Tracing Versus Drawing in Watercolor

Demystifying the Process for Beginners

Embracing Your Artistic Journey Without Fear or Judgment

Have you ever stared at a breathtaking watercolor painting and thought, "Wow, that's amazing.  I wonder if I could ever create something that"? You're not alone. Many beginners stall before they even start, tangled in myths about tracing, originality, and whether they're "doing art the right way." Let’s bust those false beliefs, shake off the judgment, and dive into the practical, empowering world of watercolor painting together. 🖌️✨

Why the Tracing vs. Drawing Debate Even Exists

Every creative journey has its crossroads, and in watercolor painting, one of the biggest questions is: should you start by tracing or learn to draw everything from scratch? For many, tracing feels like cheating, a shortcut that somehow invalidates the end result. But let's pause for a second – where did that belief even come from, and does it really hold up?

There's a common block for beginners: the idea that tracing will stop you from ever learning how to draw. This can create real anxiety and even keep people from picking up a brush at all. But here’s the truth: tracing and drawing are two different skills, both valuable, and both with their own time and place in your artistic growth.

Drawing and Painting: Different Skills, Different Timing

Let's break it down. Drawing and painting are related but distinct skills. Just because you want to paint doesn’t mean you need to be a master drawer from day one. Zarah, host of Watercolor Wizardry, lays it out plainly: “When you're learning painting, you're not really learning drawing yet. They’re two different skills to learn.”  You can watch the video on Watercolor Wizardry Youtube channel.

Think about it. The skills required to control watercolor paint, understand how pigments move on paper, and layer colors for realism are entirely separate from the skills needed to draft a perfectly proportional outline by hand. Yes, both eventually feed into being a well-rounded artist – but they don’t need to be learned at the same time, or even in the same way.

In watercolor, especially when aiming for realistic or even hyper-realistic results, the painting part – learning how to layer and manipulate color for accuracy – deserves your full focus. That's why, as a beginner, tracing the outline can become a powerful tool. It isn’t a crutch; it’s an accelerator for your growth.

The Realism Factor: Accuracy Over Freehand “Purity”

Many watercolor beginners yearn for paintings that leap off the paper with lifelike accuracy. Achieving that is all about nailing proportions and details, not about how you get your lines down. As Zarah explains, her teaching style focuses on “realistic, very accurate style” – not for mindless photocopying, but for learning to see and paint what’s really there.

Tracing provides a way to get your outlines correct without the stress of freehand drawing, letting you skip straight to the magic of paint. It frees your energy to focus on shading, layering, and color mixing – the skills that actually deliver that wow factor.

It’s not about “cheating.” It’s about learning accuracy and building your watercolor skills without unnecessary detours. Even professional artists use tracing, projections, or grids when they need to maintain accuracy for commissions or large, detailed works.

Tools for Tracing: Tech and Tradition

The tools for tracing have come a long way, making accurate sketches more accessible than ever:

• Lightboxes: Inexpensive, lightweight, and USB-powered light pads make it easy to transfer images. They’re not just for pros; anyone can use them.
• Photo Editing Software: Programs like Affinity Photo or free options like GIMP help convert images into high-contrast sketches that are even easier to trace.
• Reference Photos: Sites like Unsplash offer free, high-quality references so you’re always legally and ethically set for source material.

Don’t have a color printer? No worries! Print in black and white – the values are what matter for your painting. Affinity Photo or GIMP can help bump up contrast and convert photos into sketch-friendly outlines, so even on a laser printer, you’ll have workable images.

Why Tracing Helps: More Than Just an Outline

Let’s shift perspective: tracing isn’t about avoiding effort; it’s about intentional practice and learning. Copying forms is a huge part of mastering any art form. Just like musicians learn by playing scales or covering classics, visual artists learn from working with references.

Tracing trains your brain to recognize proportion, angles, and the negative spaces between shapes. Repeating this process over time builds your visual vocabulary, making drawing freehand easier down the road. “The more you copy,” Zarah says, “the more your brain kind of understands what's going on with the subject, and it'll be easier for you to draw.”

Copying is not failure – it’s part of learning. Eventually, as your confidence and eye develop, you’ll find yourself sketching more freely, using less direct tracing.

