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Shortcuts to Learning to Paint: What are they?

What skills do you think were most essential?
Before a skill can be fully developed, there must be interest. So the first question might be, “am I interested in watercolor as means of expression in art-making? It’s essential to start with your interest, in this case, painting with watercolor, so that you’ll be less likely to quit when the thing you are learning feels hard. Because learning something new is challenging (whether you are interested in it or not), an interest followed leads to an aptitude developed. Aptitude (or talent) developed builds to competency, and competency boosts self-confidence.

Art Classes Art Collectors Art Instructor Artist Colorado Springs Fine Art Galleries Jana L Bussanich Artist Watercolor
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Be and Do You

Thank you for reading my words. Please share your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to stay in conversation with you about these things. To not express creativity is the practice of self-annihilation, which leads to death as we systematically make ourselves...

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Palette Planning Guide and Other Materials

Here are my top recommendations.  Go to page 9 in my book to the Palette Planning Guide  Read through the various triad combinations and select the one that you like best or that seems to resonate with you (your paintings, your way!) Return to pages 7-8 and...

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Everything I Wished I'd Known When I Started Painting with Watercolor

I wrote this book - Watercolor Technique and Color Theory Essentials - to fast-track your understanding of watercolor and its unique qualities. 

I set a new goal [in 2008] of learning to paint with watercolor. As soon as I told myself I would do this, my next thought was, "But you're too old - 45 years too old." You've missed your chance, and you have no formal training". This was followed by an absolute miracle of a thought "wait a minute – the next five years will pass whether you do this or not. Why not find out what's possible?" 

Art Classes Art Instructor Artist Jana L Bussanich Artist Watercolor
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Yellow Couch Conversations about Contour and Drawing on the Picture Plane

Why practice contour drawing: Working simple allows us to focus on hand-eye coordination without becoming distracting things like shading or other details that make it difficult to practice. The Yellow Couch Classroom is an online learning community for those interested in exploring painting in watercolor with Jana L. Bussanich Art. We provide high-quality art instruction by qualified instructors and coaches.
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Yes, and

We are always moving between our natural, instinctual marks that tell the world, "this is me" - this is my unique way of saying this and analyzing.  We need to practice moving in and out of analysis - or stepping back to ask better questions about our process to improve the result.
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