Thinking about starting watercolor?
As someone who just spent an entire year getting cozy with this new medium, I have alot to share for beginners.
To preface this post, I'm not a beginner in art. In fact, I have been slowly working on my craft for an insane 25 years now (I'm actually a turtle in human form). But, I really never wanted to even touch this watercolor stuff, because to be honest, I imagined it would be too difficult.
Well...it is.
Kind of. At least, it's difficult to achieve the level of watercolor I would like to achieve. I want my paintings to look super beautiful with lovely light-kissed subjects. But I realized something pretty important by trying this medium out myself, and that is that the barrier to entry is not as high as one would think, leaving room for the kind of progress that suits beginning artists perfectly. Which lead me to my first point...
1. It's actually GREAT for beginners.
One thing I learned from being a former English teacher is that beginners have it the best, because their initial progress occurs incredibly fast, and thus, they receive "rewards" more frequently. Psychologically, we as humans need rewards as motivation to do hard things in life, or things that go against our baseline of comfort. Intermediate levels of language learners for example, have it the toughest as a result of this fact. They make slower progress in this stage, and rewards aren't delivered as quickly. Often, you notice people quitting before they even hit the best stage of all, advanced!
So if you are a beginner, rejoice! This is a fulfilling time. Watercolor is an accessible, exciting, and portable medium. For beginners who want to work in watercolor, you can achieve some results quickly, and be proud of yourself in no time at all. (Try beginner friendly clouds, plants, or flowers, and you'll be amazed).Â
The Youtube artist Shayda Campbell does an excellent job demonstrating flowers, and her short tutorials are great!
2. I actually do need some higher quality materials ($$).
Even as a seasoned artist I did feel very tempted to spend as little as I could on this endeavor. I mean, what if it didn't work out? Let me just reach out and grab this cheap set here at Michaels...
Don't. Trust me, you will fail this experiment if you do. Actually, the very first time I painted with the proper materials, I suddenly realized why people enjoy watercolor so much. My previous failures were mostly a result of the medium not doing what I considered natural, or intuitive. The paint wasn't lifting when I needed, it wasn't staying put when I needed, and it looked dull. The paper was pilling. It was terrible, and I initially walked away. But it wasn't me, it was actually the materials!
Don't skimp out with the following materials: paper, paint, brushes, and palettes. Which is unfortunately, most of your watercolor bill, folks. There are plenty of resources out there that breakdown the options that will best fit your goals. I am going to put together a 2022 list of my personal favorite watercolor supplies that you can see what I use! I will go over these materials in detail, and why I like them so far.
3. IÂ will produce more "duds" with this medium, but that's a good thing.
As someone coming primarily from oil and acrylic, in our part of the art universe, the solution to problems (if you encounter them, which you will), is to rework the painting. In other words, you can lay more paint down over top of your mistake. If you REALLY screw up, you can always just re-gesso the painting, sand it down, and start over! Many famous paintings hanging in museums today have several layers of these "mistakes" under that grand exterior you see on the surface.Â
Another way to put this is, is if I work on an acrylic commission, I can be sure that the end result will be ok, and there is little chance I will have to throw the canvas in the trash.
But with watercolor, there is a point at which reworking an area will result in a "muddy", less vibrant color, or you will destroy the paper with too much brush agitation. Therefore, you only get so many passes at a painting before it's too late. Watercolor is a medium that comes together quickly for you, however many casual art fans don't know that sometimes (especially as a beginner) it's possible that you will be making several attempts, until you get your desired result. That's one reason commissions or commitments to produce a particular result could potentially be challenging in watercolor, because of its unpredictable nature.
Which brings me to my second point, that this is actually a GREAT thing. As an artist, you will be forced to paint MORE often, and not less. You will get comfortable quickly with this medium, and painting in general, because of it.
4. Water is unruly.
You already know this, you don't need me to tell you this. I won't lie, if you are a perfectionist, this medium is going to be mentally challenging at first for you, because water does exactly what it wants. Water doesn't care what you think. However, this may be just the therapy both you and I need! You will marvel at the beautiful things it does when mixing with the pigments. It can be hypnotizing. Watercolor is incredible, and it will be a better experience if you can relax and focus on the process, not the outcome. Â
5. I can and should get a real-life mentor.
There are plenty of awesome humans living on the internet with lots of experience with watercolor. We all have knowledge to share and sunlight to give away to the world. But in the end, no matter how many Youtube videos, or online classes I've taken, I've gained the most confidence consulting other artists, in person. The first watercolorist I consulted happened to be my boyfriend's father, who had been doing watercolor for many years. He gave me loads of good advice, and I suggest you also seek out a mentor, be it a friend, teacher, classmate, or community member. It's good to have a person to have a casual conversation with about your concerns, and a place to ask questions freely.
6. I am going to have to break out my... hairdryer?!Â
Yes!Â
One thing I learned throughout this process is that many watercolorists use hair-dryers to cut the drying time of a finished layer, so that they can paint a second or third layer more quickly. It helps keep them in the artistic flow, and it's a good idea to have one handy, if needed. Just be careful with the heat, so that you don't damage your paper or paint. Use the hairdryer judiciously. I would only use it every so often, it needed.Â
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7. Wait, I also have to stretch my paper. What the heck is stretching paper?
As an acrylic girl, I had no idea what this meant when I first started. I think most people understand the concept of stretching canvas over wooden bars for oil paintings, but how do you stretch paper? Â
Well it turns out the process is not as complicated as I thought. It's not so much that you are stretching it, as it is the paper contracting when it dries while taped over a surface. It involves taping the paper to a water-tolerant surface like "gatorboard", soaking it in water for a length of time, and then letting it dry flat. This whole process prevents your paper from warping, or buckling, resulting in an undesirable, wavy painting. Stretching the paper allows you to bypass this unwanted waviness and keep the paper flat. It's especially important for lighter weight papers. You can also achieve a similar result by buying paper in a "block", but stretching is even better, especially when faced with larger paintings. I usually stretch larger paintings, and use a block for smaller ones. Youtuber The Mind of Watercolor has many excellent videos on this and other topics.
8. I will be afraid to waste this expensive paper...
Unfortunately this one hasn't changed, but I have found ways around it. Yes, watercolor paper IS expensive, but if you learn how to stretch your paper you can buy rolls of paper instead and that will help you save some money! Also, be sure to factor in all materials costs when or if you decided to sell your pieces so you can account for this! You're going to have to get comfortable with the higher price of the paper, especially, since 100 percent cotton paper can get pricey.
9. I will really enjoy watercolor, despite the challenges.
Despite the challenges of watercolor, the rewards are worth it. With watercolor, you don't have to be a super experienced artist to get the same emotional rewards that a professional artist gets from their paintings. The tactile quality of it, the ethereal aesthetic, and the high-quality of the materials all combine to produce something you will cherish, keep, or be happy to share with others. I even save all of my failed studies because with how the paint dries, there is something in all of them I find beautiful. I save them for backgrounds, scan them in to use in other projects, or cut them up for use in stationary or craft projects.  Â
And that's it for the things I wish I knew before starting this journey! Stay tuned for next week's post, in which I will breakdown my favorite watercolor materials so far!