About a year ago, my creative interests turned to the visual arts. In my never ending pile of stuff-that-should-be-donated, I came across some of my old sketch books. To share them here would be embarrassing, but just know that my artistic expression has faced challenges along the way.
One medium I never touched on much was watercolor. I watched high speed videos on Instagram and the way the color flowed across the paper had me mesmerized.
How hard can it be?
I soon found that watercolor painting can be both easy and challenging. While watercolor is often regarded as a more difficult medium due to its transparency and fluidity, I also found it to be easier to work with in some ways, such as its portability and ease of cleanup. I can paint anywhere as long as I have a little bit of water.
As a beginner I found watercolor to be a great medium to start with because it is relatively inexpensive and requires fewer materials than other mediums. However, it can also be a bit unforgiving, as mistakes can be difficult to correct once the paint has dried. BUT, a little mistake is just an opportunity to turn a smudge into a flower.
One of the challenges that I have with watercolor is its transparency, which makes it more difficult to achieve vibrant, opaque colors. It also requires a different approach to brushwork and layering compared to other mediums, such as acrylic or oil painting. My background is in oil painting so I have had to visualize paintings very differently.
That being said, I keep the mantra that, with practice and patience, anyone can learn to work with watercolor and achieve stunning results, so I keep plugging along. There are many resources available, such as online tutorials, workshops, and classes, that can help you improve your skills and develop your own unique style. I found YouTube to be filled with how-to videos, but the best place is SkillShare. This is a subscription based app, but the instruction is very detailed.
Ultimately, the level of difficulty in watercolor painting will depend on your individual experience, skill level, and artistic goals. As I have progressed through my sketchbook I can see the improvements from start through today. There is a long way to go, but like any new skill, practice and patience are the keys to success.
Today’s post is brought to you by the letter W and:
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