Member-only story
How to Create Better Art
And What it Teaches Us about Life
The image above is one of my first paintings. I started painting after I got cancer. Mainly watercolors, though sometimes I play with India inks or charcoal. The painting above is a watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper.
Over time, I’ve learned a few things about creating art. Some of these things apply to life as well.
Quality over Quantity
In order to create beautiful art, start with high quality materials. Now, not everything needs to be the best. One of my favorite brushes is a fairly inexpensive one I bought at a local crafts store, and I often do water washes with cheap hake brushes. However, I do not compromise on my watercolor paper, or my paints. And I do have a couple of expensive brushes that I use for particular effects. As with anything, it takes time to figure out where it makes sense to spend the money, and where you can compromise.
My tip, if you want to create beautiful watercolors — spend the money on the highest quality paper you can afford. I use Arches, but there are other decent brands out there. You will find there really is a difference with the good stuff. It will not turn into a soggy, warped mess when you do washes, it will allow you to lift paint if you need to and it will provide a more luminous…
