5 Things I Wish I Knew when I First Started Painting in Watercolor 

I am 68 and was a singer songwriter until I lost my singing voice in a surgery. So now I am trying my hand at art. Thank you for these lovely videos!!!

Hello Louise, I really enjoy your Videos and even if i am no beginner anymore, I still learn so much from you. Therefore I wish i had already knew you as a beginner😉🤗. My advice for beginners: Don't waste you money on cheap art supplies. Using professional colors (i prefer Schminke) is a huge revelation to love watercolorpainting. Also a good (recommanded) paper is very important and some high quality brushes. Yes, it seems expensive when you start, but it makes a huuuuge difference. Just buy a starter set from a good company and add the colors you also like from time to time later. If you like, you can add few cheap colors later, after you know how to paint and I promise you you will be very happy that you started and learned with the good ones. Happy painting to y'all❤

You are such a good teacher!! I appreciate all your suggestions. And your "Bloopers" are SO CUTE AND FUNNY!!!!!

I enjoyed your video, and your old paintings ARE beautiful. I love vivid colurs, even if they are not technically correct.

What a great video. I'm a total beginner and this information has been sooooo helpful. Thank you. And thanks for the giggles at the end. Love the bloopers 😂❤

Im trying to learn watercolour after being an acrylic painter too!! Im so glad you have that perspective to share, this video was really helpful! Thank you! :)

Excellent tips and some I will pass on to my students. “Don’t fuss with it” is the hardest concept for new painters.

I just love your videos. I’ve been an acrylic and oil painter for years and just started watercolor recently. I wish I’d found you sooner. It sure would have helped me a lot! You inspire me. Btw. I love your out takes. They always make me laugh! Thank you for being you. Oh. I’m 65 and just starting. Is there hope? Lol. Your work is really beautiful. ❤️⭐️⭐️

I know you said that some of your paintings are not beautiful…but they are absolutely gorgeous! I love the bright colors! Don’t change anything!

Louise, thank you so much for this lovely, informative video! My name is Jennifer and I learned a lot from you already. I am just beginning watercolor painting and have made many mistakes so I called them. I am such a perfectionist and want my small 3 x 4 pictures to be just perfect. Well, watercolor painting is teaching me that my "mistakes" are actually are moments of learning. We all should be learning until we take our last breath. We learn mostly be "doing" the task or skill, and we improve over time. I just had to embrace this truth as I was ready to give up because I felt defeated and overwhelmed. Whether we are a child learning to walk or an adult learning to watercolor paint, we must embrace the "mistakes" as "learning moments" because that is what they truly are. Thank you so much for being here for me! I will see you again very soon. Jennifer N. South Dakota, United States

As a beginner, all your pointers are SO valuable! Cant thank you enough ❤ Regarding what you say about not fussing with the colours also remind me of Oriental water colour where just single brush strokes are done following the artists sense of timing, intuition, contemplation and of course years of dedicated practice...

Thank you! For me as a beginner this video gave some moments to use in my practice

You are so right !!!! Watercolor painting is actually very difficult, but also very satisfying !!!

This is a great clear no fuss video! I love it! Thank you 😊 I’d love to see an example of the difference between an old painting and how you’d do it now 💗♥️

Your voice is absolutely captivating.

Thank you Louise this is very refreshing

Thank u so much for your wonderful videos! ❤

Looks like a lovely Collection 😊

Eres encantadora y aprendo muchísimo de ti

Thank you for being so candid about your process of learning. So helpful.

You and your videos are lovely and they really put so much positive energy into our world. Love, Health and Happiness to you and yours. Sending you a big big hug with love.

To use spray bottle on your work. I made a steamy coffee mug w that effect 😊

I just started a couple of weeks ago. I used a paper towel to pull up some wet spots. Looked just ok. But I like your idea!!!!! Thanks Your talented!! My 1st paintings look 🤢

👩‍🎨👍🏼👀Thank you! I am also a longtime acrylic and even oil painting artist… learning to use water color and gouache. This video is VERY helpful

Alway a pleasure and informative to listen to one of your sessions. I found this one particularly interesting. I'm a photographer who use to paint when younger and now when retiring am looking to start painting again. One thing very important in photography is composition as there are often many separate elements in a picture that need to appear in a pleasing 'natural' way on the print. The rule of thirds is a common tool used by photographers and painter alike, but when younger I just accepted it and applied it (roughly) whenever I could. However it was not until I studied engineering and natural series in mathematics did I find out about the Fibonacci series and how it alines with the natural shape and size of living things. It's probably the origin of the 'rule of thirds' although it's not quite a third. You may already be aware of the fibonacci series and if so my apologies for boring you, but if not I would recommend looking it up on uTube. It gave me such a boost of 'wonder' to think so many natural things obey this rule. Thank you once again for being so generous with your knowledge.

