Watercolor painting by
Raina Mcmahan
Raina Mcmahan's watercolor learning experience:
I didn’t know very much about watercolor before I signed up for this class. All I knew was that water was used, and paint was used with that water. Perhaps I just thought of it as a messier acrylic, something that got you and the paper wet, and the water flowed with the paint wherever it pleased, losing all your control in the painting process.
Since starting this class, I see that losing control of your brush was some misconception I had about watercolor. It is just a different medium, and therefore has different methods. The water is a bit intimidating at first, as if you are not used to it the water will flow all over your page, taking your finely drawn lines right along with it. It is as if the finely painted line is your dam and the water is the river, the water breaks right through that dam and takes all your hard work with it down river. I know once I get more familiar with the water and the paint together, it will be less intimidating and become second nature.
Even though I still know very little about watercolor, every class I become more familiar with it. Every painting I do in class and out of class, I feel less intimidated and am learning the feel of the brush to the wet paper. Watercolor seems less scary already, and more enjoyable, and this is just in 3 weeks.
