Landscape painting with water colors
Paint a landscape with watercolor paints on paper, practicing color mixing, wet-on-wet blending, and layering to create sky, trees, and hills.
About this activity
Paint a landscape with watercolor paints on paper, practicing color mixing, wet-on-wet blending, and layering to create sky, trees, and hills.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Tape the edges of your watercolor paper to the table with masking tape to keep it flat.
- 2
Step 2
Lightly sketch a horizon line and simple shapes for hills trees and a sun with your pencil.
- 3
Step 3
Dip a clean brush in water and wet the sky area evenly for a wet-on-wet background.
- 4
Step 4
Put a small amount of blue paint on your palette and add water to make a light blue wash.
- 5
Step 5
Touch the blue wash onto the wet sky and watch the color spread and blend.
- 6
Step 6
Mix blue and yellow on your palette to make green and test the shade on a scrap piece of paper.
- 7
Step 7
Use a medium brush to paint a light green wash for the distant hills.
- 8
Step 8
Wait a few minutes for the hill layer to dry a little so your next layer will sit on top.
- 9
Step 9
Make a darker green by adding more paint or less water to your green mix.
- 10
Step 10
Paint nearer hills with the darker green to create depth using layered strokes.
- 11
Step 11
Paint tree trunks with brown paint using a small round brush.
- 12
Step 12
Make tree foliage by dabbing short upward strokes of dark green and add a few lighter green highlights.
- 13
Step 13
Allow your painting to dry completely so the colors set.
- 14
Step 14
Carefully peel off the masking tape to reveal clean edges.
- 15
Step 15
Take a photo of your finished landscape and share your creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I teach my child to paint a watercolor landscape?
To paint a watercolor landscape, start by taping watercolor paper to a flat board. Lightly sketch horizon, sky, hills, and tree shapes. Wet the sky area lightly and drop in diluted colors for wet-on-wet blends. Let dry, then layer mid-ground and foreground washes, mixing colors on a palette for variations. Use smaller brushes for tree shapes and details, and lift paint with a damp brush or paper towel for highlights. Allow layers to dry between steps to maintain transparency and control.
What materials do I need for a watercolor landscape activity with my child?
You'll need student or artist-quality watercolor pans or tubes, a pad of heavy watercolor paper (140 lb/300 gsm recommended), a few round and flat brushes (sizes 2–8), a palette for mixing, two jars of water (one for rinsing), masking tape to secure paper, pencil and eraser for light sketching, paper towels or a sponge for lifting, and optional items like masking fluid, salt, or a spray bottle for texture effects.
What ages is watercolor landscape painting suitable for?
This activity suits preschoolers through teens with adaptations. Ages 4–6 enjoy experimental wet-on-wet painting with simple shapes and supervision for safe materials. Ages 7–10 can practice color mixing, layering, and basic brush control. Ages 11+ refine composition, perspective, and texture techniques. Supervise young children, use non-toxic paints, and simplify steps for toddlers. Adjust expectations and provide larger brushes or thicker paper for younger hands.
What are the benefits of children painting watercolor landscapes?
Watercolor landscape painting builds color-mixing and observation skills while encouraging creativity and patience. Children learn to control water and pigment, improving fine motor coordination and decision-making about layers and composition. The quick, forgiving nature of watercolors reduces perfection pressure and supports experimentation. Painting outdoors or from photos strengthens visual literacy and connection to nature, and finishing a piece boosts confidence and pride in their artistic
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I can't find watercolor paper or masking tape?
If you don't have watercolor paper, use heavyweight mixed-media paper or heavy cardstock and replace masking tape with painter's tape or low-tack drafting tape to tape the edges to the table.
My sky paint isn't spreading smoothly and I have hard edges — how do I fix it?
Re-wet the sky area with a clean brush as in step 3, touch more diluted blue wash so it can spread, and blot excess with a scrap piece of paper to avoid puddles and hard lines.
How can I adapt this activity for younger or older children?
For younger kids, use thicker brushes, pre-drawn horizon and hill shapes taped down for tracing, and less water for easier control, while older kids can experiment with thinner washes, layered glazing, and mixing greens on the palette for depth as in steps 6–10.
What are simple ways to personalize or enhance the landscape before sharing it?
Add texture by sprinkling salt on the wet sky or lifting paint for cloud highlights, paint detailed foreground elements with the small round brush and darker green mixes, then carefully peel the tape and photograph the finished piece as in steps 12–13 to share.