Watercolor Polar Bear Tutorial: Removing Resist + Painting Golden Highlights on Mother & Cubs

Today in the studio, I’m working on one of my favorite parts of watercolor—removing the “resist” to reveal crisp, sparkling white paper beneath the paint. With a clean white eraser, I lift the masking fluid to create tiny snowflake dots nestled in the shadows of the snow. Once the surface is clear and bright, I move into deepening the warm golden highlights on my Mother Polar Bear and her two cubs. Using a glowing blend of New Gamboge and Cadmium Red, I soften their fur with gentle reflected light and glaze warm tones into the snow at their feet. It’s a peaceful, layered process that helps bring this arctic family to life on the page.

👉 Watch the full watercolor tutorial here