I have found the discipline of watercolors is the most useful means to aid your success with all other mediums.  Of course, you can master any medium with enough study, practice, and instruction without ever touching the unforgiving medium.  But I have found no other mediums that technique and the need to know prevails so strongly.

When you paint with watercolors, you must know how to handle such simple basics as how to handle the paint (anyone that ever attempted this knows what I’m talking about).  In other words, do you use wet on wet, wet on dry, dry brush, opaque or transparent, paint negative areas first and work solids around it, or paint light to dark or dark to light, and it goes on and on.  It seems that with watercolors none of the rules apply…not always at any rate.

With this delightful medium, however, you can adapt the techniques that work for you and successfully incorporate your own aims and ideas once you have enough experience and have gained confidence.  It will not take long (after you’ve destroyed some of your most desirous works that failed) for you to learn that watercolors is the least forgiving medium of all the mediums.  There is very little chance of correcting errors.  But take heart!  This fact works for you and not against you; especially, when you are attempting other mediums.

Winslow Homer was able to master a great many mediums.  I always admired his watercolors as much as his oils on canvasses and boards, etchings, and wood engravings.

Actually, it was Homer that I preferred over all watercolorists when I first started painting in the medium.  I realized, at that time (almost forty years ago) that he was far too advanced for me to attempt to emulate, but it was fun trying.

Here is one of my watercolors that I painted some time ago.  I am re-posting it here to show that I try to practice what I preach.  As I mentioned in the earlier post I am now using it as a study for an acrylic painting.  Most of my acrylic paintings are painted from watercolor studies that I have done.

Remember, once you have learned to handle this wonderful medium, you will find your experience to be exciting and very satisfying.  Watercolors offers potential for all kinds of subject mater.  As you practice and gain confidence, you will succeed.

The main thing, keep painting!