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melukilan In reply to greenion12 [2008-03-27 00:32:17 +0000 UTC]

Yes!
First tip: try it on cheap all-purpose paper with a nasty plastic brush first. Then use real watercolor paper and hair brushes. Then, however frustrated you get with the good materials, it will still seem easy compared to trying to get good results out of bad paper.
Second tip: take a piece of scrap paper - SEVERAL pieces of scrap paper, if you can afford it - and just try every combination of water and paint that you can think of; water first, paint and water together, pouring, masking, heavily loaded brush on dry paper, heavily loaded brush on damp paper, lightly loaded brush on damp paper, tip of the brush, layers of color along the brush, running a damp brush over color you've already put down, pressing something hard into the paper before and after laying paint down, dropping water or salt onto paint that's half dry... anything, just so you know what the paint will do if you try something. You can't control watercolor, really, but you can predict it.
Third tip: Keep your paint on the palette moist. Your colors will be much more intense if you put a few drops of water on dried paint and let it soak in before you try to stir it onto your brush. Some artists will only use paint fresh out of the tube, but I think rehydrating it works pretty well.
Fourth tip: If you're not getting something, play on scrap for a bit, or just leave it for a few weeks. When you come back, your brain will probably have absorbed the concept and you'll find it a lot easier. And remember: paper is there to paint on. Don't feel bad about wasting some, or feel that your pictures aren't 'good enough' for real watercolor paper. You get better by practice, and if you practice on bad materials, you'll adapt your painting technique to them, and have to learn everything over again when you finally decide to get real art supplies.

That's what I've learned so far, at least!

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