Are you interested in starting watercolor painting as a hobby, but don’t know where to start?
Watercoloring can be a bit overwhelming when you’re a beginner — there are so many different supplies, techniques to learn, and pictures to choose from. You want to take watercolor seriously, so you’ve thought about joining a watercolor class. You’ve done a quick Google search and have found quite a few courses offered online, but you’re unsure if you will receive the same experience if you were to do an in-person class.
After teaching watercolor online for several years, I promise you can learn virtually. In fact, there are so many great reasons why you should take a beginner's course online. I would love to share a few with you!
Reasons why taking a watercolor course is the best way to start:
YouTube and Skillshare are NOISY
You might have heard that YouTube and Skillshare are the best platforms for tutorial courses on painting. They are good resources when it comes to having plenty of videos to choose from, but it’s not always the greatest option.
They both can be hard to navigate. Too many options make the process overwhelming, information is hard to find, feeling unsure where to start, and so on.
By taking a watercolor course for beginners online with an actual instructor, you aren’t just watching a bunch of videos about techniques. Instead, your instructor walks you through a step-by-step, structured, and interactive approach that every beginner should know! Which in the long run, helps you master techniques faster and save time on learning the essentials.
Tutorials don't always explain everything
There’s nothing wrong with learning how to paint by watching YouTube videos, but they’re random and all over the place. There’s no structure, no assignments given to practice, no interaction with an instructor, and not everything is fully explained. Not to mention the pesky ads that cut right into the middle of your tutorial and ruin your momentum.
You get to save money by learning about the tools you do and don't need
Even when we are excited about a new hobby, sometimes we’re hesitant about whether it will work out or not. So what do we do? We either go overboard with tools we don’t really need or the opposite, we go the cheap route. In both cases, we’re probably left with several supplies that remain untouched in our toolboxes. Why? Because they don’t support where you are in your painting journey right now — not to mention they become a nightmare to paint with since they aren’t high quality.
With an online watercolor course, you will learn about the tools you really do need. As a result, you won’t need to spend an excessive amount of supplies when you’re first starting out. And you’re starting on the right foot.
Some teachers will provide a list of supplies you will need throughout the course, and since it’s at your own pace, you can buy the tools whenever you’re ready for them!
In-person teachers don't always have time to review your artwork
Perhaps you’re thinking that online watercolor course instructors don’t offer any feedback or input, but that’s not true! Oftentimes, online instructors provide just as much input as an in-person teacher does, maybe even more.
In-person teachers are physically present, but when there’s a classroom full of students, it’s hard to ask questions and receive the attention you need on your artwork.
Whereas an online teacher can allocate and dedicate some time to your needs and answer all of your questions! You can submit your artwork via email or schedule to chat — needless to say, an online teacher can be there for you too.
And unlike an in-person class, you can rewatch classes over and over again! It’s easy to miss some important information when you’re trying to pay attention to an instructor and paint at the same time. But having a recording encourages you to look back on the material as often as you need!
You get support from a community
You don’t have to worry about missing out on events or not having a community of artists to network with. Most watercolor online classes offer a community through Facebook, Slack, GroupMe, or other online platforms. You can ask questions and you’ll receive answers from other students locally or in different parts of the world. You’re never alone in your watercolor painting journey!
You learn quicker from the comfort of your home
You don’t have to get ready and rush out the door to attend a class because you’ll be able to do it right from your home! You also get to do it at your own pace. You can take as long as you need to complete the curriculum, or go as fast as you want! Location and time are not an issue.
Better yet, you’ll stop the cycle of just YouTube videos and finally get to actual painting! I find that a lot of my students just starting out are “well-watched but hardly practiced” watercolor painters. They often buy watercolor supplies but rarely touch them.
By joining a course, you’ll intentionally put effort towards your hobby, get paint to paper, and start taking it more seriously.
Reasons why an online watercolor course wouldn’t be a right fit:
You’re not attending class in a brick-and-mortar building
For some people, attending class in a physical building is important. But, as technology advances and more courses are becoming available online, it’s becoming easier to receive a similar experience online as you would if you were to attend a course in-person. Of course, some people prefer to attend a class in person, and that’s perfectly okay! However, taking a watercolor course online does not limit your ability to learn.
In all honesty, there’s hardly any reason why you shouldn’t take a watercolor course for beginners online. The pros outweigh the cons and you’ll get so many opportunities and grow as an artist.
If you’re interested in starting on your journey as a Watercolor Artist, then you should join my Roadmap to Watercolor Beginners Course. This is the perfect course for a beginner who wants to learn foundational watercolor techniques and gain creative control.
You will receive:
- Lifetime access to the complete Roadmap to Watercolor curriculum
- In-depth PDF resources to help you along the way
- And access to a private support group that will dive in to answer your questions
Click here to join today! This class is available whenever, wherever, all year long!
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts about watercolor courses online.