Medium: Watercolor (Daniel Smith)

🌅 About This Scene

This project is inspired by Color Cube Card #356 by Sarah Renae Clark and captures the energy of a vibrant sunrise.
We’ll explore glowing warm hues balanced with cool blues to create contrast, movement, and that magical early-morning light.

This palette is perfect for learning how warm colors advance, cool colors recede, and how to let watercolor do the heavy lifting.

🎨 Paint Colors Used (Daniel Smith Watercolors)

• Lamp Black - (deep contrast and grounding shadows)
• Ultramarine Turquoise- (cool depth and atmospheric balance)
• Azo Yellow- (bright, glowing light source)
• Naphthol Red- (bold warmth and sunrise intensity)
• Quinacridone Rose- (soft pink transitions and glowing blends)
• Lavender - (gentle cool notes and soft clouds)
• Manganese Blue Hue - (fresh, airy sky color)

This color combination creates high energy with smooth transitions—perfect for expressive skies.

📄 Paper

• Hahnemühle 300 lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper
  Ideal for layered washes, bold color, and lifting light back into the sky.

🖌️ Favorite Brushes for This Project

• Princeton Snap (great for confident, expressive strokes)
• Princeton AquaElite (holds water beautifully for smooth blends)

✨ Before You Begin

Prepare your space so you can focus on the color:

• Protect your surface with paper towels or puppy pads (our go-to at the Huntsville Art Café).
• Set up two jars of clean water:
• One for rinsing
• One for final clean dips or keeping brights clean
• Keep your palette open for generous mixing
• Have a towel or cloth ready for lifting highlights
• Remember: sunrises love loose transitions—don’t overwork the paint

🧼 Brush Care: Do’s & Don’ts

✔️ Do

• Rinse brushes thoroughly when switching colors
• Wipe brushes gently in one direction on a towel
• Reshape the tip before laying flat to dry
• Change water often to keep yellows and reds clean

❌ Don’t

• Don’t leave brushes soaking in water
  This bends bristles and can weaken the glue in the ferrule
• Don’t scrub back and forth aggressively
  Treat your brushes like hair—gentle and intentional
• Don’t store brushes upright while wet

Some brushes use natural squirrel hair, while others are Taklon synthetics—both benefit from mindful care.

🛍️ Need Supplies or Want to Upgrade?

You can pick up everything used in this tutorial (and more!) at Huntsville Art Supplies.

✨ Refill kits, brush upgrades, and paper packs available here.

Whether you're painting at home or inside the Art Café, the right tools make magic.

▶️ Ready to Paint?

Choose your video below:

• Full Real-Time Tutorial
• Sped-Up Demonstration

Full Real-Time Tutorial

Sped Up Tutorial

🌟 Continue Your Creative Journey

Loved this project? Come explore more colors, more mediums, and more creative experiences at the Huntsville Art Café!  

Whether you want to try watercolor, gouache, markers, ink, or something totally new, we’ll have everything set up and ready for your next artistic adventure.

🎨 Book your next Art Café Experience here: 

huntsvilleartcafe.com

💛 Bonus:
Any art supplies you purchase during your Art Café session are 10% off
(as long as they aren’t already discounted).

We can’t wait to paint with you again!