THE Most Important Rule in Watercolour Painting, Lois' Loose Watercolor Seascape demo 

Very pretty. Relaxing to the eye, and body.

I almost didn’t watch this because I thought, “oh gawd, not another rule.” So imagine my smile when you said ‘the only rule is there ARE no rules.’ ❤️ love the encouragement to experiment and do what is exciting.

I just let go and got loose! I am now speckled with white gouache, as is everything around me! And I couldnt be happier! Thank you so very much. You are an amazing inspiration!!

This video gave me the confidence 2 years ago to give watercolour painting a go! Never done anything before, loved the outcome and have been painting ever since. Not everything works but when they do you feel great!

It's amazing how adding the birds gave the painting perspective and depth. Love it and you had just the right amount of rambling.

" It's just a piece of paper" is the most useful piece of advice I have heard!

Brilliant Lois - I cannot begin to tell you how helpful your posts are for my mental health - you are very calming and reassuring! Thank you so much - I'm stuck indoors and you are helping me so much to defeat my watercolour anxieties. Bless you!! ❤

I’m so encouraged by watching your videos and listening to your positive and encouraging words and suggestions. Thank you!!

I wish I’d seen this/heard this two years ago when I started watercolor painting. It’s been a hindrance for me to spend too much time strategizing - not enough time just painting and experimenting. Thank you🙏💗

I enjoy how you emphasize that painting ought not to be stressful or structured or by the book but rather something to break free and enjoy the moment. Thank you for your insights and you talent. You’re lovely to listen to and watch.

I have no idea what I’m doing, but your calm, encouraging voice makes me feel like I can take my scribbles to a beautiful place! Thank You!

I love your style of painting and philosophy - that's what it's all about!

Thank you! What a breath of fresh air 😊 I had to subscribe

I’ve just discovered your video and I followed your instructions. Whaou ! I really enjoyed it. My work is totally different from yours but I had such a good time painting this breaking wave !! Thanks a lot for this fantastic discovery.

😊 gorgeous outcome. So glad I watched this very encouraging lesson for me, a beginner. Thank you for the important reminder to relax and just enjoy it all.

What? I thought. It can't be happening. Lois has a RULE? And you kept us waiting for a couple of minutes before you told us what it was and my mind was racing going through all the 'rules' I had heard about before and then when you said it 'The only rule is that there are no rules' I spluttered my coffee all over the keyboard 😂. Never was a girl so relieved in her life. Lois you are blowing me away with these recent tutorials. I'm too old to waste my bad eyesight on painting in minute detail any more. I just want to finally find what's inside me as a painter that is not determined by 'rules' or expectation. It's never too late xxx

I’m so pleased to hear that we shouldn’t be afraid to use white paint. I’ve often felt that I needed to do that but in my head I hear “use the white paper for lights”. Now I won’t feel guilty. Thank you for your very informative and inspirational videos.

I am in France, I love your watercolour, I am beginning in watercolor and I hope to be able to paint like you ! I don't understand what you explain but I look the demonstrations. Thanks !

Thank you! Another reminder to PLAY with paint. I plan to try this. You didn’t ramble on at all your voice is wonderful and soothing and great information and encouragement.

I love that you’re so free and spoke about finding what suits you❤

I needed to hear this tonight. Thank you. Beautiful painting.

Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you most for your wisdom. It was so encouraging. At 69, I am new to this and sometimes forget perfection is not the means to the end. Off to have fun. Thanks again.

You demystify painting in watercolour. Your tutorials are so helpful. Thanks.

I love no rules - and I enjoy your freedom to paint to have fun and relax and enjoy the process.

Thank you Lois...it's never too much! A fabulous painting and a great rule. I for one always think I should follow rules and I need to be more rebellious! A great lesson, thank you.

These are liberating words Lois, and many thanks for them.

You really instill confidence Lois and make me want to have a go. 👍

I am pleased I have come across your demo. Very enjoyable to watch.

