What is the best way to get started on the watercolor journey?
First, a little background. I took up watercolor painting in 2020 and I have had fits and starts with it. It's been a year since I painted last and I want to get back into it again, and this time I want it to be a regular habit.
I started out like most people probably do, following online tutorials. I also took a great class in color mixing. I was bouncing around from tutor to tutor, learning different styles and approaches but I knew I wasn't really developing my own style or all the skills I needed.
After listening to Oliver's videos, he warns against relying too much on tutorials and I agree. But when I try to design and paint my own painting, it's a disaster. I'm not even confident that I have the basic technical skills down yet.
I signed up for Oliver's Patreon, and I see he is working on a detailed course which is great. The first video however, is going out and sketching and painting in the field. I don't have the drawing skills and it's difficult enough when I try to paint something at my kitchen table. I can't even imagine trying to do that outdoors with a tiny palette!
I desperately want to be able to convey what I see in nature onto paper but there is still a great disconnect.
So now I'm left wondering what should I be doing to build up my skills and confidence with watercolor? If following tutorials is a bad idea, should I be doing some kind of drills? Like painting trees over and over, or skies?
Knowing what you know now, if you were a beginner today what would you do?
I too can only endorse what the others have said. I would stress that drawing skills are important, even essential, particularly if you want to paint in a representational style. Drawing, and painting are learned by practice, as are other skills, such as music, dance, sports etc. But it is also fun. By all means watch tutorials, but I would be wary of the "paint along" idea, as people fall into the trap of being able to copy tutorials but still being at a loss when they want to produce their own work. Also try to work from life, whether indoors or out, avoid working from photos in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with using photos, I use them myself, but they don't have much value helping you to learn the basics.
I hope this has been of some help, watercolour is a difficult medium, but it is also expressive and magical, and is worth working at.
Please post your work on the forum, there is a great body of generous and helpful people on here who are more than willing to help and advise.