Paint landscapes with watercolors

What can I use if I don't have watercolor paper, masking tape, or a big brush?

Use heavyweight mixed-media or two glued-together printer sheets in place of watercolor paper for step 2, low-tack painter's tape instead of masking tape to hold the paper flat, and a clean wide flat or mop brush (or a soft house-paint brush) to dampen the sky in step 6.

My sky wash is drying with hard edges or the darker color isn't blending—what should I do?

Re-wet the sky area with clean water using the big brush before dropping a darker blue or green as instructed in step 6 so the colors blend softly, or lift hard edges with a clean damp brush or paper towel and practice timing on scrap paper.

How can I adapt this three-panel activity for younger kids or older kids?

For younger children, pre-draw the two horizontal lines and simple horizons and have them work with very diluted paint and the big brush for step 6 and the midground in step 11, while older kids can add glazing after the midground base dries, use the smaller brush for detailed texture in step 12, and refine the converging road/river perspective in the bottom panel.

How can we extend or personalize the finished landscapes before sharing them on DIY.org?

For extra texture and personalization, sprinkle table salt into the damp sky wash during step 6 for granulation, use masking fluid before painting to preserve highlights, and add colored-pencil or ink details over the dry midground base from step 12 before photographing to post on DIY.org.