Ratio with Watercolor
The consistency of your watercolor paint matters just as much as your paper.
One easy way to learn about paint consistency is to think of the different paint mixes like different kinds of dairy. Sounds kind of weird, but the thinnest mixes are watery like skim milk, through to whole milk, heavy cream/half and half, and then butter.
Here are the main paint consistencies you’ll work with in watercolor:
Heavy Cream
What it looks like: Thick, opaque, slow-moving. If you pull your brush through the mixture, it will separate and take a while to come back together.
What it does when painted wet into wet: Stays in place, offering a high level of control.
Whole Milk
What it looks like: Balanced, yet pigmented. If you pull your brush through the mixture, it will separate, but come back together more quickly.
What it does when painted wet into wet: Spreads gently, making it great for blends.
Skim Milk
What it looks like: Very watery and light. If you pull a brush through the mixture, it barely separates and comes back together instantly.
What it does when painted wet into wet: Spreads fast, offering less control.
If you want a more thorough walkthrough of what this looks like, check out this post about water control and paint consistency.
The takeaway?
When working wet into wet, a thick mix stays put. A watery mix will bloom across the page. Neither is wrong, but each gives a different effect. It’s important to practice and learn how each variation works so you can apply it to your painting projects.
How to Tell if Your Paper Is Wet Enough
When working wet into wet, we often paint a clear glaze of water on the page first before dropping in pigment. You want to get an even layer of water so that your wet-into-wet painting works as expected.
Before you add paint, tilt your paper toward the light. You should see a soft, even glisten across the surface.
If it looks matte, it’s too dry. Your paint won’t spread.
If it’s puddling or forming pools of water when you tilt it, it’s too wet. Gently blot it with your brush or a paper towel to get an even sheen.
That glisten is the sweet spot!
Simple Wet-Into-Wet Practice Exercise
Want to try this in a low-pressure way? Here’s a gentle practice I recommend:
Choose a simple flower shape with 3 - 4 petals
Paint the petals with clean water first
While the paper is still damp, drop in pigment
Observe what happens and ask yourself questions (this is the key to improving!)
Now, repeat the same shape a few times, changing just one variable:
Add more or less water to the paper
Use thicker or thinner paint
Drop the pigment in the center vs. the edges
This kind of experimentation builds the muscle memory and confidence you need to understand wet-on-wet watercolor.
Troubleshooting: Common Wet-in-Wet Mistakes
Why is my watercolor paint not spreading?
Either your paper is too dry or your pigment mixture is too thick. Explore adding more water to your pigment and dropping it into a wet area to see if that fixes the problem.
Why is my watercolor paint drying with hard edges?
Either there was too much water on the paper, or your paint mixture was too watery. Practice getting that perfect glistening consistency!
My watercolor is blending in a weird way. What happened?
If things blended where you didn’t want them to blend, it’s likely that there was too much water somewhere. It can also happen when you accidentally touch wet paint to an area on the page you didn’t know was still wet.
Quick Tips for Success With the Wet-Into-Wet Technique
Mix your colors up beforehand and test the consistencies on a scrap piece of paper
Use good quality paper that will stay wet longer, and distribute the water better
Be patient and paint an even, glistening wet area so that your paint doesn’t pool
Stay curious and experiment often!
Want to Go Deeper?
I teach the wet-into-wet technique in depth in some of my YouTube classes. Click below to watch a free, full-length wet-into-wet lesson!
Wet-into-wet watercolor painting is where the magic of watercolor truly shines. But it’s also one of the trickiest techniques to learn.
The good news is, you don’t have to get it perfect on your first (or 50th!) try. You just have to keep noticing what works, what doesn’t, and what you might try next.
Whether you call it wet-in-wet, wet-into-wet, or wet-on-wet watercolor, the heart of the technique is the same. It’s about water, softness, movement, and letting the paint lead the way.
So grab your brush, mix your colors, and give it a try with me.
I'm rooting for you!
Happy painting,
Alex
