Watercolor painting might seem really scary and intimidating, but it doesn’t mean it is not worth a try. Many folks, including my students, feel nervous about using watercolors. They worry that it’s too hard or that they won’t get good results, often times giving up before they have even given it a genuine effort. This fear often comes from not knowing much about how watercolor works. Unlike acrylics or oils, watercolor needs a different approach, but that doesn’t mean it’s harder. It has its own set of characteristics and various sets techniques and skills the artist needs to learn. In this post, I’ll share seven simple reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid of watercolor.
7 Reasons Not to Be Intimidated by Watercolor
Watercolor is Easy to Fix Watercolor can be more forgiving than other paints. If you make a mistake, you can often fix it by adding more layers, blending the colors, adding water, erasing it with a magic eraser, lifting the color up with your brush, sponge or q-tip etc. This makes it a great choice for beginners.
It’s Fun to Experiment Watercolor is all about trying new things. Its unpredictable nature can lead to surprising and fun results. This makes it a great medium for experimenting and seeing what you can create.
You Don’t Need Much To get started with watercolor, you only need a few basic supplies: watercolor paints, brushes, small spray bottle, pen or sharpened twig, and paper. This simplicity makes it easy to start without a lot of extra equipment. The following is a list of the top watercolor suppliers: Blick Art Materials, Jerry's Artarama, Michael's, Art Supplies Online, Jackson's Art Supplies, Wet Paint, The Art Store, Arteza, and my favorite Cheap Joe's Art Store.
It Can Be Like Acrylics If you’re familiar with acrylic paint, you’ll find that watercolor can also be used in a similar way by diluting the paint. This means you can use some of the skills and techniques you already know.
It Helps You Learn Patience Watercolor teaches you to be patient. You’ll learn to wait for layers to dry and to observe how colors mix and blend. This helps you become a better artist. I often have more than one painting going at a time as layering is often part of the process.
Great for Sketching Watercolor is perfect for quick sketches and planning your artwork. It’s easy to use for rough drafts and can help you see how your ideas will look. As a matter fo fact, several art supply companies have some wonderful choices in travel palettes that can easy pop into your backback or basket. You never know when and where inspiration make present itself. There are some wonderful illustrations of artist that often use it in their Plein Air painting. Here are a few videos to check out that might help you to see the sketching benefits of using this medium. https://youtu.be/f_wmWmLoUKg?si=TFtWTNt_ktKYKvKw and https://youtu.be/-K-yZWACkrI?si=ztgom2U4Sh6_AMkV
Anyone Can Get Better Just like any skill, you can get better at watercolor with practice. Start with small projects, and over time, you’ll become more confident and skilled. Just like baseball, dancing, playing the violin or singing, the more your practice the more you improve. It is very uncommon that paint your first great masterpiece the first time trying the material.
Conclusion
In conclusion, watercolor doesn’t have to be scary or difficult. It’s a versatile and forgiving material that can actually be quite fun to use. By understanding how it works and practicing a bit, you’ll find that watercolor can be just as enjoyable and rewarding as any other art form. So, fear not, give it a try, and you might discover a new favorite way to express yourself! If you have any questions or would like to sign up for a future class, feel free to reach me at info@jenniferlueders.com.
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