Whether watercolor painting is a hobby or a career, all artists of all abilities can benefit from online watercolor painting instruction. Follow these tips to start watercolor painting today.
Learn to Paint Watercolors
Don’t have the time or money to attend a formal art school? According to professional watercolor painter Beth Woessner, in an email interview on June 23, 2010, there are many different, and free, ways to educate oneself off and online. Artists can learn to paint with watercolors by scouring the internet for instructional videos or by taking a trip to the local library. “I like to check out books from the library on different artists and techniques. I love looking at art to see what draws me in and captivates me.”
Study the Watercolor Masters
Students looking to improve watercolor skills should look no further than the greats. So renowned are painters like Cézanne, Remington, O’Keeffe and van Gogh that they’ve become part of the artistic lexicon. Though each had very different painting styles and were inspired by very different subject matter, they all were students once too.
Tip: Study a comprehensive list of famous watercolor painters, including biographies and work samples. Learn what inspired them, how they started painting and how they educated themselves.
Best Online Resources for Watercolor Painting
Organized instruction at accredited institutions is invaluable, but may not be a realistic opportunity for some. For those with busy schedules, online art instruction is the next best thing. Follow these tips to improve watercolor painting skills online, for free:
- Read. All serious watercolor artists need a good collection of art instruction books. Before purchase, check to see if the titles are available at the local library.
- Learning the basics of watercolor technique is essential for every artist. Artists should familiarize themselves with these quick and clearly-presented watercolor painting techniques and tutorials.
- One of the best places for free online watercolor art instruction classes is Jerry’s Artarama. The site offers tons of free videos for every technique by professional artists and is very easy to use. Simply search by media and select ‘watercolors’ to start learning watercolor painting in real time.
More Tips From Watercolor Artist Beth Woessner
When painting plein air (outdoors), simplicity is key. Lugging around a full-sized artist palette and complete collection of paints can be very cumbersome and frustrating. Prang (pan) watercolor sets are great for starting out. They’re cheap and great for travel.
Not all artist brushes are created equal. “The natural fiber brushes for water color will hold more color and water without having to dip back and forth as often.” Common brushes like a #8 round and a 1-inch flat are staples of the watercolor painter’s toolbox.
Experiment with unconventional painter’s tools. Just because it wasn’t purchased at the art store doesn’t mean it can’t create great art. “I like to use a cut up credit card for scratching in texture or whiting out a scratch here and there. Saran wrap, stamps, rubbing alcohol and salt can add some fun effects too.”
Save money on art supplies. Though they may seem expensive, because quality watercolor paints, like Winsor and Newton, must be watered down, a little goes a long way. And though a full sheet of Arches 140# watercolor cold press paper appears costly, it can be cut into quarters, or smaller, decreasing the cost per sheet.
Watercolor painting can be unpredictable. Artists can never fully control how paper will take pigment, however, the watercolor medium is forgiving. To fix a mistake, moisten the paper with a spray bottle and dab up errant pigment with a rag or paper towel.
Start Watercolor Painting Today
With so many free resources online, never before has learning watercolor painting been this accessible. However, becoming an expert watercolor painter isn’t easy. Just remember that every great artist was a student once too. Modern artists should take advantage of free online watercolor instruction to hone their talents.
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David Clark - As a business owner, freelance writer and abstract artist, I keep myself busy. Always learning, evolving and creating, I guarantee you'll ...
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