If you're a beginner or intermediate artist looking to level up your sketching and watercolor skills, you're in the right place.
I’m a traditional media artist and online teacher that's obsessed with creating art and helping others make progress in their own journeys. I believe the world would be a better place with more art and artists in it, and this is why I'm passionate about sharing everything I know, no holds barred, and inspiring others to stay consistent with their art practice.
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Dear Erika, I loved your video! Sharing your mistakes helps us learn so much. While whatching your video I also realized some mistakes I have been doing. I have also done a business course to get a bit better at marketing my work but it's so so hard to keep track of everything and actually make the changes that need to be done. I admire how you managed to build up your business and didn't give up and now have enough income :). It definetly must be overwhelming to do so!
Hi, friend! Thanks so much for watching and for leaving your thoughts.🙌 Glad you enjoyed this one. Growing my business is the hardest thing I've ever done and it comes with so much self-development that I didn't even know I had to make. ☺🖌 It was very overwhelming, especially in the first couple of years, when I didn't know if things would actually work out and if I'd have to go back to a "regular" job. But life has a strange way of working out, if you follow your gut, put in the work and stay patient. I had faith and trusted things would work out for me if I kept at it, overtime. And they did! Making changes is definitely very hard and very scary. Sometimes, though, change is what leads to the best breakthroughs. ❤ You're doing awesome. Just keep at it. It's all a learning process.
Hey, there! I'm so happy to hear you liked this one. 🙌 ❤ I always work from general toward specific/large to small. I have much newer videos on drawing houses and buildings in which I explain my process. Here are a few: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Vvvj3p8C7eg.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-klQpTeiZ6wY.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GZ8uPck0JFo.html Hope you enjoy these and find them helpful. Thanks so much for watching!
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! I hope those of you looking to start or grow your art businesses, enjoy this one and find it helpful. If you have any questions, tips of your own you'd like to share, or any comments at all, leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my real-time tutorials, classes on Art Fundamentals, monthly livestreams and more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
Hello! I am a new content creator and stumbled on a post saying you have been consistently uploading for 7 years. I was curious if your analytics say your content is getting many impressions? I am curious if you changes the Wording of your Titles if it would help (I am a NOOB myself). How is your impression click through rate?
Hi! Yes, I started here on RU-vid in 2017 and have been super consistent, sharing at least one video a week since then. It's been a super slow slog for me, and literally making peanuts still. 😅 This said, it's thanks to RU-vid that I've been able to grow my Patreon membership, as well as make my website easier to find on Google, which continues to bring in students and clients. Been paying for TubeBuddy for a while, too, making sure that the videos I create are topics viewers are looking for, and making sure that I use TubeBuddy to optimize titles, tags, etc. I know my first videos were terrible, though. Worked with the resources I had at the time, and work on improving as time goes by. I'm terrible at checking my analytics. I'm so busy with a ton of other stuff that I don't have much time to go in and check on that kind of stuff. Wouldn't even know how to find those specific numbers, tbh. 😅
I really appreciate this video. I just started watercoloring and I use your brush strokes and washes video as a practice exercise before I start to paint any realistic. Thanks!
Hi, Julia! I don't see why not. I'd just be careful not to apply too much graphite on your paper, as it can muddy up the vibrant colors you're applying with watercolor pencils. I would use an HB, so that graphite application is lighter and more easy to control when everything starts blending together. It's a great idea to use water soluble graphite for your preliminary sketch, as your line work will disappear when you run your paintbrush bristles over it! Thanks so much for watching, and for your question. Enjoy your pratice!🙌
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! I hope this one's helpful for those of you thinking about buying a set of water-soluble pencils or looking to learn tips for better outcomes. If you have any questions, leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my sketching and watercolor real-time tutorials, classes and workshops on Art Fundamentals (Color Theory, Composition, Form, Perspective, etc.) monthly livestreams and much more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
Hi, there! Thanks for your request. I have classes/tutorials on drawing faces and animals over on my Patreon. I'll consider sharing some free tutorials here as well. ❤
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! 👩🎨 I hope this one's helpful for those of you starting with line and wash, or who are looking to learn how to draw different types of flowers. If you have any questions, leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my sketching and watercolor real-time tutorials, classes and workshops on Art Fundamentals (Color Theory, Composition, Form, Perspective, etc.) monthly livestreams and much more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
Great video and advice! I've been thinking a lot about this topic lately, and now I'm trying to focus on the positive aspects of being an introverted artist. I'm also working on improving and developing in areas that are challenging for me-talking to a camera is definitely one of them. 😅
Thanks so much for watching! Glad it was helpful. 🙌❤ You have SO many amazing traits and SO much to offer. Talking to the camera and things like that are scary and uncomfortable in the beginning, but it gets better with time. I'm happy to hear that you're expanding your comfort zone. I'm rooting for you! 🌟
I wrote them down carefully so they can sink in. I need this. Artists are important in sooooo many ways. Even just making a nice greeting card for someone and handing it to them and seeing them smile or tear up because they like it is an amazing experience.
