First ‘big’ one after starting learning watercolor 6 months ago
After 6 months of learning watercolor this was my first try to make something a bit ‘bigger’. Although I see plenty of things to inprove, I am happy how this one turned out for the skill level I am at right now! Last pic was to determine how big the painting should be 🤣
Edit: some people asked me if I learned everything in just 6 months. Although I am fairly new with watercolor, I did paint prior to that. Also, I used watercolour pencils prior (which are super cool to use as well!). So, please don't feel discouraged!
What helped me learn was taking classes by different teachers. So I've enrolled in different courses for like 6 weeks or so with one teacher, than enrolled in a different one with a new teacher. I've had the basics being taught now several times, but each time phrased differently and demonstrated differently. Weirdly enough that helped me a lot. Sometimes a teacher would tell me something, but it really 'clicked' when another teacher would tell me the same thing, just phrased differently. Also learning different techniques from different people worked great!
Here are the main lessons that helped me the most:
- If it can be dark, it can be darker
I was hesitant using really dark layers, but one teacher commented that it is the darker areas that make the light areas 'pop'. Sounds silly maybe, but it helped me a lot!
- Learning about the colorwheel: using the colors that are opposite of each other to make a darker shade (instead of using black). I had seen a colorwheel before, but never knew the purpose. One teacher showed me that to make the shadow of a red strawberry, you use a bit of green (the color opposite on the wheel). I thought that was pretty weird, but it works wonders! So I've used greens in these berries as well.
- Lost and found: another person told me that you should make some parts sharp and defined, but others a bit fuzzy, for example by blending it, or using a tissue to remove a bit of paint. She said: "in nature nothing is exactly the same, don't paint it the same either'.
- You can lift your paint: (maybe you already know and this may sound pretty silly then, but for me it was another light bulb moment) you can erase paint very precisly with a damp, clean brush. It helps to make transitions smother, for you can remove a harsh line.
- Taking my time. In most lessons I was the only student that didn't finish in time. So I came home with unfinished pieces. I felt really bad about it several times. feeling like I was too slow. But now I've realised that it's not a bad thing, it's just a different kind of working, for I like to nitpick on the tiny details. Just the droplets on these cherries took me at least an hour for example. In the time I needed to finish this entire painting, others could probably have made 3 entire paintings. But I try to embrace my pacing now. I love working on those details!