Whimsical, wonderful, fluid, frustrating, intimidating, hard to control—WATERCOLOR! Most people love the look of watercolor but are fearful to give it a try because it can be like herding cats. Watercolor does have a mind of its own, so the key is to let go of the tight grip of control and just go with it! In many ways it is just like life the more you push, the harder it is, and when you allow yourself to move forward with trust, things seem to fall into place.
I have been painting for many years, both in oils and acrylics, but watercolor has become my true passion. I love the way the colors bleed, move, separate, puddle and run. That is the beauty of the medium. I have found that my approach to watercolor can be almost Zen-like once you give in to its beauty and let it do its own thing.
There are many styles of watercolor painting that follow a traditional approach—mine is not one of them! I like to explore and experiment in a fun and fast way that plays with color. My techniques are loose and fluid and allow you to find your own way and style.
In the chapters that follow, you’ll learn how to enjoy and play with watercolor paint. You’ll get to know your paints with a few fun and simple exercises. Then you’ll discover how drawing can make all the difference in whether or not your painting turns out the way you want. After you learn different drawing and sketching techniques, you’ll practice a variety of painting exercises to help you find your own painting style. Finally, in the inspiration source guide, you’ll find thirteen sections of themed prompts so you can continue to practice your skills.
