9 Best Online Watercolor Painting Classes

Are you an artsy person? Are you seeking to explore a new medium in painting? Does watercolor painting excite you?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then you are in luck. Read on and you’ll figure out why. 

Painting with watercolors is very satisfying and the process will have a soothing effect on you. The brush’s vibrant colors and smooth movements could be the perfect partner in your free time.

Online watercolor painting classes reviews

Online watercolor painting classes will be perfect if you are looking for a hobby or simply a place to channel your artistic skills. Online painting courses are fantastic because you have the added benefit of flexible deadlines with immense learning. 

If this is something that excites you, then you should surely check out our lineup of the best watercolor painting courses that are readily available online. 

To help you pick the perfect course, we have evaluated the online watercolor painting classes based on several parameters. Read on and figure out which course is most suitable for you. 

Ready to see what we have in store for you?

List of Top 9 Online Watercolor Painting Courses 

We have listed these courses randomly, but out of all these courses, we believe that courses number 1 and 3 are amazing for beginners looking to learn watercolor painting. Keep reading to find out why they are our top picks.

If you are a creative individual looking for similar courses to explore, then you should check out graphics designing courses and pixel art courses.  

  1. Online Watercolor Painting Lesson For Beginners | By Award-Winning Artist – Udemy – Beginner Level – Bestseller 
  2. Learn the Basics Online Watercolor Painting – Skillshare – Beginner Level – Affordable 
  3. Modern Watercolor Painting Techniques – Domestika – Beginner Level – Editor’s Pick 
  4. The Mechanics of Watercolor Painting – Udemy – Beginner Level – Perfect for Beginners 
  5. Creative Watercolor Sketching for Beginners – Domestika – Beginner Level – Expert Instructor 
  6. Techniques & Effects of Watercolor Painting – Udemy – Best for Intermediate Level 
  7. Abstract Watercolor Paintings: Explore Through Freeform & Planned Process – Skillshare – Best for All Levels 
  8. Introduction To Watercolor Painting: Painting Magnolia Flowers Using Simple Techniques  – Skillshare – Bet for Beginner Level
  9. The Art of Watercolor Painting: Paint Your Vision of the World – Domestika – Beginner Level

Detail of The Best 9 Watercolor Painting Classes Online

1. Online Watercolor Painting Lesson For Beginners – Udemy

 best online watercolor classes for beginners

The first course in our lineup is a bestseller on Udemy and is perfect for beginners.

There is so much to learn from this course. Here are some of the aspects that the certification will cover: how watercolor behaves, how much water to use, how to go lighter with your colors, and how to avoid washed-out paintings. 

Through this course, you will learn the dos and don’ts of watercolor painting.

The course is being taught by an award-winning professional watercolor artist. Broderick Wong is also an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the International Watercolor Society. His exposure and network are immense and can prove to be very helpful for you.

watercolor painting lesson instructor

This watercolor painting lesson is available for USD 84.99 which is quite expensive but Udemy has frequent sales which you can easily avail of. Keep on the lookout for that. 

For this price, you get lifetime access to 4.5 hours of on-demand video, 23 articles, and 27 downloadable resources. This content is very well-designed to ensure maximum learning. 

This bestseller course has a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 and is loved by students. 

It is also quite popular as there are 21,159 student enrollments already

We found students raving about the course and instructor. Here is what they had to say about it:

“Well-designed and thoughtful instruction along with excellent delivery. The scaffolding of skills is effective. In addition, the teacher makes you feel at ease while being enthusiastic and calm. He also knows the pitfalls of beginners, and it was very helpful how he would prepare the learner.”

Our rating for the course is 9.0/9.0.

2. Learn the Basics Online Watercolor Painting of – Skillshare

online watercolor classes

Next up is an extremely popular Skillshare course that is great for beginners. This online watercolor painting lesson starts from scratch and is great for those who want to start on their own fashion or illustration projects. 

By the end of this course, you will learn how to prepare, paint, and polish beautiful watercolor illustrations. 

