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Preparing the Canvas
Before starting a wet-on-wet painting, you’ll want to apply a very thin coat of liquid clear or liquid white to the canvas. These mediums keep the surface slick so the paint glides on and blends easily. Apply it in a thin layer — just enough to wet the canvas. If you use too much, the paint turns runny and drips.
Liquid Clear
Liquid clear is the one I reach for most. It:
Keeps colors strong and vibrant
Doesn’t lighten the paint
Works well for landscapes where you want deeper, richer color
1. Liquid White
Liquid white does the same job but with a different effect. It:
Lightens colors slightly
Makes blending skies and clouds easier
Works great when you’re painting bright skies
If you’d rather start with this one,check today’s price:
My advice? Start with liquid clear. But it’s your call — try both and see which one you like better. They also make a liquid black if you want to experiment down the road.
The Brushes and Tools You Actually Need
One of the best things about the wet-on-wet method is that you don’t need dozens of brushes to get started. Personally, I only use a select few in any of my paintings, and most landscapes can be painted with just a handful of basic tools. Having a few good brushes matters far more than owning a big collection.
A good wet-on-wet brush should be firm enough to move paint, soft enough to blend smoothly, comfortable to hold, and durable enough to handle repeated cleaning. Natural bristle and quality synthetic brushes can both work — natural bristle is what I prefer.
Here are the six tools I actually reach for:
2. Two-Inch Brush
- This is the workhorse. You’ll probably use it more than any other brush you own. It’s great for:
- Painting skies
- Blending clouds
- Covering backgrounds and large areas
- Softening large sections
- Helping shape mountains
- I prefer the Bob Ross brushes — with proper care they last a very long time. Here’s the link:
3. One-Inch Brush
- The one-inch gives you more control than the two-inch. It’s a strong second brush and highly recommended for beginners. Use it for:
- Smaller skies
- Water reflections
- Mid-size blending
- Edges and transitions
- Trees, bushes, and grassy areas
- Grab the link here:
4. One-Inch Oval Brush
- A round brush helps with detail work and natural shapes. It’s what I use for:
- Highlighting trees
- Bushes and foliage
- Grass
- Background landscape areas
- Fog, mist, and foam on waves
- A One-Inch oval is a smart starting size. Here’s the link:
5. Fan Brush
The fan brush is the fun one — it’s what gives you trees, clouds, grass, and water. A #6 is the best all-around size for beginners because it can handle trees, bushes, grass, soft clouds, water highlights, blending edges, and waterfalls.
One honest tip from experience: don’t buy the cheapest fan brush, but don’t go too stiff either. The cheap floppy ones are frustrating to paint with, and a board-stiff brush fights you. I like a fan brush with a little flex to it — enough give to feather clouds and treetops softly. A medium natural-bristle #6 is the sweet spot.
Here’s the link:
Palette Knife
- A palette knife isn’t a brush, but it’s one of the most useful tools in wet-on-wet painting. I use it for:
- Mixing colors on the palette
- Shaping mountains and rocks
- Adding rock texture
- Laying in bright water highlights
- The knife lets you get sharp edges and thick texture that a brush just can’t. Here’s the link:
6. 3/4-Inch Flat Brush
- This little brush handles the fine work. It’s my go-to for:
- Detail blending
- Making rocks
- Adding highlights on rocks and small features
- When you want control in a tight spot, this is the one you reach for. Here’s the link: 3/4-inch flat brush I recommend.
With just these six tools, a beginner can complete an entire landscape painting — from the sky right down to the rocks and highlights. If you’re buying a few at a time, start with the two-inch and the fan brush. Those two alone will get you painting skies, clouds, and trees on day one, and you can add the rest as you go.
If you want to know the difference between wet-on-wet and traditional oil painting, go to: Wet-on-Wet vs Traditional Oil Painting: Which Is Better for Beginners?
If your style isn’t wet-on-wet, here are some recommendations for beginner oil paint brushes for a great way to start traditional oil painting.
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