Keeping whites as the white of paper in watercolor can be a challenge, but with the right tools and know-how, as well as some practice you can learn different techniques to make sure your whites stay bright

One of my favorite exercises for beginning watercolorist is a watercolor doodle. This can be done with any color media – crayons, colored pencils, markers. It’s easy, looks cool when you’re done, and you learn a lot -- about your pigments (paint), their interactions with each other, different brushes, and how the water interacts, all without “ruining” a labored drawing.

Making cards for celebrations are a nice excuse to get back to painting and watercolor, if you’re lost your mojo a little. Here’s how you can make your own and the benefits if you give it a go