How I Created This Korean Palace Watercolor Using the Watercolor Pouring Technique
Why I Love Teaching Watercolor Pouring
One of the most popular workshops I teach is my version of watercolor pouring. Every class begins the same way: students stare at their paper with a mixture of excitement and panic.
“You’re going to do what?”
Instead of carefully painting every brushstroke, we’re going to pour liquid watercolor across the paper.
It sounds completely wrong.
That’s why it’s so much fun.
This was my reference image from a trip in August ’25 with my son. Learn more about my Korea travel experiences on my Travel/Blog
Compare the Reference Photo to the Finished Painting
Why This Subject Worked So Well for Watercolor Pouring
Then explain:
- “simple” architecture
- large value shapes
- repeating roof lines
- glowing stone courtyard
- smaller shapes (people) in courtyard lead eye to large shape in background
The technique was pioneered by artists such as Royland Roycraft and Nita Engle, who each developed their own unique approaches. Over the years I’ve studied both methods, experimented endlessly, and developed my own workflow filled with little tricks that make the process more predictable while still embracing watercolor’s beautiful unpredictability.
The result is a technique that feels equal parts painting, printmaking, and controlled chaos.
A Completely Different Way to Think About Watercolor
Traditional watercolor is usually painted one object at a time.
Watercolor pouring is different.
You build the painting layer by layer, working from the darkest values toward the lightest. Before each pour, masking fluid protects areas you’ve already established. Once the mask is dry, diluted watercolor is literally poured over the entire sheet.
Then you do it again.
And again.
Each layer gradually builds color, atmosphere, and depth until the painting finally begins to emerge.
It feels backwards the first time you try it—but once you understand the process, it opens up an entirely new way of thinking about watercolor.
Why It Doesn’t Turn Into Mud
One of the questions I hear most often is:
“If you’re pouring complementary colors over one another, won’t everything turn brown?”
Surprisingly, no.
Because each layer is allowed to dry before the next is applied—and because the masking fluid preserves previous passages—the colors remain remarkably clean.
You can pour warm colors over cool colors.
Blue over orange.
Purple over yellow.
Red over green.
Instead of becoming muddy, the transparent layers create an incredible sense of luminosity that’s difficult to achieve with a brush alone.
It’s one of the reasons poured watercolors have such a distinctive look.
Watching the Painting Appear Is Pure Magic
The most exciting moment doesn’t happen during the pouring.
It happens at the very end.
Once every layer has been poured, glazed, and protected, the masking fluid is rubbed away.
Suddenly the painting appears.
Highlights that have been hidden for hours emerge all at once, connecting every layer into a finished image. Even after years of using this technique, that reveal never gets old.
It still feels like opening a present.
The Seoul palace painting above is a perfect example. Layer after layer of transparent color gradually built the atmosphere before the final reveal transformed it into a luminous watercolor that couldn’t have been achieved with traditional brushwork alone.
More Than Just a Special Effect
Although watercolor pouring creates dramatic paintings, the real value of learning the technique goes much deeper.
Students quickly develop a better understanding of:
- value relationships
- color temperature
- transparent layering
- masking fluid
- watercolor timing
- how pigments behave
- glazing without overworking the paper
Even if you never create another poured watercolor after the workshop, you’ll almost certainly become a stronger watercolor painter because of what you learn during the process.
Watch the Complete Painting Come to Life
Want to see every step behind this Seoul palace painting?
Watch the online demonstration here:
What You’ll Learn in My Workshop
Rather than completing just one painting, my workshops focus on mastering the techniques behind watercolor pouring.
We’ll work on multiple paintings simultaneously while exploring:
- building values through transparent pours
- masking strategies that save hours of frustration
- controlling blooms and backruns
- pouring smooth graduated washes
- creating glowing light without muddy color
- incorporating pouring techniques into traditional watercolor paintings
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have several finished studies—and a completely different understanding of what watercolor is capable of.
Interested in Learning Watercolor Pouring?
If you’d like to experience this technique for yourself, learn the complete process, and discover how to incorporate pouring into your own paintings, click below to learn more about my workshops.
Learn more about my Watercolor Pouring Classes HERE
Supplies for Watercolor Pouring can be purchased online:
Arches 140 lb Cold Press 11×14 Block (good paper is the MOST important thing in WC)
Fabriano Artistico 140lb 12×16″ Block
Creative Mark Flo Bottles
Winsor Newton Ultramarine Blue
Winsor Red
Winsor Newton Winsor Yellow
You need at least two colors. Almost anything will work but I recommend one of each primary color (one red, one yellow, one blue)
Creative Mark Masking Fluid Brushes
Incredible Nib. Optional but very useful.
Pebeo Masking Fluid (big bottle)
Pebeo Masking Fluid (small bottle)
Ruling Pen (for applying small lines with masking fluid)
Holbein Spray Bottle
Spray Bottle
Sterling Edwards Big Brush Watercolor Palette. Optional but my favorite palette in the world. I own 5 of them:
Richeson Silver Velvet #6
Richeson Silver Velvet #2
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Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting
(919) 645-8345