How to Swatch Watercolors: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Your Paints

✅ Quick Overview

• 🎨 Learn how to swatch watercolors and why it’s one of the best ways to understand your paints.

• 🖌️ Step-by-step instructions to create your own swatch chart with ease.

• 💡 Discover how swatching reveals color value, transparency, granulation, and more.

• ⏱️ Use swatching as a quick 10–20 minute painting practice or warm-up exercise.

• 📖 Build a swatch library to keep your paints organized and your creativity flowing.

Introduction

When you open a new set of watercolors, all those pretty pans or tubes can feel a little mysterious. 🌈 Will the bright red actually dry darker? Will the blue stay smooth, or will it separate into tiny specks of color?

The best way to find out is by swatching. Swatching your watercolors isn’t about painting a masterpiece — it’s about getting to know your paints. Think of it as a friendly introduction between you and your palette. 🎨✨

For beginners, swatching is one of the simplest and most helpful steps you can take to build confidence with your paints.

What is Watercolor Swatching? 

Swatching means painting a sample of color onto watercolor paper so you can see how it looks and behaves.

A classic swatch shows a spectrum of value — starting with rich pigment at the top and then diluted with water as it fades downward. 🖌️ This reveals how the color shifts from strong to soft depending on water ratio.

Swatching usually means painting the color straight from a tube or pan (diluted with water in different ratios), but it can also mean swatching a new color you’ve created by mixing two paints together. Both approaches help you better understand your paints and how they interact.

At its simplest, swatching is just filling a square or rectangle. But a thoughtful swatch chart becomes much more: a practical tool for exploring the personality of your paints.

Why Swatching Matters for Beginners

Swatching might feel optional, but it’s a powerful habit to start early. Here’s why:

• 🎨 Learn your set. Especially if your paints don’t list pigments clearly, swatching shows you what each one can do.

• 💧 See wet-to-dry shifts. Some paints dry lighter, darker, or duller than they first appear.

• 🔎 Discover paint behavior. Notice transparency or opacity, whether the paint stays smooth or granulates, if it leans warm or cool, or if it feels vibrant or muted.

• 🎨 Avoid surprises. You’ll know exactly what to expect before using a color in your painting.

• 🏷️ Compare brands. Two paints may share the same name (like Ultramarine Blue), but swatching reveals they don’t always match across manufacturers.

• 🌟 Build confidence. Having swatches on hand makes color choices far less intimidating.

Artist's watercolor paint swatches (labeled) with Winsor & Newton Sketcher's Paint Set

How to Swatch Your Watercolors (Step-by-Step)

1. Gather Your Materials

• ✏️ Watercolor paper (use the kind you normally paint on for accuracy)

• 🖌️ A round brush (size 6–8 is versatile)

• 💧 Water jar and paper towel

• 🖊️ Pen or waterproof marker for labeling

2. Set Up Your Grid

• Lightly sketch boxes with a pencil or use a ruler for tidy lines.

• Leave space for labels under or beside each swatch.

3. Load and Paint

• Start with a juicy brush full of pigment at the top of the box.

• Rinse slightly and drag the color downward, fading it out with more water.

• Optional: dab a tissue in the corner to see if the pigment lifts easily.

4. Label Clearly

• Write the color name, number, and brand if possible.

• If using a pan set, note its location for easy reference.

5. Let Dry Fully

• Colors can shift dramatically when dry, so patience here is key.

Tips for Better Swatches

• ✅ Always swatch on watercolor paper (copy paper gives false results).

• ✅ Stay consistent with how you paint each swatch so you can compare fairly.

• ✅ Label carefully — you’ll thank yourself later.

• ✅ Jot down observations like “transparent and staining” or “granulates nicely.”

• ✅ Swatch whenever you buy new paints so your chart stays current.

Different Ways to Swatch

There’s no single “right” way. Try what feels fun:

• 📏 Simple grids: neat squares or rectangles in rows.

• 🔵 Circles or dots: playful and space-saving.

• 🍃 Creative shapes: swatches as leaves, petals, or abstract blobs.

• 🎨 Mixing swatches: whenever you combine two paints, swatch the result right next to your original colors. This helps you record unique hues you’ve mixed and decide if you’d like to use them again.

• 🔄 Mixing charts: a more advanced grid showing how every paint in a set interacts with every other paint.

Organizing and Using Your Swatches

Your swatches will only help if you can find them later! Options include:

• 📒 Sketchbook: keep swatches bound with your practice pages.

• 📂 Binder or folder: slip loose sheets into clear sleeves, creating a growing library.

• 📌 Pinned near your painting spot: quick reference while you paint.

Many artists love creating a swatch library — a labeled record of every watercolor they own. Over time, it becomes a personal color dictionary you can flip through whenever you’re planning a project.

Swatching as Creative Practice

Swatching isn’t just about organization — it can also be pure creative play. 🌟

• ⏱️ 10–20 minutes? Swatching is perfect for a short painting session.

• 🎶 Warm-up routine. Many artists swatch before painting to loosen their hand, practice brush control, and spark creativity.

It’s low-pressure, colorful, and keeps you connected to your paints even on busy days.

Final Encouragement 💛

Swatching might look simple, but it’s one of the most empowering tools for watercolor beginners.  Each swatch is a tiny lesson in how watercolor works, and each page adds to your confidence.

So grab your brush, pull out your paints, and enjoy creating your own swatch chart. Whether it’s neat rows or playful circles, your swatches will become a helpful companion every time you paint.

📚 References

• Hello Watercolor!, by Jeanne Dickson
• Modern Watercolor Botanicals, by Sarah Simon
• The Joy of Watercolor, by Emma Block
• The Ultimate Watercolor Course, by Eaglemoss Publications Ltd.
• Watercolor Secrets, by Robin Berry
• Author’s own swatching experience as a self-taught watercolor artist.

🔗 Recommended for You

If swatching has you excited about exploring color, check out these related posts:

• 🎨 Choosing the Right Watercolor Paints

• 💧 How to Mix Watercolors Without Making Mud

• 🌈 Color-Mixing Exercises for Beginners

➡️ What’s Next?

👉 Looking for your next step project? My new Simple Watercolor Project Guide for Beginners is now available in the Shop — a 88-page downloadable guide filled with approachable painting projects to help you put those swatches into action!

And don’t forget — you can also grab my free Beginner’s Watercolor Glossary for simple definitions of watercolor terms as you learn.