If you had asked me in my early 20s what kind of artist I’d become, I would’ve said something like “realistic oil painter.” But years later, I’m painting with watercolors, drawn to bold color, defined shapes, and the kind of textures that make a page feel alive.

I discovered watercolors later in life. In college, I took a watercolor class but absolutely hated it because it didn’t feel intuitive. I stuck with oil paints for years, but my heart wasn’t in them, and eventually, I stopped creating art altogether.

During COVID, I found myself with extra time and a need for creative distraction. I’d been following a watercolor artist on Instagram and figured I’d give it one more try. I bought a cheap set on Amazon, and a few YouTube tutorials later.

I was hooked.

It felt like a reawakening after years of creative silence. Again, watercolor didn’t come easily at first, but it felt right. While I found it relaxing, it took hours upon hours of painting before I became comfortable with it. I invested in better paints, brushes, and paper, and started to see real change.

It turns out materials do matter, though it’s still key to experiment and find what works for you. What clicks for one artist won’t always click for another.

A couple of years into my watercolor journey, I started developing my distinct style. Inspired by stained glass, I began separating my subjects into shapes and experimenting with color and texture. It was such a joy to feel like I had a voice finally, and even more exciting was having others recognize my style.

Through Instagram, I discovered Trupti and Blue Pine Arts, which led me to join the BPA Daily Painting Challenge last year. During those 10 days, I was continually inspired by everyone’s work and loved connecting with other artists.

It was my first true experience of being part of an art community, and I cherished every moment.

And then, watercolors surprised me again.

After the daily painting challenge ended, I was chosen as one of the winners and received a BPA Shimmer dot card and a black sketchbook as my prize.

I didn’t know what to expect, but the moment I activated the paint and applied it to the paper, I let out a little gasp. They were just that good.

For all the artists out there, do you know that feeling when you start painting with a new color and can immediately tell how good it is? That’s how it was for me with the Blue Pine Arts shimmer paints.

If you’ve been curious about metallic watercolors for beginners, I honestly recommend trying the BPA shimmer sets. They’re beginner-friendly but still feel pro-level, and the colors are magic on both black and white paper. You can find them here.

They are the kind of paints that beg you to create with them. While watercolor didn’t feel intuitive to me at first, these shimmers did. The paint stayed exactly where I placed it, with no bleeding or messy results, just clean, deliberate marks.

As someone who tends to overload paint with water, that felt huge. I could finally just play.

And that’s what I’d call these paints if I had to pick one word: PLAYFUL.

(Image: Blocking out my shapes is a huge part of my process; just look at the exact lines you can make with these shimmers!)

How I use Shimmer Watercolors:

I use the shimmer paints like I would traditional watercolors, layering, blending, and letting the colors interact naturally. I love to apply, let the paint dry, and watch the textures settle and shine through.

With the right water-to-paint ratio, I can go for full opacity or soft translucence. These paints are surprisingly opaque, even before drying. For those wanting a more translucent effect or shimmer glaze in their work, just add more water to your ratio.

It also needs to be said that the drying time for these paints is just right. They stay put but remain wet long enough to be workable.

I think back to my early days of painting when I really wrestled with my materials, and I truly believe these would have been a dream to learn with. I’m shocked at how clean the lines are with this paint and, again, how they stay in place while drying.

And while I adore using these on black watercolor paper, I was surprised to see how beautifully they perform on white watercolor paper. The shimmer still pops, and the colors remain rich and vivid. I’ve been experimenting with layering them over dried traditional watercolors, and the results have been magical. There are so many possibilities to explore.

(Image: Glazing with shimmers over a dried watercolor layer.)

Here are some of my favorite ways to use them:

• Wet-into-wet blending:

  Try laying down a color and, while it’s still wet, adding another next to it to watch them blend together. Amber Glint and Hibiscus merging on the page? Chef’s kiss.

• Layering/glazing:

  I like to add a bit of glazing in my work. While the effect is more subtle with shimmers, I think it adds interest. I’ve done light-on-dark and dark-on-light; both are beautiful.

• Color mixing on paper:

  Watching the shimmer shades swirl and dance together never gets old. Try laying down one color and then adding another to it while wet. This slightly different wet-on-wet technique gives unique results.

And while I love them all, my go-to favorites are Mistletoe, Kuber’s Gold, Amber Glint, Hibiscus, and Seaglass.

Sketchbooking from Pressure to Play:

I’ve mostly been using them in my BPA watercolor sketchbook. I’ve always admired artists who keep sketchbooks, but it was hard for me to work in one. I felt pressure knowing I couldn’t “start over.”

These shimmers changed that. They helped me loosen up and truly relax while painting. Now that shows in my pages. I’ve been painting in it consistently for months, and it finally feels like the joyful, playful practice I always hoped it would be.

It’s become my go-to ritual when I need to unwind or just reconnect with my creative self.

As an artist who didn’t know I needed shimmers in my life, I’m so happy to have discovered them. Now I can’t imagine painting without them.

More than anything, they’ve brought ease and joy into my creative process.

From sketchbook play and color experiments to layering and adding depth and interest, shimmer paints have opened a new chapter in my watercolor journey.

Whether I’m experimenting with layers, filling my sketchbook, or chasing colors that make my heart skip, shimmer paints have opened a new chapter in my watercolor journey.

My best advice? Play. Explore. Experiment. Let the paints lead the way. You might be surprised where they take you.

Jess Willis is a Maryland-based watercolor artist inspired by nature. She blends realistic and decorative elements with a focus on color and shape. Follow her work at @jesswillisart or jesswillisart.com.

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P.S. Jess’s story is such a beautiful reminder that sometimes the right supplies are what reignite your spark. If you’ve been shimmer-curious, her post is a gentle nudge to go try them: Get the paints here →