5 Things for the Watercolor Beginner

I'm self-taught. That means a lot of trial and error, a lot of wasted paper, and a lot of moments where I thought the problem was me — when really it was just the wrong tool for the job.

Here's what I'd tell someone starting out today.

Start with whatever paint set you have, but know that cheap sets will fight you. Pan sets are fine to begin with. Tube paints are worth exploring once you're ready to invest a little more.

Paper matters more than most beginners realize. I tested 11 brands and even the cheapest ones outperform standard student-grade pads.

For brushes, just get one large and one small. Start with the large one. It'll teach you more and faster.

Learn three brushstrokes: dry on dry, wet on dry, and wet on wet. Everything else builds from those.

Keep your workspace clean. Rinse your brush when changing colors, change your water before it goes brown, and never leave brushes sitting tip-down in water.

Watch the video for the bonus 6th tip!