Email #1
Title: How fear is holding you back
Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of a blank piece of watercolor paper with a knot in your stomach, stressing about that first timid brush stroke?
Do you know the pain of completing a painting and feeling sharp disappointment that it looks nothing like what you imagined?
Or do you not even pull out your watercolor supplies for fear of wasting them on your clumsy paintings?
I used to experience these struggles with watercolors all. the. time.
For years and years, I craved the creative joy of watercolors in all their glory; yet I rarely, if ever, tried to paint.
Why?
The simple answer: fear.
I feared that I wasn’t skilled or worthy enough to warrant wasting my expensive supplies — especially with a early 20’s ramen budget.
I worried that nothing I painted could ever match up to the image in my head, so why even try? Why invite frustration into my life?
My blank page anxiety was STRONG with watercolor, more so than with any other kind of art I tried.
This anxiety, doubt, and fear wrapped me in a cocoon and kept me from growing at all for a long, long time.
But now?
Now I’m a professional watercolor artist. Which is wild to me.
Wondering how I got here?
Let’s say it took a lot of courage, a dash of determination, and a metric ton of trial and error. It was not an overnight transition — it took me YEARS to get to this point.
Now that I’m here, I want to turn around and help the next generation of watercolor artists overcome their own fears and anxieties.
If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know that I care deeply about sharing knowledge, techniques, and encouragement with artists. It doesn’t matter if you’re a teen doodling in the margins of your homework or an empty-nester starting your creative journey from scratch — I want you to know that you, too, can become the artist of your dreams.
That’s why I’m so very proud to share the Foxsy Watercolor Academy with you.
This is easily the biggest resource we’ve ever compiled for ANY subject, with 25 courses total.
And it’s more than a heap of courses — the Watercolor Academy includes a robust email-guided structure to take you from novice to intermediate painter in 12 weeks.
The best part? All of this is included in a Foxsy membership at no additional cost. Access to the Watercolor Academy is just one of the many benefits of being a Foxsy student.
There are lots of amazing things about this Academy that I can’t wait to share, but I’ll save that for another email. In the meantime, you can check it out through the button below and see everything we’ve put into this amazing resource.
(Seriously, I’m so proud of this thing.)
Explore The Watercolor Academy
Email #2
Title: I nearly gave up on watercolors because I was so BAD at them
Hey there, {{ subscriber.first_name }}!
My first experience with watercolor, like most of us, was in elementary school with those colorful ovals of cheap paint. You know the ones — every kid has tried them once or twice.
Then, in my freshman year art class, we were introduced to watercolors again in a more mature setting. We created still life paintings with a silver tea set — an intimidating task, to be sure!
But I loved the process. We worked on these watercolor tea projects for at least a week, adding careful layers under the scrutiny of our wonderful art teacher.
This is what truly sparked my interest in watercolors as an adult. I had a great experience in class, and I felt like I had a pretty good grasp of how to work with this medium.
In a word, I was cocky.
Then I became an adult and had to fund my painting practice for the first time. The price of watercolor paper floored me — not to mention the cost of a nicer student-grade palette.
I tried to buy only the most inexpensive budget brand materials possible, but it still felt like an incredible luxury. To make sure I didn’t waste my materials, I vowed to only use them sparingly on my best art.
Oh boy was that the wrong idea.
Once I got it into my head that I needed to “save” my supplies for my best work, the pressure became unreal.
I second-guessed every idea, hesitated with every choice, and became a ball of watercolor-induced anxiety. Nothing was good enough to warrant using my cheap paper.
And when I did swallow my anxiety long enough to attempt a painting, it looked terrible.
Every. single. time.
My layers were clunky and heavy-footed. My colors were poorly mixed and over-saturated. And on top of it all, the paper fought me at every turn.
I nearly gave up on watercolors all together.
Now, I can look back and see what went wrong.
How could I hope to make good art if I didn’t give myself permission to make bad art?
How could I improve if I allow no room for mistakes?
What I needed was guidance, grace, and most of all, practice.
If you relate to my tale of watercolor frustration, then take a moment to imagine a future where you overcome these obstacles.
Picture your creative workspace covered in well-loved paints and artfully splattered palettes. Imagine the feel of your favorite paintbrush as you set it down, having completed another painting that makes you beam with pride.
You might feel like this type of transformation isn’t possible for you, but that’s where you’re wrong.
The challenges you face are not unique. Many artists have slain these dragons before, and you can do the same.
Arm yourself to fight this dragon with structure, guidance, and resources — all with the help of the Foxsy Watercolor Academy.