Thank you for your great advice. I have to accept that every painting I do isn’t going to be perfect and to stop trying to be perfect.

My default passion, since childhood is writing poetry, and only now in my seventies have I started to experiment with watercolor. Your video and your inspiring attitude have motivated me to movle forward. There is so much to learn. Thank you for this.

C'est juste magnifique !!!! Je passerais des heures à vous regarder peindre. Merci pour vos encouragements, vos conseils et l'envie que vous donnez à nous les débutants, de pratiquer l'aquarelle sans nous décourager. 🤗🤗👍

I LOVE YOUR “rule”! It makes me WANT to give it a go without fear of making a mistake! True freedom and creative expression. Thank you. I’m now a new follower.

So beatiful!

Я ни когда не видел моря.Но Вы меня вдохновили на рисунок. Спасибо, что делитесь знаниями.

I love breaking rules and its a relief to have your thoughts about it. Especially since your paintings are so beautiful and creative. Thank you Lois.

Technique and choices ❤️❤️❤️. Sometimes the rules remove the fun. Thank you.

How refreshingly liberating

I feel a huge relief after your lesson, Lois! Thanks a lot for your support! Big hug from Finland!

Love your philosophy, and semi- abstract styles, my favourite as a beginner. Thanks for a very helpful tutorial Lois 🤗 You are lovely to listen to 🍒

Thankyou for this video tonight! I deeply appreciated what you shared…yes, it was about watercolour painting…but it spoke volumes to me regarding the rules and expectations from other artists…and you so lovingly shared that there are no rules and to enjoy your expressions on the paper! Do you know how freeing that is??? You are an awesome artist…you paint beautifully…I love your flavours in watercolour painting! And I loved tonights’ painting in particular… My most precious brother Corey passed away this past year from cancer…he loved the ocean just like I do! The meaning of his name is “lover of the ocean”! That’s so precious… You were a great encouragement to me tonight….. God bless you, Lois…

I loved this video. I love that you have given permission to use any medium and any method (or a mixture) you wish to try. Your demeanour is so gentle and supportive. You have inspired me. Thank you.

Hey there Lois haven’t listened to you for ages…feels like coming home to visit an old friend…congratulations look how many followers you have now. Still trying acrylics but use your advice and come back to visit on occasion. Love your quiet patience and confidence.

Gorgeous!! I love that you just chuck on the paint, relax and let the water and paint do most of the work. I absolutely love your style. Thank you so much for sharing!

Great artwork! Creating such a naturalistic expression with abstract methods is a masterskill

I appreciate your reminding us that enjoyment in the process is the real idea behind watercolor painting. I love experimenting and literally playing with the paints and water. Love this❤️. Thank you so much!

I really love how this video opens my mind to more possibilities, you have a marvelous way of bringing a sense of fun and adventure to this approach. And light-heartedness.

I totally agree, Lois. If each time a person approaches a painting with fear, intimidation, and a feeling of failure before they even begin, then where is the joyful anticipation of success? Some of my failures eventually have become my successes. If I do happen to have a painting that I am not happy with, I usually manage to salvage what is ok and use it for card making. When I was first introduced to watercolour painting around 10 years ago, I was really intimidated by it, but now I just go with it and let it do its own thing. I feel newbies to the medium will often over-work their paintings and they lose the real beauty of what it can achieve if it is allowed to work its own magic. Thanks for endorsing the no rule clause in your video and encouraging your viewers to experiment, this will strengthen their ability to paint without fear or intimidation. Love your style and energy.

Wonderful. Thanks for calming my need to do the rules. I like your only rule. 👍🏼

Love, love, LOVE your style!!! Wonderful teaching method! Just had to smile at your ‘rambling on’. It’s perfect. Thank you!

Thank you so much for reminding us to enjoy our paintings. My teacher at college really stressed me out by demanding that we paint HER way. She was really against using white paint as well. Thanks so much for making me feel like whatever I do is OK!!

