After trying out the markers, I opted to go ahead and just get an actual watercolor kit. Aaaand... I kinda hate it. Watercolor is an enchanting medium when done right, but this is one of those cases where I am so far behind on the fundamentals, I can't even begin to get anything to come out halfway right.
Watercolor is a very unforgiving medium, to be fair. With acrylic and oils, you can ultimately still paint over mistakes if you really have to, especially in darker spots, but watercolor, like ink, is a "once it's down, you're committed", so you really need to know ahead of time what you're trying to do. This is not a "fuck around and figure it out" type of medium. You also need to be patient with this medium, not just manipulating the flow of the water, but also knowing when and at what point to let the paint dry before continuing to work on it.
Which I knew going in, of course, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. I suppose it certainly doesn't help that I never actually learned how to paint well in the first place. Plus, even after getting paper specifically designed for watercolor, I was not expecting so much "grit" to keep getting built up as I painted, and I wasn't even brushing hard on the surface.
Obviously, it's one of those things I just need a lot of practice at, but to be honest, much like using the dip pen, I don't particularly care enough about mastering analogue art in this way to dedicate myself to it steadily. Frankly, my initial attempts were outright infuriating, and while I've cooled off some, my continued toe-dipping into analogue is honestly just making me appreciate digital that much more.