Hey Louise…great video..keep it up and thanks!

Thanks Louise, very informative as usual. The bright colours for flowers, not using them anymore that’s hard to accept I think, because flowers can be just that bright and beautiful 🤩. Perhaps the trick is to use bright colours but with variety in size, composition and contrast. Catching the light?

Fantastic video thank you so much!

Thank you, thank you❤

Excellent video!

I wish I knew to use good paints. For about a year, I used very low quality watercolor but created personalized paintings for friends and family who ended up framing these pieces. The paintings are now disappearing before their very eyes. I didn't know about "fugitive paints" and the problem of cheap paints being fugitive.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You are a wonderful painter.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your advices. 🙂❤ That's very funny at the end of this video 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Great advice to this new watercolor artist! Thank you!

Thanks.

JUST FLOW.....GOT IT.

Great content! Will a 300 lb watercolor paper warp when wet? My art class was eons ago, but we also taped the paper down. You mention stretching the paper, but how? That demo must be in another video. Thanks!

Fabulous tutorial. Probably seems a silly question but after stretching your paper ( brilliant tutorial ) how do you remove the gummed paper from the gaiter board once you have removed the paper please ?

Hello from Dunedin Florida

What size eradicator brushes would you recommend starting with if you had to select 2?

Did I miss how you keep the paper from being warped after wetting and painting? Is it the paper itself or a technique?

8:27 no there beautiful

Nice

I just subscribed, wonderful lessons! Thank you.

One of the things I wish I knew is working with a limited palette; I learned this from you. It's fine to buy every color that catches your fancy but a good painting has only a few; you can achieve great results just by changing the amounts. Thanks for stressing color harmony; it really makes a difference.

Louise, As a beginning painter I find your bloopers delightful. Not only do they tingle me but they remind me to relax and have fun. Your work is stunning. Thank you.

I would love to see a more in depth video on “dominance” and composition. You’re the first person I’ve seen mentioning this. It sounds really interesting. Also I just wanted to say how much I appreciate and enjoy your videos. I’ve learned so much from you. I especially like your bloopers at the end of every video. It shows us your unique personality which is amazing 🥰

Thanks so much for your candor. The one thing I wish I’d known was that practice in a sketchbook is essential. Identify a day that you’ll practice leaf shapes, or softening edges - or removing paint from dried paper (!). It’s through learning these things and practicing these skills that we improve. You can’t create a masterpiece every day. BTW, I had the privilege of attending a four-day watercolor workshop with Tony Couch, the author of WATERCOLOR YOU CAN DO IT, last Spring on St. Simon s Island, Georgia in the US. Tony is amazing and still going strong at 95 years young. It was amazing to be in the presence of watercolor royalty!!

With writing stories I'm what is called a "pantser". That means I can's for the life of me PLAN a story. Well, I can plan it, but then I feal like I've already written it, and then having to actually put it on paper is impossible for me. I have to let the story tell itself to me while I'm writing it. With watercolour painting I find the same thing. I can plan very carefully, but when I try to paint it, it won't work. Because to me that feels like all the joy and surprise of then actually painting it have gone. It's become more like a chore. So I have to see what it becomes, how I paint it, as I go. That's just how I am I guess. I've only started painting about 2 to 3 years ago, so I consider myself to be a beginner. Videos like this are so very helpful. Thanks :)

This was a great video! (New sub here). I would love to see you recreate those paintings and show the side by side comparisons, explaining what you did differently. I think it could be interesting and very helpful for a lot of us. Thanks!

Love this helpful video -I would love to hear more about the principles of design with examples-your instruction on dominance was so so helpful ❤ Louise I hope you know what a treasure you are ! - Bonnie

I would like to point out that your earlier paintings are very beautiful- it’s just that you have improved your skills and the newer ones are more polished, maybe.

Somewhere I learned to call dominance "weight". I look at a drawing and decide where I want all the "weight" to go 🙃. Louise, I am so glad you brought up mixing your own greens. Mixing them yourself creates so much flavour in a painting, especially landscapes with cool and warm greens playing up shadowy areas in the scenery. Have used magic erasers for a few colour lifting/blending techniques. If done gently it will produce some amazing sky effects. I have even used balled up toilet paper to lift out clouds....the grand kids thought that was funny, but it sure got their imagination going! Would love to hear more about the principles of design! Is an area I kind of ignore often.

Your bloopers are amazing! I am so grateful you included them. It shows us you are real ❤️ I've learned so much from you- thank you xx

Louise, this video was so helpful! It brings out that no matter how many years we have been painting, or doing anything, there is always more to learn!

Thanks for sourcing where you got your ideas. There’s so much plagiarism these days on utube it’s as bad as the pandemic.

