Whenever a watercolour beginner asks me how they cannot blend the colours well, my first advice is: Get a good piece of paper!
But they all responded: “Nah, I’m just trying! I’ll get good papers when I get better.”
I cannot blame them for refusing that advice because I was in that spot!
A good piece or pad of watercolour paper is expensive. As my best friend said, “feel like flushing down 20$” if we mess up the painting. I understand that feeling very, very well. However, even with a seasoned artist, she could not nail every painting fantastically. There are always chances of dumping a few bucks down the toilet.
However, in many cases, the issue does not lie in your techniques or talents; you simply chose the wrong paper.
I will first explain what differences between excellent and ugly papers.
A good paper contains a percentage of cotton ranging from 25% to 100%; the higher, the better absorbance. Higher absorbing capacity will help water and colour layers sink into the paper better. Colour layers will stay where they are; the underneath layers can show through to create a glowing effect, which is the beauty of the watercolour painting.
In contrast, an ugly piece of paper contains wool pulps, which prevent water and colour from penetrating deep into it. This means layers of different colours will stay on the surface and thus be easy to be moved and smudge around. Many newbies, including me, struggle to blend and glaze colours on ugly papers.
Painting on an ugly piece of paper is frustrated. You can try once or twice, then quickly give up because you might think you are talentless or watercolour painting is not for you. The real issue lies in the paper.
Give yourself a chance to discover your new talent with a good piece of paper.
BunnyForever 