"Oh, I'm not an artist -- I could never paint that!"

- me, for most of my life

If you've ever thought to yourself...

..."I'm not talented enough to paint..."

or

..."I'll just leave the watercolor to the real artists..."

or

..."no amount of teaching could ever help me understand watercolor..."


...then you're in the right place, my friend. Because I know exactly how you feel.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hi! My name is Kolbie, and up until 2016, I thought the extent of my artistic ability landed squarely on (poorly drawn) stick figures.

I did a lot of other creative things, but art was never one of them --

and I was just fine with that.

Still, I think I was secretly longing for some kind of visual arts outlet because when I stumbled on a bunch of watercolor and hand lettering accounts on Instagram way back when, I was hooked.

Those little 15-second video tutorials (#rip to 2016-era Instagram) drew me in for hours, and I surprisingly found myself itching to grab a pencil and scribble something, ANYTHING, on a page.

The only problem?

I was loaded with self-doubt and insecurity from a lifetime of telling myself that art "just wasn't my thing."

Luckily, I decided to give it a try anyway.

Why can't I do that? I thought. What's the worst that could happen?

Three years later, I quit my 9-5 communications job to pursue this "art thing" full time -- and all because I decided to muster the courage to try.




Now, I want to help you become
the watercolor artist of your dreams.





What if I told you that learning to paint majestic sunset skies and quirky illustrations like waffle cones and fireflies was totally doable, even with no prior experience?





I'm sure you would be doubtful (pre-2016 me would've been, too!), but that's because you don't know my secret. 


Once you break down watercolor into actionable steps and techniques,
you can build a roadmap to paint anything.



Since launching my first online classes and in-person workshops in spring 2018, I've helped more than 20,000 students

confidently pick up a paint brush and explore their creativity through watercolor, and I want to do the same thing for you.




That's why I created Exploring Watercolor 101, the roadmap I wish I had when I first started my watercolor journey four years ago.



“Kolbie made this newbie feel like an artist!”
-Carol N.


This self-led course is for you if:

  • You've ever told yourself "I'm not an artist" - and let that be a reason not to try watercolor. 
  • You'd love to learn how to break down watercolor paintings into doable steps and techniques.
  • You prefer to learn by doing - with just as many projects as there are lessons.
  • You're ready to explore the magic of imperfection and dive deep into your creativity.

​​​​​​​
“Love Kolbie's simple instructions and fun approach to watercoloring for some seriously cool results!”
Sujanitha S.





Becoming a full-time artist has been a wild ride, and I've landed gigs doing just about everything you can in watercolor illustration, from commissioned paintings, wedding invitations, logos + branding, and editorial work...


...but nothing compares to helping hesitant students
discover they were artists all along.


I'm a firm believer that everyone and anyone can be an artist, 

and the world needs your creativity.




If you've been thinking about giving watercolor a shot, this course will give you all the tools you need to decode watercolor mysteries, like...


...crafting delicate shifts in color and light...


...using layers to build depth and complexity...


...learning color harmony and composing designs that POP!...


...and more!




Through more than 20 lessons and 30 (!!) projects, you'll explore the ins and outs of watercolor and color theory basics as well as dive deep into trickier techniques like using white with watercolor and mastering the wet-on-wet technique.


By the end of the course, you'll have built a watercolor portfolio filled with charming illustrations, relaxing patterns, and stunning landscape scenes that would make any artist proud.


So... what do you say? Want to join me for a life-changing adventure?


Kolbie Blume, artist, writer, and your biggest fan

After decades of believing art just "wasn't her thing," Kolbie picked up a brush pen on a whim and decided to give hand lettering a try. What started as an obsession eventually grew into a passionate career, leading her through calligraphy and lettering to watercolor illustration. 

After a few years of teaching herself to love art, she couldn't hold it in any longer and decided to make a little class on Skillshare. Two years and 12k+ students later, she's made a living from teaching other people to love art, and she's never looked back. 

Her goal with each class is to help give you the courage + tools to keep making beautiful things -- because the world needs all the creativity it can get.

Take a peek inside Exploring Watercolor 101!

Module One: Getting to Know Your Supplies
Before you can paint anything, you need to learn about your tools. In this lesson, we'll chat about all things paint, brushes, paper, and more.

Module Two: Basic Techniques
Every watercolor painting EVER can be broken down into a few basic techniques. 

-includes 2 projects

Module Three: Exploring Color
Learning about color theory is the BEST way to build a solid foundation for your watercolor journey. This module will give you the keys to making your paintings pop. 

-includes 4 projects

Module Four: Beyond the Basics
Let's take a deeper dive into some of the basics. In this module, we'll explore the magical chaos of the wet-on-wet technique and how to guide it, using layering + composition to create depth, and mastering white in watercolor.

-includes 5 projects

Module Five: The Explorer's Path
Ever heard of the learning gap? Loving where you are as an artist instead of comparing yourself to everyone else is HARD. In this module, I lay out the path I took to teaching myself watercolor and all the techniques I consistently use to improve my skill AND love where I am on my journey.

-includes 1 project

Bonus Module: Learning to Play
Now comes the fun part. It's time to take the techniques you've learned and put them to good use in a module full of projects.

-includes 13+ projects

Recap: What's Next
Finally, let's analyze your work and talk about where to go from here.

“I really like [Kolbie's] teaching style, you feel like you've got your own personal tutor, who makes you feel you can do this.”
-Nina V.
Course created and copyrighted by Kolbie Blume of This Writing Desk
www.thiswritingdesk.com
​​​​​​​@thiswritingdesk