You will learn through the expertise of artist Katie Rodgers who has been using watercolors to paint since the age of 7. With so much practice and exposure, she has gained a lot of expertise that will be passed on to you. 

Katie Rodgers, a watercolor lesson instructor on skillshare

This is the perfect crash course for anyone looking for a short course on watercolor painting. In just 44 minutes, you will learn all the basics of painting with watercolors. With 448 hands-on projects, this painting class will ensure maximum practical learning. 

All this learning is just at the cost of USD 2 per month. This is a total bargain!

Not just this, the certification is also super popular with 37,912 students already enrolled. 

We went over the ratings and reviews of this popular course and found majorly positive feedback. Students feel that the course has exceeded their expectations. This is also reflected in their reviews. Here is one review that caught our attention:

“Katie is so comfortable in her talent that she teaches as if you were a friend at the table with her. She talks you through the whole process while giving countless tips. I once took a six-month course that did not teach me as much as one of Katie’s classes. If you’re looking for knowledge on how to paint fashion, watch Katie!”

Our rating for this stellar course is 9.0/9.0.

3. Modern Watercolor Painting Techniques – Domestika

best online watercolor classes to learn online from domestika

The third course in our lineup is one of our top picks for several reasons which you will find out soon. 

We find it the best one for beginners who want to explore modern watercolor painting techniques. Through this class, you will learn how to master watercolor step by step and use it in a fun way to create breathtaking paintings. 

You will learn these modern techniques under the influence of Ana Victoria Calderon who is a painter and illustrator with several years of experience in this medium. Her skills and talent will prove resourceful in this course. 

painter, illustrator and instructor on domestika

This stellar course is available for only USD 9.99 which is a total catch considering other similar courses. 

For this price, you get access to 2 lessons and 7 additional resources which you will be able to cover in 3 hours and 22 minutes. The good part is that you can complete the lessons at your own pace. 

This watercolor painting course is very popular as it has 189, 286 student enrollments with this number going up every day. 

With 99% positive ratings, we can clearly see how much the students like this course. This can further be seen in the 9,295 reviews by students. Here is one such review that proves our point:

“Great techniques, fully explained with a very knowledgable and generous teacher. I’ve already used these techniques in a few of my new pieces and they have improved the quality of my work considerably!”

Our rating for this amazing course is a definitive 9.0/9.0. It is without a doubt one of our top picks. 

Eligibility Criteria

  • You will need a watercolor sketchbook, a pencil, a pencil sharpener, an eraser, watercolors, round brushes, black ink, acrylic paint or white ink, a glass for water, and a palette
  • It is recommended, to have table salt, alcohol, nail polish remover, bleach, and a variety of inks

4. The Mechanics of Watercolor Painting – Udemy

watercolor painting classes for beginners by udmey

This highly informative course is designed for beginners as it teaches you the mechanics of watercolor painting. It is a step-by-step course designed to guide students through all the necessary skills needed to paint with watercolor paints.

In this course, you will learn everything from exploring how to grip a paintbrush to the various painting techniques used by expert artists. 

This super helpful course is offered by Jill Poyerd who is a professional artist and fine arts educator. She has been featured in national publications, is the author of the portrait painting book Fearless Portraits, and is a signature member of several prestigious art societies. Her exposure and connections in the art community make her one of the best instructors. 

professional artist and fine arts educator on udmey

The course is currently available for USD 49.99 which is on the steep side. However, the best part about Udemy courses is that they are frequently on sale for anywhere between 30% to 80%. Keep an eye out for any such sales.

The course includes 4 hours of on-demand videos and 34 downloadable resources. This is the ideal time to master all the watercolor painting techniques. 

The course has a rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 which is quite impressive. 

As of yet, the course has gained considerable traction with 5,278 students who have already benefitted from it. 

This course is liked by students a lot and here is what they had to say about it:

“I wish I had taken this class before several others. This is a great course for those just starting to learn watercolor. It is super informative, very in-depth, and actually teaches how to work with watercolor paint. I found many of the other classes, here and elsewhere are more “watch me and figure it out later” type classes. I am already planning on taking the next course in this series.”

