Side Brush Stroke

• First dip your brush in water, then into the paint that you are using. Hold the brush at an angle while painting. This will create an ink pattern of dark to light on the paper. This technique is used when painting objects with rough textures.
  
  

Center Brush Stroke

• Hold your brush exactly perpendicular to the paper while painting to create distinct, strong lines. This is called a center brush stroke. This type of stroke is perfect for adding details to a piece.
  
  

Alternative Painting Techniques

• Pour a bit of watercolor onto the paper. Instead of using a brush to paint with, use one or two fingers to smooth out the paint and to create a pattern for your painting. Instead of using your fingers, you can also move the paint around by blowing on it. These two techniques work well when filling in the background or to fill in large areas.
  
  

Suggested Materials

• Chinese watercolor works best if you use the correct materials for your painting. If possible, buy a Chinese brush. These brushes differ from other brushes because they are made with wolf hair instead of horse hair or synthetic material. Instead of watercolor on a palate and regular paper, Chinese watercolor uses bottled ink and a type of paper called raw shuan paper.