You MESSED UP your watercolors. Now what? (How to fix watercolor mistakes)

Did you make a mistake on your watercolor? Did you accidentally drip some paint where it shouldn’t go or did you paint your subject a little wonky? This video will give you 5 tips on how to correct your mistake and salvage your painting. Hope it helps you with any watercolor disasters you may encounter!
Xo
Margot

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CHAPTERS

00:00. Intro
00:23. Watercolor Disasters
01:21. Tip 1
02:26. Tip 2
03:42. Tip 3
05:16. Tip 4

07:35. Tip 5
08:27. Outro

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GET STARTED

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PLACES TO FIND ME

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ABOUT ME

Hi! My name is Margot and I am a professional artist and graphic designer. My parents like to joke that I was born with a paintbrush in hand. I started my career after graduating from the renown Parsons School of Design in New York City and spent over 15 years creating and designing for many of the world's top Fortune 500 brands and companies. My painting journey started as a side project and a creative outlet for me to step away from the computer, go back to my "roots" in fine art and to hone my skills as an illustrator and painter. I started posting some of my work on instagram and the rest is history. My work is inspired by all the things that I am passionate about. Ballet, travel, graphic design, color and finding a world of beauty in all facets of everyday life. I hope you'll join me in this YouTube journey as I take you through all the tips, tricks and trade secrets I've gathered throughout the years. I hope I can teach you some of what I know, help you discover your creative voice and I hope you enjoy this Channel!

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#watercolortutorial #watercolortips #watercolorpainting #watercolorart

[paulacarter]

Thank you! I do enjoy all that I have learned and appreciate your straightforward videos the best such as this one. I am amateur, so I use my paintings for home or little gifts to tuck inside birthday gifts or thank you cards for young and elderly. Last year, I gave a bridal luncheon and painted the bride’s flowers in a ring, framed for the foyer table with names and wedding date, but made a huge mistake on my first try, redid, but set the “mistake” aside. Later when I was looking for something to tuck inside a niece’s birthday card, I cut that with the flowers painted off the border for a “modern look” into bookmarks, placed a grommet and ribbon on the top, and voila! It made a fun little tuck-inside surprise for the card and wrote a charming quote from literature on the back. It’s fun to save a little collection of those funny and charming quotes to have on hand too.
Thanks so much for your generous guidance and encouragement. What a beautiful lady you are!

[ruffeyx]

it feel so good when u greeting us "hi artist!" ;-)

i used to stress out so much over mistakes in the beginning of learning watercolor. then i learn to let go (it was hard), slowly accepting mistakes as part of learning. since then i keep those paintings with mistakes, mark them n add some notes on what i could do to improve them.

[stevesidare]

I may have become a better mistake fixer than painter! ... I read where an artist started washing off her painting in the sink and discovered a foggy scene which saved the painting. Another ended up turning the painting into a night scene. There is also cropping if there is enough of a good area to justify doing it. One has to let go of their original vision mentally and emotionally first! Not easy. Also, don't just rip up the painting in defiance over its "betrayal" (like I used to do). Crop and make a greeting card, or put it aside until you really KNOW it's unsolvable and lost.

[markfw]

I agree with moving on. I rarely trash any minor or major bloopers. Instead I’ll keep them and sometimes I’ll go back to them with a brilliant idea how to make them something different entirely.

[violinzeta]

On the back of every painting:
1) DATE: tracks progress
2) LOVED: something (anything!)
3) LEARNED: or what to try differently

TAKE A PICTURE IMMEDIATELY of both sides on your smartphone! Better than nothing! Scan later...

Dr. Ph Martin's bleedproof white gouache has been my saving grace! So opaque!

[carriannescreations]

I swear you could be a public speaker about life. period. I felt that on so many levels, in so many areas of life.. when you said be kind to yourself, it wasn't a waste.. it was a lesson. ♥ you are awesome. Love your personality.

[openminds]

Thank you! I'm a beginner with water colors, and you were very clear, and the examples made it easy to understand.

[gregorysmith]

Thank you for the gouache tip ! I'm new at watercolor

[angela.marie]

Thank you :) I’m making a watercolor scene for a Christmas gift and will likely have to employ some of these tips

[cindycyr]

I enjoy your videos so much. i am very new to watercolor but have done quite bit with acrylics. Your style and way of teaching make my feel like I can do it. I love your ballerinas.
I actually drew & painted your style ballerina, she is not perfect by any means but I am so glad I tried her. Thank you!

[kd]

Thank you so much for these tips! I just started watercolor painting a few months ago and so far I’m loving it!

[KathyHansenazulskyjewelry]

Thanks so much for this video. I wasn't sure how to fix a pretty bad mistake, or if I was committing heresy. I am just learning so there will be mess ups. I fixed my flub and I feel just fine about using gouache.

[LadyJP]

Great info, Thanks for sharing!!!

I’ve seen someone use magic erasers, I’ve tried them & it worked.

[shadowguard]

Great advice as usual, but I was traumatized by you ripping that lovely painting!

[JessicaSmith-gdfu]

Thanks for all these good ideas. Here is one I learned recently from Shirley Luttrell in her class at Boone County Senior Services (Indiana). She had a few differently sized mats that she moved around a "disaster" painting. From that painting we found bookmarks, postcards, and small paintings that were perfectly acceptable. Also, she said just turn it over and practice a technique on the other side. I always enjoy your videos.

[Michael-lqdi]

Paintings that seem to be failures always have successful areas and can be cut and become book marks or painted on the reverse side

[LCLand]

When I mess up beyond I just turn it into something else. I often paint flowers way too large for the setting. So one time I turned then into volcano flowers and they are cute enough to display! I just have fun with it until there’s nothing left to do and then it’s for display or giveaway or scratch paper to try out color combinations. I also cut them up into pretty cards and give them as cards at church or when paying bills. Always a card or two is sent when paying a bill. So fun 😊

[helenelacaille]

You always give the best advice! Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge ❤

[ninangloucine]

I feel pretty lucky for being this early! Love your vids and the way you talk makes watching your vids better than the most that I've see online <3

[pennywheeler]

Your brilliant. I truly appreciate your artistic style. I would love it, if someday you would have a patreon channel, maybe even classes.
Margot are there any books you recommend on anatomy or a book with pictures showing form that would help me with my art work. I can relate with the way you teach and you explain everything so well.
Thank you for all the effort you put into making videos.🩰💜