The Art of Letting Go!
The Art of Letting Go
Content Overview:
- Embracing Imperfection: Happy accidents, with rebellious chaos.
- Enjoy the Ride: Even when you think it’s wrong it’s likely that it isn’t and you can turn it into something.
- Don’t Get Bogged Down in the Small Stuff: Less is more.
- Set the timer! It’s time for a 5 minute creation!
The Art of Letting Go: How to Embrace Imperfection in Watercolour
Welcome back to the wonderfully unpredictable world of watercolour! If you’ve been following along so far, you’ve probably already had a few “happy accidents” with your blobs, splatters, and experimental brushstrokes. Today, we’re diving into the most important lesson you’ll ever learn as a watercolour artist: embracing imperfection.
In a world obsessed with flawless selfies and perfectly styled lives, we’re flipping the script. Watercolour is the ultimate rebel—it thrives on chaos, randomness, and those moments where things don’t go according to plan. And guess what? That’s what makes it magical.
Why Perfection is Overrated (Especially in Watercolour)
Let’s get one thing straight: there’s no such thing as a “perfect” watercolour painting. In fact, the very nature of watercolour means that you’re never fully in control. And that’s okay! The magic of watercolour lies in its unpredictability and the way the paint flows. Watercolour blends and dries in ways you couldn’t have planned if you tried.
Think of it like this: watercolour is a dance between you and the paint. Sometimes you lead, and sometimes the paint takes over and spins you around in ways you didn’t expect. The trick is learning to enjoy the ride instead of fighting it.
When Your Painting Goes Wrong (Spoiler: It Hasn’t)
We’ve all been there. You’re halfway through a painting and suddenly your colours start bleeding into each other, or a stray drip lands smack in the middle of what was supposed to be a crisp, clean area. Your first instinct? Panic. But here’s the thing: there’s no such thing as a mistake in watercolour. There are only opportunities.
- Colour bled into the wrong area? Congratulations, you’ve just created a natural gradient.
- Too much water turned your painting into a puddle? That’s called texture, my friend.
- A rogue splatter messed up your composition? Turn it into a starry sky or a cluster of wildflowers. Or just let it be.
In watercolour the trick is to adapt. It’s like life: you can’t control everything, so you might as well go with the flow (pun intended).
The Beauty of Suggestive and Impressionistic Art
If you’ve been feeling frustrated by not getting the exact image you had in your head onto paper, it’s time to switch gears. Enter suggestive and impressionistic painting. These are two styles that are all about giving the idea of something rather than capturing it in hyper-realistic detail.
Suggestive painting means you’re only hinting at an object or scene. Maybe it’s just a wash of colour that evokes the feeling of a landscape or a few dabs of paint that suggest the form of a flower. Impressionistic painting takes this further by focusing on the overall impression rather than the fine details.
Why is this great for beginners (and lazy artists like us)? Because you don’t have to get bogged down in the tiny stuff. A few strokes of colour can suggest an entire scene. Less is more. In fact, sometimes less is a lot more!
Quick Exercise: Abstract Landscapes in 5 Minutes
Here’s a fun challenge to help you embrace the abstract and let go of perfection. We’re going to create a landscape in just 5 minutes. Yes, you read that right—5 minutes. The goal here is not to paint something realistic or detailed but to capture the feeling of the landscape with broad strokes and bold colour choices.
What you’ll need:
- Your favourite watercolour paints (keep it simple—2 or 3 colours)
- A brush (medium or large size)
- Watercolour paper
How to do it:
- Set a timer for 5 minutes. (This is key! We’re all about quick, bold moves here.)
- Pick a colour and paint a loose wash for the sky. Don’t worry about exact shades, just go for whatever feels right.
- While the sky is still wet, choose a contrasting colour and paint the land. Let the colours bleed into each other at the horizon as this adds that dreamy, suggestive quality.
- Add a few quick strokes for trees, mountains, or water or whatever you’re feeling. Remember, this is about suggestion, not detail.
- Stop when the timer goes off, no matter what.
Voila! You’ve just created an abstract landscape that captures the mood of a scene without stressing about the details. How liberating was that?
Learn to Love the Drips and Splatters
Watercolour is messy. It drips, it splatters, and sometimes it behaves like a toddler who’s had too much sugar. But instead of seeing this as a flaw, learn to embrace it. Those unexpected marks add character and energy to your painting. In fact, a well-placed splatter or drip can be the difference between a painting that feels stiff and one that feels alive.
How to embrace the mess:
- Encourage drips. Turn your paper vertically and let the water run. Watch how the colours streak and mix. It’s like a spontaneous collaboration between you and gravity.
- Flick your brush. Load up your brush with paint and give it a good flick. This creates random, unpredictable splatters that add texture and movement to your painting.
- Don’t overthink it. One of the biggest mistakes beginner artists make is trying to control every tiny detail. Watercolour will never let you do that, so lean into the chaos instead of fighting it.
Letting Go of Expectations
A lot of beginners (and even seasoned artists) struggle with the gap between what they want to paint and what actually shows up on the paper. The key to watercolour (and life, really) is learning to let go of those expectations. If you approach every painting with the mindset that it needs to look a certain way, you’ll just end up frustrated.
Instead, approach each painting as an experiment. What happens if you use too much water? What happens if your colours mix in unexpected ways? What if that brushstroke doesn’t land exactly where you wanted it to? The answers to these questions often lead to the most interesting and creative results.
Your Art Is Unique—Embrace That!
Here’s a little secret: no one else can paint like you. Not even the “perfect” artists you see on Instagram. Watercolour is an incredibly personal medium, and how you use it—whether it’s with delicate precision or wild abandon—reflects you. So instead of trying to replicate someone else’s style, focus on discovering your own voice.
Some of the most celebrated watercolour artists are known not for their technical skill, but for the way they capture emotion, energy, and atmosphere. That’s where the real magic happens—not in the details, but in the feeling behind the painting.
Make an Impression!
Now try making an impression of a landscape. Use your imagination. Or use a reference photo but dismiss the detail. You can already paint a rainy or grainy sky. You can add a horizon / land below. Keep it simple. Broad strokes. The blobs you practised in the beginning? They can be trees or people or any manner of suggestive shapes! Add a splatter or a drip - I dare you! Let the viewer decide.
Final Thoughts: Paint Like No One’s Watching
The ultimate goal in watercolour (and maybe in life, too) is to paint like no one’s watching. Let go of the pressure to make something “good” or “correct.” Embrace the imperfections, the drips, the splatters, and the happy accidents. You’ll not only enjoy the process a lot more, but you’ll also end up with paintings that feel more alive.
So go ahead, make a mess, let your colours bleed together, and see where the water takes you. After all, the journey is always more exciting than the destination. Don’t forget to tag me in your suggestive and impressionistic landscapes!
If you’re enjoying this journey into the wild world of watercolour, be sure to check out my gallery here at Jules Smith Art. There, you can browse my own abstract and impressionistic pieces which are all about embracing the unexpected. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @julessmithshots for more watercolour inspiration.
Happy painting, and remember: the messier, the better! 🎨
See me next week on how to erase the pain(t) and lift off into the light!