How to Actually Embrace Imperfection in Your Watercolour Practice (Not Just Talk About It)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you buy something we may possibly get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
We've all heard the advice:
Embrace imperfection.
Let go and be playful with your watercolour.
Just loosen up.
But if you're anything like me, you've probably nodded along to that advice while thinking... yes, but HOW?
I have some practical suggestions that will help 🙌… keep reading (or scroll down for the video)
It's one thing to be told to loosen up your watercolour style. It's quite another to actually know what practical steps to take to make that happen.
So let me share three very concrete ways you can build imperfection into your watercolour practice from the ground up - not as something to tolerate, but as something to actively choose.
Start With Imperfect Subject Matter
Would you believe me if I said I got my painting inspiration at the supermarket?
Well, its true. This morning it was the flower section during my weekly grocery shop.
When most people think about watercolour subjects - especially for line and wash or pen and watercolour sketching - they picture exotic travel destinations, dramatic urban landscapes, or perfectly composed still life setups with gorgeous lighting. And while those are all wonderful, the thought of them can also feel a bit daunting.
But what if your subject matter didn't need to be Instagram-worthy?
What if a quick phone snap of a bouquet from the supermarket was perfectly adequate?
Those little flower arrangements have all the colour, gesture, and charm you need for a lovely watercolour sketch. And by choosing something humble and ordinary, you're already giving yourself permission to be playful rather than precious about the outcome.
(Also… while buying flowers is always lovely it is not a necessary expense before you paint them!)
The practical shift: Next time you're shopping, snap a few photos of flower displays, interesting produce arrangements, or even the way items are stacked on shelves.
Your reference doesn't need to be perfect - in fact, it's better if it isn't. A casual phone photo taken in fluorescent lighting is the perfect reminder that this is just a playful practice piece, not a portfolio masterwork.
Use Imperfect Watercolour Supplies
I've been working in a tiny watercolour sketchbook - just 5.5 inches - with paper that's not even designed for watercolour. It's buff-colored drawing paper that will "accept light watercolour washes without buckling." That's it. That's the bar.
And you know what? That's quite liberating.
When I use my "grown-up watercolours" (as I call my large set), there's an unspoken pressure that comes with proper watercolour paper and professional supplies. But when I deliberately choose a watercolour sketchbook that isn't made with watercolour paper, it reminds me that I'm just playing. It's not a big deal.
The same goes for my watercolour palette. I'm working with a tiny pocket set with limited colors - including a couple of premixed greens that are frankly too vibrant to be natural.
But I have found I’m actually enjoying that. Having fewer colours means I have fewer decisions to make. And those "wrong" greens? I can dull them down with a touch of pink or orange - using opposite colours on the colour wheel to mute them into something more natural.
Suddenly that limitation becomes a watercolour mixing lesson.
The practical shift: Try deliberately choosing watercolour supplies that feel low-stakes.
A small watercolour sketchbook.
A basic palette.
A water brush instead of your finest sable.
These aren't compromises - they're strategic choices that help you focus on play rather than performance.
Make Imperfect Marks (And Add Watercolour Over Them)
Here's something that might help if drawing directly in pen for line and wash feels scary: when you're doing a sketchy, playful, whimsical doodle, more lines are actually better than fewer lines.
Let me say that again because it goes against everything we usually think: More lines are better.
If you put a line down in not quite the right place and you want to correct a shape, you'll end up with a double edge on one side of a flower, or you'll have redrawn one leaf over another. And I genuinely think that actually adds to the sketch rather than detracting from it.
Those extra lines add to the doodly, spontaneous feel. They show that you drew it quickly and intuitively. They're evidence of the process, not mistakes to be hidden.
I often go back and add a few extra lines deliberately - little flourishes on the edge of a vase, or an additional contour on a leaf - because it reinforces that sketchy quality.
When I accidentally drew over the line of my container while adding a label, I didn't worry about it at all. Once the watercolour goes on top, those extra lines just add to the loose, illustrative feel.
The practical shift: Try starting with a continuous line drawing - keeping your pen connected to the page as much as possible. It's a wonderful way to loosen up for pen and watercolour work, especially if it's your first sketch of the day.
And when you inevitably "correct" a line, resist the urge to hide it. Let those extra marks stay visible. They'll look perfectly at home under your watercolour washes.
The Permission-Giving Framework
What I love about this approach is that you're not just telling yourself to "be okay with imperfection" - you're actively choosing imperfection at every stage:
Your reference photo is imperfect (and that's why it's approachable)
Your supplies are imperfect (and that's why there's less pressure)
Your marks are imperfect (and that's why they feel alive and spontaneous)
None of these are things you're tolerating. They're strategic choices that make it easier to actually do the thing we all say we want to do: loosen up, play, and enjoy the process.
And here's what I've found: even when I'm working this way - quick subjects, simple supplies, sketchy marks - I'm still using all the watercolour techniques I know. I'm still thinking about light and shadow, where to drop in darker pigment while the wash is wet, where to lift colour with a bit of blotting. I'm still building my watercolour skills with every little doodle.
The imperfection doesn't mean you're not learning. If anything, the lower stakes mean you'll practice more often, and that's where the real growth happens.
So the next time someone tells you to embrace imperfection in your watercolours, you'll know exactly how to do it.
You'll grab your phone at the supermarket, pull out your simplest watercolour supplies, and make wonderfully messy, lively marks before splashing on some joyful colour.
That's not settling for imperfection.
That's choosing it on purpose.
Are you on your own painting journey?
One of these might be useful…
Keep on reading…
