World Watercolor Month: Day 4 — Painting Through the Fear of the Blank Page

Welcome back to Day 4 of my World Watercolor Month journal.

This morning I sat down to paint, but instead of immediately picking up my brush, I found myself staring at a blank piece of paper.

If you're an artist—or anyone who enjoys expressing yourself creatively—you've probably experienced this feeling before. It's that hesitation before the first brushstroke, wondering if what you're about to create will turn out the way you hope.

Today's blank page wasn't even a large painting.

I'm working on a small personal challenge alongside World Watercolor Month. I recently purchased a set of Koviede Watercolor Greeting Cards with Envelopes (140 lb, 4 x 6 inches) from Amazon, and I've challenged myself to paint all 50 cards—good, bad, or somewhere in between.

My hope is that one day I'll tuck one of these original watercolor cards into each order from my Etsy shop as a small thank-you gift. I love the idea of every customer receiving a little piece of original artwork.

So why was I so nervous?

The subject.

This morning I wanted to paint a poinciana tree.

If you've never seen one in full bloom, it's a spectacular sight. Every summer, brilliant red blossoms cover the tree, creating a canopy of fiery color. Growing up in the Bahamas, the poinciana has always reminded me of home.

A few days ago my mom told me the poincianas are in full bloom back home. She sent me several beautiful photographs and asked if I would paint a large watercolor of one for her.

Of course I said yes.

Then came the doubt.

Most of my paintings are relatively small, so the thought of creating a much larger watercolor felt intimidating. I found myself wondering where to begin and worrying that I wouldn't be able to capture what I saw in the photographs.

Instead of jumping straight into the large painting, I decided to do what sketchbooks are meant for—experiment.

These little watercolor cards feel like the perfect place to explore. They're small, low-pressure studies where I can test colors, shapes, and compositions without worrying about making mistakes.

Today's Thought

Sometimes the hardest part of painting isn't mixing the colors or choosing the brushes.

It's simply making that first mark.

If today's painting doesn't turn out the way I imagine, that's okay. I'll paint another one. And another after that if I need to.

No one says you have to paint a subject perfectly the first time.

In fact, painting the same subject over and over is often how we discover our own artistic voice. Your version doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It only has to be yours.

So today my advice is simple:

Paint through the fear.

The blank page isn't something to be afraid of—it's an invitation to begin.

I'll keep you updated on my poinciana studies over the next few weeks, and who knows...maybe one of them will eventually become an art print in my Etsy shop.

Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today. I hope you're enjoying following along with my World Watercolor Month journey.

If today's post resonated with you, I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Have you ever been intimidated by a blank page or canvas? What helps you move past that first moment of hesitation? I'd love to hear your story. Happy World Watercolor Month, and keep creating!