How to Take More Risks in Watercolor (Stop Painting So Safe)
Painting too safe? Paint one object several times, change the color, size, and detail, and let your watercolor surprise you. Plus a Savannah dinner story.
If your watercolors always feel a little too safe, this one’s for you. Here’s how I use a simple subject to try new things, plus a dinner story from Savannah that taught me the same lesson.
Paint the same object over and over
For this one, I grabbed an old pipe wrench from the garage and painted it several times. Each time I changed:
- The size
- The color
- The brushwork
- The amount of detail
That’s the whole exercise. No pressure, just a simple subject and a willingness to change things up. If you want more on this idea, see watercolor experiments for beginners and the wet-on-wet bananas progression.
Want to Paint Loose Watercolors, Slacker? Learn the fundamentals, ditch perfection, and develop your own expressive style.
Story time: the Savannah dinner
Years ago, my family and I were passing through Savannah after six or seven hours of travel. I dropped everyone at the hotel, parked several blocks away, and walked back looking at restaurants.
I passed a quirky spot with an odd menu: peanut butter and jelly chicken wings, chicken and waffles, cheese steak egg rolls, waffle fries served like nachos, and a grilled apple pie and chicken sandwich.
Interesting, but we had three tired kids, and two were picky eaters. No way I could sell it. So I kept walking.
About three stores later, something made me stop. I turned around, walked back, and grabbed the menu.
Nobody was convinced. Peanut butter and jelly chicken wings? But we were on vacation and tired of the same old stuff, so we took the gamble. It turned into one of the best meals of the whole trip. Everybody found something they liked, and we walked around Savannah afterward and had a great time.
None of it would have happened if I hadn’t stopped, reconsidered, and walked back.
Painting is like that, too
You try an unusual subject. You change the colors. You let the paint bleed more. You make a few marks you’re not sure about, and sometimes you wonder if you’ve gone too far.
Sure, the experiment may bomb. But other times something clicks, and you find an approach you’d never have found by always choosing the safest option.
So maybe this pipe wrench progression can be your Savannah moment. Take another look, try something different, and let the watercolor surprise you.
For more, see 10 tips for painting loose.
Learn Structure. Paint Loose.
Construct. Deconstruct. Explore. Repeat.
Taking risks in watercolor FAQ
Why does my watercolor feel too safe?
You’re probably trying to make a finished painting every time. Try experimenting instead.
What should I paint for this exercise?
Any simple object nearby, like a tool, a bottle, or a mug.
What if the experiment fails?
Then it’s a reject, and that’s fine. Rejects teach you something and make great collage material.
How many times should I paint the same object?
Three to five is a good start. Change one thing each time.
