juliabarminova The paradox of painting the sea: it looks more real when the paint is dry. 💙

#watercolour #seascapepainting #watercolourseascape #paintingthesea

juliabarminova The paradox of painting the sea: it looks more real when the watercolours is dry. 💙

#watercolour #seascapepainting #watercolourseascape #paintingthesea

juliabarminova The secret combo for realistic watercolour waves:

Wet paper × Dry brush

🌊 Separate light from shadow to build depth and contrast
🌊 Soften the edges to keep the water natural and fluid
🌊 Add tonal shifts and tiny details: this is what brings waves to life

If waves are still challenging, you’re welcome to my next workshops:

MARCH 14–15 • Switzerland, Lausanne @artiloft.ch
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MARCH 21–22 • Spain, Madrid @pinceladasdeespana
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APRIL 23–30 • Italy — A Week in Tuscany · Last places @followtuscany_
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JULY 27–31 • USA, Madeline Island, Wisconsin @madelineartschool

Full details and booking links are available via the link in my profile.

#watercolor #seascape

juliabarminova Technical thing that completely changed my watercolour paintings:

I stopped painting from light to shadow.
Now I paint details all at once, like a puzzle.
And this changed everything: focus, drawing quality, confidence, results.

⚜️Because the final result is always where your attention goes.⚜️

This is exactly what I teach in my workshops.

And yes… I’m returning to Tuscany & Liguria next year 2027 with @followtuscany_! 🇮🇹

Link in bio and let’s paint together ❤️

juliabarminova I’m not really a plein air artist.

Most of my best paintings were created later, quietly, in the studio.
But they would never exist without the time spent outside.
Plein air is where the searching begins.

It’s where I collect those small fleeting stories you can only find by the sea:
watching the wind change the surface of the water,
fishermen or sailing boats slowly coming or leaving the harbour,
and seagulls sounding exactly the same in every language...

Plein Air in Lerici with @followtuscany_

💚🤍❤️

juliabarminova Tuscany sunlight has this golden glow… but the magic is actually in the shadows 🌿

Keep your light warm by mixing in yellows or oranges, and keep your shadows cool, I usually add cobalt or ultramarine blue.

That temperature contrast is what makes everything come alive.

I painted this watercolour during my demo workshop after walking through the sunlit streets of Lucca during our Tuscany retreat.

Save this to try in your next painting session. ❤️🤍💚

juliabarminova What if your studio looked like this for a week? 🇮🇹

I came to Tuscany to teach watercolour. But somewhere between sketchbooks, wine at sunset and golden evening light…
it started feeling like something much bigger than a workshop, like a small beautiful life we got to live together for a week.

Some places change the way you paint. Tuscany was one of them.

Maybe it was the light, the slow mornings, or the feeling that for one week nothing mattered except art, beauty and being present.

But I think it was the people. ❤️

Lucy @she.paints.with.water, Lila @abaeran.art, Erica @theegirl, Sita @aquarelle_sita, Josie @yosi_w_art, Megan @saltymenagerie, Shani @shaniacht1, Jennifer @g.jen.b, Boriana @theinnatthatplace, Diane @dianeke25, Lesia @lethia.9, Karen and Van.

Thank you for making this week so special 🤍

And to Karolina and David @followtuscany_, thank you for creating the kind of atmosphere people never want to leave.

Until we paint together again! ❤️🤍💚

juliabarminova Satisfying to watch structure appear from nothing 🤍

I’m currently filming a new architectural watercolour series, welcome to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/juliabarminova

#juliabarminova

juliabarminova Did you know the most important thing in painting water is the moisture of the paper?

This is exactly what I talk about in my new lessons:
“Understanding Paper Moisture” and “Basic Watercolour Tutorial: Realistic Sea”. Perfect for beginners!

Available on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/juliabarminova

🩵

#watercolor #seascape #tutorial #juliabarminova

juliabarminova For realistic waves in watercolour, work dry on wet: a creamy brush on wet paper, building step by step and keeping the paper moist.

If waves are still challenging, you’re welcome to my next workshop in Madrid, Spain • March 21-22 • Contact @pinceladasdeespana

Full details and booking link are available via the link in my profile.

See you!!! 🐚

juliabarminova Yes, these are my old paintings.

The only reason my waves look different now
is because I never stopped painting them. 🐚

Which stage are you in?

#juliabarminova #watercolor #seascape

juliabarminova You don’t need much to paint the sea.

⚓️ A small sketchbook with cotton paper, easy to carry and just the right amount of time for a quick sea study.
⚓️ Palette with pre-selected colours and extra opaque white in tube for final bright touches
⚓️ 2–3 brushes:
– a soft brush for washes
– a round synthetic brush with a good point
– an optional angled brush for waves
⚓️ Pencil & kneaded eraser
⚓️ Spray bottle & small jar of water
⚓️ Paper towel

Save this if you enjoy painting the sea outdoors 💙

#juliabarminova #watercolour #pleinair

juliabarminova Most waves fail because the paint is too diluted.
I prefer a creamy mix on a properly wet paper surface. It gives control while keeping the sea’s natural look.

I’ll be teaching this technique in person:

MARCH 14–15 • Switzerland, Lausanne • @artiloft.ch
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MARCH 21-22 • Spain, Madrid • @pinceladasdeespana
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APRIL 23–30 • Italy, A Week in Tuscany • @followtuscany_

If you’d like to paint the sea with me, details are in my bio. 💚