Eligibility Criteria

  • It is recommended but not required to complete the “Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting” course

5. Creative Watercolor Sketching for Beginners – Domestika

online watercolor painting class for beginners

Alt-text: watercolor painting classes

This next course is being offered by Domestika and is great for beginners. The course starts from scratch and helps you form a great understanding of how to paint using watercolors. 

In this course, you will explore watercolor illustrations through unconventional techniques. Additionally, you will navigate the step-by-step process for creative watercolor sketching.

The course is being offered by Laura McKendry, an artist, and illustrator who is very passionate about watercolor painting. Her personality coupled with her love for art will make this course a really fun one for you. 

Laura McKendry, an artist, and illustrator

Priced at USD 9.99, this course is surely a catch especially considering that its original price is USD 59.99. Enroll in the course before the sale ends!

With 23 lessons and 20 additional resources, this course can easily be completed in 5 hours and 25 minutes. The best part is that you can complete it at your own pace. 

The course is extremely popular with 4,2736 student enrollments. Not just this, it also has 1291 highly positive reviews along with 100% positive ratings. How great is that?

We went over student reviews and feedback and found a repeating theme. This comment sums up how students feel about the course: 

“Lovely course, very positive and engaging teacher. The focus on play and mistakes is super helpful as I am feeling pretty tight about making any mistakes. That stops me from creating at all. Hence, this class loosens you up via a ton of fun and interesting watercolor work. Highly recommended!”

Our rating for the course is 8.5/9.0.

Eligibility Criteria

  • No previous experience is necessary
  • You will need watercolors, brushes, and a sketchbook

6. Techniques & Effects of Watercolor Painting – Udemy

online watercolor painting class on udemy

This course is designed for intermediate-level learners which means that you will need prior knowledge about watercolor painting. The course will explore more complex painting techniques and effects so you get a chance to completely dive into the world of watercolor painting. 

This fun and informative course will help take your watercolor techniques to a whole new level. 

Under the guidance of Broderick Wong, an award-winning professional watercolor artist/instructor, you will learn all the tips and tricks of watercolor painting. His vast knowledge and skills will be really helpful during the learning process. 

The only downside about the course is that it is quite expensive. As of now, it is available for USD 84.99 but the good part is that Udemy has regular sales which will cut off a huge chunk of this amount. So keep a look out!

With 3.5 hours of on-demand videos, 60 lectures, and 13 downloadable resources, this course can easily be completed within 3.5 hours. 

Broderick Wong, an award-winning professional watercolor artist/instructor

Student ratings are pretty great too. The 4.7 out of 5.0 stars rating on this course is proof of how amazing it is. 

The course is super popular with 10,495 student enrollments. These students have so many positive things to say about the watercolor painting certification:

“I would like to give the courses by Wong more than five stars as all the courses are so easy to understand. Wong makes the painting so simple with his tips and teaching style. I took his two beginners courses also which cleared so many concepts and taught me techniques to paint. I took this course to tread ahead, I am still doing earlier courses for practice. I have improved a lot but not perfect. Wong is a great teacher. For anyone who wants to paint, his courses will help every bit. I recommend it highly.”

Our rating for the course is 8.5/9.0

7. Abstract Watercolor Paintings – Skillshare

amazing watercolor painting class with high rating and engaging teachers

The next course is amazing for all levels, because not only will you explore the simple techniques of watercolor painting but also learn several new techniques that will help you as a painter. 

If you want to explore abstract watercolor painting, this course will add a lot to your knowledge bank. In this class, you’ll be learning two methods to go about creating abstract watercolor paintings: free form, and improvisational. 

You will get to learn under the guidance of Marie-Noëlle Wurm, who is an artist and illustrator. Her experience with watercolor painting is immense and you will learn all her secret techniques in the span of this short course.

online watercolor painting crash course teacher

This is a great online watercolor painting crash course that can easily be covered in 1 hour and 29 minutes. The class also includes 256 hands-on projects where you will practice everything you learn. 

