Watercolor has a reputation for being a loose and forgiving media, but in truth, it requires a certain perspective, decision-making, and commitment. There is no going back to “fix” a mistake the way you can with other media, so right from the get-go, you have to pay attention to your brushstrokes. There are too many variables (water, pigment, paper, etc.) that are beyond your control, so you have to learn to anticipate. I think of watercolor as a conversation with your materials rather than a wrestling match, so it’s a matter of cultivating your perception rather than your technical skills.
When you first begin, you focus on the tools of the trade: your brushes, pigments, paper, and water. All these things are important, but they are the tip of the iceberg. The invisible iceberg is time management, patience, and observation. You need to learn when to slow down and wait, and when less is more. Watercolor is a media that rewards patience and rewards those who learn to slow down and observe.
The longer you practice, the less “mistakes” will throw you. A bloom, a hard edge, a too-light passage will tell you something about how wet your paper was, how hard you pressed, or the order in which you applied your pigments. Rather than trying to fix them, you will learn to incorporate them into your painting. This is when your focus will begin to shift from trying to control your painting to responsiveness. You will be less concerned with reproducing an image in your mind’s eye and more concerned with working honestly with what is happening on your paper.
Consistency is an important factor here. If you only work in short bursts every now and again, you will get frustrated with your mistakes. If you commit to a consistent practice, however, you will get used to the uncertainty of watercolor. With time, your hand will grow steady, your eye more discerning, and your decision-making more assured. You will begin to feel more in control of your media, not because you are dominating it, but because you are learning to work with it. This won’t mean you won’t have surprises, but you will have the confidence to handle them.
Finally, mastering watercolor will change you in ways beyond your technical mastery of the media. You will begin to approach problem-solving and decision-making differently in your other creative pursuits, and perhaps even in your career. You will learn to observe before you act, to let go when you can only control so much, and to mine your “mistakes” for gold. Cultivating these habits will help you in all areas of your life, so approach watercolor with patience, seriousness, and dedication, and you will find it rewards you with a new way of seeing the world.