The Perfect Beginner Watercolor Exercise

Having a handy collection of exercises is the secret to breaking the ice with watercolor painting. And these uncomplicated, beginner-friendly watercolor shouldn’t be focused on creating finished artwork or hanging masterpieces on the fridge.

However, they also shouldn’t be dull or mindless, as beginners need to concentrate on mastering techniques. After all, there are numerous techniques to learn and master in order to achieve the ultimate goal of creating award-winning masterpieces. Or if that seems too ambitious, perhaps just a lovely greeting card for friends and family from time to time.

That’s why I scoured Pinterest and other websites to gather a selection of exercises that I believe perfectly capture the essence of watercolor painting. And none of them are better than the vibrant eggs!

The Perfect Watercolor Exercise for Beginners

This project encompasses everything, allowing you to practice a wide range of techniques such as wet-in-wet, utilizing the three main mixtures (tea, milk, and honey), controlling paint thickness, timing, water-to-pigment ratio, and more.

I’ve written some articles recently for learning wet-in-wet watercolor techniques, get to know the three common watercolor mixtures and what are the 5 ways to hold a watercolor brush. Check them out.

Moreover, it helps you avoid undesirable effects like cauliflowering or ballooning. It’s an excellent way to practice your brush handling skills and experiment with different brush holds as well.

I wish I had known this back in the day.

Can I just vent for a moment? When I first started my watercolor journey, it was ages ago. Okay, fine, it was over fifteen years ago. Yes, I’m ancient. Back then, there was no YouTube or social media to turn to for inspiration or guidance on getting started. It was either dive right in and figure things out on my own or hope that the library had a section on watercolor. I chose the former.

And boy, did I mess up! I made every rookie mistake in the book and even managed to come up with a few of my own. There are probably books out there warning people not to do what I did, or else they’d end up hitting rock bottom.

Instead of starting with simple exercises like the one mentioned here, I took the long and difficult path. Any practice is better than none, I suppose, but I wasted so many materials and endured months of frustration. Thankfully, I have a resilient mind and a strong work ethic, because many would have given up on painting and never looked back.

Wrap up

Let’s start with simplicity. There’s no need to ignite a global inferno right from the start. Take a deep breath and relax! Embrace these small victories that serve as valuable lessons, providing you with exactly the knowledge you require, nothing more!

Familiarize yourself with the medium, its inner workings, and all the delightful wonders of watercolors. As time progresses, you’ll find yourself seeking more complex subjects to elevate your skills. And when that challenge arises, you’ll be fully prepared, armed with a solid understanding of the fundamentals.