All this, for the price of USD 2 per month. This is super pocket friendly and will also give you access to a plethora of other Skillshare courses. 

64% of the students felt that the course had exceeded their expectations and gave high ratings on engaging teachers, and helpful examples. Thus, we believe that the course is not only fun and engaging but is also going to give you practical insights. 

With 14,108 students enrolled, we can see how popular the course is among fellow watercolor painting learners.

Student reviews are a great metric in deciding how good a course is. This particular course has received immense praise from previous learners. Here’s one comment that nicely sums up this course’s experience:

“I quite did well than I expected even though I’m not good at colors. The very great reminder was to let the anxiety flows out and do whatever it feels like, we never know, It might be our signature nature of art so… I’m glad I signed in to this class. Anyways, you are a great teacher :)”

Our rating for the course is 9.0/9.0.

Eligibility Criteria 

  • The course starts from scratch so no prior experience with watercolor painting is needed
  • Basic art supplies to paint like watercolor paints, and paintbrushes

8. Introduction To Watercolor Painting – SkillShare

watercolor painting lessons for beginners

If you are looking for an introductory course on a watercolor painting then this course will be perfect for you. It is designed for beginners and will start with simple techniques so you can learn the basics easily. After building up your foundations, the course also explores more complex techniques to ensure well-rounded learning. 

By the end of this course, you will have 3 amazing paintings of magnolias that you can impress people with. 

You get to learn under Jane-Beata who is a professional watercolor artist and illustrator. She also has an art studio where she teaches watercolor painting. Most of her students are already becoming professional artists and so can you!

This watercolor lesson for beginners is available for USD 2 per month which is such a great catch. You can even get a free trial to check out the course for yourself. 

This super short class is only 1 hour and 15 minutes long and includes 31 projects which support practical learning. 

Students absolutely love the course and feel that it is one of the best out there. There are positive ratings in terms of the way the lessons are organized, clarity, and engagement. Most students feel that their expectations had been exceeded. 

This course is fairly popular, with 1,068 students enrolled, proving the popularity of this course. 

“What a wonderful class! I was super interested the moment I saw the introduction video. I often do watercolor paintings (portraits specifically) and have always wanted to do more botanicals. Even though I would say I am somewhat skilled at watercolor, it taught me some new tricks and ways to think about watercolor. Thank you for a wonderful class. Excited to upload my class project.”

Our rating for the course is 9.0/9.0.

Eligibility Criteria

Basic art supplies like watercolor paints, and paintbrushes 

9. The Art of Watercolor Painting – Domestika

watercolor painting classes online

The last course in our lineup is by Domestika. This course is amazing for beginners because it delves into the world of watercolor through basics. 

Through this course, you will learn how to create shadows, textures, and atmospheres that capture the essence of your surroundings. You will essentially be able to paint your vision of the world through watercolors. 

The course comes with subtitles in 8 different languages with the audio in English. 

This online watercolor lesson is being offered by David Poxon, a British watercolor artist who has won many awards for the craftsmanship of his paintings. His knowledge and practical insights are vast, and you can surely learn a great deal from him. 

Priced at USD 12.99, this course is very pocket-friendly. This is a great catch as it is currently available on sale with the original price being USD 59.99 which is quite high.

pocket-friendly watercolor painting class

This online watercolor painting class has 21 lessons, and 9 additional resources that will take you 3 hours and 50 minutes to complete. 

The best part is that the course has 100% positive reviews. It is also a bestseller on Domestika. How great is that?

With 6,764 students enrolled, we believe this course’s popularity will constantly increase. 

To top it all off, the course has some very positive reviews left by students. Here is one positive review that perfectly elaborates the course’s experience:

“This has been one of the best courses I have taken on Domestika! Watercolor has always been such an intimidating medium to me and s made it fun! I look forward to continuing my watercolor practice! Highly recommend this course even if you do not plan to paint in the same style/subjects.”

