Watercolor is, in many ways, a paradox. It's the most accessible medium for beginning painters, but it's challenging and requires dedication. It's also counterintuitive; it's logical to think that the more work done on a painting, the better it will get, but in watercolor, this is never the case. There's a point at which things get progressively worse. Nor can watercolor be corrected, so each touch or wash must be carried out with conviction.
In reality, we watercolor artists can express much more about our subject if we omit details and simplify. By simplifying, we also remove the temptation to fiddle, adjust and correct. This is the route to successful watercolor painting. How, what and to what degree we simplify will affect the entire painting, which is a profound consideration…