Watercolor | Teen Ink

Watercolor

March 7, 2023
By Anonymous

When working with watercolor, most people struggle.


It can be hard to work with the water, because how uncontrollable it can be. It flows freely, not always following your brush, creating its own path, one that might not be the one that you intended. It can be hard because of how free it is. 


They act harshly, with less water, and stiff movement. Trying to control the freedom, make the water move how they want it to without understanding it. They are unsatisfied with their piece because it's too messy. It hadn’t worked out how they wanted it to because they didn’t understand that you have to work with the water, not against it, and not controlling it. 


But that’s the appeal of watercolor to me. The fact you can’t control it. The water flows freely, and you shouldn’t try to control it, but instead you can learn how to work with it. Moving with the water. Letting the water be, while learning how to work with it is how you create a piece you love. One that represents what you want it too, one that you love and appreciate, one that you're proud of. 


Life is like watercolor. It can be beautiful, with strong colors, meshing together in perfect harmony because you learn how to work with the water, and realize you can’t control it, you can control how you use it though. Or it can be muddy and dark, the paper rippling and beading, the colors grim and the idea of it washed away in the sadness of colors. It depends on how you use it. If you use it gently, and work with it, or if you fight it and try to control it. 


Life can’t be controlled, you just have to learn to know that it will be okay. Nobody knows what they’re doing and everybody is just trying to figure it out along with you, so just let it be. Put trust that it will work out, and let life be but don’t let it control you. Do what you can and let go of what you can’t. Just be, and you might be a lot happier with the beautiful work that happens because of it then the muddy rippling artwork that might come out of trying to control it. 


The author's comments:

I love making art. 


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