My love of watercolour was rekindled a few years ago in my quest to loosen up in oils. I often do a preliminary sketch in watercolour when embarking on a newly commissioned portrait, which allows me to practise watercolour techniques while I become familiar with the person that I am painting. There is also the added benefit of not worrying about what it will look like as it's not the commission itself. If I like the sketch, I often offer it to the sitter as one of the preliminary pieces, along with any drawn sketches I do.
Watercolour seems like the easiest paint to start and is typically the first painting medium learners pick up. It is, ironically, one of the most challenging to use. I am still surprised by watercolour after all these years as you cannot fully predict what it will do, which can be both a joy and a challenge.
Because of its unpredictability watercolour is a hard medium to teach.
