How it all started

One of my first attempts at line and wash.

Like many self-taught artists, I started painting as an escape from my boring routine. I acquired some inexpensive watercolor supplies, watched a few tutorials and decided to give it a go. I was instantly hooked. I had tried other art materials before, like pencils, acrylics, even oil paints, but kept switching from medium to medium, until I was introduced to watercolor. I was mesmerized by all the different techniques, wet on wet, layering, negative painting, and all the potential I could see in them. I tried masking fluid and table salt for the first time and felt like a mad scientist. It was a magical experience which made me feel like a child again. I couldn't stop experimenting and was constantly working on my skills. Every bit of free time that I had was spent painting or sketching or learning new tricks. Until I started to struggle and my best efforts wouldn't achieve the desired effects because of my beginner-level materials. The initial fascination turned into frustration for a while as the hobby was beginning to get more serious and I realised I needed to expand my horizons. (to be continued)