Our rating for the course is 8.5/9.0.

Eligibility Criteria 

  • Previous experience with watercolors is useful but not essential
  • Equipment needed: watercolor paints, brushes, and watercolor paper

Review Process of Online Watercolor Painting Lessons

The review process of this course is after thoughtful consideration, comprehensive research, life experience, and the most important challenges of the eLearning industry, the components below were deliberately constructed.

  • Tutor Rating
  • Course Objectives Are Cleared or Not
  • Depth of Course
  • Recourses and Material
  • Who can take this course? Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Level
  • Details of the course
  • Student Reviews
  • Course Duration
  • Price

Overview of the Best Online Watercolor Painting Courses

Watercolor Painting ClassesPriceWatercolor Painting Class Features
1. Online Watercolor Painting Lesson For Beginners $ 84.99
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Money Back Guarantee
  • Downloadable Resources
  • Full Lifetime Access
2. Learn the Basics of Online Watercolor Painting of$ 2/M
  • AffordableHands-on project 
  • Short course
3. Modern Watercolor Painting Techniques $ 9.99
  • Subtitles in 8 languages
  • Certificate of Completion 
  • Pocket-friendly
4. Modern Watercolor Painting Techniques $ 49.99
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Money Back Guarantee
  • Downloadable Resources
  • Full Lifetime Access
5. Creative Watercolor Sketching for Beginners$ 9.99
  • Subtitles in 8 languages
  • Certificate of Completion 
  • Pocket-friendly 
  • Bestseller 
6. Techniques & Effects of Watercolor Painting$ 84.99
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Money Back Guarantee
  • Downloadable Resources
  • Full Lifetime Access
7. Abstract Watercolor Paintings$ 2/M
  • Affordable
  • Hands-on project 
  • Short course 
  • Staff Pick
8. Introduction To Watercolor Painting$ 2/M
  • Affordable
  • Hands-on project 
  • Short course 
9. The Art of Watercolor Painting $ 12.99
  • Certificate of Completion 
  • Pocket-friendly 
  • Bestseller 

Courses to Learn Online Other Than Watercolor Painting Classes

Online Watercolor Painting Classes – FAQs

Can I learn watercolor painting online?

Yes, you can learn watercolor painting online. All you need to do is enroll in an online course. These online courses are specifically designed to cater to your needs, whether you are a beginner or someone planning to up their watercolor painting skills, there is a course for you. Many artists and instructors impart their valuable knowledge that you can benefit from with the added benefit of flexible deadlines.

What is the best way to learn watercolor painting?

The best way to learn watercolor painting is through online courses that are readily available on e-learning platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, and Domestika. Taught by expert instructors, these courses are extremely popular among fellow watercolor painting learners who believe they have added immensely to their skills by enrolling. Enroll in a course and experience for yourself!

Which course is best for watercolor painting?

The best course for watercolor painting is number 3. This course is taught by an amazing instructor and has several insights to offer. Additionally, the course is very pocket-friendly and has several students raving about it. Such fun, interactive, and popular courses are hard to find so make sure you avail yourself. 

Conclusion

Are you looking to build your artistic skills? Are you fascinated by watercolor painting but find it too daunting?

Well, you’re in luck because we know of the best and easiest way to learn watercolor painting online. 

If watercolor is a medium you want to explore, then you should definitely check out our list of the best 9 online watercolor painting classes. These online courses help you explore the world of art through fun, interactive courses along with flexible deadlines. This means that you can do it after work or simply during the free time you get over the weekend. 

We know there are too many e-learning platforms and courses to choose from, which is why we are here to help. We have made your job easy with e-learning tips and by identifying the top 9 online watercolor painting courses. From this long list, we believe that courses number 1 and 3 are the best ones out there. 

They are the perfect lessons on the techniques of watercolor painting. To top it off, the instructors have vast experience, and the students love the way the courses are designed. Such all-rounded courses are hard to find. 

Enroll now and check out for yourself!