Watercolor Donut Painting Tutorial

​Is there anything better than painting donuts? (Maybe eating them... but painting is a close second!) 🎨🍩

In this fun, beginner-friendly watercolor tutorial, I'll walk you through how to paint sweet, colorful donuts step-by-step. This project is perfect for practicing watercolor layering, blending colors, and just having some creative fun.

Originally recorded as a Facebook Live, I’m excited to share it here with you now — complete with a supply list, written steps, and a Pinterest-perfect image if you want to save it for later!
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​Watch the Video Tutorial

​Skill Level + Time Estimate:

Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Project Time: About 30–45 minutes

​Supplies You'll Need

• Watercolor Paper
• Round Brush
• Watercolor palette
• Pencil
• paper towels
• Two cups of water

​Nothing fancy — just your favorite basics!  Links above (affiliate links) are MY favorites!

​Watercolor Donut Painting Steps

1. Here’s a quick overview of the painting steps you’ll see in the video:
2. Lightly sketch a few donut shapes on your watercolor paper.
3. Lay down a light base layer of color for the donut body.
4. Add icing with a second layer.  Use "lifing-off" technique to create highlights!
5. Layer even more details like sprinkles and shadows.

Take your time and enjoy the process — this is all about layering and having fun with color!
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​Make It Your Own!

One of the best parts about this project is how creative you can get.
Try different frosting colors. Add rainbow sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, or even little bite marks!
No two donuts have to look the same — just like at the bakery. 🍩🎨
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​Save This Project for Later

​Here's a Pinterest-friendly image you can use if you want to save this tutorial:

​Stay Connected

​If you had fun painting with me, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more creative tutorials!

Join the Creation Nation

​What's your favorite donut flavor? 🍩 Drop it in the comments — My favorite is bavarian cream filled with chocolate glaze!

If you want to take LIVE online clases with us, we have an Art Club for that.  Members get access to a library of hundreds of video tutorials!

Learn more here: https://www.creationnationartclub.com/

​If you paint your own watercolor donuts, I would love to see them — tag me on Instagram @orangeeaselart so I can cheer you on! 🎉

What's your favorite donut flavor? 🍩 Drop it in the comments — I’m team bavarian-cream-filled (with chocolate icing)!