Hi Erika, I always appreciate your advice and loved your comment that it’s better to work on several small pieces and also I smiled looking at your large pile of sketch books. I have been using sketchbooks for a while now and after watching this I am glad to see that I’m on the right track. I also found two older books from when I first started and was happy to see that I have made progress. Thanks so much.
Hi, there! 🙌 hahah yeah! I have so many sketchbooks and most of them are all filled up in that pile I showed. Whenever I want to progress my skills with anything, I turn to my sketchbooks and fill up pages. A few of them are full of pages and pages of hands and figures, and I attribute my progress to this kind of practice. ✏️ I'm so happy to hear that you use sketchbooks, too. Keep going and enjoy your practice! Thanks so much for watching.
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! I hope this one's helpful for those of you starting with line and wash, or who are looking to learn how to draw different types of flowers. If you have any questions, leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my sketching and watercolor real-time tutorials, classes and workshops on Art Fundamentals (Color Theory, Composition, Form, Perspective, etc.) monthly livestreams and much more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
I've been doing art for my whole life ... sculpting, acryilc painting, oils ... and I can say that, at lest for me, watercolor is the most difficult. Layering doesn't work like it does with acrylic or oils. It's a whole different animal. And it's, in my opinion, the most difficult of the three mediums. This is a necessary exercise! Paint mixing is a required exercise. Blending happens a lot faster than with acrylic. Oils? you can blend over and over, wash over and over for days or months or years. I totally appreciate this lesson in watercolor because it's the fastest set and the hardest to make a grade of color without lines. Watercolor is actually the most difficult medium I've ever worked in.
Thanks so much for watching and for taking the time to leave your valuable comment. 🙌 I started with opaque painting mediums myself (acrylics and oils), and I have to agree with you. 🎨 Not only can you layer paint on thick and cover up mistakes relatively easily with those mediums, but you're working on substrates that can take way more of a beating, as opposed to working on paper. With watercolor, it is even more essential to practice beforehand and go in with a strategy because we won't be able to easily correct mistakes, if at all, since watercolor is transparent. You also make a great comment in relation to how watercolor is so immediate. We have to go in with confidence and not "fiddle" with the paint after it's been placed on paper, or its easy to overblend, flatten areas out and make them look overworked and heavy (the opposite of what we're trying to do when working with this medium). Another key difference is that we're bringing in the beauty and brightness of the paper as part of the piece, and no white paint is necessary, when we learn to do this. Thanks so much for watching and wish you tons of enjoyment moving forward with this rewarding painting medium!
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! I hope this one's helpful for those of you starting with line and wash, or who are looking to learn how to draw different types of flowers.🌼 If you have any questions leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my sketching and watercolor real-time tutorials, classes and workshops on Art Fundamentals (Color Theory, Composition, Form, Perspective, etc.) monthly livestreams and much more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
Thank you. I really appreciate how your content is so thoughtful and well organized. I have both watercolor paints and pencils and you have made some great points as to how I might best utilize each medium.
It's been SO long since I've watched your videos! I have been hesitant to get back info sketching and painting because of other priorities that needed to come first. Thank you, Erika, for this video. I need to buy a sketchbook now and get started.
Inspirational! Thanks for your comments about real sketching in an everyday sketchbook. I think we all feel the need for “permission” to not be “perfect”and the encouragement just to keep drawing. You did both both splendidly today!
Thanks so much for watching! I'm so happy to hear this one was helpful. 🙌 I struggled with this a lot in the beginning of my journey. Nowadays remembering that life is short and that every day that I get to wake up and live life is a gift, helps me put everything back in perspective. There's no need to take ourselves, or our art too seriously to the point that it stops being enjoyable. 🙂🙌
Can anyone recommend a favorite sketchbook for graphite? Also, were those pencils used at the end of the video watercolor pencils or regular colored pencils?
Hey, there! I used watercolor and regular colored pencils (Prismacolor) for this sketchbook spread. 🙂 I love drawing sketchbooks from Strathmore and Canson. I've left a couple of links to two of the ones I buy most from Amazon in the description box. 😉 Thanks for watching!
Welcome back, fellow artists and art lovers! I hope this one's helpful for those of you who are looking to develop your art skills further or who are just curious about sketchbooks and their importance. If you have any questions leave them below and I'll do my best to get back to you. For immediate access to my sketching and watercolor real-time tutorials, classes and workshops on Art Fundamentals (Color Theory, Composition, Form, Perspective, etc.) monthly livestreams and much more: patreon.com/erika_lancaster_artist🎉
