Is anyone good at water colours and can advise??

Some excellent tips! I’m a bit of a jobbing water colourer, but I can totally lose myself in a project.

Isn't it grand to have so much help? I can't wait to get going again, which I might well do this afternoon, as it is such a very dark, and stormy day.
I work in the mornings, and then try and paint or read, or write in the afternoons. My OH has dementia and spends all his time in front of quiz shows on volume 50 - so my painting attempts are a distraction....

Thank you one and all for all the lovely answers!

One of the positives of this grim period has been my attempt to teach myself to draw. I'd never done anything, then joined a beginners class which of course closed. I carried on trying, then bought some water colours and a pad of decent quality paper.
I've joined an on line tutorial group and it's been a great distraction

Watercolour pencils can be used as ordinary coloured pencils. But, after colouring the paper you can then wet the area. Alternatively, you can use the pencil as a stick of watercolour and use a wet brush to take colour off the pencil and apply to the paper.
I would recommend joining the SAA - Society for All Artists. They have a vast library of online tutorials that will help you.

Water colour is the most difficult medium to work with, you can’t hide mistakes.
I agree that heavy weigh paper is best, and do stick it down to a board.
Tube water colour does dry out in the tube but still work when mixed with water. You can cut the tube open to get at it.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, that’s how you learn, also try new things and you will develop your own style.
I paint in acrylic and water soluble oil and I have oil bars as well.
I’m not technical and not good at drawing, I paint from the heart and my emotions are colours.
It’s a wonderful hobby, enjoy!

140lb paper is good to start with (you will probably waste a lot. For every one good picture you’ll want to throw half a dozen in the bin!) but as mentioned upthread you will have to stretch it - that is tape it to a board and then wet it all over and let it dry. This will stop the paper from cockling (going wavy). You can get heavier weights of paper that you won’t need to stretch but they are not worth the expense at this stage. To start with, buy a large brush and keep your paintings “loose” until you understand the techniques a bit more - especially “wet in wet”. A hake, which is a brush with a wide flat head is good if you are starting out. People paint whole pictures using nothing but this brush. Blocks of watercolour are ok if you are sketching or working “small”, but to cover large areas of paper with washes, you need to use tube paints and mix it on a plastic pallet - you can buy these very cheaply - or an old dinner plate. Water colour is a wonderful but often frustrating medium - unlike oil, there’s not much margin for error. The most important lesson I learned was that the paint will always dry lighter than when you put it on the paper, so be brave about the initial depth of your colour. Good luck with it - you’ll love it!

One of my best Bluebelle but then I had the perfect subject

I've only used watercolour in blocks, so can't recommend anything about the tube paints.

Make sure you use good quality paper (I believe most is 140 lb), and don't overwork the colour. This is perhaps why it is disintegrating while wet.

I'm not really very good, and certainly a beginner as well.

Leisure Artist magazine is good for tutorials and info on products. I think I like reading about art more than actually doing it!

I went to two different art classes. At each class all students seemed very good artists producing excellent work. I was never good at drawing and perspective and needed to master that first, but it was taken that you should know it. I have all the necessary materials, I paint as I see it and know technically it is bad, but I enjoy doing it so much I carry on as no one gets to see it. Funnily enough I am most pleased painting people's faces, it's when they are joined to a body it all goes very wrong.

How about an online course eg Andy Walker on www.udemy,com does inexpensive watercolour landscape courses. I recommend you buy good quality paper to practise on so you get to know how the paint flows,blends, dries etc. Watercolours don't like cheap paper and you won't get good results.
I use Arches 140lb and Bockingford 140lb. and stretch it .If you google "How to stretch watercolour paper" you will find a demonstration on youtube. I use Winsor and Newton Artists quality tube paints. Pan paints are fine too.Have fun

I like things facing left too it always feels wrong when they face right ???
nadateturvo I remember posing for you in the forest Did it turn out well ?

I try watercolour now and again but I prefer acrylics because you can fix mistakes easier but my art class mostly prefer watercolour. One technique we were taught is to use masking tape to secure the paper on to a board, then wet the paper and let it dry before using. But I have also painted without doing this. You will need masking fluid or pen. I use mixed media paper quite a lot simply because its cheaper for learning, and Winsor and Newton 309gsm/140lbwhich is quite thick. I have some books by Terry Harrison and he has quite a lot of info on youtube. I'm sure others will have lots of ideas.
I use blocks which I like and also tubes. I've never noticed them flaking. Maybe someone else will know.
Developing your own ideas is good. Its amazing what we learn from each other. I did an acrylic painting of a bluebell forest recently and used cotton buds.
I'm still very much a learner four years on but its a great pastime. Happy painting!

I haven't done anything for ages but I do remember being advised to buy the best quality heavy paper, and to place it on a board and use artists' tape all around the edge to stop the paper buckling when you drop water or wet paint on to it..

I used masking tape but I just checked online and it isn't recommended - but we all used it and it seemed fine.