In the world of art, no medium stirs both admiration and fear quite like watercolor.
It’s gorgeous—fluid colors, dreamy transitions, ethereal textures—but also notoriously hard to control. For many intermediate artists, watercolor feels like a puzzle with too many unpredictable variables: the water, the paper, the pigment, the timing.
So what keeps us coming back?
In this article, we explore the creative paradox of watercolor: how its uncontrollable nature might actually be its greatest gift. If you're an artist, designer, or creative thinker based in Toronto, and you've ever felt a push-pull relationship with watercolor, this piece is for you.
Watercolor: The Medium of Possibility, Not Perfection
Watercolor is often misrepresented as a “technique-driven” medium. Think endless washes, perfect gradients, detailed botanical studies. And yes, it can be those things—but that’s only half the story.
At its core, watercolor is not a test of precision. It’s an invitation to collaborate with chance.
Unlike oil or acrylic, which wait for your command, watercolor flows. It seeps, blends, blooms—often in ways you didn’t plan. And while that can be frustrating, it’s also what makes it alive. It's the only medium where the unexpected becomes part of the aesthetic.
Once you stop fighting it, watercolor becomes less about “mastery” and more about responsiveness. You begin to paint with water, not just on top of it.
The Real Skills Behind Expressive Watercolor
So if not technique, then what should intermediate artists focus on when diving deeper into watercolor? Here are a few underappreciated (but crucial) skills:
1. Sensitivity to Flow
Learning to observe how pigment behaves on different types of paper or in varying levels of wetness is more important than memorizing “tricks.”
2. Patience with Layers
Letting one layer dry before adding another isn’t just practical—it opens up an entire world of transparency and depth.
3. Embracing Negative Space
In watercolor, sometimes what you don’t paint is just as powerful. Mastering light and shadow begins with learning to “leave things out.”
4. Willingness to Experiment
Whether it’s combining watercolor with colored pencil, ink, or even gold foil, mixed media techniques allow for richer, more expressive storytelling.
These aren't just aesthetic choices—they’re mindset shifts. And they’re especially valuable for creatives working in illustration, animation, fashion design, or visual storytelling.
Why Intermediate Artists Should Revisit Watercolor
If you’ve already dabbled in watercolor and left it behind, you’re not alone. Many beginners get discouraged by the lack of “control.” But here’s the thing: control was never the goal.
For those with some drawing or painting experience, returning to watercolor at a later stage can be transformative. You now have the visual language to guide composition, shape, and tone. Watercolor can give your ideas emotion, light, and spontaneity.
Especially in today’s world of digital perfection and AI-generated visuals, the raw, analog unpredictability of watercolor stands out more than ever.
Where to Explore This Further (If You're in Toronto)
For artists based in Toronto, there are a few places offering workshops that reflect this approach to watercolor—focusing not just on technique, but on creative process and expression.
One such offering is a 6-session expressive watercolor course in North York, built around experimentation, layering, and mixed media play. With topics like:
-
Layering light and shadow with transparency
- Color fusion and atmospheric blending
- Masking techniques and gold leaf integration
- Tactile texture through water flow control
…it’s designed for people who already know how to hold a brush, but want to explore what else water can say.
(Details at lovefunart.ca – scroll to “Advanced Watercolor” under creative workshops.)
Materials You'll Need
- Cold-pressed watercolor paper (for texture and absorbency)
- Hot-pressed watercolor paper (for finer details and smooth washes)
- Watercolor paints – a diverse palette is recommended (24+ colors)
- Brushes in various sizes – including round, flat, and detail brushes
- Masking fluid – to reserve white space and experiment with layering
- White gel pen or highlight marker – for adding finishing touches and highlights
- Fluorescent watercolor pigments – for bold, creative expression
- Gold foil and foil adhesive – to introduce metallic elements and mixed media depth
All materials are used in-class during specific exercises and final projects. Don’t worry if you’re missing a few items—your instructor will offer recommendations for local art stores in Toronto where you can stock up.
Let Watercolor Lead the Way
Watercolor doesn’t thrive on control—it thrives on curiosity.
For artists navigating the middle ground between technique and expression, watercolor is not a test of discipline but an invitation to be present. It teaches you to listen: to the paper, to the pigment, to the unpredictable beauty of process itself.
In a world that prizes perfection and speed, watercolor asks something rare—it asks you to slow down, let go, and trust. What begins as a mess of water and color often ends as something unexpectedly true.
Whether you’re picking up the brush after a break or looking to deepen your creative practice, now is the perfect time to return to watercolor—not to master it, but to move with it.
To register for the expressive watercolor course:
- Online: Visit www.lovefunart.ca and select the Advanced Watercolor course. Payment can be made by credit/debit cards.
- E-Transfer: Send to LoveFunART01@gmail.com with the security answer “1234” or “123456”. In the message, include your full name, preferred class time, and email. Don’t forget to add 13% HST (Ontario tax).
Courses are held at two North York locations on weekends. Each session is 2.5 hours and runs weekly across 6 sessions.