My painting got loose when I stopped treating water like glue

In my experience, a lot of painters act like water is just there to stick pigment to paper. I was guilty of this too, using tiny sips and painting timid, tight little marks. Then I tried flooding an area with clear water first, before any color touched it. The paint flowed and blended on its own in ways I never could force. Your mileage may vary, but for me, trusting the water to move the color was a big shift. It feels risky at first, like you're losing control. But I think that loss of control is where the magic happens in watercolor. Take this with a grain of salt, but using water as a partner, not just a tool, makes all the difference.

4 comments

4 Comments

willowgreen3d ago

Honestly, that method just makes a huge mess for me. The paint goes everywhere and I lose all the hard edges I actually want. My best work happens when I'm in total control, using a almost dry brush and very little water. It lets me build up fine details slowly. Letting the water do the work just feels like giving up. Maybe it's magic for some, but for the kind of precise painting I like, that loss of control ruins everything.

oliviawood3d ago

Seriously, I get your point but I see it completely different. Letting the water work isn't giving up, it's working with the paint instead of against it. You can keep hard edges by managing the water flow and where you put the paint. That so-called mess often creates cool effects you can't plan for. Tight control just makes my art look dead and forced. Learning to use water right is its own skill that opens up a lot of options.

claire_craig322d ago

What if control is the real mess?

viola12d ago

Control makes my art look like a tax form. @oliviawood's advice to go with the flow actually made painting fun again.