Watercolor Studies

As you can see I’ve been on a watercolor frenzy! It’s been quite meditative for me, at certain times. I find that I’m usually happy with my results if I have a plan/design in mind. If I don’t, I end up painting random-ness and then I just toss it because I find it uninspiring. I’m going to start a sketchbook that way I have a record of my progress, I suppose. I read a new fiction book lately that I just love, The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. One of the character in there is a painter, an illustrator for a children’s book series, and he talks about how he painted/sketched everyday for 10 hours because he just wasn’t good. And it took him 10 years before he painted something that he was happy with. I think about that when I paint and when I want to give up because it’s not coming out the way I envision.

Below are some paintings I just painted from my mind’s eye. Lol. Whatever that means. Not from any particular image/source is what I mean to say. I painted so many variations of that bouquet in the vase/jug, trying to learn how to make the flowers more realistic.

       

   

 This bird was painted based on a photograph that some else took. Not by me. lol. I been inspired lately to paint birds, especially blue in tones, because a pair of blue birds have been visiting my backyard quite often. 

Below are some rose paintings I tried to replicate by following some very talented you tubers! I was doing a rose study for 2 days, trying to tackle the lines/shadows. It was just like the eyes study all over again. In the beginning, feeling overwhelmed and thinking this is way too hard. Too many complex lines, lights and darks. Arghh. I’m starting to understand my process. Challenging myself is the way to go, lol. I just get in my own way. We do that A LOT, huh?!

      

I changed the bird on her tutorial to this blue one, inspired by the bird I see in my backyard. If you want to follow along on her tutorial, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stpNWTzvXYs

I think I will continue studying painting realistic flowers. Maybe attempt a large scale painting?!? 

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