How to Paint a Watercolor Snail

Has learning to paint what you see in nature been on your list for a while? Today I’m going to show you how to watercolor paint a cute little snail even if you are the newest beginner.  This is one of those projects that looks so hard but is really fun and easy! You might also enjoy our Watercolor Butterfly Tutorial found HERE.

Watercolor is such a great medium because it’s so versatile and dries quickly making it easy to do during nap time or whenever you can sneak some time for yourself. This is one of many tutorials/patterns I’ve made to help you feel more comfortable and confident with this awesome medium.

I designed this project with the busy mama/grandma in mind so I hope it will bring you lots of enjoyment and fun. In fact, it’s the perfect project to invite the kids to join you!

Paint a Snail With Me

Notice I said paint and not draw? I’m taking the drawing part out of the equation. Let’s not get caught up on the drawing part yet (unless of course, you want to).  Just enjoy the watercolor painting process. You will learn so much as you just experiment without the pressure to draw the perfect picture. One skill at a time, I say. So with that out of the way, let’s get started!

Quick Note

Before we get started, I’d like to invite you to join us at the Lily & Thistle Watercolor School!  We have bundled all of our watercolor painting courses designed to help you learn the basics FAST so you can quickly become a more confident artist.  You will learn the foundational skills you need and continue to grow as you pick and choose from 100+ projects.  We breakdown everything in Watercolor School to make it fun and SIMPLE for anyone (ages 5-95!)  Find out more about Watercolor School here or click the photo below.

Supply List

1. Print Out Your Pattern

If you are already a member of the Lily & Thistle Watercolor School, you can access the pattern in the course content for Watercolor School.  Want to find out more about being a member?  Check out this page for more information to join us!

If you aren’t ready to become a member yet, you can choose a different project using a FREE pattern from our Lily and Thistle FREE Resource Library.

We offer FREE patterns in our Lily and Thistle Resource Library (get your password below).

2. Trace Your Pattern

There are so many ways to trace your pattern.  You can use graphite paper, a window, an iPad or you can even purchase an inexpensive light board. I did a post all about tracing HERE.

Just remember not to push down too hard when tracing. You want your lines to be visible enough to guide you as you are painting but not so dark that they distract from your watercolor.

3. Paint Your Snail!

Snails are so cool! Did you know Snails are one of the oldest species we know about? They appeared on the earth nearly 500 million years ago and depending on the kind of snail, they can live from 5 to 25 years! As I’ve observed nature on a regular basis, I’ve learned so many cool things.

Watercolor is so fun and forgiving and gives us a chance to stop, observe, and connect. Just play with the paint! Remember more water equals lighter, pastel-like colors, less water equals darker, more vibrant colors. Have fun and don’t overthink it. For this one, I made you a video.  Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions! I’m posting to YouTube so if you’d like to be notified of new videos, you can subscribe HERE.

4. Give to Someone You Love

Now go and give it to someone you love and remind them that slow and steady wins the race!  Or hang it up to help you remember. 🙂  I hope this will be a fun little project and provide many happy memories. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am so happy to help.

And remember, your life is your art.

Your friend in Nature

-Hannah

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