7 Tutorials to Help You Embrace the Watercolor Trend

You’ve probably noticed the watercolor web design trend that has sprung up all over the Internet. Even though watercolors have been around for a while now, the use of them seems to be increasing. Big-name companies that have used watercolor designs include Herbal Essences and Hillshire Farms.

If you’ve been thinking about trying out at least a few splashes of watercolor in your designs, you can do it in many different ways.

1. Watercolor Text

One way to add a splash of watercolor to your design is to add some text to your header. Watercolor text can add a bit of a feminine touch to the overall design. This tutorial shows you how to take text within Photoshop, add a watercolor background and layer the text to get a subtle and unique watercolor text for your header.

2. Faux Watercolor Effects

Are you looking for a design that looks as though someone took a paintbrush and some soft pastel watercolor paints and created text for the site? This tutorial shows several different ways to create this soft watercolor effect. It even offers some suggestions for fonts that work well with watercolor text and some free watercolor brushes you can download.

3. Watercolor Portraits

Another idea is to add a watercolor portrait. This type of watercolor design might work particularly well for an artist’s website, for example, as the banner at the top of the page or even as a banner design for social media. The tutorial explains how to take a simple photograph, remove the hair and then use watercolor brushes to create a burst of watercolor effects behind her portrait.

4. Watercolor Header Tutorial

Adding a header in watercolors is one way to create a modern, artistic look without overdoing it and getting a busy background that might distract the reader. This tutorial goes into detail about creating a watercolor from scratch and then digitizing it. This makes the header your own unique creation and can also help ensure the colors are the exact hue you’d like to use.

5. Watercolor Flowers

If you just want to add some splashes of watercolor here and there — particularly if you are going for a more feminine look — adding some watercolor flowers layered on a simple background or positioned at the top of the page can create the perfect subtle touch. This tutorial shows the different layers and step-by-step process of how to add the colors and lines to create a simple digital watercolor flower. Of course, you can use whatever colors work best for your design.

6. Watercolor Beauty

This watercolor trend takes the image of a beautiful young woman and adds a watercolor effect. This style would be particularly effective for a salon website or beauty topics. The tutorial goes through each stage of taking the photo, editing it in preparation for the addition of watercolors and how to get the exact effect you want.

7. Repeat Pattern in Photoshop

This tutorial explains how to make a repeat pattern. This is particularly useful when designing backgrounds. You could also utilize this technique to create the background for an invitation, event flyer or other printed material. The tutorial outlines how to group objects and how to organize the elements so items are spaced in a visually pleasing way.

Embracing the Watercolor Trend

The watercolor trend gives you the opportunity to add some visual interest to your designs and show off your drawing skills. Not only will this particular style soften the overall look of any design, your clients will appreciate that you are up on the latest trends and can provide the watercolor look they most desire.