As a beginner, I've had the realization that there is no one right style and one should just try different ones. Thanks for reinforcing that! The philosophy you describe in this video is very freeing. I love your paintings and listening to your narration and I also have loved Antonio Ortega's work for a while. I'm a big fan of blooms (and spatter, and salt and water spray, etc.)!

As I’ve said before, I love your way of working, your “no”-rules, go with the flow and still control. You inspire me. Thank you so much!!!

Beautiful painting. I’m watching this again and again!

Amazing! I love the discussion about no rules, also

I like the birds you painted, they are so lively. I wanted to paint again, just pick up the ways you teach, your explanation is brief and clear, I like your tone too. Thank you for sharing with us.

Wow, I love water and the ocean and these painting ideas are great advice to learn from. Thanks again for sharing your ideas.

I love this, thank you so much for this wonderful lesson. It’s not a tutorial, but a lesson in how to use watercolors. Thank you ☺️

My dear, thank you. I needed to hear this, and to back it up with such a lovely style. Cheers.

Thank you so much for this video. I just found you amongst the tons of videos and overwhelming suggestions here and there. I am a beginner in watercolor and some styles that I also find beautiful don't make me feel good inside during the process instead of keeping my creativity rolling let it go and having fun from start to end. Very inspiring. Thank you. You are amazing and so talented also

Lovely Lois. It’s so true what you say. I love getting blooms in my paintings. And I’ve learned over time what I love, which is expressive art and using lots of techniques. Thanks for sharing x

Enjoyed your ramblings immensely. Love your philosophy and your work.

Thanks Lois for another highly inspiring tutorial... I love listening to you talk as you paint and show us all of your yummy techniques. I admire how you are one of the few watercolour artists that simplify, encourage and support your RU-vid watchers in improving their own skills and paintings.. some other tutorials I've watched with other channels complicate things way too much, and imply you need so much in the way of materials before you even start. So thank you for your realism and your down to earth approach to teaching and demonstrating.. you're fab !!! 🤗 xx

A favorite video and painting...thank you, Lois! 👏

Thank you Lois, absolutely love your rambles. Your words of encouragement are wonderful. I'm enjoying all the loose sea/landscapes. I've come back to watercolour and bought some huge sheets of paper, I'm not bothered if l have a disaster, "after all it's only paper" 😉 thanks again Alioban x

I’m still learning and love just trying different things. Thanks for the confirmation that it’s okay to do just that!

What a brilliant demo! You are inspired. Thank you for sharing!

Thank your dear Lois for speaking out the "main rule" in watercolorpainting :)))). I was shouting a big fat YESSSS! listening and watching your video with an even bigger smile. You are so right, there are no rules at all, there are suggestions of course, but everybody has a different stile also. It was so freeing and good hearing you here, while you created such an awesome picture. I am using white gouache for a long time in my paintings, not always but often, and colored pencils here and there too and I love gold accents in all my pictures too. And I'm still learning so much. Thank you for all your help😍💞❣

Thank you Lois,one more time .I’ve made « it is just a piece of papier » my watercolor painting mantra😊

I SO enjoyed this session in particular for the encouragement you gave so lovingly… That there really aren’t any “rules” in water colour painting…and not to feel stressed about getting it all perfect…but let it flow loosely and enjoy yourself… You are the best teacher I have watched…..you are so relaxed and gentle and soft spoken… I have learned so much from you already….. Thankyou for sharing your gift of painting…I love your style and flavours… And I love the ocean…my favourite place to be when possible…..

"Literally Felt" i was swimming as you painted 👋🌊 Spectacular👋🌊

Im glad i found this video, i was having a hard time with my art and started questioning if this was worth it but i think im being too hard on myself to the point i forgot that i want to have fun doing art. Thank you for making this video❤

I love how this turned out. It seems more difficult for me to be abstract because I am always thinking of how it "should" look. It's really hard for me to let loose but you have given me the confidence to just dive in and see what happens!

I really love your wet on wet technique. I'm a beginner and I love the idea of making use of the blending of colors, come what may. Every painting is unique. Thank you.

