Chips, Salsa and a Margarita - A Fun Summer Watercolor Painting for Beginners

Can I tell you one of my favorite things about summer? Sundresses and flip flops. No coat, no heavy shoes, no layers. Just something light and the feeling that the whole world has exhaled. This week's summer watercolor painting is painted in exactly that spirit - because some things deserve to be painted simply because they make you happy.

Almost Summer Has Its Own Magic

There's a particular feeling that comes with almost summer.

Not quite there yet. The pool just opened and the weather hasn't fully committed. You put on the sundress and then grab a light jacket just in case. But something has shifted. The days are longer. The air smells different. And somewhere in you, something loosens.

I think we underestimate the small pleasures of a season turning. The first meal eaten outside. The first evening that stays light past dinner. The first time you reach for the flip flops instead of the boots and don't look back.

That loosening feeling - that exhale - is exactly what this week's painting is about.

Why Chips, Salsa and a Margarita?

No holiday required and no special occasion needed.

Chips and salsa are one of my honest summer splurges. Simple, salty, a little festive - the kind of food that only gets eaten when things feel relaxed and unhurried. And a margarita - which I rarely have, but when I do, I love - tastes exactly like a Friday afternoon in the sun.

Everything gets lighter in summer. The laundry, the meals, the mood. Salad and fruit for dinner feels like enough. A bowl of chips and salsa feels like a celebration.

And painting them? That felt like pure joy.

You don't need a special occasion to paint something that makes you happy. Almost summer is enough. The chips are in the bowl. The lime is on the glass. That's reason enough to pick up a brush.

Your Summer Watercolor Painting Color Palette

Five colors is all you need for this summer watercolor painting:

Tortilla Chip - a warm golden yellow for the chips piled high in the bowl. Your most cheerful color this week.

Salsa Red - a bright bold red for the salsa. This is your most powerful color - a little goes a very long way so start light and build up slowly.

Clay Bowl - a warm terracotta brown for the chip bowl. Rich and earthy and completely summery.

Silver Rim - a cool grey for the margarita glass and the salsa dish. This is what keeps everything grounded and gives the glass that cool refreshing feeling.

Lime Grove - your hardest working color this week. Use it full strength for the lime rind and dilute it way down with lots of water for the pale green margarita wash inside the glass. That watery barely-there wash is what gives the margarita that light refreshing look. Salud! 🍹

How to Paint Chips, Salsa and a Margarita - 6 Easy Steps

The full video tutorial is on my YouTube channel at Mind Your Heart Studio. Here's the simple breakdown:

Step 1: Lightly sketch or trace the outline of the chips, salsa bowl and margarita glass. Tracing is completely fine - it gets you straight to the painting without any drawing anxiety.

Step 2: Paint the glass light grey, the chips golden yellow, and the margarita a diluted lime green. Keep everything light and watery at this stage.

Step 3: Paint the chip bowl a warm terracotta brown. Let it dry before adding the chips on top.

Step 4: Paint the salsa bright red. Keep it loose and juicy - think fresh, not muddy.

Step 5: Add layers of the same colors to create depth. This is where everything starts to look dimensional and real.

Step 6: Outline and add details with a permanent black fine tip pen - and don't forget a white pen for the salted rim detail on the margarita glass. That little detail makes the whole painting sing.

Permission to Paint Something Just Because It Makes You Happy

I've been thinking this week about how often we wait for permission.

Permission to rest. Permission to sit. Permission to enjoy something without a practical reason attached to it. And I wonder how many paintings never get painted because we're waiting for a good enough reason to begin.

Here's what I know: chips and salsa on a Tuesday afternoon is a good enough reason. A margarita when the mood is right is a good enough reason. Almost summer is a good enough reason.

You don't have to be working toward something. You don't have to be improving a skill or producing a result or justifying the time. Sometimes you just paint something because it makes you smile.

And that - always - is reason enough.

This Tutorial Is for You - Wherever You Are This Week

Whether you're an experienced painter or picking up a brush for the very first time, this summer watercolor painting tutorial is designed to meet you exactly where you are. No pressure. No comparison. Just a fun colorful scene, a warm summer palette, and thirty minutes that belong entirely to you.

FAQs About This Summer Watercolor Painting Tutorial

Do I need any art experience for this summer watercolor painting? Not at all. This tutorial is designed for complete beginners. A printable tracing guide is available in the description on YouTube, so you never have to worry about drawing the scene from scratch.

What supplies do I need? A basic watercolor set, two brushes in different sizes, watercolor paper, a jar of water, and a black fine tip pen for the finishing details. A white fine tip pen is helpful for the salted rim and reflections on the glass, but not required.

How long will it take? Most beginners complete this painting in thirty to forty-five minutes. It's a perfect quiet afternoon project.

Do I need a special occasion to paint this? Absolutely not - and that's exactly the point. Almost summer is occasion enough. Paint it because it makes you happy.

Where can I find the full video tutorial? The full step by step video is on my YouTube channel at Mind Your Heart Studio. You can also get the complete Creative Heart Journal - including the color palette, tutorial steps, and Heart Practice of the Week - delivered free to your inbox every Friday.

A Small Invitation

If you've been quietly curious about watercolor and just needed permission to begin - or permission to paint something fun just because you feel like it - this is it. The Creative Heart Journal is free and arrives in your inbox every Friday. When you sign up you'll also receive my Whimsical Bird Trio Starter Pack as a welcome gift - everything you need to paint your very first watercolor card in about thirty minutes.

👉 Sign up here: creativewannabes.com/sign-up

And if you'd like to join a warm welcoming group of women - no judgment, no comparison, just color and kindness - come join us at our free Facebook Group:

👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/createwithmissusmidlife

With heart and color, 💛 Donna