Thank you for accepting your flaws. You seem very sweet and talented.

I really appreciate the knowledge and experience you share with us Louise. But, I must confess, my favourite parts of all your videos are the outtakes; they absolutely crack me up 😂! Thank you for being willing to share those too, you bring much needed humour with every one. Thank you and God bless. 🙏💖

When I decided I wanted to take up watercolour painting I signed up for a comprehensive course that took me a year to complete. The instructor taught some of the things you mention in this video, such as not making every element of a painting the same size whether it be rocks, trees, or flowers. He also talked about the importance of making a focal point in the painting and other basic elements of composition, and also that it's possible to lift paint once it's dry. A big focus of his course was on how to mix colours and using a limited palette, so I got familiar with this all-important aspect of watercolour painting from the get go. I have a lot of colours of paint, but I rarely use more than six for any given painting. He also made it clear from the get go that if you want to succeed at watercolour painting you absolutely must use 100% cotton paper, even as a beginner, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I took that advice seriously and started off right away using Arches, although I no longer use it. The thing I struggle with the most is my perfectionism, which leads me to fiddle with my paintings. My perfectionism is difficult for me to let go of. Maureen

You said it, mistakes are how you learn. I really appreciate you talking about what didn’t work for you as well as what did instead of just giving a list of things to do. Thanks so much for letting us benefit from your experience.

So useful, thanks Louise. I think you are right in that size variation is important. However there are also exceptions - like wildflower fields tend to be all a similar size in a lot of paintings and they look great. I was chuckling to myself as you showed us those spectacular tulips and said "way too bright" - I thought they looked great! But yes, softer neutrals do look stunning. I am a bit baffled by colour mixing. I bought the primary colours to try and learn how to mix greys. Not easy! My top tip is to not overpaint - i.e leaving white. V hard to do!

Thanks for the wonderful and helpful video. One caveat about lifting dried washes. Some pigments are staining and don’t lift. My first watercolor teacher used staining pigments so she could glaze over them without worrying about the pigments below moving at all. The manufacturer usually includes info about how staining the pigment is. Thanks again!

i knew you could lift watercolour, but those brushes look very handy to have🙂

Videos like these are gold. Thanks for making them 🥰

Louise, I wish I had known more about composition, including the importance of dominance, values, gradation, and when /where to use soft and hard edges. I also wish I had known to use a limited color palette. Louise, I adore the outtakes at the end of your videos. You are such a delight---as a person, as an artist, and as a teacher! Your charming personality, talent, and expertise shine through every video, and I thank you and your team for all the hard work required to produce such well-crafted educational content. Lousie, thank you for sharing your wisdom and creativity, and for inspiring us on a continuous basis. Most of all, thank you for being you! You are a great blessing to all of us!

I used a wet majic eraser to remove water color from dry paper.

No no no! All your paintings are beautiful! You have just advanced my dear!!!! I know it’s so easy to down our work… call it ugly, rip it up and throw it in the bin … but I refuse! I keep every single “failure” of a painting. To others they might not see what I see as a failure. But I learn for it all. I won’t call it ugly though….. just lessens! Lol!!! ❤

Oh I still struggle with color mixing & letting the paint do its own thing. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I really appreciate your channel & I’m learning so much.

Mmm….baby steps really resonated with me ❤

Just wanted to say Thank You for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. The outtakes are amazing - shows that video creators aren’t perfect and wrestle with creation of videos as well. This is something I have found in creating anything - the ebb and sway with art is part of the process and all creators experience it.

I've learned a lot from this video. Thank you so much

What a sweet soul you are! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom.

I too am an acrylic painter and I'm about to give up on watercolors. I overwork everything and love detail painting. I'll keep at it. Thanks so much for the tips!

For the record, I like the colours that you think are way too bright.

These videos about actual “learning” are so helpful. I’m happy to say I have the Rosemary brushes, but I was never certain about using them on dry paint. And I give you all the credit for my becoming a paper stretching enthusiast! It makes a huge difference, and it’s much easier than I thought. I already had a nice sized gator board that worked great. But I also had a larger one, about double in size. Since I’m mainly interested in practicing and learning, I’m not ready for anything too large. My husband was able to cut the large board in half, so now I have 3 boards, which means I can always have my next project ready (something you pointed out on your video about this). I’m certain I’m overworking some of my paintings, but I’m also seeing a lot of improvement, so I’ll keep that in mind, but for now, I’m becoming more accepting of my shortcomings. And, as you may recall, I’m also an acrylic artist, and I completely relate to your descriptions. (I still want to finish one portrait of my horse, but it’s hard going back to that medium.) One thing I would enjoy learning about is how to simplify a painting. I’ve always gotten lost in the details, and that’s especially difficult with watercolor. I’ve I notice how good you are at figuring out what should be included and what isn’t essential. Thank you, Louise.

