If you like the way this is done and you want to try this for yourself, you can download a copy of my template below and print it onto watercolor paper. It’s good fun, and you never know, you might find some surprising results… Watercolor Swatch Templateįirst of all let’s break down the different components of the template I made for swatching my watercolors. I’d encourage you to try making your own versions which you can add to as your collection of paints increases. Swatches are an excellent way to become more familiar with your own watercolors and understand their true qualities and color appearance. There are hundreds of paints to choose from and they all have their own unique characteristics. To help you out, you can also download the template I created for my own swatches. To get the best out of your watercolor swatches feel free to try the step by step tutorial which I’ve described below. You can also use your swatches to reveal characteristics such as transparency, staining properties and granulation. Paint a graded wash so you can see the full range of the paint’s color appearance, from fully saturated to diluted. For each swatch make a note of the brand, the paint name, and the pigments used in the paint formula. It’s good practice to paint your swatches on the same watercolor paper you use for your watercolor paintings. I decided to find out what kind of information I should include on my swatches, and what paint attributes to take note of so that my swatches would become a truly helpful guide. I’ve seen lots of examples of these, but they all seem to be slightly different.

I wanted to learn how to make watercolor swatches in a way that would be a useful reference guide when I’m painting. Painting swatches is an excellent way to compare and get to know the characteristics of your paint.

Daniel smith watercolors chart