How to start painting watercolors

Often the hardest part is taking the first step - especially in a completely new field, where we don't yet know how many nuances it holds or how easily we can get discouraged by our first failed attempts.

There are several ways to start learning watercolor. Not every method works for everyone, but I can share the ones that worked for me and my students.

One of the most obvious ways is to join a course or workshop. It doesn't have to be mine - but in general, the instructor has experience and can show the basic principles that make the start much easier. Sometimes a small thing, like how you hold the brush or a slight tilt of the paper, can solve problems you've been struggling with for weeks.

In my case, I discovered many of these "simple" things on my own over months and sometimes years, making a lot of mistakes along the way. Today I can pass them on in a single class and realistically shorten someone's learning curve.

Another way is self-learning through copying other artists' work. This is a more demanding and time-consuming method, but for many people it feels natural. When something truly fascinates us, it's easier to accept early failures.

Copying masters is a method known for centuries - art students used to learn their craft this way. Today it's even easier: the internet is full of watercolor artists sharing their work, process, and tutorials step by step.

Many people want to skip these two approaches and start painting “their own way” right away. There is often a fear of copying and a strong desire to quickly develop a personal style and original work.

In practice, however, this is the most difficult path. With a demanding technique like watercolor, it can easily lead to frustration and, eventually, giving up. It's not that this approach is wrong, but it slows down progress at the beginning.

Personally, I believe the best approach is a mix of all of them. It helps to learn from experienced artists in workshops or courses, where you can quickly understand the basics and avoid common mistakes. At the same time, it's important to work on your own - copying selected works, looking for inspiration, and studying how others solve problems.

Over time, the natural next step is to move on to your own compositions and gradually experiment with your personal style. This does require consistency and regular practice. As Pablo Picasso said: "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working".

The most important thing, however, is to enjoy it - because that's what decides whether you'll keep going.

Rafał