In this lesson I walk extreme beginners through the two watercolor approaches you’ll see “pro artists” use over and over: alla prima and glazing. Alla prima is the direct, get-it-down-now method—wet paint, confident shapes, and you let the medium do what it does. Glazing is the patient method—transparent layers, dry time, and controlled value-building so your darks and color shifts look intentional instead of muddy. I keep this practical and fast: how to think about your first wash, when to stop fussing, and how to use glazing to fix or strengthen a painting without overworking it. The big takeaway is that you don’t have to pick one forever—you can start alla prima to establish the statement, then glaze to refine edges, deepen shadows, and push contrast. Enjoy the process, and remember: clean water, simple mixes, and letting layers dry are the difference between “fresh” and “chalky.”