So what exactly IS the Watercolor Academy, you ask?
This Academy is a giant resource designed to guide you from watercolor novice to watercolor artist — all in 12 weeks of guided emails full of reminders and encouragement!
With 25 courses, dozens of hands-on projects, five recorded section check ins, and all the guidance you could ask for, this Academy packs a massive punch.
Click the button below to get your first 2 months for only $10 and start your journey with Foxsy today.
Get Your First 2 Months For Only $10
Email #3
Title: The way we think about creativity is wrong
Hey there, {{ subscriber.first_name }}!
Do you ever feel like you’re at the end of your rope with watercolor and you’re endlessly frustrated that it isn’t working for you?
Or do you feel guilty that you don’t spend as much time on painting as you wished?
If you’re feeling creatively stuck in a rut, then I get it. I really do.
I’ve spent the last few days telling you about some of my struggles with watercolors because I want you to know that I’ve been there, too. And if I can get out, then so can you.
This is the whole reason we spent the past several months building the Foxsy Watercolor Academy. I spearheaded this entire project and spent many long nights at the studio because this is a subject I care about deeply.
I’m not just here to make money and run. I want to build something real with you. I want a future where everyone has access to their creativity.
Everyone faces obstacles in the pursuit of becoming an artist. It’s just a part of the process.
But because this subject isn’t talked about nearly enough, there are TONS of beginners out there who struggle through these obstacles alone.
How many amazing artists have we lost over the years because they quit after hitting a seemingly impossible problem? How much frustration and guilt has gone on for years because there is nowhere else to turn for solutions?
I’m sick of seeing people give up on their creative dreams.
I’m sick of seeing people call themselves bad artists because when they just didn’t have the right resources.
I’m sick of old-school artists gatekeeping the knowledge behind closed doors and expensive art degrees.
I’m sick of it, {{ subscriber.first_name }}.
And I want to change the way we think about creativity in our world.
I want you to think about yourself differently.
Am I asking you for money? Yes.
But you can rest assured that we will use that money to bring even more people into the fold. We’ll keep building tools and resources to help people all over the world get in touch with their creativity and live their fullest lives.
We want to paint the world, {{ subscriber.first_name }}, and we want you to be one of our fellow artists.
The Foxsy Watercolor Academy is what we’re doing today, but we’re still young. Still hungry for a better world where creativity and passion runs rampant.
There are two more titan Academies on the horizon — a Lettering Academy and a Creative Journaling Academy. And that’s just what we have planned for this year!
It’s only going to get better from here, {{ subscriber.first_name }}.
Hit the button below if you’re ready to become a Foxsy student and help us change the world.
Email #4
Title: Give yourself the gift of creativity
Hey there, {{ subscriber.first_name }}!
Imagine yourself sitting in a cozy nook in your home. Your watercolor supplies, well used and lovingly splattered in paint, are laid out in front of you and ready to use.
You scroll through the Watercolor Academy and pick a course that looks exciting and hit play.
Halfway through the class, you pause to take the dogs out or make dinner. Later, you pick back up where you left off, knowing that everything is waiting for you.
Imagine your hand moving across the paper confidently, brush in hand, and you see your skills sharpen in real time.
Finally, when you’re finished painting, you snap a picture of your new piece of art and send it in for a Foxsy pro to take a look at. You know that you’ll find a message in a few days with glowing encouragement and some pointers for future projects.
Imagine, {{ subscriber.first_name }}, that zing of pride and confidence in your art.
When you join the Watercolor Academy, you can watch this dream become a reality.
Enjoy dozens of courses taught by four pro watercolorists guiding you through foundational lessons, from the most basic to more challenging techniques.
Take advantage of the 38 step-by-step projects that offer hands-on practice creating your own beautiful artworks.
With the Foxsy Watercolor Academy, you have everything you need right at your fingertips to become the artist you’ve always wanted to be.
Your color mixing will become easier, your paint will flow smoother, and your projects will come together like never before. As you watch your skills bloom over the next twelve weeks, you’ll finally feel like you can call yourself a watercolor artist.
And I’ll be there with you every step of the way to offer unlimited creative support. Not only do I teach many classes in the Academy, but I’m also hosting all the live check-ins!
It’s all possible, {{ subscriber.first_name }}. And you don’t have to wait until some uncertain time in the far future — this can be your reality now.
So what’s stopping you? Kick fear out of the driver’s seat and remember — you can do this.
Become a part of the Foxsy family and show yourself some love by giving the gift of creativity today.
Enroll in the Watercolor Academy now for only $10 and let’s make some beautiful art together!