Watercolors are intimidating to many yet are one of the easiest mediums to work with once you understand the basics. There are many books and magazines available yet none of these compare to actually using and playing' with the paints themselves. Your best teacher is yourself and your ability to experiment. But where to start?

Art supplies can be expensive and many beginner artists are afraid to spend too much money in case they find they do not like the medium they've chosen.

What I recommend is to save your pennies and begin with a simple inexpensive Crayola kit for kids found in any grocery or dollar store nearby. Of course once you become comfortable with the medium you really should invest in higher quality paints but this will get you started and you don't have to worry about wasting' the paint during your trial and error period.

Next, brushes. You will find some inexpensive brushes at your local arts and craft store. I am fond of Windsor Newton brushes myself but ask someone who is working there to help you choose the right one.

Paper can be bought in either hot or cold pressed. The effects of the paint and your techniques for painting will change drastically depending on what you choose. Staring at the varieties can be daunting and you don't want to skimp on the price here. To start, I recommend buying a tablet of cold press. My recommendation for a beginner's tablet is Strathmore cold press 140 lb. paper.

Now that you have your supplies, it's time to set up your work station. This will vary over time as you add new techniques and gain more confidence. For starters though, all that is necessary are two containers for water (I use old jelly jars). One is to be kept as clean as possible since this is the water jar for mixing your paints. The other is for cleaning your brushes. I also recommend having a roll of paper towels nearby and an old T-Shirt (used for quick drying your brushes of excess water). The paper towels can used for blotting up excess water from your painting and also creating interesting effects. Some recommend having a water bottle handy as well for keeping your paper wet at al times but this varies depending on your painting method. I work on dry paper and wet areas in use only. Always remember, there is no right or wrong way to paint. Experiment! You will surprise yourself.

Once you have played' with your paints and discover different ways to use them it is time to try out your first official painting.

Preparing your surface:

This is where it varies. Some artists recommend taping your paper to a sturdy board and wetting the entire surface to size' the paper. Personally I have never found this useful but again, everyone is different. Using the 140 lb. paper prevents excessive buckling and I have never had to tape my paper down to a board (NOTE: every paper is different and reacts to water differently (againexperiment and get to know your materials)).

Sketch your design on a different sheet of paper. Once you are certain of all elements then transfer your drawing to the watercolor paper. It is important that you limit the amount of erasing you do on the watercolor paper. Excessive erasing changes the paper's quality and your painting will not turn out as you expected!

The most important lesson you can learn is to not be afraid to experiment. Watercolors are exciting and fun. Once you gain confidence try using different papers, brushes and even try using them on canvas. Once wet you can add salt, strings, dishwasher soap, etc to the paints to gain different effects. The only limits are those you hold to them. Have fun and play!

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Brinkle.
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