Learning to Be a Beginner Again: A Non-Artist’s Journey Getting Into Watercolor Art

My Beginner Watercolor Painting Experience: Successes, Struggles, and Surprises 

To avoid putting too much pressure on myself for something that is supposed to be fun, I set aside 30–45 minutes a day for a week to take things slow.

If that feels like too much, you can try giving yourself just 5 to 15 minutes, or simply the length of the tutorial, to follow along and get something on the page. I painted 5/7 days this week and really surprised myself.

I’m the kind of person who takes months to decide where to put a single sticker and has to research something to death before buying it, the commitment always feels too big.

So even though the workbook is meant for practicing your watercolor skills with the tutorials provided, I felt better easing into them by figuring out what I was doing and how to paint again (yes… how to paint. I wasn’t entirely sure if there was a certain way to Do The Thing and paint, but it’s really just like holding a pencil).

I followed one of her YouTube tutorials on a random piece of cardstock first, just to get a feel for things before touching the “real” pages. I picked the Paint Mini Plants – Easy and Fun Pen and Watercolor Art Tutorial, and it ended up being the perfect warm up (and I got to recreate my own plants).

Not everyone wants a full workbook right away and that’s totally okay. If you prefer to start small, you can choose a single Paint-Me page with a guided video lesson and see how it feels.

Going in, I adopted a “just have fun” attitude with a “this probably won’t turn out how I want” mindset, but that turned out to be exactly what I needed for my watercolor experience. 

Sure, I made mistakes, but most of the time, those “errors” and imperfections added something unexpected and beautiful to the pieces. Halfway through each painting, I would step back and feel unsure about how it was looking.

It wasn’t until I had finished, or sometimes after the page had fully dried, that I thought, “Huh that actually looks like it 'should'" even when it didn't look like the example.

I learned to embrace the balance between where I placed the paint and where it decided to dry on its own. I also discovered a surprising amount of joy in adding little details, even when I didn’t think my skills could allow for any kind of accuracy.

The inherent messiness of watercolor, the layers and varying saturation create beautiful swirls and gradients, and the uneven lines and tiny color bleeds add character instead of feeling like mistakes. And then the best part:

You remember that you painted it. That moment of stepping back and admiring your own finished piece is definitely a good feeling of accomplishment.

Overall, even though it sometimes felt unfamiliar or frustrating I found myself thinking about it throughout the day and looking forward to it. I even forgot to make dinner once and went right to painting!

Some days this week I wasn’t feeling up to it, I was tired, exhausted from a long day, or had other things to do, and that was okay! I didn’t force it.

A new hobby isn’t supposed to feel like a chore, a task to conquer, or a commitment with negative consequences. In fact, the only consequence of skipping it appeared to be one less fun thing to look forward to, which is simply just less fun.

There were times I really wanted to paint but just couldn’t, you know? I watched Alyssa’s beginner YouTube videos on techniques and watercolor tips which made me excited to try again the next day.

Another night, low on energy and confidence, I binged her tutorials, and oh boy, she’s got mountains, windows, trees, flowers, penguins, even a flamingo floatie! I came away full of inspiration and freestyle techniques I felt confident to try.

Using her Youtube videos alongside the workbooks was a game changer.

Her YouTube channel offers free beginner-friendly watercolor tutorials, covering whimsical projects, landscapes, seasonal cards, fundamentals, mixing, fixing mistakes, and composition. With Alyssa’s guidance, watercolor is accessible, fun, and doable for anyone ready to try a new creative hobby.

TIP: Sometimes it’s hard to get excited about something new, especially when you don’t feel “good at it.” I often paired my watercolor time with a cup of hot chocolate, and a grabby snack like pretzels or grapes, or sometimes a little self-care to make it feel extra cozy.

The workbooks are working!

What I love best about Alyssa’s watercolor workbook tutorials specifically is that they’re short enough to follow without feeling overwhelmed, and each workbook has a fun theme with very approachable subjects rather than starting with a detailed still life scene or a full sunset landscape.

