How To Use Watercolor Brush Pens: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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How to Use Watercolor Markers & Brush Pens: A Beginner’s Guide Download Article Everything to know about watercolor pens and how to use them Co-authored by Swetha Shenoy

Last Updated: July 30, 2025 References

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• Using Watercolor Brush Pens: The Basics
|
• Blending Effects
|
• Advanced Techniques
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips
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• Things You'll Need

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This article was co-authored by Swetha Shenoy. Swetha Shenoy is a Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist based in New Jersey. She is the founder of The Paisley Corner, a creative hub that provides art workshops & team-building activities for individuals and corporate teams alike. Swetha created The Paisley Corner to spread the joy of creating through her art workshops. She teaches multiple lettering techniques, including hand lettering, brush lettering, and watercolor lettering. Since founding The Paisley Corner 5 years ago, she has taught 2500+ students (adults and kids) at over 200 workshops. Notable corporate clients include Adobe, Shapeways, Rituals, Confetti, MixLife & the New York tri-state area public libraries. Prior to her career as an artist and small business owner, Swetha worked as a Software Engineer at multiple companies. She received a BS in Computer Science from Visvesvaraya Technological University and a MS in Computer Science from University of Illinois, Chicago. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 186,782 times.

If you enjoy drawing, coloring, or painting, watercolor brush pens can be a fun addition to your creativity toolkit. With their vibrant colors and smooth brush tops, these pens offer excellent precision and control while creating the effect of traditional watercolor, all with no mess and little to clean up. Whether you enjoy drawing your own designs or are looking for a new way to enjoy coloring, these pens will spark your inner artist.

Drawing with Watercolor Pens

Watercolor artist Swetha Shenoy says to scribble the pen on a smooth surface, like a plastic bag or a ceramic dish, add a few drops of water, and then dip a paintbrush into the color. You can also draw directly on the paper and activate the color with a water brush. Use the pens on smooth, heavy-weight paper.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

The Basics

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1. 1 Buy watercolor brush pens. You can find watercolor brush pens at a local craft store or online. When purchasing a set, look for an exciting color palette and make sure it comes with a refillable clear water pen.
   • Watercolor brush pens have moist tips that resemble a paintbrush. They offer you the effect of watercolor painting with the ease and control that you'd typically find in a marker or pen.
   • Water brushes are a great complement to watercolor brush pens. Water brushes have a hollow handle that you fill with water, making it easier to paint on the go. To use them, simply unscrew the top, fill it with water, and gently squeeze the handle to control the flow of water.[1]
   • Get a feel for what it's like to hold the watercolor brush pens and move them across a page. In the beginning, tracing paper can offer a nice smooth surface for learning how to use them, despite its lightweight.
2. 2 Choose heavy-weight and smooth paper. Because watercolor brush pens are a very wet medium, you'll need to think about the kind of paper you want to use. Choose a paper that is both heavy-weight and has a smooth surface. The weight of the paper will prevent your pen from leaking through, while the smooth surface will ensure a nice even look.
   • Depending on the look you want, paper with a rougher surface may work for you, but it can also wear out the brushes on your pens more quickly.
   • A sturdy cardstock is a great choice when working with these pens.
   • You can also use these in coloring books. Just look for a book that has high-quality, thick pages.
   • You can paint with anything on anything, really, but it makes a huge difference to paint on watercolor paper, since it's specifically made to be absorbent and painted over.[2]
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3. 3 Make an outline of a basic shape. Start out simple. Draw one half of a rectangle, leaving it open and unfinished. Try to keep light but even pressure on your brush tip as you move it across the page. [3]
   • You can try this with a variety of basic shapes.
   • Start out with a small shape to conserve your watercolor ink.
4. 4 Use the water brush to fill in the shape. Without waiting for the ink to dry, apply the water brush to the inside of one of your lines. Move the brush towards the inside of the shape at first. This will give the effect that watercolor paint provides by giving a lighter shade of the ink you first applied.
   • Continue to pull your colored ink with the water brush to fill in and complete your shape.
5. 5 Care for your pens so they last. After blending, dip your watercolor brush pen tips in water and wipe them on a clean sheet of paper to remove any leftover color.
   • Keep their caps sealed tightly when storing them so that they don't dry out.
   • Make sure to clean your water brush with water, too.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Blending Effects

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1. 1 Layering two colors. Select your two colors and draw the outline of the shape you wish to make with the lighter color. Once your shape has dried, try outlining a portion of it with a second, darker color. Use the water brush to pull your second color into the first. This is how you can begin layering and blending additional colors in your artwork.
   • Once you've finished layering, clean your pens by dipping them in water and wiping them on a piece of scrap paper.[4]
2. 2 Use complementary colors and a water brush to create a gradient. Choose at least three complementary colors. Put the lightest of your three colors on the paper first and create a solid block of color. Above and below this color block, put down some strokes of your second color. Then, place the third color so that it caps your image on the top and bottom. [5]
   • Beginning at the top, move your water brush back and forth, while also slowly moving it down
   • Repeat this blending effect, this time moving from the bottom up into the middle.
3. 3 Create an ombre effect. By rubbing the tips of your pens together, you can mix colors on the tip itself. Always make sure you apply the darker color to the lighter one because you will be able to see how much color you are transferring to the pen. Once your pen is loaded with a darker color, move it across the page in the design you desire.[6]
   • This will provide a gradient in your artwork that moves from dark to light.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Advanced Techniques

