400+ Watercolor Backgrounds and Textures for Your Designs

Hey graphic designer, it’s time to get your creative juices flowing! Watercolor backgrounds are a perfect way to add a beautiful, artistic texture to your design — without the mess, time, and expense of creating a real watercolor painting!

In this post, we’ve gathered more than 25 sets of watercolor backgrounds (including well over 400 different backgrounds) you can use in your next design project. So whether you’re looking for a new background for your website or want to create eye-catching packaging, these backgrounds are sure to give your designs the artistic pop they need.

As any artist knows, the backgrounds in a painting can set the tone for the entire piece. The same concept holds true when you use backgrounds in your graphic designs. A watercolor background can be either abstract or realistic, and it can be used to create a variety of effects and set the mood for your project.

For example, an abstract background can add a sense of mystery to a design, while a realistic background can provide a grounding force. Taking the psychology of color into account, the colors of the watercolor background you choose can have an equally powerful effect on the feel of your final design.

Looking for more backgrounds? Be sure to check out our other collections:

Watercolor Backgrounds

There are endless possibilities for how you can use watercolor backgrounds in your work. From websites to business cards to wedding invitations and more, here are 25 sets of the best watercolor backgrounds for you to use in whatever graphic design project you’re working on. So dive in and start browsing these beautiful backgrounds.

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Watercolor Paper Backgrounds

This collection comes with 16 colorful, bright, and splashy high-res backgrounds with lots of watercolor detail and texture. This set is a perfect choice if you’re looking for a bold background.

16 Paper Watercolor Backgrounds

If you’re looking for a wide variety of colors, and lots of realistic texture, this set of colorful watercolor background images is an amazing resource. You’ll get 16 high-resolution JPGs to choose from.

Green and Yellow Watercolor Backgrounds

Here’s a set of 16 different backgrounds — 8 full-screen high-res JPGs and 8 different transparent background watercolor splotch PNGs and matching JPGs with white background. These are designed in lemon yellow and green tones.

Green Watercolor Backgrounds

This collection of 16 different green abstract patterns is great for anything from textiles to digital media projects. It comes with 8 full-page designs and 8 different transparent background splotches, all in high resolution for use in digital and print.

Purple and Pink Watercolor Backgrounds

Here, you have a set of 14 different cotton candy-colored watercolors in shades of pink and purple. Eight of them are full-screen JPG files and six more are transparent PNG files of watercolor splotch shapes.

Blue Watercolor Backgrounds

The sublime, soothing blue hue of this set lends itself perfectly to creative projects for beauty, spa, health, and wellness-based products or services. You’ll get 16 high-res watercolour blue background files — 8 full-screen and 8 shapes with transparent backgrounds.

Mint Watercolor Textures

Here’s a minty-fresh, full-featured set for you! You get 11 hand-painted, watercolor backgrounds in different shades of mint, blue, and aqua. Plus, you’ll get a set of 11 watercolor strokes or lines to use in your digital projects or print designs.

Yellow Watercolor Backgrounds

Here’s the sunshine yellow set you’ve been holding out for! This collection of 16 backgrounds comes with 8 full-screen and 8 watercolor shapes that are a great choice for greeting cards, textiles, and anywhere you want to add some happy and bright texture.

Red Watercolor Backgrounds

If you’re holding out for a set of watercolors in red tones, you’ve found it. You’ll get 16 backgrounds — 8 full-screen and 8 splotches, ranging in color from deep red to pale pink and coral, with beautiful patterns and brush strokes.

Blush Watercolor Textures

When you’re looking for soft, feminine shades of blush, pink, and peach, check out this full-featured set that comes with 23 different transparent PNG files. There are five watercolor circles, 8 rectangles (that can easily be used as background textures), and 10 strokes.

Ombre Watercolor Backgrounds

This hand-painted set offers up a wide variety of color options and some truly unique and trendy textures. Be sure to click through and view them all! You’ll get 20 different high-resolution JPG files.

Natural Ombre Watercolor Backgrounds

The creator of this set did a really good job of making these backgrounds look like authentic damp paper, still wet from being freshly painted. Check this collection out if you’re looking for a realistic-looking watercolor background element.

Watercolor Textures

This massive bundle of backgrounds includes four sets of 12 seasonal-themed watercolor backgrounds, in spring, summer, fall, and winter colors plus an additional six backgrounds you’ll only get here. The download includes 54 high-resolution JPGs.

Colorful Watercolor Textures

What background color are you looking for? There’s a good chance you’ll find it in this set! It comes with 30 light and dark background high-res JPG files that are great for app backgrounds, business cards, logo designs, and much more.

Autumn Watercolor Backgrounds

You can practically smell the pumpkin spice as you browse this collection of 30 high-res backgrounds. Notice the variety of texture and watercolor techniques, all in autumn shades like orange, brown, yellow, and rust.

10 Watercolor Backgrounds

This set of watercolor patterns is more abstract than authentic. It still has the poetic vibe of a painting, but with the more modern feel of a digital background. You’ll get 10 vivid high-res JPG files in all different colors.

12 Watercolor Backgrounds

Here’s another great set of authentic, creative watercolor background textures for your consideration. You can even see the texture of the canvas background in these. Comes with 12 high res JPGs in a variety of soft colors.

Abstract Watercolor Backgrounds

Check out this set of 10 abstract simple backgrounds with vivid colors. They’re great for quotes, stationery, invitations, backgrounds for print projects, and more. Comes with ten different 600 DPI JPG files.

Frost Watercolor Backgrounds

Grab a coat and scarf before you browse this collection of winter hued, frosty blue backgrounds. Brrr! You’ll get 40 different ice-blue backgrounds in high resolution. Some of them even look like they’re frozen.

Blue Sky

These amazing backgrounds were created to look like picturesque watercolor-painted cloudy skies. Use them to add an artistic element to your designs. You’ll get 8 high-res PNG files to use as you see fit.

Night Sky

Beautiful night skies, handpainted with deep, rich colors and celestial bodies like shooting stars make up this set of 8 backgrounds. They’re a great choice for app designs, party invitations, quotes, home decor, and more. You’ll get 8 high-resolution PNGs.

Space and Universe

Another gorgeous set that’s perfect for creating elegant and imaginative graphic designs. Use this for your backgrounds or for creating elements in logo designs, packing, and branding. Comes with 8 high-resolution PNG files.

Space

Who knew watercolor could look so much like deep space? This set of 10 high-resolution backgrounds is perfect for those looking for nebulas, galaxies, and backgrounds that are out of this world.

Magic Watercolor Backgrounds

This set of a dozen different backgrounds gives you plenty of options if you’re looking for abstract, colorful backgrounds while still having some authentic watercolor techniques showing, too. comes with 12 high-res JPGs.

Watercolor Glitch Backgrounds

Here’s a set that combines two popular trends — watercolor effects and technical glitch patterns. You might think that sounds odd, but the combination is quite beautiful — check it out! Includes 10 different high-resolution JPG files.

Put These Watercolor Backgrounds to Good Use!

Now that you’ve seen some of the amazing watercolor backgrounds that are available, it’s time to start using them in your own designs. Whether you’re creating a new website or want to give your packaging an artistic edge, these backgrounds will help you achieve the look you’re after. So explore the collection above and download some of these beautiful backgrounds. We can’t wait to see what you create with them!