Basically, she gives you a huge variety of no pressure tutorials designed for real beginners. It feels like learning from someone who genuinely remembers what it is like to start fresh, and that makes starting watercolor as a hobby incredibly easy to stick with.

The workbooks really take it up a huge notch. They have information about color theory, materials, and a gentle introduction to watercolor basics. Each page includes step by step instructions that pair with a QR code video, plus a colored example so you can see the final result.

The pre-drawn line makes a huge difference for beginners: you don’t have to worry about how to start or draw a design, plus you have the already-painted example sketch to compare to.

I also like that you don’t need to worry about following the tutorial exactly. Thankfully, Alyssa takes things slow and explains as she goes, but I did find myself pausing here and there when trying a new subject or just wanting to take extra time, because it felt better to do it that way.

With markers and coloring books, I enjoy going back and forth to fill each little spot and perfect every line to see the satisfying finished product. Instead with watercolor, taking the time to wet the brush and saturate parts of the painting literally feels like thinking with your hands, I didn't find myself upset when I messed up or went outside the lines unlike with coloring books

(Unless coloring books are more your style, there's something for you too).

Honestly, I didn’t realize how relaxing and playful it would be. Using a brush takes a little practice, but you end up handling it differently for different parts of the drawing and going with the flow, until you realize you’re becoming part of the flow yourself…

TIP: The pause button is your friend. Rewatch steps, control your pace, sip your tea, or listen to a song, it makes the process feel relaxed and completely on your own 

 

If you’re curious about what you might create with watercolor, that’s truly all the qualification you need.

If you’ve ever longed to feel like those “always creative” people do, or wanted to make your own beautiful painting, and then immediately thought, “I’m not artistic enough for this,” me and you both, and we’re not alone.

Most beginners assume watercolor requires hours of practice, perfect supplies, or some innate talent: you just need a place to start!

The Watercolor Confidence Course and the themed watercolor workbooks would make a perfect gift for a loved one, a creative friend, or even someone who doesn’t consider themselves artistic but could use a little relaxation and a fun, hands-on experience. Gift someone the joy of learning a new skill, creating one-of-a-kind artwork, and building a creative habit they can enjoy all year long; both the course and the workbooks make it easy for anyone, any age, to create beautiful, personal artwork while gaining confidence in watercolor.

Alyssa created the Watercolor Confidence Course specifically for new painters who want a gentle, structured way to learn, and who don’t have time for long, complicated lessons. The online format offers 30 days of bite-sized tutorials around 15–20 minutes each designed to help you build skill and confidence through small, approachable projects. You’ll learn real foundational watercolor techniques (brushwork, color mixing, water control) and you’ll complete pieces that make you think, “Wow, I actually made that.” 

I wanted a beginner friendly hobby that was easy to start and could help me slow down. 

This course costs less than a daily coffee and, by the end of the month, you’ll have a small collection of finished artwork plus the confidence to keep painting. Whether you’re looking to develop a creative habit for yourself, or searching for a thoughtful gift for someone who’s been saying they want to get into painting or “wish they were more artistic,” this is a perfect place to start.

Whether you’ve ever wanted to explore a fun, beginner-friendly hobby, learn watercolor step by step, relax into a creative routine, or discover the joy of painting, this course is your invitation!

Starting watercolor reminded me of what it feels like to be a beginner again: hesitant, curious, a little unsure, but still enjoying a new experience and excited to see what happens when you try new things or an unfamiliar hobby. I didn’t need talent or hours of free time; I just needed to pick up a brush and follow along.

If you’ve ever wanted to explore something completely new, relax into a creative habit, or literally just make something, this is your invitation.

P.S. Minnesota watercolor workbooks are back in stock! Woop woop!

Try watercolor, make a mess, help your brain, enjoy the process, and see what you can create!