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1. 1 Use a water-proof medium as a stamp. Select three or more complementary colors and apply the pens in a pattern of your choosing to the outside of a plastic sandwich bag or a piece of wax paper. [7]
   • Use the bag as a stamp, flipping it onto a pre-moistened piece of paper.
   • Use your fingers to spread the colors around, creating the effect you desire.
2. 2 Create floral designs using short, curved strokes. Choose a color and begin by making a small dot in the middle of your page. Surround this with three or four short, curved strokes of the same color. Apply your water brush to the colored strokes to create the effect of petals that are darkened towards the center and faded out as you move outwards. Continue this process, building your flower out until it has reached the size you desire.[8]
   • Add flowers of a variety of colors to create a pattern or bouquet effect.
   • Add leaves, vines or stems to complete your look.
   • Experiment by using different colors for the inner and outer petals.
3. 3 Develop your hand-lettering skills. Watercolor brush pens can help you make beautiful hand-lettering and calligraphy projects. When practicing your letters, note that you will want to increase pressure on your pen on the downward strokes and decrease pressure, using only the tip, on your upward strokes. By going over the tops of your downward strokes a second time, you can easily create depth and shadow, further enhancing your lettering.[9]
   • Experiment with your advanced shading and blending techniques to create even more lettering options.[10]
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Community Q&A

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• Question How do you clean watercolor brush pens? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer A pre-filled watercolor brush pen doesn’t need any special cleaning, since it is essentially a marker with a brush tip. However, if you’re using a water brush, you can clean it by filling the tube with clean water and squeezing it out of the chamber, then wiping the bristles on a clean paper towel until the water comes out clear. Use the paper towel or your fingers to smooth the bristles into a neat point, then cap the brush to protect it. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 12
• Question How do you store watercolor brush pens? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Watercolor brush pens don’t really need special care. Simply place the caps on tightly when you’re done so that they don’t dry out. Also take care that the tips don’t get bent by using light pressure when you paint with them and being careful when you put on the cap. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 11
• Question Can you refill a watercolor brush pen? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Some types, such as the ColorIt watercolor brush pen, are designed to be refilled. You can also use water brushes as refillable brush pens by filling them with ink or a mixture of water and water-soluble paint. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 8 Helpful 18

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Tips

• The tips of your pens can suffer wear and tear from rough surfaces. You can avoid this by choosing high-quality, smooth paper for your medium. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Once the painting is done, you can protect it from damage by varnishing it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2
• When using a watercolor brush pen, your paper might warp. To prevent this, you should go for a more absorbent paper, like one specifically labeled for use with watercolors. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Watercolor brush pens
• Paper or coloring book with thick and smooth pages
• A clear water pen

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References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrlqM7YBJTg&feature=youtu.be
2. ↑ Kelly Medford. Professional Artist. Expert Interview
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgHhRW9dlA4
4. ↑ https://www.colorit.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-watercolor-brush-pens-tutorial
5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrlqM7YBJTg&feature=youtu.be
6. ↑ https://www.colorit.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-watercolor-brush-pens-tutorial
7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrlqM7YBJTg&feature=youtu.be
8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaDt2ObgBHU&feature=youtu.be
9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S02q2vnS3tQ

More References (1)

10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3rC5c5lGns

About This Article

Co-authored by: Swetha Shenoy Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist This article was co-authored by Swetha Shenoy. Swetha Shenoy is a Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist based in New Jersey. She is the founder of The Paisley Corner, a creative hub that provides art workshops & team-building activities for individuals and corporate teams alike. Swetha created The Paisley Corner to spread the joy of creating through her art workshops. She teaches multiple lettering techniques, including hand lettering, brush lettering, and watercolor lettering. Since founding The Paisley Corner 5 years ago, she has taught 2500+ students (adults and kids) at over 200 workshops. Notable corporate clients include Adobe, Shapeways, Rituals, Confetti, MixLife & the New York tri-state area public libraries. Prior to her career as an artist and small business owner, Swetha worked as a Software Engineer at multiple companies. She received a BS in Computer Science from Visvesvaraya Technological University and a MS in Computer Science from University of Illinois, Chicago. This article has been viewed 186,782 times. 178 votes - 89% Co-authors: 13 Updated: July 30, 2025 Views: 186,782 Categories: Featured Articles | Watercolors In other languages German Spanish Dutch Indonesian

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