21 November, 2013 0 comments Leave a comment

People often say they have heard (or experienced) that watercolour is the most difficult painting medium to control. I have found that the unpredictability of watercolour is precisely what keeps me interested in working in this medium.

I love that feeling of engaging in a partnership with my watercolour materials—paint, paper, water, and brush. I control the paint application, to a certain extent, and the materials provide the ‘serendipity factor’. Amusingly, having tried acrylic painting again recently, I soon became frustrated with the static nature of the medium—the paint just ‘sat there’ on the canvas, exactly where I placed it. Watercolour has motion.

When I started out as a painter, I found it extremely helpful to have other artist-instructors show me how to work in watercolour. I understand the learning curve can be very steep and it is easy to become discouraged. However, given helpful advice and time to practice, I believe anyone can learn how to enjoy the adventure of a partnership with watercolour.

Over the next few months in my blog, I will share with you typical painting challenges most of my students experience and some simple solutions that involve equipment and materials. Stay tuned...

This excerpt from Watercolour Toolbox: Essentials for Painting Success is reprinted with permission of the publisher. For more details visit www.watercolourtoolbox.com.

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