Day 31: #WorldWatercolorMonth Champagne glass with splashing strawberries
By Charlie

Day 31: #WorldWatercolorMonth

Written by Charlie O'Shields

As we come to the end of first annual World Watercolor Month, I felt we needed a little champagne to celebrate this historic event! Thousands of artists all over the globe came together to paint each day, filling the world with beautiful watercolors. New techniques were discovered, new ideas were formed, and new friends were made across oceans and borders. A little spark of an idea ignited a global movement, resulting in over 18,000 Instagram posts, countless tweets and pins (seriously, I have no idea how to count those), over 4,000 artists in our Facebook Group, and, best of all, hundreds of art supplies delivered to kids who really need them through The Dreaming Zebra Foundation. I always wanted this to be about more than hashtags, and to make a real difference in the world. Together, we did just that, in so many ways. I just want to say, much love to each and every one of you for making this happen.

Whether you finished the 31 watercolors challenge or not, you’ve all succeeded in making this crazy world more beautiful than it was before. I can’t help but think back to last July when I first picked up a brush to try watercolor. That horrible tree I made. I was so intensely proud of that thing. I wanted to share my instant love of the medium with the world, but couldn’t find a group that would let me paint with the freedom to try anything. I felt so alone. But here we are, a year later, and I’m a proud member of the newly christened World Watercolor Group. A collection of artists who simply paint with watercolor. That’s it… no rules. We paint and sketch whatever moves us and in an amazingly diverse number of methods and styles. It’s truly inspiring!

We’re plein air painters, studio artists, urban sketchers, illustrators, abstract artists, and doodlewashers! And, often, all of the above! We’ve come together around a simple idea that’s not about how we paint, but why we paint. For the love of the medium. Taking bits of watercolor paint and swirling it around to create what’s in our photo, our head, or sitting right in front of us. We use any other medium we like in the mix and cherish the freedom to do so. And we know that art is always made better when you’re painting with friends. So, I just want to say thank you, my wonderful friends, for not only making this an incredible month, but starting a creative movement that will continue to change the world.

About the Doodlewash

M. Graham Watercolors: Pyrrol Red, Quinacridone Gold, Permanent Green Pale, and Ultramarine Blue. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon sepia ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal.

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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82 thoughts on “Day 31: #WorldWatercolorMonth”

  1. Congratulations on a wonderfully, fun, and successful month Charlie! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your paintings, and those of many others here on WP and Instagram.

    I’m looking forward to the continuing adventure!

    Cheers!

    Reply

  2. Thank you, Charlie, for bringing together so many wonderful people and sharing the joy of painting.
    Your upbeat enthusiasm is infectious. This is always a blog where I smile when I see the day’s contribution.

    Reply

  7. What a beautiful way to end the WWM, your champagne painting is exquisite. You must be on Cloud 9, a grand idea that became a worldwide phenomenon. Thank you for inviting the world to participate, world peace can begin with water colors and a paint brush. The children that receive the art supplies now have the opportunity to share their creative visions.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for being a part of it, Sharon!! 😃💕Yeah, it’s truly been a wonderful event! And do think painting the world with watercolor is a good start. If nothing else, bringing people around the world together is always a positive start! And I’m so excited that we were able to help our future young artists in the process. Really a phenomenal month!! 😃

      Reply

  8. A fantastic painting to end this fantastic month! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this huge success. I have loved following all the beauty that was painted. 💓💓

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  9. Cheers Charlie O to a great month! You did it! And look at that amazing champagne doodlewash to celebrate! Now that this busy month is over…. you must have so much extra time on your hands! 🙂 (hint hint!) LOL! <3

    Reply

  10. I think I heard about this from someone who was teaching a class on the Skillshare site. I am SO glad I heard about it and participated! I only painted 18 paintings, but that is way more than I have painted any other month. I am motivated to keep going and set challenges like this for myself on a regular basis. Thanks!

    Reply

  11. Cheers Charlie for a fantastic month of FUN!! And thank you for inspiring me to paint a watercolor each day. 😃🎨💕 Some days weren’t easy but I did it anyway – practice not perfection is what I kept telling myself… It is super AWESOME to see so many different artists participating and ALL the wonderful talent out there, including YOU, my friend! So definitely a cheers for accomplishing your goal! 🌟🌟🌟

    Reply

    1. Awww thanks so much, Jill!! 😃💕Can’t thank you enough for playing along! And loved see what you painted!! A fabulous collection! It’s been an amazing month! I feel like I should rest all of August but that’s sooooo not going to happen! Lol Can’t stop now! Hehe New adventures await! Hope you’ll play when you can in August! 😉🎨

      Reply

  12. Congratulations Charlie 🙂
    on coming up with something so awesome as “doodlewash” and on bringing so many together for WorldWaterColorMonth , creating a real worldwide artistic movement and at the same time finding a way to help children have access to art supplies 🙂
    Turtle Hugs <3

    Reply

  14. Well done, Charlie! The whole thing has been a fantastic success. And a fitting image to finish! I could murder one of those right now! (On a Monday morning!! He he)😋🍾🍾🍾🎉🎉🎉

    Reply

  16. What a wonderful post, Charlie, and what a wonderful idea you brought to life! WWM will continue, and I´m so happy to be a member of WWG! It´s always better together, you´re so right about that.
    Love your strawberry champaign, looks so fresh and tasty! 🍸🍓 Cheers!!!

    Reply

  26. Charlie Charlie Charlie! Look what you’ve done! Look what that ‘horrible’ tree grew into! Those numbers are incredible. You’re incredible for the positive thing you have kick-started. In a hundred years, those enjoying World Watercolour Month will be raising a (doodlewashed) glass just like this one, I’m sure!

    Reply

    1. Hehe… hopefully they won’t spill like this one though! Thanks so much, Jacob! It was truly an amazing month and more than a little overwhelming with the sheer number of participants. I’m humbled so many people showed up to the party! And It’s cool to keep the party going as World Watercolor Group! Now… I need a another glass of this stuff… hehe

      Reply

  30. Cheers Charlie for the beautiful WWM we had and for the Inspiration, Creativity and Growth we all had during this amazing month! For you a big hug a big Cheers and a big Thank You <3 from that little lonely tree in last July to a wonderfully painted glass of Champaigne for thousands! Keep up with your spirit and creativity turning the world in a better place! 😉 <3

    Reply

  31. Phenomenal painting…love everything about it, colors, play of light..the little splash is brilliant! A toast to you for a wonderful sharing of your talent and vision…thank you for lighting a creative path through a troubled world…and thank you to your family for all their support as well….warm hugs and bubbly all around!

    Reply

  33. Sp glad you continued the group Charlie. I didn’t make 31, but really enjoyed joining and most of all I was inspired by all the paintings and sketches coming into my Facebook feed, rather than doom and gloom news or postings of what friends had for lunch!

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  36. I truly enjoy going through these older posts and seeing the improvements and the basic talent that was there from the beginning! By the way, thought I reply to the posts I read, and hope you’ll bask in my adulation, I know there are days when you are insanely busy (all those weekdays that end in ‘Y’), and it won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t respond to everything I write. When you’re fighting the clock, I’d rather you have those minutes to work on your art, so I can be freshly inspired!

    Reply

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