When I tell people I’m a watercolor artist and teach classes, they often respond with something like, “I could never do that!” Sometimes, they’ve played around with watercolors themselves, but grew frustrated. Other times, they’ve ruled out artistic endeavors all together. Or, they might be proficient in other types of media, but have avoided watercolor because it seemed “uncontrollable.” I believe there are two persistent myths at play here which are preventing people from reaching for their potential as watercolorists. I’m here to dispel them and share the skills you really need in order to progress as a painter.
Myths
The first myth is a belief that the ability to paint is a talent, in-born ability, or genius. This is patently false. Painting is a craft based on skills which can be taught and rules and guidelines which can be learned. While a breathtaking work of art is likely based on years of practice and experimentation, hours of consideration and inspiration (and possibly some “happy accidents”) those are all different versions of one thing: hard work.
The second myth is that watercolor is uncontrollable, a medium where spontaneously applied smudges miraculously combine into coherent art. This can lead new painters into a belief that some kind of artistic instinct is required to react to the “unpredictable” paint, or that they can speed through a project and make something great. If you watch someone who’s really good paint it can look like this – and I think that’s where this myth comes from. However, that appearance of spontaneity belies the hours of experimentation and planning, and perhaps years of experience, which enabled them to work so surely and rapidly. Yes, watercolors are often painted quite quickly. However, many hours or even days of planning may go into a work which takes only an hour or two to paint. Many artists create numerous studies, test out various combinations of pigments, create detailed reference images, and make precise underdrawings before they lay down any paint. Experienced artists tend to use the same small range of pigments for all their paintings, and use a formulaic progression of work that they’ve practiced until they can replicate it again and again. This formula was developed through trial and error. When Thomas Schaller lays down a wash, he’s not guessing where it’s going to go – he’s used that same pigment in that same wetness of paper and he’s seen what happened and now he knows how to make it happen again. Far from being uncontrolled and spontaneous, watercolor is a medium which can be tightly controlled and relies on planning.
When a new painter sits down to paint their first watercolor, they are likely to be disappointed by their initial results if they go in expecting to splash paint around and spontaneously make something great. They may look at their work and circle back to myth #1, assume they have no “talent,” and throw in the towel. Or, lacking the knowledge to know where their paint will go, they give it up as uncontrollable. These outcomes are avoidable if you leave these myths at the door.
The Skills and Mindsets That Actually Help You Paint
Many people already possess the skills and habits they need to be great painters. Maybe you’re one of them! If not, this list may give you a better idea why you’re struggling (if you’re struggling), or help you evaluate if watercolor painting would be a good hobby for you. Or, you might see watercolor painting as a kind of therapy to reinforce habits and skills you want to improve – an excellent mindset in itself.
A Scientific Mind If you think like a scientist, systematically testing ideas, combining known areas of knowledge into larger theories, and seeing each experiment (read: painting) as a way to gain knowledge rather than a success or failure; you’ve got the right mindset to be a watercolor painter. This mindset will allow you to gain skills and grow as an artist without getting frustrated by “mistakes” – which, after all, are just a way to learn.
Handy If you’re someone who thinks of yourself as “handy,” whether you work in a trade like carpentry, mechanics, or plumbing; or are a DIY weekend warrior, seamstress, or crafter, you’ve practiced visualizing a project and bringing it to fruition. You probably have experience cutting pieces with precision, and applying various coatings with care. In fact, I think my prior experience applying marine varnish probably set me up for success as a watercolor painter just as much, or maybe more, than my year of art school.
A Planner If you like to think through all the steps of a project before you begin, if you visualize contingency plans, and figure out a timeline before you start; you’ll have no trouble pre-planning your watercolors and setting yourself up for success.
A Final Note On “Being Able To Draw”
There’s no doubt that being able to draw is an excellent foundation for being able to paint. Training your eye to draw prepares you to make visual comparisons that enable you to choose and mix colors. And of course, a painting based on an off-kilter drawing will never look right, no matter how well you handle a brush. That said, drawing is 100% a skill which can be taught, and there’s no such thing as “not being able to draw.” Get yourself a book (such as Sketching: From Square One to Trafalgar Square) and teach yourself or take a class. You can get the basics down with just a few days of practice. In the meantime, there’s no reason to let drawing ability hold back your paintings. Here’s a few ways to work with your current drawing level:
- Choose reference photos you know you can draw – make a drawing first to be sure you’ve worked out all the kinks before you start to paint.
- There’s no shame in tracing a reference photo you took. Use an app like Rastorbator to enlarge your photo to the correct size, then use a light table or bright window or graphite transfer paper to trace the parts of the image you don’t know how to draw. Just don’t let the image hold you back – you can always depart from the original.
- Trace your reference photo at a small scale from your phone screen to make a simplified reference which will help you see the basic shapes and size relationships in your image. This exercise is really helpful when you’re struggling with perspective.
Hopefully this article will help more folks get started painting on the right foot!
If you’re here in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, I’ll be offering a four week class on Sundays, starting March 8 at VT Creative Works in Morrisville, VT. We’ll work through the skills you need to make paintings and build your “painter mindset.” Be prepared to see the world in new ways, experiment, and work one step at a time. All supplies are included and no experience is needed, though the class will benefit beginner or intermediate level painters.
Carrie Glessner 