Fabulous painting and great advice about the most important rule. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

I love your style and your attitude of your paintings not having to conform to traditional watercolor “rules”! It makes painting with watercolor much more fun and approachable. Thank you!

This is my first video of yours I watched , instantly subscribed..which is unusual of me.. your teaching style is genuine and encouraging..

You are the most inspirational person to listen to. Thank you for conveying such positivity. You have left me feeling like I can’t wait to get started again in my journey with water colours. Your painting is beautiful.

Loved “It’s only a piece of paper.” 😂 Beautiful abstract painting!

I've just discovered your video on painting loose sea and sky and can't wait to try experiment with your technique.

It's an option. I like it! Thanks, Lois!

This is just so absolutely gorgeous!!! I can't wait to try this out...hopefully I can relax and just let it happen :) You are so encouraging and easy to listen to!! Thank you so much!!

Dear Lois, I too am a lifelong artist who has only recently delved into watercolor, and now I'm addicted. I'm retired so I have endless time to paint and I've never been happier (Shhh. Don't tell my late husband.) The most difficult part of this medium is staying transparent, I tend to overwork until it all looks like acrylic. Sigh. Love your work, and most of all your advice. Thanks, and cheers.

YOU are such an inspiration. Thank you so much for being the way you are.

I need some white in my paintings. Great wisdom. I tend to always cover up my white space also. Love no rules & experimenting while having FUN! Thx… Messy Mendy ❤️🙏🏻🖌

It was wonderful to watch how the gouache brings out the waves. Love your "no rules" approach and words of inspiration and encouragement. Beautiful painting, as always.

Hi Lois I am participating in a zoom water color class from Santa Barbara City college. This week the class was on landscape and the teacher showed us this video for our material. I am a beginner and loved this. I tried it 3 times so far and the third time did not follow the video step by step, just looked at your finished painting. I am so very happy with the results especially the third one. I thank you very much. I enjoyed it tremendously and this is the kind of painting I enjoy the most.Am glad you have so many more videos to look forward to. Marguerite

J'adore votre travail dont j'essaie de m'inspirer , merci Lois pour vos vidéos 🙏

So beautiful,!! Can’t wait to try this, I am a no rules type of person so they should be a lot of fun!

Amazing...I love this rule...makes it so much more fun approaching every painting like this...and hey, if it doesn’t work then I’ve still learned something new! Love it 😍

This was such a lovely tutorial, I’m definitely going to try this ! We are currently sailing round the uk! Been 6 weeks so far of, wind, rain & fog. Large seas & string winds. I had hoped to record our sailing by a painting journal, but with the movement of the boat it’s been very hard. Lots of photos taken. In Scotland in the pouring rain!! Thank you just love your inspirations x

I got stuck as a beginner, but what a lovely inspiration you gave. There are no rules.. I want to enjoy the process.. will try your semi abstract style. .Thanks

I loved this one!! I tried doing this one and it’s not bad! I appreciate your artful gift and your voice is lovely!!

Thanks Lois, totally awesome as always. Your style, your instruction and your attitude teaching painting is so inspirational. It always works for me 🥰

Beautiful! Just beautiful!

Me encantan tus divagaciones siempre, son parte de tu forma de pintar. Gracias por compartir, es una gran ayuda para los que de repente nos vemos atraidos por este maravilloso mundo de la acuarela.

I do enjoy watching you paint. You are very inspiring to me as I am a beginner and appreciate your tutoring and painting style

What a stunning result! Like so many people, I really struggle with painting loosely, but I will try using a much larger brush for a start. I love the effects you’ve achieved in this. Thank you for sharing

What a lovely painting, thank you for all that good advice and encouragement.

This is a great video for abstract, loose watercolor painting! I’m always working on watercolor water painting and I will try some of these techniques today. Thank you for the video!

This work is really lovely. Thank you for all the idea/information/advice, I, for one, appreciate it all very much and I take away a lot from what you say and show.