So you're a beginner watercolour artist. Confused, excited, overwhelmed, but ready to get started. Here are 3 things to keep in mind:
1. You'll develop your own style over time!
Don't freak out. You don't automatically have a 'style' or 'look and feel' to your painting when you start - or maybe you do, because you're already experienced with art. Your style takes time to develop. And, it changes over time too. It takes practice, figuring out what you want to create, and finding the right fit of supplies for you.
Photo credit: @annelaurewatercolor
2. Learning to draw/sketch is useful.
We've found that having basic drawing skills is sometimes useful if you're more interested in say, urban sketching, or botanical line drawings. It's not always easy to put brush to paper and produce a masterpiece. Most artists do recommend that you have a light, rough outline of what you want to paint so that you have some guidelines as you put paint on the paper.
Our tips for learning how to draw or sketch? Find artists that you're interested in imitating - look at their tips/hacks. Read books on e.g. urban sketching and learn about perspective as you draw. There are many ways to hone these skills - but in the end, it definitely does help when it comes to watercolour!
3. Take a watercolour class, or 2, or 5!
There is no harm in taking a class, even if you have the basics down. There is always more to learn. What we recommend is to take classes with different instructors - as we mentioned above, everyone has their own style and technique, so it is interesting to see how people do the same thing in different ways. It gives you perspective, and insight into how else you could do something - it makes your style more adaptable, and interesting.
To sum this up, just remember that #practiceisprogress. Have patience, keep an open mind, and keep learning!
Bonus: Here's some inspiration for you to keep an eye on some interesting styles and trends as you progress on your watercolour journey.
Extra bonus: Looking for a watercolour workshop? Book a 15 minute chat with Sophie, who runs our watercolour workshops, and find out more!
