Advice for watercolour beginners?

Part of the fun of being a self-taught beginner in watercolours is the process of experimentation and learning at one's own pace. Inevitably, Internet surfing has featured in my quest for advice and information. One thing I do know: there is no substitute for practice. (As in the adage "Practice makes perfect.") This got me thinking as to whether the number of finished paintings could be used as a guide to a painter's progress?  As in:

• Beginner (the first 9 paintings)

• Novice (between 10 and 99 paintings)

• Intermediate (between 100 and 999 paintings)

• Experienced (more than 999 paintings)

(Mathematically, magnitude 0 is beginner, magnitude 1 is novice, magnitude 2 is intermediate, etc.) The scale is logarithmic, as the assumption is that each level is a step up in proficiency. It would be interesting to know how many paintings a trained artist completes in the course of their studies...

Much of my Internet searching has focussed on recommendations for paper and paint. Repeated advice for beginners seems to be "buy the best" or "buy the best you can afford". (Especially if you find yourself in the Wet Canvas forum!) But what is "best" to a  beginner, who knows very little and has little experience to compare with? "Best" usually equates to "most expensive" -- but why should someone who may not take to watercolour, spend a king's ransom for equipment and materials that they may throw away in frustration?

In general, I consider this to be poor advice, however well-meaning it might be. (Do we advise learner drivers to buy the most expensive car they can afford?) It is the same as telling someone that they need to buy an expensive camera in order to take photographs. Wrong! (Just ask Ken Rockwell.) I have no issue with upgrading to better paper, brushes and paints when experience dictates -- but I want to practise and learn without minding too much about the cost. Similarly, an up-market camera can be a delight to use once the basics are mastered.

Thankfully, there are a few people out there who take a more pragmatic approach to the learning process, and don't insist that starters rush out and buy professional grade materials and equipment. Special mention goes to John Lovett, Dave Hendry at the West Houghton Art Group, and Laura Jolliffe for some gentle beginner's recommendations. (These were the first matches in my Google search.)

Upcycled water pots

Danone's Activia yoghourt is usually part of my weekday lunch diet. When I spotted their creamy range in the squat pots in the local supermarket, I knew that I could put the empty containers to good use!

Over the years, I have used a number of different ``waste'' containers for craft purposes, but I didn't consider any of them really suitable for water. Either they were not stable enough (risk of spillage), or the wrong sort or material (dark plastic). I've never been that keen about empty jam jars and the like, perhaps because it takes some effort to remove the label on the outside -- and also the risk of breakage.

These pots seem to fit the role well. They are made from a thin, translucent plastic, which means that they are lightweight and can be easily carried around in the field. The plastic also seems resilient to cracking. The squat proportions mean a relatively low centre of gravity, which should make it more difficult to accidentally knock over or spill the contents. They hold a modest amount of liquid -- around 100 millilitres -- so great for en plein air and smallish paintings (but probably a little limiting for larger studio work). I have not yet noticed any problem with pigment staining, and a rinse with clean water and a wipe leaves them ready for the next use.