As an artist, working with watercolors, combining the paint and water, very freeing as I apply it to the paper. There are always happy surprises and various textures that add interest to my paintings. There are also many techniques such as using ordinary table salt, candle wax and saran wrap that make watercolor paintings pop as well as painting with a 99 cent Bristol brush! The less control I exert on one of my paintings the better the final outcome.
It is not to say that there is no thought going into my paintings and there might even be more since watercolors are transparent, your whites are the paper and you work backwards from other mediums by painting light to dark. You also need to have patience, as layers need to first dry, before applying the next one or finishing with fine detail work. I find these different processes very relaxing and hope that my pictures bring smiles and calming emotions to my viewers.
In the Glass Display Case: A collection of hand-made journals for sketching and travel by Karen I-Kemper.
All works reproduced with permission from the artist.