Keeping Your Watercolor Paper Pristine

One practical tip every watercolorist needs: protect your painting surface! Never sketch, erase, and redraw repeatedly on your watercolor paper. Why? Watercolor papers have special fibers and surfaces (the “sizing”) that enable beautiful paint effects. Overworking the paper with erasers and repeated pencil marks damages those fibers, leading to ugly blotches, uneven washes, and a less vibrant finish.

Here’s the pro move:

• Use a separate sketchbook for drawing and developing your outlines.
• Once your drawing is ready, transfer it once onto the watercolor paper – carefully and lightly!

This method keeps your painted surface crisp and responsive, maximizing the quality of your finished piece.

Drawing Skills: When and How to Develop Them

But what about drawing? Should you just skip it if you’re tracing? Absolutely not! Drawing is a beautiful, rewarding skill – it just doesn’t have to come before painting if your goal is to create accurate, realistic watercolors.

Build your drawing muscles alongside your painting practice rather than making it a barrier. Use a separate sketchbook to practice studies from life, photos, or your imagination. There’s a world of resources out there, including:

• Free public domain books available online or at libraries (just search for classic drawing teachers and you’ll find a goldmine of foundational resources).
• Sites like proko.com, offering step-by-step lessons in figure, portrait, and sketch techniques, perfect for self-paced learning.

The key? Don’t let the need to be “good at drawing” keep you from learning to paint. As your comfort with one skill grows, you’ll naturally find your abilities in the other begin to blossom, too.

Drawing, Copying, and Creativity: Making Sense of the Terms

Let’s clear up a big misunderstanding: not every form of copying is “drawing” in the purest sense – but it’s not bad either! There’s a difference between:

• Copying or measuring (like using grids or pencils to measure and transfer proportions).
• Drawing from scratch (building an image based on reference, observation, or imagination without direct copying).

Neither is inherently better or more “artistic.” They’re just different tools for different moments in your creative journey.

Legendary artists often use measurement, projection, and other “copying” methods for accuracy. What matters is what you want to achieve with your art. If your love is painting hyper-realistic flowers or stunning animal portraits, use the methods that help you get there, guilt-free.

And if you want to stretch your creative muscles, set aside time to sketch from life or imagination – both will feed into your growth.

Inspiration To Keep Going: Shoutouts & Artists to Follow

Sometimes the best way to break a creative block is to see what’s possible. Find artists who inspire you – whether they trace, draw freehand, use grids, or all of the above.

For example, Zarah gives a huge shoutout to Charles Lister, a master pencil artist whose energy and process are infectious. Watching an expert handle line, shading, and form can be both soothing and motivating, reminding you that all skills are built with time and intentional practice.

Breaking the Block: Permission to Just Create

So many of us hold back because we’re worried about the “right” way to make art. Here’s your official permission slip:
There is no wrong way to learn. If tracing gets you painting and painting keeps you passionate, lean into it. If you want to draw from scratch, do that too. The point is to keep moving, experimenting, and having fun. Don’t let preconceptions or internal blocks keep you from creating.

Every artist starts somewhere, and every masterpiece is built from layers of practice – traced, copied, or freehanded, it all counts.

Conclusion: Building Your Unique Path in Watercolor

To sum it all up, tracing and drawing are not mutually exclusive. Each serves your artistic journey in its own way. As you move forward:

• Embrace tracing to focus on color, layering, and paint technique.
• Protect your watercolor paper by transferring, not drawing directly or overworking it.
• Take the pressure off – learn skills separately and at your own pace.
• Seek inspiration, try new tools, and don’t be afraid to copy as practice.

Your path to watercolor mastery is yours to shape. The only thing that matters is continuing on that path with curiosity, courage, and a willingness to practice.

Whether you trace, draw, or do a bit of both, remember: every stroke is a step forward, every painting a victory over doubt. In the magical world of watercolor, the only wrong move is stopping before you start. 🌈

Let’s keep the brushes moving, the water swirling, and the creativity flowing – together!

Further Resources

• Proko.com – For excellent drawing lessons
• Public domain drawing books like Archive.org – Search for classic authors and teachers
• Affinity Photo and GIMP – For editing and creating traceable sketches
• Unsplash.com – For legal, high-quality reference photos
• Amazon/eBay – For an affordable USB light pad.  They exist at $9.99 for a 9x11 size.

Have questions or want to share your progress? Drop them in the comments, and join our artist community at Watercolor Wizardry. Your creative journey matters here. Let’s paint it bold!