Best Digital Watercolor Courses for Beginners and Intermediate Artists

Are you excited to dive into digital watercolor painting but unsure where to begin? Whether you’re just getting your feet wet or refining your brush technique on an iPad or computer, finding the right watercolor course that matches your skill level can make all the difference.

In this guide, I’ll highlight two top-notch digital watercolor courses—one tailored for beginners and the other designed for intermediate artists. I also compare each to more traditional watercolor options, so you can choose the best method for your learning style.

Let’s get into it.

Why Learn Digital Watercolor?

More and more creatives are switching to digital watercolor for the flexibility—and the mess-free studio! Apps like Procreate and Adobe Photoshop allow artists to explore brushes, layers, and textures with precision and speed.

The rise of platforms like Skillshare and Domestika gives students affordable access to industry-grade lessons without needing to attend expensive in-person classes. And based on SEO tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush, the interest in terms like “painting with watercolors online” and “digital watercolor course beginner” is steadily growing.

If you’re looking to go from curious to confident, taking the right digital watercolor course can accelerate your progress.

Course #1: Digital Watercolor Masterclass by Nathan Brown (Intermediate)

• Platform: Skillshare
• Duration: ~4 hours (self-paced)
• Software: Procreate
• Best for: Intermediate digital artists with iPads

This course is ideal for artists who already understand the basics but want to take their digital watercolor skills to the next level. Taught by the highly regarded Nathan Brown, the Digital Watercolor Masterclass covers everything from inspiration and concepting to color harmony and composition theory.

One of the most valuable things about this course is the downloadable assets: you get custom Procreate brushes, textured paper templates, and ready-to-use sketch files. It’s not just a video tutorial—it’s a full digital watercolor toolkit.

🟢 Pros:

• Great for experienced digital artists looking for structure
• Includes reusable resources (huge time saver!)
• Calming, confident teaching style

🔴 Cons:

• Requires a Procreate-compatible device (i.e., iPad)
• Not designed for beginners

A student favorite is how each lesson builds logically—from idea through execution—giving you a real project to work on instead of just theory.

Course #2: Illustration Techniques with Digital Watercolor by Ricard López Iglesias (Beginner)

• Platform: Domestika
• Duration: 3 hours
• Software: Adobe Photoshop
• Best for: Beginners who want clear steps and easy wins

New to digital watercolor? This beginner-friendly course strips away the overwhelm.

Ricard López Iglesias teaches you how to create expressive watercolor-style portraits from scratch using Adobe Photoshop. The course is neatly broken into 18 video lessons, making each concept digestible.

With over 21,000 enrolled students and a 99% satisfaction score, this course is proof that beginner digital courses can be both accessible and impactful.

🟢 Pros:

• Very affordable (often under $15 with Domestika’s regular sales)
• Clarity: perfect for people who’ve never painted digitally before
• Great community support and multilingual subtitles

🔴 Cons:

• Focuses heavily on portraiture, not abstract or landscape art
• Some translations in subtitle options are reportedly rough (per reviews)

If you’re worried about learning curves, this course holds your hand every step of the way.

Related Image

To visually understand what a digital watercolor creation looks like using Procreate, check out this sample from Nathan Brown’s project module:

Is Traditional Watercolor Still Worth Exploring?

Absolutely. If your passion lies in smelling paper and seeing pigment dry in irregular patterns, traditional watercolor can’t be replaced.

Here’s where to start:

• Birgit O’Connor offers a fantastic FREE introductory course that walks you through the foundations of brush handling, color mixing, and wet-into-wet techniques. Perfect for hobbyists or those on a tight budget.
• Robert Joyner’s courses on Udemy or his personal website dig deeper with course runtimes up to 12 hours, ideal for learners who want immersive education.

But for those aiming for sketchbook flexibility or building a design portfolio with digital tools, online digital watercolor courses offer unmatched value.

Which Watercolor Course Is Right for You?

Here’s a breakdown based on your needs:

Pro Tip: According to recent SEO analysis by eLearningIndustry.com, combining traditional techniques with digital learning boosts overall skill retention. Hybrid learners retain 60% more skill over solo learners. So if you can explore both styles, do it!

Final Thoughts: Learn Watercolor Painting the Smart Way

Online watercolor courses have never been better. Whether you prefer dabbling with digital brushes or mixing actual paint on paper, you have options—and affordable ones at that.

Nathan Brown’s Skillshare class will help you polish and refine your style with Procreate, while Ricard López Iglesias’ Domestika course is perfect for people just starting out in digital art.

Whatever course you pick, remember to enjoy the learning process. Great art doesn’t happen overnight—it happens with curiosity and consistency.

⏳ Ready to bring your watercolor visions to life? Choose the course that fits your skill level, and get painting.

📝 Citation:

1. Nathan Brown’s Digital Watercolor Masterclass via Skillshare – https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Watercolor-Painting-for-Beginners/
2. Domestika, Illustration Techniques with Digital Watercolor – Search Analytics, Domestika.com

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Happy painting!