Clarice Gomes is a designer and watercolor artist as well as one of Princeton’s newest Ambassadors! We love her beautiful floral watercolors, tutorials, and how she uses Princeton Brushes to create her works of art. Learn more about Clarice and her journey with watercolor below!

What was your journey like to become an artist? What inspired you to start?

I went to school for graphic design but have always been artistically inclined since childhood. I had given up the brush and paints once I graduated from Graphic Design working as a full-time brand designer. At one point I was heavily pursuing website design. During my freelance years I landed a project that included some custom watercolour. Sourcing the art was tedious since I was on a time restraint and all. I ended up buying my own colours and brushes and this is how watercolour entered into my life. Loose watercolour florals were all the rage, and I was very excited to try my hand at it. Once I started, I thought I was pretty good and then came my first YouTube watercolour video, the peony. My channel grew slowly and that was encouragement enough to keep painting. When the pandemic hit, I started doing YouTube lives on Sundays. This is where I really grew and learnt so much. I was inspired by all my followers and their stories of how watercolour helped them keep sane over the lockdowns. It was therapy. Still is.

In the spirit of World Watercolor Month, why do you love watercolor?

The satisfaction I get from watching the colours swirl and twirl, with a little bit of suspense in regard to how it will turn out, is both thrilling and satisfying an experience. I also believe it is a creative outlet and release for a lot of us that is extremely therapeutic.

What is your favorite watercolor technique and why?

Wet-on-Wet is the basic and my absolute favourite technique. Every time I demonstrate in my watercolour events how the colours bloom and spread in water, people go “Ohhh”.

What are your creative inspirations?

Other watercolour artists! In the beginning of my journey, I used to watch Creative Ingrid, Create the Cut and Enya Todd - to name a few. Currently, I’ve learnt to look at nature itself and get inspired.

What does your painting process look like?

A lot of the time, I go with the flow. I am normally inspired to start by colours and the anticipation of seeing them together on paper. Most times I begin with a flower and then decide how things will span across the paper. It is very rare for me to have a clear plan of what I am painting. Something I am hoping to have more time to work on in the future.

What is your favorite piece of watercolor advice to give fellow artists?

The time spent painting is your “me” time and it shouldn’t be tainted with comparison or the stress of having it to look like someone else’s work. This is how you evolve and come into your own style. Don’t stress the details. Just go with the flow. And always remember to have fun.

What are your Princeton Brushes of choice?

Velvetouch brushes have my heart! I am especially liking the Petals brush and the Blooms size 12!

Thanks, Clarice, for sharing your journey as a designer and watercolor artist with us! You can find Clarice on Instagram at @helloclariceg, on her Youtube here, and at her website.