I know nothing about painting--with watercolors or otherwise..thank you for this video!

i have to do a water colour painting for my exam, this helps, to include the bloopers is amazing!

I have lots of books by David Bellamy as well as Tony Couch. I still consider myself a beginning watercolor painter. I read their books and saw the "principles" and techniques etc. It is very hard to try and apply all of those things. Some of them have been very helpful, but I don't fuss too much if I don't. I felt it diminished my creativity. Your paintings are gorgeous, I wish I could paint that well! Everyone develops their own style. Painting can be beautiful without all of those elements. If encorporating them helps, then great. Otherwise make what looks good to you!

Thank you, Louise, as always, for making these great videos that are always so helpful, especially as a ‘newbie’ to water colour. I really appreciate your natural, down to earth, calm and serene demeanour ( although I can imagine you smiling at that 🤭🤭 ) . 🥳🥳💕💕

THANK YOU.....thank you for your oh so helpful ideas and examples but also for your bloopers! I love knowing that part of you. Gives me the understanding that we are all on this watercolor journey together.

I always do not miss watching your videos, they are very informative and valuable for beginner watercolor artists.

Omg the silver scrubber brushes.... LOL. I, too, started with a small bristle brush, and then found the silver scrubber brushes - I think we can definitely agree that they scrub off way more than the paint! They need to come with a warning label... The Rosemary & Co. eradicator brushes took a while to arrive from the UK, but once they arrived, I haven't stopped using them - they are fantastic. Another brilliant video Louise - I hope you and Dom have as much fun making these as we all have watching them! xx Rebecca

Louise, I began painting with watercolor about four years ago now. I have struggled with the exact same things that you described in this video. I also need to say that I've learned so much from watching your videos and the lessons that you posted in SkilShare. Thank you!

Wonderfully informative. Straight from the heart.

Wonderfully informative. Straight from the heart.

Double joy - succinct, really helpful tips for this beginner, AND a good chuckle first thing in the morning watching your outtakes - especially the search for the elusive sponge. Thank you as always Louise! 😄

Great tips. I've only been painting for a little more than 2 years and I have made all of those. I sill make many. But I am learning and I am seeing improvements :). Your videos are always so helpful.

Did you ever use Caran d'Ache paint brushes? They are great.

Louise I enjoyed your video on what I wished I knew in the beginning. What I would love to see is for you to do those 3 paintings over now, so we can see what you mean.

Thanks for your tips Louise! It sure is helpful. Of all the artists who work with watercolor, I think you are the clearest in explanation and I like the way you structure your videos. You don't rush things and I appreciate that very much. Composition is a difficult thing. Maybe it's possible to make a separate video of it? I am curious about examples and differences between compositions. What you said about avoiding different layers is interesting. I know artists who swear by painting several layers to get more depth and brightness in a painting. On the other hand, I also find the transparency of your paintings very beautiful and pure.

I love your bird paintings!

This was so helpful! Only about a month into painting and I will take these to heart. The fussing element was speaking directly to me. Love the outtakes, AND your burgundy mascara!

I have used cut up pieces of a Magic Eraser cleaning sponge and it gives a fantastic result. It can alter surface if over done though, not an issue unless intending to paint over again.

The rewettibility differs from brand to brand. As the winsor and newton itself suggest using them straight of the tube for better performance. There are many watercolor brand which rewet beautifully. I personally use schmincke and sennelier watercolors and they are just my favourite and rewet so easily.

11:40 . That's easy for you to say😮

Thanks for sharing such great insight ❤

It certainly is a learning process. Thanks for sharing

Great tips for artists of any experience level. The sponge technique works best with a natural sponge, and on good quality cotton paper. In my experience, since the colors that have dried can sink into the fibers, spraying it, waiting a few minutes to sink in, wipe with the sponge, then dab (not rub) color off with kitchen roll (paper towel). I have that book by Tony Couch and also his "Keys to Successful Painting". Both were purchased from him at the first workshop I took in 2001. He was 72 then and I saw on a forum in which I participate that he is still teaching! Many of his principles are based on his mentor and idol, Ed Whitney. I asked for something more personal in the signing, so he put, "Remember the values!". He paints in a traditional manner, wet to dry, light to dark, with minimal layers and glazing. I must still heed to the advice of "value and design" being of paramount importance. Most beginners use too many middle values. Tony felt that one should paint it as dark as needed the first go, to avoid mud. He always did value studies, some quite detailed.

You are so kind, humble and encouraging! I started on your Patreon beginners' tutorials a few days ago and am having a lot of fun. So far I have painted the goldfish, cactus in a pot, and the banana. Today I'm working on the feathers. I am not beating myself up for not being good enough. I have learned so much from you in just a few days!

I realize that I still have so much to learn...